He can’t sustain this high level of play. He can’t win in a tough road environment. He can’t win a mile up in the air. Teams will figure him out soon. The list goes on and on…but one thing remains the same–Patrick Mahomes keeps lighting it up.
Monday Night Football was the real coming out party for the Kansas City quarterback. The Chiefs were trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter against a very good Denver defense who hadn’t lost at home when leading by double digits in over a decade. That’s when the crowd was silenced. Mahomes led the Chiefs down the field twice for touchdowns, including the play of the game on a critical third and five when he switched hands and threw for a short first down while evading Von Miller on the outside.
The Chiefs held strong on Denver’s final drive and they now sit in first place in the AFC. Through four games in 2018, Mahomes has 15 total touchdowns, 1,200 yards passing, a 65.2 completion percentage and ZERO interceptions. These are insane video game numbers that we are witnessing in real life. But we can’t give all the credit to the Tyler, TX native can we?
There is something to be said about gaining experience and getting thrown into the fire right away. You can learn from your mistakes quicker and you can take a lot of reps early on in your career. But the one downside that you cannot control is social media. No matter how well or how poorly you play Twitter will be right there waiting to destroy you every which way. The critics will be waiting for you to fail and if you are thrown into the ring on a historically poor franchise it can hinder your career from the beginning.
Just look at what it has done to some quarterbacks in the past. Matt Leinart in 2006 was gone in Arizona after failing to live up to his college Heisman potential, Brady Quinn for the Browns in 2007 and Tim Couch in 2001, JaMarcus Russell in 2007 for the Raiders and the ever so famous Ryan Leaf in 1998 for San Diego. All big time college prospects thrown onto the field too early because of how well they played when they were college kids.
I’m not saying it happens to everybody, but there are growing pains along the way and it takes a toll on certain players. Carson Wentz had a very solid first year for the Eagles in 2016 and turned around in 2017 and, if not for an injury, would have been the league MVP. There are some rare cases like this, but like I said…RARE.
The biggest benefit a young quarterback can have is to wait, especially if there is a talented veteran in front of him. But they don’t have to be all that talented. They just need to be able to show the rookie the ropes and the everyday process of playing under center. Just look at the most successful quarterbacks in the past decade-plus.
Tom Brady, drafted in the seventh round out of Michigan. Sat behind Drew Bledsoe for a full season before taking over the reins and winning the Super Bowl the following year…we all know the rest. Aaron Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre in Green Bay for three season before taking over and also winning a Super Bowl, while becoming a generational talent in the league. Big Ben sat a few games before coming in, the list goes on. But we are also seeing this type of production in today’s game with Jared Goff in Los Angeles and Patrick Mahomes in KC.
It doesn’t have to be a full year, but it also doesn’t hurt to wait that long. Mahomes played in one game in his rookie season and sat behind Alex Smith while stating that it had done wonders for his career. Goff was in a Jeff Fisher running, old-school system before Sean McVay took over and altered his career. I’m not saying that everything is going to be perfect if you sit and wait. You obviously need a great offensive minded head coach or coordinator, and weapons surrounding the quarterback.
A lot of these “busts” became busts because of the system they were drafted into and how hot the coaches seat was when they arrived. It’s nice to get drafted in the top-5, but the benefit of slipping in the first round is far greater than people think. Just ask the Packers and Rodgers, or the Patriots and Brady.
Maybe being drafted first-overall as a quarterback isn’t the best long-term plan for your future. Only time will tell, but historically speaking if you look at how many quarterbacks went on to have successful, long-term careers the scales tip in favor of the players who got to learn behind veteran starters.
The NFL is changing and quarterbacks are getting significantly more prepared for the NFL, while the rules are only helping the position further. I hope that the 2018 quarterback class can be successful long-term as all four of the signal callers taken inside the top-10 are starting and it’s only Week 4. But at the end of the day it is a business and we will just have to wait and see.
Week 4 Recap
The Bills are still the Bills after getting blanked on the road at Lambeau Sunday afternoon just one week removed from upsetting the Vikings in Minneapolis. Josh Allen took a step backwards after looking like a veteran QB against Minnesota, but it was Rodgers who was upset after the Week 4 win.
Aaron called out the play calling and game flow, he was mad that they had to settle for field goals in the red zone, and he was just upset about the lack of targets that were designed for Devontae Adams, his main receiver. Anyways, the Packers are back in the win column, but have a lot of work to do? Who knows, Rodgers can be a diva at times.
Everybody knew the Bears defense was legit, but their offense? Well, it was non-existent through three weeks. However, that all changed Sunday in the Windy City. Somebody was under center wearing a Mitch Trubisky jersey and he broke the record for most passing touchdowns in a Bears uniform in franchise history (6). They absolutely routed the Buccaneers and likely ended the run of Ryan FitzMagic altogether. Oh, and they are in first place in the North.
The 45-10 route gave insight as to just how good the Bears might be, but also to how bad the Buccaneers defense is and maybe how bad the Pittsburgh Steelers actually are.
The Bucs lost 30-27 a week ago to Pittsburgh, but had two turnovers inside their own 25 yard line, one for a pick-six, and the Steelers scored zero second half points…what is going on it the Steel City?
Le’Veon Bell is rumored to report during the Steelers’ Week 7 Bye, but will he dress up for the black and yellow or will he be traded? That remains to be seen, but Pittsburgh’s offense is in shambles and clearly they need the third member of the Killer B’s. If I was the Steelers I would just sign him to a long-term deal now. I don’t think James Conner is the answer, although he is very good, but Bell is just an elite talent that opposing defenses must respect and he can sway game planning in Pitt’s favor.
I personally think he gets traded, especially after what happened to Doug Baldwin in Seattle. Trade him while you can and get something in return or risk losing him for nothing. The locker room appears as if it is already divided and if the offensive line is calling him out, then why would they block for somebody they have given up on?
New England has been and always will be a tease to the league in September. Once again, many had written them off (including myself, except I said they would still make playoffs) and they did what they have done the previous four seasons. Route an above .500 opponent one week after their record fell to 1-2 and all is good again. Oh yeah…Julian Edleman, Brady’s main receiver, returns from suspension this week. Good luck, AFC.
The Oakland Raiders handed Jon Gruden his first win in over a decade after one of the most exciting games of the week in the Bay Area. Another Browns OT thriller resulted in a loss, but not after controversy. Fumble, forward progress, whatever it may be…the Raiders took advantage and their kicker got second life to win the game.
The Browns loss secured an 0-4 showing from all four top-10 2018 QB picks in Week 4. Allen, Darnold, Mayfield and Rosen all came up empty handed, but the direction of the league looks to be in good hands.
Now, you didn’t actually think I was going to end this NFL recap without mentioning the Frank Reich OT fourth down call did you?
C’mon. That was the highlight of the week! The Colts had an epic comeback fall short in overtime after deciding to go for it inside their own territory with under :30 seconds remaining. Now, they did not convert and Houston converted a pass to get into FG range, and eventually won, but I agree with the call. Never play for a tie. Ever. Trust your players, and let them trust you.
First year head coach, trying to make a statement with his MVP caliber QB who just threw two touchdowns to tie the game before the end of regulation. That was absolutely the right call. That’s the media, though. You convert…you’re a hero, if not, you wake up Monday morning and you’re the headline on national news. I love it. Great call, Reich.
MLB Playoffs Preview
The Hunt for October has officially ended, which means one thing…playoff baseball is back!
After the NL West and the NL Central had a dead tie after 162 games both divisions did a one-game playoff for the title. What made this game even more interesting was the strategy that was involved. Losers meet-up in the Wild Card play-in-game this evening, while the winners rest and host the Wild Card round at home.
Madness!
Milwaukee won at Wrigley and the Dodgers won at home, so Colorado travels east to Chicago for the first Wild Card match-up tonight.
The Atlanta Braves and Dodgers will now meet in round one while the winner of the play-in-game will travel to Wisconsin to take on Christian Yelich and the red-hot Brewers.
The Yankees host the Athletics in the AL Wild Card game tomorrow night and the Red Sox await the winner at Fenway. If the MLB faithful do not get the epic Sox-Yanks playoff series it has been waiting 14 years for then it will be a bloody shame. You all know where I stand on this bull s*** play-in-game format, but it could come back and bite the league in the rear.
The defending World Series champion Houston Astros host the Cleveland Indians in the other American League match-up.
Personally, I love October baseball. But it is even more entertaining when the Sox and Yankees and both in it. Both have 100-plus wins and their rosters are just as good, if not better than the 2004 meeting.
Aaron Judge is back and healthy along with Gary Sanchez for the record-setting home run hitting Yankees and they have one of the best power hitting rosters in the league with the addition of Giancarlo Stanton. Potential Rookie of the Year candidates Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres are also a threat to Oakland and the AL, which is why I am picking the Bronx Bombers to come out of the AL.
The Red Sox bullpen and starting rotation is so deep, and so is Houston’s, but their is no easy out in the Yankees lineup. Mookie Betts is going to win the MVP in the AL but he is known for his postseason struggles. If it were a seven game series I would possibly think about taking the Red Sox, but in a best-of-five I’ll take New York.
In the West I really like the Milwaukee Brewers, but the inexperience deters me from taking them. Yelich has been the best player in all of baseball since July, but playoff baseball is another breed (just ask Clayton Kershaw).
I know they played last night, and I know they have to win a play-in-game to advance, but I think the Chicago Cubs come out of the NL. They have a deep starting rotation and have unbelievable defense. Like the Dodgers, they have experience of making the World Series, but I believe they have the better manager overall in Joe Maddon.
Atlanta and Milwaukee’s inexperience will show and it will be another epic NLCS between the Cubbies and Dodgers.
Prediction- Yankees over the Cubs in 6 games.
Ryder Cup
What a disastrous showing for Team USA from top to bottom. I’m not even going to get into the mess that transpired. Europe knows how to play team golf and America doesn’t. The struggle on European soil continues for another four years, but at least Patrick Reed kept quiet after he had a losing record in Paris…what a joke.
Is it April yet?