Series continues on the five quarterbacks taken in the first-round of the 2018 NFL draft, through four weeks of their fifth-season.
The first four weeks of the 2022-23 NFL season have already brought plenty of intrigue for quarterbacks taken in the 1st-round of the 2018 draft. Three of the five have been fairly active in slinging around the football around the field. Two of them are even doing it with accuracy.
Highlights in these first four weeks include one playing against his former team and a marquee match-up between two early-season frontrunners for MVP. In a rainy day affair, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson delivered in leading their teams to a slugfest of a game.
Fireworks by the exciting quarterbacks were limited as both somewhat underperformed compared to previous weeks. Allen struggled early while Jackson shined, with the script flipped after halftime. In the end, it was some questionable decision-making by Ravens head coach John Harbaugh that saw the Bills prevail 23-20.
This game might very well serve as an AFC title game preview. Both teams have some issues to address and work on. For the Bills, establishing a running game and overcoming some early-season injuries. And for Baltimore, improving on defense, though signs of life from the unit coming to life were present against Buffalo.
Jackson and Allen have both shown signs of improvement, with small frustrations, through the first four games. But continuing down this path should have both quarterbacks in MVP contention, while building towards a Super Bowl ring.
Josh Allen
Allen has been a superman for the Buffalo Bills (3-1). One wonders not if the pressure will to him, but if he can survive the wear-and-tear. Allen has hoisted this team onto his shoulders and, as it often goes with the great players, as Allen goes so do the Bills.
Allen has proven he can handle it but will need more help in the running game to help keep the passing lanes open. They have two talented runners plus a rookie getting touches. It's about finding consistency and keeping opposing defenses off-balance with at least the threat of the run.
Injuries have piled up at receiver but haven't hurt Allen and the Bills a whole lot. The position is one of the deepest on the team and when Stefon Diggs and Allen are doing their thing, Buffalo is nearly impossible to defeat.
Allen had a 400-yard passing game in a two-point loss to the Miami Dolphins. While Allen did connect with 11 different receivers, he also had three fumbles (one lost) and was sacked four times.
This loss came after the Bills won their first two games by a combined scored of 72-17.
Allen struggled some with accuracy (19-36) against the Ravens but overall has been his usual self. He's thrown for 1227 yards while completing 67.3 percent of his passes. Allen has tossed 10 touchdowns and thrown three interceptions.
The ground game has also been strong with Allen, rushing for a team-leading 183 yards and two touchdowns.
More marquee match-ups await, with games against the Chiefs and Packers on the horizon. And if all goes well, it will be two more notches for Allen in his pursuit for MVP.
Next five weeks: vs PIT (10/9), @ KC (10/16), BYE, vs GB (10/30), @ NYJ (11/6)
Lamar Jackson
Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens (2-2) are a few bad plays and unlucky bounces away from being undefeated. Their two losses are by a combined seven points. In addition to the Buffalo loss, Baltimore, like the Bills, lost to the Dolphins.
That game, fault lies mostly in the Ravens blowing a 35-14 lead. Jackson was nearly flawless in completing 21-29 passes for 318 yards. He threw for three touchdown passes and added another on the ground, scoring on a 79-yard touchdown run. Jackson had nine carries for 119 yards and did not commit a turnover or get sacked on the day.
Jackson has been sacked eight times this season but four of those came in the victory over the New England Patriots.
Accuracy and progression have improved for Jackson. Having one of the game's top tight ends in Mark Andrews helps. So, too, has Jackson been helped by a healthier running back stable behind him.
Jackson has completed 65 percent of his passes, throwing for 893 yards and 11 touchdowns. He's also tossed four interceptions, two coming against the Bills.
Things started off slow on the ground for Jackson, carrying only six times for 17 yards. But he has two 100-yard games since and leads the Ravens with 316 yards and two touchdowns.
Some tricky games await the Ravens, starting Sunday night against Cincinnati. It's a stretch that could define what the Ravens will truly be this season. A 4-1 stretch is entirely possible but with the NFL, it's easy to see Baltimore going 1-4 during this span as well.
Next five weeks: vs CIN (10/9), @ NYG (10/16), vs CLE (10/23), @ TB (10/27), @NO (11/7)
Baker Mayfield
A change of scenery for Baker Mayfield has quickly developed from a dream into a nightmare. Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers are 1-3 but could very well be 3-1 if only quarterback play was better.
Mayfield has been mostly pedestrian in his new threads. Two of his games have seen Mayfield complete less than 50 percent of his passes. And he hasn't cleared 200 yards passing since his debut for the Panthers, a 26-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Those first two losses were by a combined five points, fortunes that might have changed if Mayfield played better.
Passes are getting batted down at the line of scrimmage and Mayfield is getting sacked (11 times) far too often. There's also been the problem of holding onto the ball, with Mayfield fumbling five times already (though he's only lost one).
Mayfield has thrown for 747 yards, completing passes at a 54.7 percent clip. He's thrown one touchdown in each game for a total of four but has also three interceptions (two came against in last week's loss to Arizona).
Defense and the running game have been carrying this team so far. If Mayfield doesn't recapture some of his rookie year (or 2020) magic, the starting job might not be his for much longer. The talent is there. It's best he re-capture it soon or it's going to be another long year for the former top-pick.
Next five weeks: vs SF (10/9), @ LAR (10/16), vs TB (10/23), @ ATL (10/30), @ CIN (11/6)
Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold had already lost the quarterback race in Carolina when he suffered a high-ankle sprain in the preseason. Darnold was eligible to come off the IR this week, but according to sources, he's not close to making a return.
If, and when, he does, Darnold could very well get a chance to unseat Mayfield as the top guy. At this point, just being healthy might be more than enough to do exactly that.
Next five weeks: vs SF (10/9), @ LAR (10/16), vs TB (10/23), @ ATL (10/30), @ CIN (11/6)
Josh Rosen
Josh Rosen continues to hang on by a thread in the NFL. After spending the preseason with the Cleveland Browns, Rosen was one of the final roster cuts. No other takers came calling, so he landed on the practice squad for the Browns.
Cleveland currently sits at 2-2, with their losses by a combined four points.
Next five weeks: vs LAC (10/9), vs NE (10/16), @ BAL (10/23), vs CIN (10/31), BYE
Follow along as the progress of these quarterbacks is tracked, with the next update coming after week 9.
1st-round QBs taken in 2018 NFL draft: Year 5 preview
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
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