A development long in the making.
This success is not necessarily new for playoff mainstays and perennial MVP candidates (and twice winner) Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Even Baker Mayfield, in six seasons, has enjoyed more positives and accomplishments than not. Though Mayfield has not quite reached a pinnacle for a top overall pick, respectable play has occurred. Plus, the Cleveland Browns, who initially selected him, are tasting some karma for letting him go.
It is Mr. Sam Darnold who is finally putting together the lessons learned and road bumps encountered to good use. Experience gained has given Darnold the best start of his career and even perhaps his best stretch of games. In doing so, Darnold has the Minnesota Vikings off to a 4-0 start as these four quarterbacks are a combined 12-4 through the season's first four weeks.
Sam Darnold
Maybe the confidence for Darnold has always been there. It is only now breeding results, with the Vikings delivering four convincing wins to begin the season.
Impressive victories over the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, and Green Packers top the list. All were following a decisive week one victory over the New York Giants.
Darnold has been efficient, tossing for over 200 yards in three games. His total of 932 passing yards his second-best among these four quarterbacks. Darnold's 11 touchdowns passes lead the way (so do his three interceptions), while completing 68.9 percent of his pass attempts.
Darnold has been sacked 10 times and carried the ball 15 times for 50 yards.
One bonus, too, is that Darnold and the Vikings are winning without tight end T.J. Hockenson. Hockenson had been on the PUP list but the Minnesota recently opened his window to return to practice.
Wide receiver Jordan Addison has also missed two games.
A strong defense, outside of nearly allowing a comeback by the Packers, has helped, with opponents twice scoring less than ten points.
Darnold has the Vikings rolling. Two home games await in the coming weeks, with a trip to London and a bye week mixed in. The path ahead is not an easy one to traverse by any means and I don't see the Vikings still undefeated after week 9. However, a 3-1 stretch is entirely doable.
Weeks 5 - 9: vs NYJ (10/6), BYE, vs DET (10/20), @ LAR (10/24), vs IND (11/3)
Lamar Jackson
Until the victory over the Buffalo Bills last Sunday night, the defense of the Baltimore Ravens (2-2) had trouble closing out games. A little worrisome, consider Jackson and new running back Derrick Henry had the offense cooking.
Henry got off to a slow start but has been back to his rip-roaring self since. Against the Bills, Henry had 199 yards and two scores, bringing his season totals to 480 and five, respectively.
The arrival of Henry has helped balanced out Jackson, especially the last two weeks. In victories over Dallas and Buffalo, Jackson threw the ball only 33 times, completing 25. This after tossing up the ball 75 times in the first two weeks.
Jackson his still doing work on the ground, averaging over seven yards per carry. Through four games, Jackson has 308 yards and two touchdowns.
Controlling the ground game means less in the passing attack, where tight end Mark Andrews has been absent (though his blocking is fabulous). Jackson is maintaining a nice 66.7 completion percentage with 858 yards, five touchdowns, and only one interception.
Jackson has also lost a couple of fumbles and been sacked four times.
Despite being centimeters away from a 3-1 record, Jackson and the Ravens are in a good spot in the AFC North. They get a chance in the coming weeks to spring ahead in the division. And while tough opponents await, the Ravens could very well be in midst of a seven-game winning streak by time week 10 rolls around.
Weeks 5 - 9: @ CIN (10/6), vs WAS (10/13), @ TB (10/21), @ CLE (10/27), vs DEN (11/3)
Josh Allen
Allen and the Bills looked unbeatable heading into Baltimore, winning by a combined score 78-20 the previous two weeks. Then, everything momentarily crashed to a halt in the 35-10 loss to the Ravens.
Nothing really clicked in the loss, Allen included, throwing for only 42 yards in the first half. He finished 16-29 for 180 yards.
This effort came a week after Allen posted a first half against the Jaguars in which he completed 22 of 28 for 247 yards and four touchdowns.
Allen, after the offseason trade of Stefon Diggs to the Texans, is spreading the ball around nicely. Ten different players have caught passes, led by Khalil Shakir with 18.
Passing yards are down for Allen but he hasn't been forced to do as much. Through four games, he's reached 30 attempts only once and has completed 69.3 percent. Allen has 814 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and is yet to throw a pick.
On the ground, Allen has 106 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The Bills will be road warriors the next five weeks, traveling to different stadiums three times. A setback happened in week 4 but a stretch of 3-2 (or better) is on the agenda in coming weeks.
Weeks 5 - 9: @ HOU (10/6), @ NYJ (10/14), vs TEN (10/20), @ SEA (10/27), vs MIA (11/3)
Baker Mayfield
One of the bigger question marks among these four quarterbacks was wondering if Mayfield could duplicate his success from a season ago. If not for a dud in a week three loss to the Denver Broncos, Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be undefeated.
In that 26-7 loss, the Bucs were lackluster, and Mayfield threw for only 163 yards and was sacked seven times.
Sacks were an issue in weeks two and three but much better in a week four victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Mayfield was sacked only twice and threw for 347 yards in a 33-16 victory.
Mayfield is tops this season among the four quarterbacks here in yards (984) and completion percentage (70.5), with eight touchdowns and two interceptions.
Tampa Bay has been slightly better in the ground attack, with Mayfield contributing 65 yards and two scores.
Division play is heavy on the rotation the next five weeks for Tampa Bay, with Atlanta (twice) and New Orleans on the agenda. Toss in matchups with Baltimore and Kansas City and dark clouds could be on the agenda. Still, a 3-2 record in this stretch is entirely doable but Mayfield and the Bucs will need to be at their best.
Weeks 5 - 9: @ ATL (10/3), @ NO (10/13), vs BAL (10/21), vs ATL (10/27), @ KC (11/4)
Josh Rosen
An update finally crept into the public regarding the status of Josh Rosen. A football career may be over and Rosen has turned his attention elsewhere. According to Eric Sondheimer, Rosen has enrolled in the Wharton School of Business at Penn.
Good luck.
As for the other four quarterbacks of the 2018 first round class, their pursuit of a title continues. Check back in here for a robust update after week nine as I chart their career progress.
More on season 7 of the five quarterbacks series: Season 7 preview
photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
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