What if
What if Sam Darnold performs like he did in Los Angeles on Sunday in these last two games?
What if the Jets are as sure and decisive as the third-year quarterback as he was in a shocking 23-25 upset win over the Rams?
What if Darnold throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns and doesn’t spin the ball and the Jets beat the Browns 10-4 in their home final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium?
If the following week Foxboro, Mass. Going upstairs, for the end of the season and what if Bill Belichick sees the ghosts defending the Patriots?
If Darnold’s 2020 resume is off by three strong, winning performances in a row – even if they come at the end of an unfortunate 3-13 season?
They will be three meaningless wins for the Jets, but will it be a meaningless performance by Darnold?
Prior to the Rams’ upset, it was expected that the Jets would end the scheduled 0-16, assuring themselves of a No. 1-overall draft pick and a chance to pick up Clemson quarterback Trevor Larens.
With Lawrence, considered the “pale talent” shining in his face in April, there was little for the Jets to decide what to do with Darnold. They move on. Darnold will be sold for what the Jets get for a third-year quarterback with a 12-24 record and 44 turnovers.
But what now
In the next two games (against the Bears and the Colts), Lawrence will get an unexpected stumbling block, having won the 1ars-1 Jag Jaguar, the JA LA and the Jets at Jacksonville, and a tiebreaker for the No. 1 pick due to the strength of the schedule.
As the season draws to a close, the Jets must now ask themselves the question: is it better to build around Darnold (who has done poorly over the past three years) or turn the dice on a quarterback not named Trevor. Lawrence?
Justin Fields of Ohio State looked normal against Northwestern on Saturday and dropped his stock. Rahul felt dynamic in BYU’s Zack Wilson meaningless bowl game against UCF team on Tuesday night. Is Florida’s Kyle Trace the answer? Tray Lance in the state of North Dakota?
What if Darnold shines this Sunday and the day after?
Will it change the narrative or will it simply be canceled as waste time?
Remember, the Jets finished 6-2 after a 1-7 start last season. What happened after the 2020 season started? Flower gold.
Former Jets general manager Mike Tennenbum told The Post on Wednesday that every game is important to the NFL’s evaluation. “Look, they have some important decisions to make in se fission – especially starting with the quarterback. The big question many people have about Sam is that they have. Right now, Sam has 44 turnovers as he is in the NFL. He is sixth in any quarterback during that period.
“It’s not unlike Daniel Jones,” Tannenbaum said, referring to the Giants’ second-year quarterback with turnover problems. Have seen. ”
Strange stats on Darnold, though: his 36th career start, in 14 he has thrown no hurdles, the Jets are just 3-11.
It is the result of a lot of bad teams around Darnold and it begs the question: have more jets failed than Darnold failed?
The answer to this question is: yes.
However, he does not exclude Darnold from the fact that he has not been special, the players around him could not elevate the No. 3-overall draft pick.
On Sunday in LA, Darnold did it, though. There was a difference in his quick and correct decision making game. Was it a flash in the pan, a reversal on the radar? Or the sign that he is starting to find the figure?
“I think Sam looks like a real Sunday against the Rams,” Tannenbaum said. “He was decisive and accurate. It was a very encouraging performance. ”
It was his fifth top game of the season, with Jason Crowder, Brechid Perryman and Denzel Mimes – all on the field at the same time.
Head coach Adam Gass was asked on Wednesday what the “next step” was for Darnold.
Referring to the Rams game, Games said, “Just keep playing games like this. ‘
Asked why, after three years of his career, he hasn’t clicked for Darnold yet, Gass said, “There’s a little bit to be done with who’s around him, and there’s consistency. You will see some of these quarterbacks playing with the same receivers, playing with boys with the same skills. Having a little consistency with the roster – that would be a good start for him. ”
The question, of course, is on which roster will Darnold be in 2021?
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