The rookie season of an NFL quarterback is not always the best barometer of future success. Plenty of future superstars ended their rookie seasons with a lot of question marks due to their sloppy play. Troy Aikman’s first year in the league, he had twice as many touchdowns as interceptions while leading the Dallas Cowboys to a 1-15 record. Another all-time great, Peyton Manning threw 28 interceptions his rookie year as the Colts went 3-13. Many doubted whether the two of them had a chance to succeed in the league. Obviously, they proved the doubters wrong and had outstanding careers. But for every Peyton Manning, there is a Robert Griffin III, a player who comes out of college on fire, but cannot keep the flame going longer than a few years.
A lot To Live Up Too
Some big-name rookies do not even get the starting job at the beginning of their rookie year. Jared Goff and Carson Wentz were drafted numbers one and two in the 2016 Draft. Both have had much success thus far. However, Wentz started and won the first week of his rookie season while Goff served as a backup for the first nine games. Aaron Rodgers spent three seasons holding a clipboard for Brett Favre until he could launch his career. It just goes to show that there are many ways to develop a successful quarterback. We are three weeks into the 2018 NFL season so it is time to take a look at the first year quarterbacks who have already seen time for their teams.
Baker Mayfield
With their Browns trailing the Jets 14-0 late into the second quarter, fans in Cleveland began chanting for Baker Mayfield. The Browns were 0-1-1 under Tyrod Taylor. However, fans knew he was not going to be the one to take them to the promised land. Baker Mayfield was that guy and they wanted to see him in action. It did not help that Taylor was having a horrendous game on Thursday night. He ended up starting 4-14 for 19 yards. A hit to the head put Taylor in concussion protocol. This led to the number one overall draft pick and Heisman Trophy winner finally stepping into the spotlight.
The Coming Out Party
Mayfield was able to manufacture a substantial drive with only 1:42 left on the clock. The Browns took advantage and were able to convert a field goal. Their for the first points of the night. The Browns were able to score points on three of their five second half drives with Mayfield as quarterback. This lead to a 21-17 victory over the New York Jets. Mayfield was very effective in the game going 17-23 for 201 yards. He was not perfect (his team recovered his fumble on his first drive), but he did not turn the ball over. He was also effective through the air. Regardless of his stats, he came off the bench to lead the Browns to their first victory since 2016. However, he only played a little more than a half. Therefore, is no telling what the rest of the season will hold. But there is no doubt that in his first game, Mayfield was able to win over the hearts of Browns fans everywhere.
Sam Darnold
The 3rd pick of the 2018 Draft was the only rookie quarterback to get the nod on week one. The first game of his career was filled with ups and downs, just like his college career was. Sam Darnold joined elite company by throwing a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. The throw was terrible and ill-advised but Darnold bounced back and lit up the Lions defense for 2 touchdowns on 16-21 passing.
Darnold Shows His Resilience
The Jets trounced the Lions 48-17 for their first win but have struggled since then. Darnold has had trouble taking care of the football and has thrown 5 interception to only 3 touchdowns in his first three games. In his last game against the Browns, he did not look comfortable going 15-31 for only 169 yards with 2 interceptions. The beginning of the seasons has proved what we already know; Darnold is extremely talented but until he can get his turnover problem under control, he will not be successful in the NFL. It is only three games into his career, but the Jets should expect their quarterback to take better care of the ball the rest of the season.
Josh Allen
I never understood all the Josh Allen hype when he was in college. Yeah, he had the build of an NFL quarterback, but there was never any raw talent that translated into on-field success. The first two games of the NFL season seemed to confirm my suspicions as the Buffalo Bills looked like the worst team in NFL history. After replacing Nathan Peterman halfway through their first game, Allen struggled against the Ravens defense. He finished the game 6-15 for 74 yards in a 47-3 beatdown by the Baltimore Ravens. Allen started the next game against the Chargers and did not do much better. Still, it was hard to put too much blame on Allen because his supporting cast looked unprepared for NFL play.
Shocking The Critics
The oddsmakers and experts were not high on the Bills going into Minnesota this week to play the Vikings. The Bills were 16.5-point underdogs and were up against one of the most highly-touted teams in the NFC. Then the incredible happened. The Bills somehow pulled it together and Josh Allen finally looked like a top-10 draft pick. Allen literally hurdled Viking defenders on the way to a 27-6 whooping of a Super Bowl contender. Allen was 15-22 for 196 yards and 3 total touchdowns. Was that game a fluke or will Allen set the Bills on track for a successful season? Only time will tell but this game proved that the potential for Allen is there and it is up to him to untap it.
Josh Rosen
Once considered a contender for number one pick in the 2018 Draft, Josh Rosen fell to number ten overall and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals. The UCLA product did not get a chance to prove his name until Week 3, as he sat as a backup for Sam Bradford. The Cardinals and Bradford struggled mightily to start the season and Bradford was pulled in the 4th quarter against the Chicago Bears.
A Rough Start
Rosen was thrown into a tough situation, needing a field goal with only 4:31 left on the clock. The Cardinals were able to drive into enemy territory, but Rosen threw an interception on 4th and 5. Rosen would get another chance with 43 seconds remaining but ran out of time before getting into field goal range. Rosen also threw a pick-six on that final drive that was called back for offsides. Running a two-minute drill in your first NFL drive is a daunting task for any quarterback. So, it is no surprise that Rosen was not able to get the job done. Look for Rosen to gain more experience throughout the season. However, do not expect the Cardinals to compete for a spot in the playoffs.
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