Novice Playoff QBs

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfls-playoff-novice-qbs-about-to-get-tested-and-perhaps-exposed/

NFL’s playoff-novice QBs about to get tested – and perhaps exposed
Goff, Keenum, Bortles among upstart quarterbacks who might find postseason troublesome
Jason La Canfora

1h ago • 6 min read

We are about to learn much more about a group of upstart quarterbacks. December is almost over and January football is an entirely different beast. They are some of the league’s best stories — in a season sadly devoid of them — and they are about to be challenged far beyond anything they have seen to this point.

I am genuinely intrigued to see which of them — if any — can withstand the rigors of NFL playoff football. And which, invariably, crumble. There might be some middle ground, but at a time when Cinderella seasons are either validated or eliminated, frankly, we are entering all-or-nothing territory. And the quarterback almost always gets the bulk of the accolades and blame. Even last week, you could start to see a few cracks appearing in some cases — and major fissures in other instances — when it came to the league’s group of postseason novices on the cusp of their debut.

As a general rule, I would say buyer beware. Time just might be up for many of these guys, and we’ll find out soon enough which of these passers is truly ready for the task of beating multiple playoff defenses in succession. Judging by what we started to see last week, I would bet the under. Whether it be Jared Goff or Blake Bortles or Case Keenum or Nick Foles or, should they make it, Marcus Mariota or Tyrod Taylor, things are about to get more heavily contested than anything they have seen in their careers. And while not all of these quarterbacks are newbies, they have a combined one NFL playoff start between them — by Foles in 2013 — and far more time spent on the bench or under fire or fighting to keep their job than experiencing the euphoria of January victories (they have a combined zero postseason wins, by the way, as you most likely already gleaned).

Goff is the shiniest diamond of the bunch, the first overall draft pick in 2016 who shook off a troubling rookie season to stake his place among the comeback players of the year (Keenum would have significant merit in that regard as well). Goff has thrived with stud rookie coach Sean McVay setting the game plans, calling the plays and in many cases audibles for him, putting him in remarkable situations to succeed, not asking him to do too much, not forcing things on third-and-long and I could go on and on. McVay’s value cannot be overstated, especially in terms of rebuilding this kid’s confidence.

But I started to see a few troubling signs last week in Nashville. The Titans had their way with Goff at times as Tennessee defensive coordiantor Dick LeBeau blitzed with abandon. While Goff caught them once with a check down to Todd Gurley that went for an 80-yard touchdown, he also looked more shook and shaky than I’ve seen since last season. Things seemed to get to him a bit more. He was out of sorts at times. His fumble led to a Titans score that turned the game in Tennessee’s favor for a spell. While I believe McVay’s presence can’t be overstated, I also believe it wouldn’t be stunning if Goff had a dud against a defense like Minnesota or Carolina or New Orleans, to name a few, in the postseason.

Keenum has been remarkable this season. I’ve been championing his cause since about Week 5 and I don’t believe this is a fluke. He has played big-boy football week in and week out, and it’s ridiculous the Vikings haven’t already locked him up for the next few seasons. But the fact that they haven’t thrusts even more pressure on the former journeyman in the postseason, when everything is magnified and quarterbacks can be hung out to dry. Keenum wasn’t as sharp last week against an average Green Bay team and opposing coordinators might sell out to put him in second- and third-and-long situations in the playoffs. Will he and Adam Thielen be able to keep this up then?

Foles has that one game of postseason experience, when the Chip Kelly-led Eagles bowed out in the 2013 postseason, but that isn’t buying him anything now. He has been thrust into trying to replace Carson Wentz on what was the NFL’s best team (newsflash — he cant replace Wentz and it’s not even close) and Monday night he might have been exposed by one of the NFL’s worst defenses. His inability to look the part and restore a modicum of productivity to the Eagles offense against the horrid Raiders pass rush was a big, big problem. I thought the loss of left tackle Jason Peters — never a real issue with the mobile and powerful Wentz under center — would become a serious problem, and, well, it was Monday against a poor team with nothing to play for. Imagine how acute an issue this could be with Cameron Jordan or Luke Kuechly or Everson Griffen or Aaron Donald trying to end the Eagles’ season in the playoffs? Sorry, but I am not buying Foles as being able to save Philly’s season. Not even close. Any Super Bowl hope died when Wentz was injured in Los Angeles.

Bortles is the weakest link in this bunch, as far as I’m concerned. The quickness with which he regressed back to his typical form Sunday — after riding a four-week high — and the devolution of his game had to give pause to everyone in Jacksonville. It was nothing short of troubling, the rapid-fire turnovers and pick-sixes and all, and the lack of skill around him in the passing game will be magnified next month. Trust me. Let this team fall behind early and not be able to run its way to the lead, and problems will arise. He knows, as well as anybody, that Tom Coughlin’s ties to Eli Manning are deep and bountiful and he knows that most in the football world are viewing his recent success with a skeptical eye, and with another weak showing next week against Tennessee even more questions will be asked about his ability to win in the playoffs.

As for Mariota and Taylor, well, it’s far from certain one, or either, will actually be playing beyond Week 17. But if they do, expect game plans that force them to make difficult reads downfield and take away their training wheels as much as possible. The Titans’ passing “attack” is as hard to stomach as any in the NFL, and teams will bracket Delanie Walker to take away the security blanket. Mariota has been fairly awful this season and especially the past month. He’s pushing DeShone Kizer for the turnover lead and he throws balls up for grabs and often looks hobbled. The game-ending sack he took last week captures much of that inertia. He isn’t winning games against anyone, and he’s contributing to losses far more than would be expected at this stage of his career.

Taylor, to me, is capable of moments of brilliance more so than anyone else on this list, but he also has had a middling season at best. He isn’t suited to the pocket game and often needs space to let plays develop. He doesn’t have much to throw to beyond Kelvin Benjamin, and the Bills would have to rely on a bunch of screens to LeSean McCoy to survive in the playoffs. With Taylor likely on the trade block this winter and looking for leverage, the pressure of a playoff stage could weigh heavily on him, maybe almost as much as Keenum.

For some, this might be a springboard to greater things, and certainly unforeseen riches, if they can keep this run going. For most, it will be the end of a season in which, for a while at least, they reached heights few ever expected, or tapped into potential that was long dormant. And if we see any of this group still playing at the end of January, it would come as an upset to me, with Super Bowl winners like Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees and maybe Russell Wilson also in the playoff field.