As you know, Sam has been traded and he will be the starting qb in Carolina. I hope he does well except for week 1 when he plays the Jets.
Sam Darnold is an interesting situation. He shows some real good flashes at times, really throws the ball well and can move around the pocket. He's been under fire this past year but a few things have hurt his development. #1 his wr core is not very good as a whole and he lacks a #1 wr. Everyone loves Mims but his route running has a lot to be desired and doesn't have great ball skills. Where is he in the redzone? Perriman was not very good all year and will be gone and Crowder is as solid #2 option but in my opinion there best wr. He wins matchups in the slot but often times they couldn't get him the ball..They also underutilized the tight end and didn't have a dynamic back. Those are quite a few issues for a qb to be successful in an offense.
But, there are quite a few positives as shown in the film and down below.
He has the arm strength, versatility and movement in the pocket at times. He can throw on the run and its his strength. In this wide zone, boot league, he should be killing it under center and excelling on early downs.
There are 2 things I question about Darnold and that alarms me.
#1 is he is too skittish in the pocket. The minute he feels pressure he tries to make plays with his legs rather than keep the play alive, slide in the pocket and throw the ball downfield. It is definitely a weakness. This used to be Josh Allen's biggest weakness until this past year when he finally learned to keep plays alive and make some throws downfield. He sometimes feels pressure that isn't there and takes off the minute he feels pressure
1st and 10 vs the Rams.
The #2 question and concern is some of the decision making ability at times. I think he has to be a better student of the game and make better decisions. This includes presnap in the evaluation process and post snap getting the ball out quicker. He has to a better job with his checks and audibles, if they are built in to the system. Now, did he have the freedom to make those checks is another question. You need to give your QB that flexibility if you want him to be an elite QB in the NFL. It needs to be more than just throw hot at times especially on those 3rd and 10 situations where he checked it to the back way or the short out route or screw way too often.
When Gase was with the Broncos, Peyton always had 2 run plays and a pass play on early downs. He also had the option to check out of any play he wanted to, but lets not get crazy here, but Sam should have been a better student of the game and have the option to check a play. Your QB has to be a better student, check vs certain coverages and have the ability to check out of a bad play.
This was evident a few times in the Jets game vs the Bills when Sam made several poor decisions and a few bad reads.
For example, here is an example of a bad decision.
The Jets had a 2nd and 20 vs. The Bills. In week 1, the Jets played the Bills and Leslie Frazier got burned on a pressure where his lb got out late. In this situation, the Bills show pressure and bluff with the sam and the Jets check to a wr quick screen. 3yard gain and its now 3rd and 17.
The Jets do check out of many plays and will run screens and bubbles. I notice teams bait them often into some hot throws. They show double mug pressures and will bluff often and with Sam, their are many screens and plays checked at the line of scrimmage. That can be tough when it's 3rd and 10 because the ball is thrown behind the line of scrimmage. I don't think you can make a living doing that and at times you have to throw the ball down field.
So, Heres the play, the Sam showing pressure, he's bluffing, Berrios signals to him he thinks hes coming so they check to the alley screen.
week 1 The jets have a major tendency to check to a bubble screen every time they get a mug look or they sense pressure. It drive me nuts when they do it 3rd and 10 even though last time they scored to Perriman on a big play week 1.
Example from week 1
3rd and 9 they throw hot to Hogan with zero lead blockers behind the line of scrimmage.
ZERO GAIN AND PUNT
This is just one example of them throwing hot in these situations. You need to get the ball down field in these situations. Do we really want Chris Hogan out in space 1x1 vs a corner in a running situation.
Here they have a play action pass called. Everything with the defensive end should alert you the sam linebacker is coming. This is the NFL. He is showing the DE is inside and Sam has plenty of time to check out of a bad play. He needs to understand the play he is running and the Sam will be unblocked.
This is a bad decision.
EASY EASY and check out of the play! The sam will be unblocked and if he's coming he is a qb player. They ran this pressure because you were hurting them early with the boot.
On the next 3rd and 4 on the goal line this should be a touchdown
Look at the look presnap, it's a man look presnap, that turns into a 3man rush with zone behind it. They have a smash concept down below. I don't understand the read here because if you read man, pre snap, the man beater is up top. The matchup down below is the tight end against a cb. A tight end who has given you nothing in the passing game.
This is a bad read! We really like the matchup down below? Even look at the leverage up top. Should be an easy catch and throw. Why he wants to work the tight end side makes zero sense to me.
Should be a touchdown.
Here's another good play action that was called and he gets the ball out late to Mims and this should be a 12 yard gain, instead it is a 5 yard gain.
At this point, the wr is wide open, get the ball out so he can turn his shoulders and get up field.
This should be a big gain, instead is a 4 yard gain because it is thrown behind him.
On 3rd and 3 vs the Chiefs the Jets motion and the Chiefs don't go with it so presnap think zone. So sam should take the easy read vs the 2 high and throw the ball to his left to the rb. Instead he tries to force the dover. Easy first down.
Sam doesn't see the CB sagging and playing the deeper route and should just throw the ball to the rb.
The Good
Early in the game Darnold throws a great throw on a 3rd and 20 on the sail route.
He throws the sail (flood concept with the high low on the corner in cover 2. Great ball 22 yard gain.See video below
nice throw 22 yard gain.
The Bad
But, later before the half they throw the same concept and he tries to force it in and the CB gets under it and cuts under the route for the pick. Instead of going in at half 13-3, the Bills go down and score and make it 10-6.
The difference in the route is that they don't have the clear out by #1 to stretch the safety. The ball gets out a little late.
They decide to go max protect so no flood concept to the bottom. Just a deep out and a short out to high low the cb.
The clips for these 2 plays is shown below.
Sam's gotta be better in these 2 situations.
3rd and 11 Jets are driving early in the 2nd quarter (video below)
Run #2 on a cross #3 on a post corner and #1 on the deep out.
The ball gets out way too late. Another throw that should have hit him in stride. I feel like he's waiting for the wr to be open rather than throwing him open. He's open get the ball out. He gets this out. Mims catching it and can turn the corner he may get the first. He only gets 10 which sets up 4th and 1.
then on 4th an 1 (video below)
they have the look they want presnap to run the play.
Bringing the tight end back in with motion makes the lb a true a gap player and you take
the angle away from the guard on the combo block
WATCH THE RIGHT GUARD AND HE CANT HANDLE THE RUN THRU
But if you didn't motion the tight end back in you were fine. You made them a 4-3.
Its the little things that are hurting the jets right now.
Maybe a vet says just run it. the angles are good and we are fine with the set
This is the first half vs. The Bills.
The positives:
Darnold played decent and has upside.
Mims gives the offense a much needed boost.
Becton is the real deal.
Lewis played well at left guard, Van Roten and the right side is ok.
The 2nd half:
The Jets start the half with a 13 yard run then gore loses a yard and its 2 and 11
Down. 2nd and 11
Jets are in bunch and get cover 2
They run a sit down with Berrios with a dig by Mims.
This is a bad route and read by Berrios, he needs to sit it down and work outside. Darnold almost throws a pick but its on the wr.
on 3rd and 11 Darnold throws a perfect ball. This has to be caught.
They line up in 2x2 The jets do a great job picking up the blitz and they throw the sail route(deep out) and its a good read, good football play and they don't catch the ball.
Video of the 2 plays above. Darnold does his job, wr doesn't do his.
Jets get a 1st and 10 and they throw the ball to the forgotten man Chris Herndon on a crossing route. Smokes him off the line, Herndon looks like.a wr, Milano the lb is in coverage. Unfortunately the 14 yard gain is negated by the nonsense illegal formation call on Becton.
1st and 10 156 to go in the game
down 18-10
Thee Jets try to hit the shallow /dig concept. They get pressure and Sam has no time to throw. Pocket collapses with inside pressure. #22 needs to do a better job and the left guard is slow with his feet. Again, tough to blame the qb.
Ends up being one of the big plays that ends the game. Overall, Darnold has some upside but needs to improve in some minor categories to get to that elite status.
Sam Darnold Vs the Rams
On 1st and 10 the Rams go bear what I call cover 8 which is cover 4 to one side and 2 to the other.
Sam hits Herndon and makes the correct read vs the coverage. If it was man he would work the bottom of the screen with Mims on the Dig
A few plays later, a key 3rd and 5, the Rams go 2 man 2 with the weak safety lurking for crossing route.
Sam takes the check down as nothing is really open underneath and they get a nice first down and he keeps the chains moving.
On 1st and 10 , I like the decision by Sam here.
They try to run the same concept as earlier, but the Rams change the coverage and go cover 3 with the safety playing the curl and takes the te away. They play cover 2 to the bottom of the screen.
Sam wants to go to the slot wr but makes a good decision as cb was sitting out there. he scrambles for 9. May have been able to hit 1 in between the safety and cb but didn't force it.
They later score on the first drive as the Rams blow a coverage on 3rd and 5 and the Jets go up 7-0.
The next series up 7-0 they get a big holding penalty. On 2nd and 16, they get a sim pressure. Darnold does what he is coached to do and throws hot off it. The only thing is your only going to get a short gain because the Rams are only sending 4 with the sim pressure. They get 6 but that's the issue for him they throw hot way too often.
They get a 5 man pressure out of the load front and would have been a real tough throw.
Pressure came and he saw the db lurking. May have been able to make it, but he gets sacked as the pressure collapses
Drive 2 summary:
Sack, 2nd and 16 throws hot, 3r and 10 may have had crowder but pressure got home at same time route was opening.
Drive 3 after blocked punt, Should be a td drive
The Jet after 2 runs by Gore or at 3rd and 4
3rd drive analysis, Get 3 but could have been 7
Again after a key interception and starting at the Rams 22, they get the ball to the 3 yard line but lose 4 on 2nd down.
They have 3rd and 7. They try an out cut on the goal line with a fade by # 1 and out by #2. The rans play man on the outside with bracket coverage on #2 on both sides.
No one gets open and another field goal. No place for Darnold to go with the ball.
After great field position, leave the field with 3 points. Go up 13-0 but needed 7 on one of those 2 drives!
On the next series after a couple short gains they get 3rd and 5.
The jets call a swing to the back and the Rams go cover 2. There is no other route on this play which is mindboggling. The cover 2 coverage makes it an easy play for the defense. Not one other player to the trips side was running a route in the 3x1. Its clearly zone coverage 3 look
More to come but that's the first half in a nut shell.
Sam comes out firing in the 2nd half. Some of the things you want to see. Move the pocket, play action and throwing the ball down field off play action. There was actually another Chris Herndon, Perriman sighting.
He was 5 for 5 for 68 yards. Nice job Sam!
1st and 10 they run boot for 10, could have been a 15 yard gain without the pressure.
Nice job by Darnold getting the ball out.
On another 1st and 10 they run dover route. (Deep over)
good play action, good fake and they hit Perriman for a nice gain. Good job by Sam carrying out his fakes.
A nice 20 yard gain.
On 2nd and 8 at the Rams 28 he hits Herndon on a nice out and up. Good play call. The forgotten man gets wide open.
The cb sits on the post and Herndon runs a nice route for 22 yards. A few plays later they score and go up 20-3
A nice drive and the Jets score 2 plays later and go up 20-3
Jets Vs. Browns,
The Jets played the Browns and the thing that jumped out at me was 1st Down
Under center the Jets were efficient (4 yards or more) 11/12 times. 92% efficient for 123 yards
Rushing 14,11,7,3,5,6,6 ,1,4 9/57 rushing 6.33 yards per carry
Passing. 9 ,43,14. =. 3/3 for 66 yards
On first downs in the gun the Jets were 7/17 as far as efficiency is 41% for 52 yards.
rushing 1,5, 6,7,2. = 5/21 yards
passing inc inc 17 inc , int 9, 5, inc , -7sack, inc,inc 5 ,2. passing
Here's some of the good plays from Darnold vs the Browns.
Nice Throws
Heres a key 3rd and 4
The Jets run mesh and get man free. Perfect call vs man free coverage.
Here are a few clips of some good throws vs the Browns.
Needs improvement
Plays he could have done a better job on.
Here he sails one on a pass he should have stepped up in the pocket. Almost throws a pick on first down.
In the 3rd and 7 below. Sam tries to force one in there but the window closes quick and he never sees the free safety to the single side. That throw almost gets picked off but they get lucky and just incomplete.
Up 20-10 The Jets have a chance to break it open on a 3rd and 5. Like the Rams game the week before they try to hit the rb out of the backfield vs zone coverage. The #2 wr is wide open(not sure if he has a site adjustment or not but there is a clear window if he just sits it down. Sam predetermined where he was going with the ball.
Not a good decision.
Good decision
On a key 3rd and 4 down on the goal line. The Jets go empty. They run a rub route that the Browns sit on and an out fade concept on the bottom. Nothing is open so Darnold makes a good decision and throws it away.
Overall, the Browns game was a c for Darnold. He gave the Jets a chance to win but thought he could have played considerably better.
I hope you enjoyed the 3 games of Darnold analysis.
Here's some analysis of why some people think the trade was not the right one for the Panthers.
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/sam-darnold-trade-carolina-panthers/
