How three afterthought QBs have ruled postseason
Four teams are left in the NFL playoffs, and only one boasts a top-tier quarterback. The NFC Championship Game will feature a pair of journeyman passers in Nick Foles and Case Keenum. And instead of facing Ben Roethlisberger in a highly anticipated rematch for the AFC title, Tom Brady will be squaring off against Blake Bortles.
It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. Pedigree should have won out, right?
Keenum has played well this season after stepping in for an injured Sam Bradford, compiling an 11-3 record and leading the Vikings to the postseason. But beating out future Hall of Famer Drew Brees? He did it, connecting with Stefon Diggs for 61-yard touchdown pass with no time left – the first such walk-off in NFL postseason history.
Bortles is often regarded as one of the worst starters in the league. But he looked nothing like that Sunday as he made several key throws in the Jaguars’ 45-42 victory over Roethlisberger and the Steelers.
And Foles, thrust into the starting role when Carson Wentz tore his anterior cruciate ligament, passed for more yards than reigning MVP Matt Ryan (246 to 210) in a solid 24-for30, interception-free performance. He then let his defense stifle Ryan and the Falcons in the closing seconds of the Eagles’ 15-10 win.
If the remaining quarterback picture was a March Madness bracket, you’d have a Final Four of Duke alongside Wichita State, George Mason and VCU.
How, in this pass-happy league did these three teams manage to reach this point with average-to-subpar quarterback outlooks?
There’s a common thread or two here. The first has to do with the other side of the ball.
The Vikings, Jaguars and Eagles all boast defenses capable of producing game-changing plays. In both yards and points allowed, Minnesota ranks first in the NFL, Jacksonville second and Philadelphia fourth. The Jaguars and Eagles both rank among the top four in takeaways as well. On third downs, the Vikings, Eagles and Jaguars rank first, third and fourth, respectively. That kind of support is huge for any offense. Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell said he always tells Bortles and his other offensive teammates, “Just give us seven, and we’ll do the rest.” But on Sunday, Bortles and his unit gave the team much more than that.
Rookie running back Leonard Fournette ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries against Pittsburgh to pace the league’s top-ranked rushing attack. That kind of performance not only helps establish the line of scrimmage and keeps the defense from teeing off on the quarterback, but it also creates opportunities for the passing game.
Bortles was most effective on play-action passes Sunday. As defenders bit on the run, his primary targets came free for easier completions. A comparable dose of the run game created the same benefits for Foles and Keenum as well.
This approach wasn’t new for either team. All season long, the Jaguars and Vikings have relied heavily on the run to ease pressure on their quarterbacks. Then, their coaches find ways to help them get into a rhythm in the passing game.
Even the Wentz-led Eagles used the run to establish the offense. But this became even more significant once Foles took over.
Keenum has served as the poster child this season for what a strong defense, smart offensive coordinator and quality supporting cast can do for a quarterback. He was deemed ineffective in his run with the Rams and was considered simply a backup when he signed with Minnesota.
But now, as he has found comfort with the Vikings he has gone from game manager to legitimate threat as a passer.
Keenum now will be tasked with replacing that kind of output on the road against Foles and the Eagles, who boast their own strong defense and rushing attack.
Bortles faces the toughest task of the three in proving he can put together back-to-back quality games on the road while trying to keep pace with Brady. The Patriots will try to jump on the Jaguars early and force Bortles to play from behind. Abandoning the run and expecting the fourth-year quarterback to thrive in that situation might be too much to ask. But did anyone expect that he’d even get to this point in the first place?
Titans move on from Mularkey
It’s no longer enough in the NFL to post a winning record, reach the postseason and pull off an opening-round upset. Titans coach Mike Mularkey learned this first-hand this week – days after his team’s season-ending loss to Super Bowl favorite New England in the divisional round.
Mularkey got the ax just one week after Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk released a statement saying he would be “our head coach moving forward.”
Titans general manager Jon Robinson told reporters on Monday, “I felt like we need to go in a different direction and maximize the skill sets of the players on the field.”
This has a lot to do with quarterback Marcus Mariota’s growth, which didn’t follow the expected trajectory in Year 3, as he threw a career-high 15 interceptions and just 13 touchdown passes.
It’s possible a new coach and coordinator could ultimately pay off for Mariota, but the change also could hamper his development.
However, the Titans decided the benefits of a fresh approach outweighed those of continuity.