Fickle pundits throw QBs under the bus
Wiggins’ World could only shake its head and chuckle. All the media pundits spent so much time this season jumping on and off the bandwagons of NFL quarterbacks, there must be a ton of twisted ankles out there.
No quarterback was immune, not even the league’s top two at the position — the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers of the Green Packers. For much of the season, many “experts” were tabbing Mahomes as the best to EVER play the quarterback position.
But when Patrick tapered off near the close of the regular campaign, including throwing three interceptions in one game after having tossed just one INT to that point, he was no longer the best signal caller this season, let alone all-time.
Rodgers began the season enduring doubts as to his future after the Packers used their top draft pick on a college QB.
Aaron went on to enjoy his finest year ever, with a team record 48 touchdown tosses, and would late in the season be deemed the favourite for NFL MVP this campaign.
Rodgers wrested those honours away from Mahomes, who had been the writers’ and talking heads’ choice until his late season slip-up.
But those weren’t the only two quarterbacks subject to the fickle whims of the NFL media’s second guessers this season.
Name an NFL QB and WW can point to criticism being heaped on him at sometime during the regular season.
Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams, Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, Baker Mayfield of Cleveland and Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz were among the many quarterbacks the media built up only to later tear down and then sometimes build up once more as the hottest thing since sliced bread.
Over the course of a long 17-game regular season many QBs experienced an overall fine year but as soon as they hit the inevitable rough patch or slight slump that all signal callers experience, the pundits were quick to pounce.
Pick a quarterback and his ability to play was sooner or later brought into question.
Roethlisberger could no longer throw the deep ball. Jackson’s passing accuracy was called into question.
Goff’s arm strength just wasn’t there. Tua was injury-prone and good only for throwing short darts, Wentz’s decision-making and pocket awareness were criticised. On and on it went. Every NFL QB spent his time being thrown under the bus.
With postseason play now looming, the play of quarterbacks will be scrutinised more than ever.
Pittsburgh can’t run the ball and can’t win a Super Bowl unless Big Ben can suddenly crank up some long throws. Jackson must show his style of run-first quarterbacking (two straight years over 1,000 yards rushing) can work in the postseason.
Goff, if he comes back from a broken thumb, must still prove he’s worth the megabucks contract the Rams are paying him.
Should Cleveland’s stellar running attack stall against the league’s better defences, Mayfield must prove he’s a top flight QB capable of pulling out big wins on his own.
Name a postseason QB and he has something wrong with his game that someone is just waiting to discover or expose. Every play-off quarterback will be praised as long as his team stays alive in the postseason.
The losing signal caller will most likely be criticised or called into some sort of question. It’s just the nature of the present day NFL pundit beast.
Everyone with two hands to type with or a voice to pop off with, has an opinion. And today’s social media-addicted fan will likely lap up their drivel as gospel.
Trust Wiggins’ World, said pundits likely sport some sore and taped-up ankles as well.