A WORK OF START
EXPECT DARNOLD UNDER CENTER TONIGHT
LANDOVER, Md. — Sam Darnold has passed every test, so far.
The Jets’ rookie quarter back faces his next one Thursday night at FedEx Field, where the Jets play the Redskins in a preseason game. Although coach Todd Bowles would not confirm it, all indications are Darnold will start the game.
Darnold took the majority of reps and got the most work with the first team all week during joint practices with the Redskins in Richmond, Va. It makes sense the Jets would want to test him playing with the starting offense against the Redskins’ starting defense.
Last week, Darnold played well in his preseason debut, but it came against the Falcons backups. This will be a better indication of where Darnold is.
“There is always a lot to improve on,” Darnold said this week. “One thing that we always talk about is just getting in and out of the huddle, being able to call the play, have a clean huddle and hopefully get out there with 15 or 20 seconds left, that is the key every time. If I can do that, really be able to see the defense a lot clearer. In terms of playing, just continue to do what I’ve been doing and going over my reads and evolving as a quarterback.”
The Jets have been blown away by Darnold’s performance this summer. There is a feeling around the team now that Darnold will start Week 1 in Detroit unless he screws up in these next few preseason games.
While it is dangerous to anoint anyone in August, Darnold has demonstrated traits that can’t be taught. That has l eft the Jets encouraged they may have found their long-term answer at quarterback.
Here a re some of the areas where Darnold has impressed:
1. His capacity to learn
Darnold’s teammates rave about his ability to take a lesson from the classroom and apply it to the field.
“It doesn’t take him multiple meetings and walk- throughs and d i ffe re n t things,” fellow quarterback Josh McCown sa i d. “He is very coachable in that aspect and I think that will serve him well for a long time. … So far everything you look for to play the position, whether it’s just the desire and the want to and all that, all of those things are there, and you have to have that in order to have a chance in this league. So, he is doing that and we will see. It’s one day at a time, but every step, everything he is asked to do, he meets that well and goes out and gets it done, so it’s a good start.”
2. Poise
This was on display against the Falcons last week. He stepped up to complete a first-down pass to tight end Clive Walford during the touchdown drive at the end of the first half. Before throwing the touchdown that counted, he had one touch down fail because of a dropped pass and another because of a penalty. On the third try, he stepped up and ran along the line of scrimmage before firing the touchdown pass. Most rookies would have tucked the ball and run and the team would probably have had to settle for a short field goal. Darnold kept the play alive and threw the touchdown.
“For the most part, when he’s out here he’s just so composed and poised ,” wide receiver Jermaine Kearse said .“You never see him wide-eyed. If he makes a mistake or whatever it’s learn from it and move on to the next [play]. That’s what I really like seeing from Sam. I noticed that the first time he came in during OTAs. He’s just steadily getting better each day. He improves each day. His composure is on a vet level.”
3. Accuracy
Darnold ra re ly throws a pass in a different zip code than his receiver. His throws are almost always on the money. Darnold was accurate at USC, but the Jets have been wowed by just how accurate he has been in training camp.
The Jets expect all of those traits to be on display Thursday against Washington. If all goes well, you can expect to see them when the regular season begins, too.