Steve Mariucci: Jets QB Sam Darnold Is Going to Be 'Dynamite'

[stugotz81]

Mooch knows!

Steve Mariucci: Jets QB Sam Darnold Is Going to Be 'Dynamite'

Quarterback Sam Darnold was a different player after returning from the right foot sprain he suffered in Week 9 against the Dolphins. He exhibited the ability to make plays in and out of the pocket and used quick decision-making to get the ball to receivers in small windows. He helped the offense better convert on third downs and increased the red zone success. But while Darnold has been unquestionably good, NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci thinks he will only get better with time.

“The sky is the limit for the kid, he’s going to have a bright future,” Mariucci said on a recent visit to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. “It’s not easy to start Day 1 as an NFL quarterback rookie. But boy, he’s got it. And as they grow the supporting cast around here, I think he’s going to be a dynamite quarterback.”

Darnold posted three of his best performances in Weeks 14-16, completing 66% of his passes with six touchdowns and just one interception against the Bills, the Texans and the Packers. Mariucci believes missing more than a month of game action was a blessing in disguise for the rookie signal caller.

“It was unfortunate that he got hurt and missed some games, but you know what, in talking to him that was beneficial in many ways,” said Mariucci of Darnold’s absence from the lineup. “For him to sit back, watch the old vet do his thing and prepare, I think it helped Sam kind of just be more patient with his version of the West Coast offense.”

Mariucci, who spent a considerable amount of time in his career coaching and mentoring young quarterbacks in the NFL, had Darnold rated his top quarterback coming out of the 2018 Draft.

“When the season is over, these young quarterbacks will just chill for a minute, and just say ‘Hey, I can reflect on what I did and freshen up mentally, freshen up physically, and then get back to work when it’s time with minicamps, OTAs and that sort of thing,” said Mariucci, who served as Green Bay’s quarterback coach and aided a young Brett Favre’s development from 1992-95. “And they typically will take a huge jump and Sam will do that. But it’s a good start, so many positives that he has right now.”

In Week 16 against the Packers, Darnold threw for three touchdowns for a second time, connected on 69% of his attempts and totaled a career-high 341 yards through the air. He has experienced plenty of lows and highs as rookie, but Mariucci thinks the best is yet to come.

”You know what, every time you do something you learn from it. And this is all going to pay dividends for the future and he’s just in the right lane right now,” said Mariucci. “I just think this fan base ought to be excited about this kid.”

[Untouchable]

Mooch was practically blowing him during the Texans game.

Good stuff 

[Patriot Killa]

Steve Mariucci’s word holds more weight than any other former player, coach or analyst if you were to ask me. This is not just another ringing endorsement to me. 

Also important to note that you have never heard guys with this much notoriety, respect, success, knowledge of QB’s say these kinds of things about any other Jet QB after their first season...or at all!

Romo, Mariucci, Aikman, JJ Watt..man there’s more that I can’t remember but the list goes on and on.

this, this is very exciting as a fan of a team that’s best QBing has been from a few years of Chad, 8 games of Favre, 1 year of Vinny and a career year from the likes of Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

[jack48]

He knows the QB thing

[bla bla bla]

I want to rub one out every time I hear comments like this

 

 

I'm a sick man

[nycdan]

3 minutes ago, bla bla bla said:

I want to rub one out every time I hear comments like this

 

 

I'm a sick man

Welcome to the plague ward then. 

[k-met57]

3 minutes ago, bla bla bla said:

I want to rub one out every time I hear comments like this

 

 

I'm a sick man

i am afraid to death that the jets will blow it every time i hear comments like this....

 

i am a man with massive PTSD

[14 in Green]

Darnold proved he was the right pick for the Jets at #3 last year, without a doubt. He showed a lot after coming back from that midseason break, and should be even better next year. These type of articles reflect that, but you can find this type of fluff piece or type of endorsements about any of the five young rookie QBs. Sam wasn't close to being the best rookie QB last year, that was clearly Mayfield. In fact fans of Allen and especially Jackson can share the same optimism about their guy as Jets fans can with Darnold. So now that this season is over, lets hope we find the right HC and OC for him, surround him with some better talent, and see where this goes from here. If the Jets do that, this will be a lot of fun. P.S. I'm already looking forward to seeing Darnold go up against Mayfield, Jackson, and Allen(2x) next season!

[Kleckineau]

You guys are gonna go blind when Darnold makes all-pro

[stugotz81]

49 minutes ago, stugotz81 said:

Mooch knows!

Steve Mariucci: Jets QB Sam Darnold Is Going to Be 'Dynamite'

Quarterback Sam Darnold was a different player after returning from the right foot sprain he suffered in Week 9 against the Dolphins. He exhibited the ability to make plays in and out of the pocket and used quick decision-making to get the ball to receivers in small windows. He helped the offense better convert on third downs and increased the red zone success. But while Darnold has been unquestionably good, NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci thinks he will only get better with time.

“The sky is the limit for the kid, he’s going to have a bright future,” Mariucci said on a recent visit to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. “It’s not easy to start Day 1 as an NFL quarterback rookie. But boy, he’s got it. And as they grow the supporting cast around here, I think he’s going to be a dynamite quarterback.”

Darnold posted three of his best performances in Weeks 14-16, completing 66% of his passes with six touchdowns and just one interception against the Bills, the Texans and the Packers. Mariucci believes missing more than a month of game action was a blessing in disguise for the rookie signal caller.

“It was unfortunate that he got hurt and missed some games, but you know what, in talking to him that was beneficial in many ways,” said Mariucci of Darnold’s absence from the lineup. “For him to sit back, watch the old vet do his thing and prepare, I think it helped Sam kind of just be more patient with his version of the West Coast offense.”

Mariucci, who spent a considerable amount of time in his career coaching and mentoring young quarterbacks in the NFL, had Darnold rated his top quarterback coming out of the 2018 Draft.

“When the season is over, these young quarterbacks will just chill for a minute, and just say ‘Hey, I can reflect on what I did and freshen up mentally, freshen up physically, and then get back to work when it’s time with minicamps, OTAs and that sort of thing,” said Mariucci, who served as Green Bay’s quarterback coach and aided a young Brett Favre’s development from 1992-95. “And they typically will take a huge jump and Sam will do that. But it’s a good start, so many positives that he has right now.”

In Week 16 against the Packers, Darnold threw for three touchdowns for a second time, connected on 69% of his attempts and totaled a career-high 341 yards through the air. He has experienced plenty of lows and highs as rookie, but Mariucci thinks the best is yet to come.

”You know what, every time you do something you learn from it. And this is all going to pay dividends for the future and he’s just in the right lane right now,” said Mariucci. “I just think this fan base ought to be excited about this kid.”

Forgot to post link for those who may care:

https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/steve-mariucci-jets-qb-sam-darnold-is-going-to-be-dynamite

[Patriot Killa]

26 minutes ago, 14 in Green said:

I'm already looking forward to seeing Mayfield

Fixed for your personal preference.

[Greensleeves]

23 minutes ago, 14 in Green said:

Darnold proved he was the right pick for the Jets at #3 last year, without a doubt. He showed a lot after coming back from that midseason break, and should be even better next year. These type of articles reflect that, but you can find this type of fluff piece or type of endorsements about any of the five young rookie QBs. Sam wasn't close to being the best rookie QB last year, that was clearly Mayfield. In fact fans of Allen and especially Jackson can share the same optimism about their guy as Jets fans can with Darnold. So now that this season is over, lets hope we find the right HC and OC for him, surround him with some better talent, and see where this goes from here. If the Jets do that, this will be a lot of fun. P.S. I'm already looking forward to seeing Darnold go up against Mayfield, Jackson, and Allen(2x) next season!

I don't see how you can say Mayfield was so much better and it wasn't even close. Who exactly did Darnold have to throw to? Who did Mayfield have? Mayfield had more turnovers than Darnold. Mayfield had 19 turnovers (14 picks and 5 fumbles lost) Darnold had 15 pics and 3 fumbles lost - so 18 Turnovers). I don't know, when I watch both play I'm really glad we have Darnold - much more natural a thrower of the football. I like Mayfield too, but his ceiling is not nearly as high IMO.

[FloridaJetsFan]

I don't see how you can say Mayfield was so much better and it wasn't even close. Who exactly did Darnold have to throw to? Who did Mayfield have? Mayfield had more turnovers than Darnold. Mayfield had 19 turnovers (14 picks and 5 fumbles lost) Darnold had 15 pics and 3 fumbles lost - so 18 Turnovers). I don't know, when I watch both play I'm really glad we have Darnold - much more natural a thrower of the football. I like Mayfield too, but his ceiling is not nearly as high IMO.

I agree with you on the basis that I think Darnold will be the better quarterback/have the better career, but I can’t take anything away from what Baker did this year. He was EXACTLY what the Browns needed and he proved that against us. I think he’ll be good, but I think Sam will be great!


Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

[Icer]

Mayfield was better but his team is much farther along in the rebuild process. That's not on Sam, it's fine. We never had a chance to pick him either so who cares anyway?

[GREENBEAN]

1 hour ago, Patriot Killa said:

Steve Mariucci’s word holds more weight than any other former player, coach or analyst if you were to ask me. This is not just another ringing endorsement to me. 

Also important to note that you have never heard guys with this much notoriety, respect, success, knowledge of QB’s say these kinds of things about any other Jet QB after their first season...or at all!

Romo, Mariucci, Aikman, JJ Watt..man there’s more that I can’t remember but the list goes on and on.

this, this is very exciting as a fan of a team that’s best QBing has been from a few years of Chad, 8 games of Favre, 1 year of Vinny and a career year from the likes of Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

Um... Kenny O Brien my young friend! 

But your point still holds. All we heard about Sanchez is about how erratic he was and how the team carries him. He single handedly ruined my ceremonious last game in Giants Stadium with 5 picks against Buffalo. My avatar is from that game. That bastard! 

It really does feel good to not only have all of these guys talking like this about Darnold, but for it to actually be true and not speculation. I love Sam Darnold!  lol 

[Patriot Killa]

43 minutes ago, 14 in Green said:

but you can find this type of fluff piece or type of endorsements about any of the five young rookie QBs. Sam wasn't close to being the best rookie QB last year

Mariucci doesn’t do “fluff pieces” and he doesn’t just talk out of the side of his neck. Why didn’t he say this about Baker even if Baker had a lot better of a season, statistically? Because Mariucci is looking at Darnold live and thinking WOW. Because Darnold is doing certain things that Mayfield cannot do. Mayfield may have had a lot better of a season but some of Darnold’s abilities are undeniably incomparable to any of the other 4 QB’s. Mariucci is using the “eye test”, Mariucci is a QB genius and he’s not worried about rookie season stats — that’s for fans to play around with.

[Patriot Killa]

3 minutes ago, GREENBEAN said:

Um... Kenny O Brien my young friend! 

But your point still holds. All we heard about Sanchez is about how erratic he was and how the team carries him. He single handedly ruined my ceremonious last game in Giants Stadium with 5 picks against Buffalo. My avatar is from that game. That bastard! 

It really does feel good to not only have all of these guys talking like this about Darnold, but for it to actually be true and not speculation. I love Sam Darnold!  lol 

Yeah, O’Brian too. Even though I didn’t have the chance to watch him. O’Brian/Marino shootout is enough for me understand that he was actually pretty damn good.

[GREENBEAN]

5 minutes ago, Icer said:

Mayfield was better but his team is much farther along in the rebuild process. That's not on Sam, it's fine. We never had a chance to pick him either so who cares anyway?

We do want the Browns to be wrong for passing on Sam though. That's part of my joy, which I get very little of. To have others suffer while their mistake makes the Jets move better.

[GREENBEAN]

1 minute ago, Patriot Killa said:

Yeah, O’Brian too. Even though I didn’t have the chance to watch him. O’Brian/Marino shootout is enough for me understand that he was actually pretty damn good.

For about 15 min there it looked like Kenny O might have the better career. It was exciting to watch him with Toon, Walker, Shuler and Mcneil. Good times. That's the era when I really became a fan. 

[Patriot Killa]

2 minutes ago, GREENBEAN said:

For about 15 min there it looked like Kenny O might have the better career. It was exciting to watch him with Toon, Walker, Shuler and Mcneil. Good times. That's the era when I really became a fan. 

Defense wasn’t too shabby either was it?

[GREENBEAN]

3 minutes ago, Patriot Killa said:

Defense wasn’t too shabby either was it?

Not to shabby at all. That's the real reason I became a Jets fan. The sack Exchange was everything to a young GreenBean!

[Larz]

1 hour ago, Patriot Killa said:

Steve Mariucci’s word holds more weight than any other former player, coach or analyst if you were to ask me. This is not just another ringing endorsement to me. 

Also important to note that you have never heard guys with this much notoriety, respect, success, knowledge of QB’s say these kinds of things about any other Jet QB after their first season...or at all!

Romo, Mariucci, Aikman, JJ Watt..man there’s more that I can’t remember but the list goes on and on.

this, this is very exciting as a fan of a team that’s best QBing has been from a few years of Chad, 8 games of Favre, 1 year of Vinny and a career year from the likes of Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

When he does pre-draft stuff he's honest even when he's sitting across from the kids 

His opinion is very encouraging! 

[NYJCAP2]

Are we all going to just ignore the fact that he twice mentioned it’s important for a young QB to take time, observe, reflect and essentially not play?

It is definitely a win he made it out of this season alive with the roster around him.

[Xtina]

16 minutes ago, GREENBEAN said:

We do want the Browns to be wrong for passing on Sam though. That's part of my joy, which I get very little of. To have others suffer while their mistake makes the Jets move better.

Thank you Giants and Gettleman. Still can’t believe it. 

[Patriot Killa]

4 minutes ago, GREENBEAN said:

Not to shabby at all. That's the real reason I became a Jets fan. The sack Exchange was everything to a young GreenBean!

Joe Klecko gets snubbed from the HOF every.single.year. 

Think they have forgot about him at this point. I think if sacks would of been recorded sooner then things may of been different. His 20 sack season was just before they started recording.

[Gastineau Lives]

1 hour ago, k-met57 said:

 

 

i am a man with massive PTSD

Stop bragging. PTSD is the dick, right?

[14 in Green]

1 hour ago, Patriot Killa said:

Fixed for your personal preference.

I don't know if you guys noticed, but @HelenOfTroy reacted to this post! Welcome back, Girl!!! Now tell us what you're hearing about Klingsbury...

[Losmeister]

2 hours ago, bla bla bla said:

I want to rub one out every time I hear comments like this

I'm a sick man

your "rub one out" the image it created, made me want to erase that image, of you rubbing one out...

 

brought this to mind..  a blast from the past

 

[joewilly12]

Steve Mariucci for HC!!!!!!!!!!

[slimjasi]

obviously

[JoeWillieWhiteShoesHOF]

3 hours ago, 14 in Green said:

Darnold proved he was the right pick for the Jets at #3 last year, without a doubt. He showed a lot after coming back from that midseason break, and should be even better next year. These type of articles reflect that, but you can find this type of fluff piece or type of endorsements about any of the five young rookie QBs. Sam wasn't close to being the best rookie QB last year, that was clearly Mayfield. In fact fans of Allen and especially Jackson can share the same optimism about their guy as Jets fans can with Darnold. So now that this season is over, lets hope we find the right HC and OC for him, surround him with some better talent, and see where this goes from here. If the Jets do that, this will be a lot of fun. P.S. I'm already looking forward to seeing Darnold go up against Mayfield, Jackson, and Allen(2x) next season!

You should have already seen Darnold make some throws Mayfield can’t, along with many other NFL QBs.  And I’m not saying Mayfield isn’t a very good pro QB and an excellent prospect whose game should get even better.

I’m being as objective as possible too, you already hear talk that Darnold is “Carson Palmer in the pocket and Tony Romo outside of it”, you see JJ Watt look him dead in his eyes and with much respect say “you’re going to be a great pro”.  

This Kid is “The Natural”, and no disrespect to Mayfield, I’ll take Sam Darnold over him every day of the week.  He’s made some throws already Joe Namath couldn’t make, forget about every other QB the Jets have ever thrown out there.

If you can go to the newyorkjets.com website and watch the last video they made of Darnold.  Shows him going back to shoot hoops in Southern Cal, nails 30 foot jumper after 30 foot jumper, as though he can do it with his eyes closed.  Some kid’s father who coached him at baseball said he was “always winning the Homerun hitting contests”.

This is a very very special athlete, Sam Darnold, that doesn’t come around too often, he can fire bullets if he has to or drop a ball into a tea cup from 60 yards while putting air under it, his pocket presence already seems incredible, put some decent teammates around him, not the bottom of the league garbage that’s mostly there now, give him just average coaching, not some of the most horrific coaching I’ve ever seen pro or college...LOOK OUT....give him better than that...it won’t even be fair for the rest of the league.

[Copernicus]

3 hours ago, GREENBEAN said:

For about 15 min there it looked like Kenny O might have the better career. It was exciting to watch him with Toon, Walker, Shuler and Mcneil. Good times. That's the era when I really became a fan. 

Ken O'Brien does not get the positive credit he deserves

[Jet Nut]

1 minute ago, Copernicus said:

Ken O'Brien does not get the positive credit he deserves

You even have one who thinks Sanchez was a much better QB. LOL

[JoeWillieWhiteShoesHOF]

https://www.newyorkjets.com/video/one-jets-drive-cold-blooded-ep-15

[JoeWillieWhiteShoesHOF]

29 minutes ago, Copernicus said:

Ken O'Brien does not get the positive credit he deserves

Only problem with Kenny is he had the worst pocket presence in the league, maybe over an entire 2 generations, lead feet...great arm though, extremely tough too, he had to due to the massive hits he would take, many avoidable if he had more to his game.  I remember reading an injury report where they didn’t even know how to classify him that week and it stated

“Ken O’Brien-battered body”.....I’ve never seen that before or since.

Also that little problem for me that I can remember to this day, when Rozelle called his name, right after giving a little smirk, instead of Marino’s, I remember picking up a baseball and wiping it through a closet door.  I’d never even heard of OBrien.  He did have lots of talent, just not enough to deal with Marino and Kelly.