What do you think made it click for Sam Darnold? (2 Viewers)

[HouseCall]

9 sacks ? In one playoff game? Ooof!

He was holding on to the ball entirely too long last night. Bad performance in the most important game of the year.

It was wild to see how long he held the ball. Almost like he brain freezes when the route isn’t open. He’s moving a shuffling and then for a split second just stops and freezes and gets sacked.

 

[Ti Rider]

From click to clunk. It’ll be interesting to see what happens to Darnold this offseason.

 

[3ParStillDriver]

Kevin O'Connell, and fair chance its not "clicking" for Sam Darnold. Kevin O'Connell has a history of making mediocre and below average QB's look really good. Look at Kirk Cousins with Kevin O'Connell and look at him before and after Kevin O'Connell. He's the same exact player. And this didn't just start with the Vikings. The Rams had very good QB's but played well while he was OC there, and with the Redskins in 2019 he pulled magic out of his hat when he was promoted to OC and made Keenum/Haskins look decent/average. That's the job that got him the OC job with the Rams.

The guy just runs a QB system that is super friendly, similar to Andy Reid. In fact, I think its a super fair comparison. Just like Andy Reid, Kevin O'Connell seems to squeeze maximum success from his QB's due to the system. Payton tends to do it as well. I don't think Bo Nix would have the success he was having for most other coaches.

Last nights game kinda made my point. Kevin O'Connell runs a system similar to Payton where a play is called by a formation to create a mismatch or free up a route for Addison/Jefferson to be in 1v1's. McVay and company must've put in a ton of film work because they called plays that didn't allow it to happen, and even mix/matched some of their formations.

The simple decisions for Darnold based on scheme weren't there last night. He had to progress through his reads and couldn't diagnose the defensive disguises pre-snap. This caused him loads of hesistation all night long in the pocket. And you saw the result.

Incredible game planning by STL's coaches.

 

[sfidc3]

I think Darnold did well in the regular season because he had a JJ.....against the better D's in the playoffs they can/will limit JJ's touches.....they do have some other good weapons but Darnold isn't good enough to carry them, the running game is lacking makes it tougher....

 

[Paul]

Last nights game kinda made my point. Kevin O'Connell runs a system similar to Payton where a play is called by a formation to create a mismatch or free up a route for Addison/Jefferson to be in 1v1's. McVay and company must've put in a ton of film work because they called plays that didn't allow it to happen, and even mix/matched some of their formations.

The simple decisions for Darnold based on scheme weren't there last night. He had to progress through his reads and couldn't diagnose the defensive disguises pre-snap. This caused him loads of hesistation all night long in the pocket. And you saw the result.

Incredible game planning by STL's coaches.

Fantastic analysis and I agree 100%.
I think we also have to mention that STL’s defense demolished Minnesota’s Oline all night.

 

[ozwego15]

he tanked his value in the last 2 games

 

[Covington Saint]

i wish derek carr could throw the ball to justin jefferson for an entire season.

 

[Ken-Bob]

I honestly believe it takes a combination of a good QB and a coach who knows how to use him. That's why. IMO, it is so rare for a QB to experience high levels of success with more than one team. I guess my best example would be Russell Wilson. Great in Seattle, horrible in Denver. Much better in Pittsburgh.

 

[Semper]

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

honestly, I think he went to a stable organizion and then got developed. Brady recently spoke out on it, and I think his logic on the whole thing makes sense. It's why I hoped we'd just be patient w/ Rattler and let him sit as long as possible. In a nutshell, QB's enter the NFL under developed, and then are forced to be starters, and then finally the team gives up on them if they don't win quickly enough.

 

[No2DC]

honestly, I think he went to a stable organizion and then got developed. Brady recently spoke out on it, and I think his logic on the whole thing makes sense. It's why I hoped we'd just be patient w/ Rattler and let him sit as long as possible. In a nutshell, QB's enter the NFL under developed, and then are forced to be starters, and then finally the team gives up on them if they don't win quickly enough.

I don't think anyone disagrees, but it's a win-now league. Even when teams have a plan to let the young guy sit, that usually goes out the window if they're losing. It supports the idea of drafting a guy 2 years before your franchise guy is set to retire, but most places don't think like GB.

 

[Semper]

honestly, I think he went to a stable organizion and then got developed. Brady recently spoke out on it, and I think his logic on the whole thing makes sense. It's why I hoped we'd just be patient w/ Rattler and let him sit as long as possible. In a nutshell, QB's enter the NFL under developed, and then are forced to be starters, and then finally the team gives up on them if they don't win quickly enough.

Look at the Green Bay roster. Basically 3 QB’s since 1992ish…. How does that happen?

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Look at the Green Bay roster. Basically 3 QB’s since 1992ish…. How does that happen?

Draft a QB 3-5 years prior to your Franchise guy getting old and Groom him. Saints had multiple opportunities to do this, but we went the "one player away" route for several years and because that one player away was never "backup or developmental QB" we didn't have a plan.

Don't worry happened to almost every team not named the Packers.

 

[Rouxble]

Look at the Green Bay roster. Basically 3 QB’s since 1992ish…. How does that happen?

Invest premium assets in a premium position, allow some time for NFL-level skills to develop rather than put them in a position to develop bad habits (see Darnold, Sam in last night's game), and then reap the rewards.