Do you know which quarter Jacoby has most of his passing yards in, J? The 3rd Q when he was trying to get the team back in games. That's admirable, imo. His garbage time stats were 24% of 3,366 (807 yards). It's also admirable that he and his boys refused to quit for 12 straight games and that he made the physical sacrifices to do so. I think it is amazing that he took the NFL's 30th ranked passing offense after 5 games and elevated it all the way up to 7th. Over the last 12 games the Cardinals' passing game was #1. And it wasn't as if defenses ever took off the pressure, both in their pass rushes and man coverages. DeMeco Ryans had Stingley and Lassiter playing the whole game. That's pure respect and he knew it would make them better tested.
Let's talk about what Jacoby accomplished with Trey McBride and Michael Wilson --- it is something special.
First 5 games:
McBride --- 55 yards per game - 1 TD
Wilson --- 10 yards per game - 1 TD
Last 12 Games:
McBride --- 80 yards per game - 10 TDs
Wilson --- 80 yards per game --- 6 TDs
Which enabled McBride and Wilson to be the #1 most productive WR/TE tandem in the NFL at 2,225 yards and 18 TDs. Let's remember that defenses were trying to key on McBride and Wilson and yet, to little avail.
As for the 1-11 record, over the last 12 games the Cardinals were not favored in any game.
Their strength of schedule was up with the highest in NFL during that stretch.
The defense gave up 29.4 ppg during that stretch, only the Cowboys were worse at 29.8.
With no running game, missing Conner (14 games), Benson (13 games), Reiman (13 games), PJJ (5 games), E. Brown (6 games), Hernandez (10 games), J. Williams (11 games), Marvin Harrison Jr. (5 games), Zay Jones (9 games) --- how was Jacoby and the offense supposed to overcome all of those odds to win games?
It's amazing that the offense kept the game close in a few of them. But the defense was awful in 4th quarters and the Cardinals late comeback bids were thwarted by
*an obvious holding call on the Colts on Trey McBride in the end zone on 4th and goal in a 31-27 game at Indy ---
* an easy sack of Jacoby by Micah Parsons with the Cardinals on a 50-yard drive down 27-23 to the Packers --- on a blown blocking call) ---
*after coming all the way back to send the Jaguars into OT at 24-24 (which might have led to a GW TD chance if Michael Wilson didn't spin the ball after his clutch 31-yard reception with 11 seconds left, then in OT the Jags kick a 52-yard FG and with the Cardinals on the Jags' 42 on 4th and 4, the play call is a deep pass to Xavier Weaver into double coverage that was incomplete --- I guess people can blame Jacoby but was it the play call?) By the way, the Cardinals by far gave the Jags their biggest challenge during their 8-game winning streak to end the regular season ---
*in Tampa Bay the Cardinals were down 17-3 in the 2nd half and Jacoby led 2 TD drives, a 15-yard pass to Bam Knight and then after a 58-yard Bucs' field goal, a 15-yard TD pass to Trey McBride to make it 20-17 Bucs. The Cards got the ball back with 1:49 left but at their own 8-yard line and misfired on short passes twice on 3rd and 2 (run the ball there?) and 4th and 2. That was a botched 2-mimute drill with the Bucs playing fast and sticky.
* The Falcons game was close until Bijan Robinson dominated and took over the 4th quarter.
* And, as we showcased on the Red Rain Podcast 215 this week, in Week 18, Jacoby's 2 3rd Q TD passes to Michael Wilson and Josiah Deguara had the Cardinals leading the Rams 20-16 with 42 seconds left in Q3 and then the Cardinals defense left every TE pass wide open the rest of the game as Matthew Stafford threw wide open TD passes to Colby Parkinson, then Tyler Higbee, then Colby Parkinson.
Under the circumstances, I think it is very difficult and unreasonable to fault Jacoby Brissett for the 1-11 record. Wouldn't you agree?
Why Jacoby Brissett is the clear QB1:
1. No other QB on the roster has developed the kind of electric chemistry he has with Michael Wilson and Trey McBride --- which could take another leap forward in Mike LaFleur's offense. No other QB has made more sacrifices to do so. No other QB has earned the trust of his teammates. Plus, as evidenced by the Cowboys' game, Jacoby was beginning to click with Marvin Harrison Jr. before his season was cut short by injuries.
2. Gardner Minshew does not nearly fit Mike LaFleur's top QB priorities (supreme toughness and strong passing ability from the back of the pocket)i n the way that Jacoby epitomizes. While Minshew can make exciting plays with his feet, one has to consider his durability issues. 2025 (KC) - fractured tibia, season-ending IR; 2024 (LV) - fractured collarbone, season-ending IR;
2020 (JAX) - multiple fractures and torn ligament in thumb and ligament damage -IR
3. Carson Beck should be groomed and played when the time seems right, for the same reasons why the Patriots, Saints and Giants waited for the right time to play Drake Maye, Tyler Shough and Jaxson Dart. same reasons why that Patriots, Saints and Giants waited for the right time to play Drake Maye, Tyler Slough and Jaxson Dart.
Surprised to hear that from Jess..but not Johnny V, he is predictable his ignorance is what Bidwill is listening too..Brissett realizes he is here until another teams qb that are on the cusp of the playoffs gets injured and calls…
ReplyDeleteI have been really saddened by the outlook of most of our 'Cardinal' fans & 'guys in know' outlook in general, why?
ReplyDelete(a) The acceptance that we will be worst team in football and willing to tank the season.
(b) The Brissett narrative that he got his stats during garbage time and went 1-11 in his starts, never mind facts of the 30th ranked defense who couldn't stop a 3yr old from looking like an all-pro.
(c) Narrative that our roster is worst in league whilst supporting the retaining of MO & Rallis for yet another rebuild. I don't see a roster deplete in talent, I find a roster deplete in coaching.
(d) Overall short-sightedness and lack of accountability by our owner and front-office
(e) Many still support Kyler Murray and believe we should have kept him at his outrageous salary and poor on-field performance (remember Brissett basically won the position replacing Kyler after Titans game). Fact is Kyler Murray set the rebuild back with his 'unadvised second contract' (which TBH many of those same fans felt was a requirement it was a year too early)
Cardinals fans have been venting about ownership since the first game they ever watched — whoever you are, whenever that was. We complain, we rant, nothing changes, and nothing will as long as the same man signs the checks. So fans do what fans do: they find someone they can actually hold accountable and squeeze every last drop of frustration out of it.
ReplyDeleteMost franchises call the guy under center their quarterback. In Arizona, we call him the Scapegoat.
Brissett is just the latest in a staggeringly long line of QBs who were scapegoats for a dysfunctional pathetic organization successful only at failure. That QB list runs almost as deep as the parade of head coaches who got handed the same scapegoat role.
Unfortunately, lots of fans and pundits base their own private QB ratings solely on wins. Lets apply that same logic to Sam Darnolds first 3 seasons with the Jets.
ReplyDelete2018 - 4 wins (Jets defense ranked 25th YPG)
2019 - 7 wins (Jets defense ranked 16th YPG)
2020 - 2 wins (Jets defense ranked 26th YPG)
According to the only wins = QB rating logic, Sam Darnold must suck and will never win a Super Bowl. Notice how the defense improved in 2019 and Darnold won more games but that must be a random fluke just like McBrides1,000-yard career-high 11 touchdown pass season and Wilsons first 1,000-yard season have nothing to do with Jacoby and a teams win-loss record has nothing to do with the defense. SMH