Brissett and Wilson were rarely given easy completions, yet they balled big-time, here's proof
By Walter Mitchell
Fans keep insisting that Jacoby Brissett only accomplished his impressive 2025 production numbers because teams were playing soft prevent-style defenses that led to easy stat-padding completions.
Here's a rebuttal to a similar claim that I tweeted today:
The 10 best pass-catchers in contested situations from the 2025 NFL season
1. WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Our top spot unsurprisingly goes to Puka Nacua. The 24-year-old was truly one-of-one in contested circumstances this season, amassing 30 total contested catches for 510 yards — both of which are PFF single-season records.
Nacua’s 2025 campaign included a trip to Arizona, where five of his seven receptions came in traffic. He caught four apiece on two other occasions and tallied eight contested catches across his three games facing the Seattle Seahawks.
While Nacua did lead the league in contested targets, this success isn’t just a result of sheer volume. Nacua won the ball on 63.8% of his contested targets, which was the second-highest rate of the top 18 receivers in contested targets. Additionally, four of Nacua’s 12 touchdowns came on contested catches. This number probably would’ve been even higher if the Rams didn’t also have goal-line-fade savant Davante Adams at their disposal.
Nacua’s blinding success in traffic is just another reason why his 2025 season may be the very best PFF has ever documented. It’s ultimately a testament to the quality Nacua exudes in his own right.
He may be catching passes from one of the best quarterbacks in the league, on routes drawn up by one of the premier offensive coaches in the league. But when Nacua is tasked with winning in his own regard, he does just that. Nacua’s historic 2025 campaign could be referenced for a long time as the standard bearer of great receiving years.
2. WR Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals
Michael Wilson has an opposite build to Washington, and one much more adept to making plays in congested areas. Wilson used his lengthy 6-foot-2 frame to haul in 22 contested catches this season, tied with Pickens for the second-most in the league.
However, Wilson did so on five fewer targets. Throwing the ball up to Wilson feels much more like a 65-35 chance than a 50-50 proposition. The numbers back that up — Wilson hauled in 64.7% of his contested targets.
While Washington’s win rate was marginally higher, Wilson racked up 50 additional yards on his contested plays. When Wilson was hot, he was simply unguardable. For instance, during his 15-reception game against the 49ers, Wilson nabbed five total catches in traffic.
3. WR Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars
4. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
5. WR George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
6. WR A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
.7. WR DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore Ravens
8. WR Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots
9. TE George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
10. TE Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
Commentary:
It's extremely difficult to comprehend how any NFL fan, let alone any Arizona Cardinals' fan could watch this video and read this article without being supremely impressed with Jacoby Brissett and Michael Wilson.
The WR and his QB balled their tails off and played with tremendous courage, timing and, more often than not, with uncanny precision.
This video proves why Jacoby Brissett's teammates love him and why Michael Wilson is not the "WR3 at best on any other team" that a host of Cardinals' fans were insisting, before Wilson was paired with Brissett.
#7 and #14 both deserve the chance to build on their 2025 chemistry as does the entire team who believes in them.
"But wait, Jacoby is only a backup." Can you look Fro in the eyes and claim that?
To me Brissett is a tale of 2 QBs. He can have the performances he had in 2025 while also having the ones he had in 2024.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you make of this:
"Brissett is at his best when he plays on time. He finished seventh among qualifying quarterbacks in PFF passing grade on throws released in under 2.5 seconds (82.7) last season. On throws released after 2.5 seconds, he ranked 29th in PFF passing grade (57.3)."
https://www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/onsi/jacoby-brissett-nfl-qb-ranking-delivers-brutal-reality-check
When you combine that with this it becomes clear why his career has been so up and down:
NFL QBs with the longest average time to throw (seconds) in 2025, per TruMedia:
Jacoby Brissett - 2.87
https://x.com/PFN365/status/2061238301638472160
That slow release time also helps explain why he was the 5th most sacked QB in the NFL. Some people purely blame the OL, but QBs share blame in their sack rates. I also think it helps explain the great performance against the 49ers because they had the worst pass rush in the NFL last season, so his slow average release time wasn't so costly against them.
I think the vast majority of QBs are at their best when they play on time. What impressed me the most about Jacoby in 2025 was how hard he battled to bounce back from sacks and tackles for loss. No down and distance on 3rd downs was too long for him. While his yards passing and TDs were #1 and #2 in the NFL over his 12 starts, what was equally impressive was how he was able to improve the Cardinals' 3rd down conversion percentage all the way up to #9 in the NFL despite season-ending injuries to Conner, Benson, Reiman, Zay Jones,, Hernandez, J. Williams, E. Brown, P. Johnson, plus Marv missing 5 games and more than half of 2 others. Talk about resiliency and adaptability --- this performance was unique. Under the circumstances, have we seen anything like it from a Cardinals' QB?
DeleteIt was certainly impressive. Hopefully LaFluer can get him playing on time more consistently than Petzing could so that he's not near the bottom in average time to throw anymore.
DeleteLike. Except Petzing did the best he could given all of the injuries and lineup combinations. Petzing was the star coach on that staff. The Lions saw why.
DeleteWhatever else JB has done in his career, his performance and connection with teammates last season, is reason he should be signed at a reasonable starter salary and given the opportunity to maintain continuity and connection to help a first time HC get off to a competitive start. If the FO does not sign him, I have even lower expectations for a competitive season-almost none
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Delete2025 was Brissetts best year of his career. His holdout I believe is for being named 'de-facto' starter; and consequently he wanted some insurance (Guaranteed money) as that starter he is more than likely to face an injury (career ending most likely) as a starter for 17 games instead of a backup coming in for spot play. Not at all unreasonable in my opinion. Others are stating he wants 30M a year for multi-years (I don't think this to be case).
ReplyDeleteIn 2025 he (JB) Outplayed the #1 draft pick and played at a high level for the last 12 games of year. It wasn't garbage time, it was whole games (all 4 qtrs). His command of offense was a strikig difference to how we had seen the offense run under Murray. Teamates like Wilson & McBride suddenly came alive and looked better. I would bet MHJ would've looked better too (had he not gotten bit with nagging injury/sickness). He had no running game to rely upon, defenses teed up and were aggressive in stopping the only facet of Cardinals offensive game (Brissett). Yet somehow Brissett played one the toughest part of Cardinals schedule and had defense not given up 30+pts per game may have won a few of the closer contests. I've said it before, I'll say it again - the losses were more the fault of Defense than Offense. The Garbage time narrative seems to be one pushed by someones PR department and force feeding this narrative to media and fans alike. It has no basis in reality. IF Cardinals do not work out deal, we will be worse. Then again, maybe that IS the plan, we've all heard the clamor to tank for the 1st pick in '27 draft. Sam, I am all aboard the Manning interest for a Manning QB post you had other day, I seriously doubt it would happen but it would be best case scenario for this beleaguered franchise.
Like. What we need to do discuss is what the odds of Mike LaFleur being successful with the Cardinals --- with an experienced QB --- or draft picks? Mike LaFleur is o-fer draft picks, C.J. Beathard (R3 SF) and Zach Wilson (R1 NYJ) and INC on Stetson Bennnett (R4 LAR). Truth is, like Sean McVay, Mike LaFleur has only seen his highly sophisticated style of offense click with a savvy, detail-oriented, veteran QB. Have you heard what Ty Simpson said about learning MvVay's offense? "It's like trying to drink water from a fire hose." I am going to expand on this with an article and discuss it on Red Rain Podcast on Monday. Would appreciate everyone's thoughts about this. And it is one of the main reasons why, as Since 61 said, it is essential that Mike LaFleur sees what Jacoby Brissett can do in his offense, as Jacoby is head and shoulders the strongest choice. It's going to take Carson Beck months to learn the offense and as of yet. he has not taken any snaps with the 1st and 2nd offenses.
DeleteIf Lafleur goes with Beck, that is the sign for us all to watch another 'tank' year. It is my opinion you need experience to play the QB position as a fundamental. There are few rookies who light up the win column, Cam Ward is good example he has talent and not experience, it took him all year to acclimate to NFL Defenses, and they ran a pretty basic offense. LaFleur wants to run a more complicated offense which equates to a longer learning (not shorter) curve. IF Cardinals want to win at all with their schedule they will need Brissett. Losing is not building a team or coaching staff for success but for continued failure. Do the absolute best you can, all year - that my friend is Brissett at this point in time. This was part of reason I was upset at taking Beck with a 3rd round pick in draft, when he could quite easily have been a 4th or 5th round selection. It is my opinion that we give Brissett at least half a season (8-games); then if they want to move to Beck (because we only have 0-2 wins) then they can chalk it up to development - better yet, let him come in for mop-up duty when game are out-of-hand (winning or losing) - get him reps for certain, he is on team, you have to find out if he's "chosen" next QB of future or just another body to throw away.
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DeleteImagine what Wilson could do in KC
ReplyDeleteIt's a super valuable skillset in the NFL these days. Look at what Parker Washington did to help Liam Coen in Jacksonville last year... they had people saying to trade Brian Thomas Jr because he was so good
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