New York Jets: 4 Standouts from Week 5 vs. Broncos

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 07: Sam Darnold #14 of the New York Jets calls a play against the Denver Broncos in the game at MetLife Stadium on October 07, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

2. Sam Darnold

When the Jets came out of Week 1 after rolling the Lions, it looked like that Sam Darnold was going to live up to the hype of being the best quarterback in this draft. then for the next three weeks, Darnold looked somewhat lost and out of sorts. He had moments, but couldn’t put them together. Then, the Broncos came to town, and it looked like Detroit all over again.

The irony of this game was that, coming in, Jeremy Bates — despite being a rookie play caller himself — was getting a lion’s share (no pun intended) of the blame for the lackluster play of the offense.

That said, Yogi Berra once stated, “90 percent of baseball is mental. The other half is physical.” That can be said about all sports, especially the quarterback position in football, because so much goes into it from the next up.

Despite completing less than 50 percent of his throws, he threw for 19.8 yards per completion, and Darnold hit Anderson on two long completions. He attempted downfield throws and trusted himself to make the throws. That’s what stood out most in this game — Darnold’s confidence in his ability to make throws downfield.