Why Russell Wilson and Sam Darnold look better, plus Caleb Williams hope

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Good morning. At present, we’re speaking QB enchancment, one thing that has lengthy eluded the Bears (however maybe not for for much longer, with Thomas Brown as OC, as Kevin Fishbain explains right here).

• Russell Wilson and Sam Darnold
• What modified for Bo Nix
• Ballot outcomes

QB Turnarounds: Improved, or simply successful?

The Athletic’s Jeff Howe is the grasp of quarterback rankings. With Russell Wilson and Sam Darnold ending 2023 on the bench, all of us agreed with Jeff’s Week 1 inventory report, which ranked each veterans among the many league’s worst QBs.

Alongside got here a 2024 revival. After 4 begins, Darnold was 4-0 and thirteenth in Jeff’s rankings. He’s now 18th, one spot behind Wilson, who’s an analogous 4-0 throughout his first 4 begins.

The parallels proceed. Each are backed by top-10 defenses that ease the stress on the offense. And each are working with offensive coordinators who maximize strengths.

In addition they every have a just-throw-it-up No. 1 receiver. Justin Jefferson in Minnesota and George Pickens in Pittsburgh respectively rank second and fourth in receiving yards this season. There’s room for error.

Wilson and Darnold are additionally on one-year contracts, suggesting they’ll headline the 2025 free agent quarterback class.

The plain query lingers: Are Wilson and Darnold higher quarterbacks than they’d been currently, or simply in higher conditions? Let’s rapidly have a look at each, evaluating this season with their two most up-to-date earlier years through which they began 10-plus video games.

2024 Russell Wilson

By most goal measures, the 35-year-old is an analogous participant to 2023 (when he wasn’t dangerous in Denver!). His QBR, passer ranking, completion proportion and adjusted internet yards per cross try all resemble his time there.

The tape exhibits Pittsburgh’s run-first, play-action offense seems to be much like Wilson’s early years in Seattle and is completely suited to his strengths, together with his patented moonball.

However it’s not all constructive. In his 4 begins, the Steelers have produced a landing on solely 38.9 p.c of their pink zone alternatives. As Mike DeFabo notes in his look into why Pittsburgh is struggling there, Wilson has accomplished 68 p.c of his passes exterior the pink zone, however that determine drops to 29.2 p.c contained in the 20.

(Maybe that’s the place Justin Fields is available in? We’ll see tonight, when the Steelers go to the Browns at 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime.)

Even when Wilson fails to enhance close to the objective line, in his thirteenth season, he’s an efficient starter. That’s in all probability it, however it’s all Pittsburgh’s protection (and kicker) want. As Jeff wrote, “They’re placing him in good conditions and never asking him to play past his means, which is strictly the way it ought to be.”

2024 Sam Darnold

This isn’t a case the place the numbers fail to align with what Darnold seems to be like in motion. You’d be onerous pressed to seek out any stretch from 2018 to 2022 when he regarded this assured throwing the soccer.

However after a stretch that evoked years previous — 5 interceptions in Weeks 9 and 10 — his penchant for turnovers (10 INTs, fourth-most) stays a evident flaw. He’s grow to be a greater model of Sam Darnold, which is sweet for a league-average QBR (and an 8-2 document, due to an elite supporting solid).

It’s cheap to imagine Darnold’s arm expertise and athleticism, alongside together with his 2024 staff’s win-loss document, will intrigue a few of the 12 groups with potential QB openings in 2025. Many might be deciding between Darnold, Wilson and prospects like Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. However these groups ought to bear in mind: Even a QB with Wilson’s resume nonetheless wants the proper environment.

What Dianna’s Listening to: Bears put Caleb Williams again heading in the right direction

Bears followers, for as soon as, there may be excellent news: The change at offensive coordinator, with Thomas Brown changing Shane Waldron, has given this staff a lift.

In Brown’s first sport as a play-caller, final weekend’s nail-biter loss to Inexperienced Bay, Caleb Williams accomplished 74 p.c of his passes, a greater than 20 proportion level enhance over his three earlier video games.

Probably the most vital adjustments has been improved communication in the course of the sport, significantly with regards to the velocity at which performs are referred to as. The 4-6 Bears haven’t resolved all their points, however consider they’re higher on offense. As Williams put it: “We’re going to have that mindset to go on the market and kick some tail.”

Chicago will want that mindset, with the 8-2 Vikings on Sunday and 9-1 Lions days in a while Thanksgiving.

🎧 ICYMI from the “Scoop Metropolis” podcast: Are the Giants attempting to tank?

Bo Nix’s Emergence: What’s totally different in Denver?

When Sean Payton introduced his Week 1 starter, we realized that Bo Nix was set to grow to be the primary rookie QB to start out for the Broncos since John Elway. It solely added to the expectations for this 12 months’s No. 12 decide, however he’s exceeded all of them.

As we enter Week 12, Nix has performed an equal quantity of video games as Elway — a primary general decide — did in his rookie 12 months (11), giving us a stage taking part in area to match the 2. (In fact, we should issue within the differing play type in 1983 and the truth that Elway typically break up video games with Steve DeBerg.) A blind pattern of the stats would counsel we’re taking a look at one future celebrity and one struggling rookie:

Clearly, that goes to indicate: So much can and can change. Nonetheless, nice begin.

Success wasn’t instant for Nix, nevertheless. His profession began 0-2, with zero touchdowns, 4 interceptions and a completion charge within the 50s.

However all the pieces has modified for the reason that season’s first 4 video games, which Payton known as “a race to enhance.” Nick Kosmider offers perspective on Nix after the the 24-year-old’s finest efficiency but (307 yards and 4 touchdowns on Sunday towards Atlanta):

“Because the begin of October, a span of seven video games, Nix is finishing 69 p.c of his passes. He has thrown 13 touchdowns and solely two interceptions — and he’s rushed for 2 extra scores. He has posted a 106.3 passer ranking. The one quarterbacks in the identical statistical ballpark throughout that span: Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow.”

Nick additionally beforehand defined the enhancements he’s seen from Nix. Right here’s one which stood out:

“Nix has taken an enormous leap as an intermediate passer. Since Week 5, he’s finishing passes between 5 and 15 yards past the road of scrimmage at a mark that’s top-10 within the NFL. His completion charge on these throws by means of the primary 4 video games of the season was 37.5 p.c, which ranked final out of 33 certified passers.”

Sean Payton has performed an important function, scheming open receivers to make life simpler for Nix. His latest work with Marvin Mims is a primary instance of what has Nix on monitor to grow to be the most effective rookie quarterback in Broncos historical past. After that, a spot subsequent to Elway would greater than suffice.

Ballot Outcomes: The state of star corners

Yesterday, we checked out the seeming decline of the celebrity cornerback, and I requested you if we are going to see a return of the star nook.

In line with practically 40 p.c of votes, “they by no means left,” with Jalen Ramsey and Pat Surtain II holding it down in at present’s sport. The sure/no votes have been break up an equal 24 p.c every, signaling that the established order is the expectation shifting ahead.

Across the NFL

Welcome to HarBowl Week. Vic Tafur picks all of the weekend’s video games, together with the John vs. Jim brothers brawl.

It’s someway within the sport. Saquon Barkley’s backward hurdle is now in Madden. Appears annoying.

Benching the GOAT? The Ravens don’t plan to sit down the struggling Justin Tucker.

Yesterday’s most-clicked: Why Jets GM Joe Douglas by no means stood an opportunity.

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(Picture: Justin Ok. Aller and Andy Lyons / Getty Photographs)