Answering NFL's greatest questions forward of Week 5: Steelers QB dilemma; this protection is flying below the radar

4 weeks of the NFL season are within the books, and extra questions proceed to be raised. Will the Cleveland Browns bench Deshaun Watson? Ought to Washington Commanders followers make their reservations for Super Bowl LIX proper now? And who would be the first head coach to get fired? 

As I do each week, I’ll deal with among the questions across the league I imagine want answering, and in addition convey consideration to some issues we must be speaking about extra. Let’s start with the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback state of affairs. 

What ought to the Steelers do at QB?

Russell Wilson will quickly ramp up actions together with his injured calf, however Justin Fields is about to make his fifth consecutive begin. When will coach Mike Tomlin made an official determination on a starter? That is in all probability coming quickly, but it surely should not be a tricky selection. 

I used to be confused when the Steelers made the choice to signal Wilson after which commerce for Fields. You signal a veteran whose lackluster play led a franchise to tackle an NFL-record dead-cap hit, after which adopted that up by buying and selling for a younger borderline starter with upside — each on one-year offers. Have been the Steelers attempting to create a quarterback controversy?

The Steelers wished to enter the common season with Wilson below heart, however his calf had different plans. Due to that lingering harm, Fields received the inexperienced mild to be QB1, and thru 4 weeks I believe it is honest to say he is taken benefit of his alternative.

The Steelers offense is not placing up large numbers, however Pittsburgh is 3-1 whereas Fields is averaging a career-high 207.5 passing yards per recreation, and he is thrown three touchdowns in comparison with one interception with three extra scores approaching the bottom. He has accomplished 70.6% of his passes via 4 video games, and his finest completion proportion in a season is 61.4%. Fields is clearly bettering as a quarterback. Why would you’re taking a 25-year-old out from below heart at this level? 

I at all times believed Fields ought to have been QB1 in Pittsburgh, however now, it should stay this fashion. Why? Let me clarify.

It will be a mistake to place in a rusty 35-year-old who has clearly misplaced a few of his mobility behind an offensive line that’s now down FOUR starters. Isaac Seumalo hasn’t but performed resulting from a pectoral pressure, James Daniels simply went down with a torn Achilles on Sunday, heart Nate Herbig is out for the yr resulting from a torn rotator cuff and Troy Fautanu is on injured reserve with a knee harm. Wilson sadly is not the identical playmaker he was with the Seattle Seahawks. He was a quarterback who might escape the pocket and make performs downfield. Now, simply stepping up within the pocket is a chore.

Fields’ mobility was at all times considered as a plus — particularly in an offense led by Arthur Smith — however now that mobility is required. You noticed how poorly the Steelers offensive line carried out on Sunday in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts. Inserting a less-agile quarterback into the combination, who hasn’t even spent a lot time taking reps on this new offense, would not sound like a good suggestion. 

The place does Jayden Daniels rank amongst QBs proper now?

I am positive many have been skeptical on Jayden Daniels with the ability to construct on his coming-out celebration vs. the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3. After finishing a rookie report 91% of his passes with two touchdowns on the street in prime time, what did he have in retailer for the Arizona Cardinals on a brief week? 

It was one other upset victory by a rating of 42-14, the place the rookie accomplished 26 of 30 passes for 233 yards, one landing and one interception to go together with 47 speeding yards and one other rating on the bottom.

The No. 2 general choose is the primary quarterback in NFL historical past to finish 85% of his passes in back-to-back video games (min. 15 makes an attempt). Daniels has the very best completion proportion in a four-game span (82.1%) inside a season since 1970, forward of 2008 Peyton Manning (MVP), 2007 Tom Brady (MVP) and 2013 Peyton Manning (MVP).

Daniels has already tied the report for many speeding touchdowns by a quarterback in his first 4 profession video games with 4, and is the second rookie quarterback during the last 35 seasons to guide a workforce to 38+ factors scored in back-to-back video games. He is additionally the second participant in NFL historical past to finish 75% of his passes and rush for 200 yards in a month. The opposite was Lamar Jackson in November 2019, the yr he gained MVP. You get the gist, Daniels is traditionally good. However my favourite stat is that the Commanders have had simply two drives (not counting kneeldowns) over the previous THREE GAMES that didn’t end in factors. From Weeks 2-3, each drive Washington had resulted in factors. In Week 4, seven of 9 possessions went for factors.

Daniels is clearly getting higher and higher, however the place does he rank right now among quarterbacks? If you wish to go off of passer ranking, he ranks third (107.4). Taking a look at QBR, Daniels is tied for fourth (73.3). His 8.5 yards per try are tied for third, and his 0.9% interception proportion is tied for fifth. Clearly he ranks first in completion proportion (82.1%). Once more, it is a rookie who has made simply 4 NFL begins. What is the ceiling for him appear like? 

It is tough for a younger quarterback to insert themselves into the highest 10 dialog in relation to energetic quarterbacks, however Daniels can do this. Actually, he is taking part in like a high 5 quarterback proper now. What he is achieved from an effectivity standpoint and proven as an athletic playmaker is fairly astounding.

The protection you have to be speaking about

The Denver Broncos defeated Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday, 10-9. The one method this recreation got here up in your group chat is that if somebody was making enjoyable of the truth that Bo Nix threw for -7 yards in the first half, however we must be speaking about this Broncos protection extra.

Denver has now scored two straight upset victories, defeating Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by 19 factors in Week 3, after which the Jets on Sunday. This Broncos protection hasn’t allowed greater than 13 factors in three straight weeks. By my depend, this protection has pressured 19 punts, three turnovers, recorded three fourth-down stands, noticed one missed subject purpose, 5 made subject objectives and simply two touchdowns during the last three video games. Vance Joseph’s unit at present ranks No. 2 in yards allowed per recreation (256.5), and third in factors allowed per recreation (13.8). Sean Payton has by no means had a high three scoring protection in his profession.

So why is Denver having success? Nicely, some names informal soccer followers in all probability aren’t conscious of have been taking part in extremely effectively. Jonathon Cooper and Zach Allen are getting stress on the quarterback, Riley Moss is a feisty cornerback who I assure needs to win his one-on-one greater than you do, Ja’Quan McMillian is a good slot, P.J. Locke had double-digit tackles and the game-clinching sack final week and new security Brandon Jones is already having a profession yr. 

The Broncos are dialing up stress on quarterbacks, and it is working. Denver has the very best blitz charge (49.7%) and third-highest stress charge (40.7%) within the NFL this season. The Broncos even have the very best sack charge within the NFL (11.8%) after rating twentieth in 2023 (6.8%). Solely the Minnesota Vikings have recorded extra sacks than the Broncos this season. It wasn’t way back when Broncos followers did not wish to enable coach Joseph again on the workforce airplane after his protection gave up 70 factors to the Miami Dolphins. Now, he is main essentially the most underrated unit in your entire NFL.

Broncos video games this season are averaging a mixed 29.3 factors per recreation, and 522.5 whole yards per recreation. Each rank fewest within the NFL. Anticipate that pattern to proceed, as their subsequent two video games come in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers, who each rank within the backside 10 offensively. Maintain betting these Unders!