The Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen and the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson are leading the charge for change among NFL quarterbacks. The duo will be on display on the same field Sunday afternoon at New Era Field when the Baltimore Ravens (10-2) travel to face the Buffalo Bills (9-3).
The league has been trending toward mobile quarterbacks for some time now. However, the league has not seen a tandem such as Allen and Jackson for decades.
It's going to be a track meet on Sunday 🏃♂️ pic.twitter.com/8GLY90hX85
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 3, 2019
Both players showed their undeniable talent during their time in college. Jackson’s penchant for making electric plays and Allen’s sheer arm strength put them on the map for the 2018 draft.
However, there were concerns about the players making the jump to the NFL level. They didn’t necessarily fit the traditional mold of what franchise quarterback should reflect. Jackson was so athletic that there were calls that he should switch positions. Allen faced criticisms with his accuracy while playing for a program where little few people saw him on display.
Nevertheless, it took the ideal situation and some forward-thinking of certain NFL organizations to see the long-term benefit of each player. The leadership in Baltimore and Buffalo saw the high ceiling of the players and were not afraid of being patient with their respective players’ development.
They went outside the box, and it’s paying off. They focused on what lanes these players special and altered their systems for the players. They created a new paradigm.
Both franchises went deep into the numbers and statistics to see how to best make these players successful.
Baltimore and Buffalo looked at the weaknesses of the players and found ways to mitigate these while simultaneously giving the players time to grow and develop. Jackson and Allen were thrust into their starting roles earlier than expected. Jackson took over for an injured Joe Flacco while Allen was given the starting gig with Nathan Peterman’s ineffectiveness.
The franchises knew mistakes would be made, but the rewards are potentially infinite. The patience they have exhibited with these players has been quite impressive.
Because of this, both players would not relinquish the starting jobs.
Baltimore and Buffalo both recognized the special qualities of these players. It was of the utmost importance to pair the players with coordinators who would bring out the best in these players. Enter the Ravens’ Greg Roman and the Bills Brian Daboll.
Roman found success with the 49ers, as he helped guide the offense under Colin Kaepernick. And with Jackson’s skill set similar to Jackson, the hire made sense.
Daboll, for his part, was able to produce adequate results from a bunch of C-level quarterbacks in the past. His creativeness and adaptability would be the biggest assets that he brought to Western New York. In addition, Allen would be the most talented quarterback with whom Daboll as worked as a coordinator.
Both quarterbacks are still growing within their game. Both players have improved their accuracy and decision-making throughout their second season in the league. Jackson is on the verge of a 1,000-yard rushing season, while Allen is the fourth quarterback since the 1970 merger to have multiple seasons with at least eight rushing touchdowns. They have cut down on turnovers on turnovers while improving their efficiency.
Both players have placed their teams in a near-ideal spot for earning a playoff berth.
Not a believer? The combined 19 wins with the two at the helm of their respective offenses shows differently.
The league is taking notice as well. The athletic ability of Jackson is well-noted. However, the combination of his ability to cause chaos when he runs plus an improvement with his pass game has made him nearly unstoppable when he’s under center. And while Allen might not have the speed of Jackson, teams must worry when he breaks the pocket. Whether he is hurdling a defender or diving for a first down, Allen’s improvisational skills have put defenses on their heels.
For both, placing a spy on the quarterback has not been enough to limit the success of these quarterbacks. Teams who have failed to appreciate the dual-threat abilities of theses quarterbacks have not done so to their detriment.
With the success of these two players, the league will do well to shift how they evaluate the long-term viability of players such as these two when entering the league.
Now, there’s a limit to how much disrespect can be thrown in their direction, as both players are first-round picks. Even so, teams will have to adjust how they evaluate such players during their time in college. Thus, the shift will be to focus on the positive attributes of the players rather than being solely scared away from the perceived negatives within the players’ games.
Buffalo and Baltimore stuck to their guns with these selections. They recognized what several other teams could not see in these players. Thus, the payoff will only grow with these teams. The teams’ collective belief that they could help refine the rough edges of these players’ games while bolstering their strengths has led to the selection of a franchise quarterback.
Since the NFL is a copycat league, expect teams to take a second look at quarterbacks who might cause questions in the draft. With the proper support, once these players suit up on Sunday, the best of these players’ abilities are on display. These franchises and players are on the cusp of a culture change in the NFL.
Teams will look differently at how players such as Allen and Jackson will be examined in the future. Now, Jackson and Allen are the players that other teams will compare their players to in the future.
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