Where do the quarterbacks of the AFC West rank among the best in the NFL? Going into the 2020 season I would say the leader board is as followed. It’s Patrick Mahomes vs every body else. In saying that, I am not throwing shade at the rest of the quarterbacks but every quarterback in the division has a question mark next to his name except for Mahomes. Mahomes has established himself as the upper echelon of the next generation of signal callers in the league. That fact can’t be debated, as far as the other quarterbacks are concerned ranking them among the rest of the quarterbacks in the league might be hard. Here is where I would start.
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs- As I mentioned before Mahomes might be the best quarterback in the league. At just 24 years old he’s already set the NFL on fire. He’s started just 35 total regular-season and playoff games in his short career. Just think about his post-season success already in four playoff games. Not counting the Super Bowl which he won anyway. He’s led the team to more than 30 points in all four, with an average of 37.0 per start. He’s in the league’s history books already with more than 10 touchdown passes and zero interceptions in the postseason, and his playoff passer rating of 115.0 is the highest in modern day football by a margin of more than 12 points. Mahomes, who in 2018 was the youngest MVP in modern league history, is already off to the best start ever for a quarterback. The scary part for his opponents is that he is just getting started. In the last 100 years of the NFL a specimen like Mahomes doesn’t come along that often. We can start with his pure arm talent. The throws that he makes no human on earth should be able to fit the ball in the windows that he does. In just two years of starting he has composed an insane 108 QB rating. His first year as a starter he threw 50 touchdowns. We all have seen the Magic Johnson Houdini like no look throws. Mahomes just has pure abilities you can’t teach. The one intangible however, that speaks volumes to me is his toughness and work ethic. In his Super Bowl year he played with a dislocated kneecap. Mahomes sat out for two weeks and continued to ball. Whenever you think of the NFL’s elite he is certainly on top of that list.
Derek Carr, QB, Las Vegas Raiders- Let me start off this post by saying I am probably the biggest Derek Carr fanboy there is. He maybe the most criticized quarterback in all of football. Carr is now in year seven as the quarterback of the Raiders. A three-time Pro Bowler, the all-time franchise leader in passing yards, and in the prime of his career after just turning 29-years-old. Despite all of the accolades, Carr’s biggest demon is his win loss record. Whether it is fair or unfair wins and losses define every quarterback, and with a 39-55 record, he has a stat that no quarterback wants. In fact, his 55 career losses are the second-most ever for a quarterback through his first six seasons. Carr has never appeared in a playoff game, thanks to the fact he broke his leg on Christmas Eve in 2016. With a new home in Las Vegas, Carr will look to prove he is the quarterback for the Raiders, and provide some much needed wins. In order for Carr to be successful he needs help from his defense which he hasn’t been provided in years. He also needs his receivers to hold onto balls. The Raiders are among the teams with the most dropped passes. They also lead the league in penalties. Those factors along with a revolving door of coaches and coordinators are factors on why a quarterback could struggle to win. The 2019 season on paper was a very successful year for Carr. He threw for over 4,000 yards with 21 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. In addition, he posted a 70% completion percentage, which is good for second in the entire NFL. Carr provided these numbers after the whole Antonio Brown Saga, and mainly a sub-par receiving group. If you are a Derek Carr fanboy like myself you are encouraged that he has some continuity, as head coach Jon Gruden returns for his third season at the helm. The Raiders went heavy at wide receiver this year in he draft. Carr has been provided some weapons. Last time Carr had weapons he was a MVP candidate before his injury This year maybe Carr’s make it or break it year.
Drew Lock, QB, Denver Broncos- Since the retirement of Peyton Manning it is safe to say that John Elway has struggled with drafting and finding the position that he became a Hall of Famer at. Toward the end of last season the Broncos were able to get a glimpse of what there future will be by starting Drew Lock in a few games to end the regular season. Needless to say the Broncos are pleased with where Lock currently is in his development. Lock made his first career start against the Chargers in week 13 last season. The Broncos’ second-round pick would go on to win his first start. He started in four more games to end the regular season. His best game came against the Houston Texans in Week 14. Lock was able to complete 81.5 percent of his attempts for 309 yards, three scores, and one interception as Denver upset Houston on the road. Altogether, Lock ended the season with 1,020 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. Lock put enough on tape toward the end of the year to give the Broncos enough confidence to move forward with him in 2020. The Broncos did a solid job of adding weapons around Lock. They upgraded their backfield with former pro bowler Melvin Gordon, Gordon is a versatile runner who can make plays as a receiver. Denver may have landed the steal of the draft in Jerry Jeudy who many experts believe was the best pure route runner and receiver in the draft. Matching speed for speed with the Chiefs is really important and John Elway followed that up with drafting speedster KJ Hamler out of Penn State. The Broncos added tons of weapons and upgraded their defense. Lock has all he needs to be successful now lets see where he goes in his development.
Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers- Going into the 2020 season the Chargers may have the murkiest situation of all the teams in the AFC West. With the departure of Phillip Rivers, Chargers didn’t have a clear-cut franchise quarterback for the first time in under 20 years. That all changed when they drafted Justin Herbert out of Oregon with the #6 pick in the draft. The team and head coach Anthony Lynn have verbally expressed their support and backing of Tyrod Taylor as the next starting quarterback for the Chargers. Taylor brings veteran and playoff experience to a team that, on paper, is absolutely loaded all around. It isn’t clear when we will see Herbert suit up for the Chargers. According to NFL Network analyst Charlie Casserly there is a lot that Herbert has to work on before he overthrows Taylor for the job “Two things he’s got to work on — anticipation. He’s got a fastball. He grew up being able to throw to receivers when they were wide open. The ball was so quick it got there, and the arm was so strong that he didn’t have to anticipate and throw the ball earlier. The other thing is he’s going to have to work on his touch. Now, Taylor is the starter. We know that, but if he plays great, there is a chance.” The landscape of the Chargers quarterback room will play itself out the closer we get to the start of the season.
