We are about a week out from the playoffs and the end of easily the wildest year in history, so what better time to take a look at how the season has treated our brothas and what we can expect to see in the postseason. Since the rest of these for this season will be truncated to the playoff participants we’ll chronicle every QB that’s taken a snap this year in this edition.
Also, I struggled with whether or not to include the likes of Tua and Mariota here and while yes, they aren’t white, this is a space for Black QBs. We’ll root them on from afar the way we do Josh Allen – who I swear is a Black QB in white face but that’s a story for another time.
2020 Stats: 3 games (0 starts)
7 for 11 passing; 75 yards; 0 TD 0 INT
With the Buccaneers opting to test the FA market this past offseason, the former number 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft landed with the rival Saints. As a fan – despite all the times he threw to the other team – I was happy for Jameis to get a chance to chill behind Drew, learn from a great offensive mind in Sean Payton, and potentially take over in New Orleans in 2021.
I am also a Taysom Hill hater/unbeliever and I believe Sean Payton knew this. There’s no other reason he would’ve skipped over an actual thrower of a football for Ten Tool Taysom when Drew Brees went down breaking every rib imaginable earlier this year. Long story less long is that the 30-year-old kinda was balling, Brees came back and well I guess that leaves Jameis SOL.
Look for Jameis to join the ranks of QBs looking for new homes which may or may not also include Carson Wentz, Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan, and Sam Darnold. We don’t talk about those gentlemen in this column but best of luck to my guy Jameis. As a QB with real arm talent and intellect it is damn near impossible he doesn’t land somewhere even if it is as a backup, unforch. We’ll pray on it.
2020 Stats: 4 games (1 start) 0-1 as a starter
8 for 14 passing; 42 yards; 0 TD 2 INT
RGIII got a chance to relive the dream in Week 12 filling in for Lamar when Baltimore’s starter had to sit thanks to BIG RONA. Baltimore lost the game 14-19 and only let Griffin throw 12 times but hey at least he has a job. Actually, I really love this for Griffin who had quite the story between his injuries and his feud with the Shanahans back in his heyday in DC. As an athletic QB that’s now a 8 year vet – man where has the time gone – he has much he can teach Lamar about the game and how to maintain his health and availability most importantly. I don’t expect anything to change here in RGIII’s situation and hopefully the next time he gets some PT it looks a little better than his last outing.
TYROD (LA CHARGERS OF SAN DIEGO)
2020 Stats: 1 game (1 start) 1-0 as a starter
16 for 30 passing; 208 yards; 0 TD 0 INT
Man, I don’t even want to rehash the goofiness that sidelined Tyrod for 2020. Now yes, looking at Herbert it does confirm that the former Virginia Tech QB wouldn’t have lasted the season as a starter but man SMFH! I have absolutely no clue what’s going to happen with the Chargers. Taylor is an unrestricted FA this upcoming offseason and as a QB with starting experience he’ll most definitely have a job. While his career as a starter is probably finito, we like Black men having jobs over here and maybe staying put in SoCAL backing up Herbert works for him. That may also not be an option if LA fires Anthony Lynn and a new guy wants someone more familiar to backup Herbert. Either way, we need to see him on the field again in some capacity because no way should the team doc puncturing his lung be the end of his story on the field.
2020 Stats: 5 games (5 starts) 2-3 as a starter
151 for 222 passing; 1856 yards; 9 TD 4 INT
Ah, nothing like falling apart when the QB you refuse to bank the Brinks truck up for is out for the season. Don’t you just love when that song comes on? Technically speaking, Dallas isn’t yet eliminated from the playoff contention – gawd the NFC East is so disgusting this year. But I don’t think this panned out quite how anyone in Jerry World anticipated. I’m sure Dalton thought he’d get to chill, maybe take the reigns if they opted to move on from Dak. Jerry thought he was signing up for Packers Southwest with McCarthy, and Zeke planned on showing off multiple remixes to his “Feed Me” TD celebration. Spoiler alert, none of this happened. I know this section is supposed to be about Dak, but for as long as I can remember Dallas’ defense has been BASURA. Get healthy, get some talent, and pay Dak so we can get back to the Jerry Jones I know and love. Oh and remember those Dak vs Wentz convos? LOL.
HASKINS (TEAM TO BE NAMED LATER)
2020 Stats: 6 games (5 starts) 1-4 record as a starter
134 for 213 passing; 1285 yards; 5 TD 5 INT
Preface: Let me cop pleas from the jump. Of his 1-4 record, all those losses are to playoff or playoff-contending teams (Arizona, Cleveland, Baltimore and Seattle).
Ronald was very much in my doghouse for his treatment of Dwayne Haskins. No, I am not in the DC locker room to see all the hoodlumery that’s been alleged; but in my version of events, Ronald cast the first stone by bringing his mans with him from Carolina and being iffy on Haskins. Yes, he’s allowed to be iffy on Haskins, BUT I feel like this is a convo that should’ve been hashed out if, you know, Washington had a owner worth a damn. Clearly these two sides are headed for a divorce. It’s really odd to see QBs get thrown out so fast – a la Josh Rosen – but I hope someone takes a chance on Haskins to give him time. I am nervous that ‘time’ to young signal callers is a thing of the past now with Jordan Love being the only one in a sit for a bit type of situation. Another option could be that Haskins delivers while Washington is in the middle of fighting for the NFC East crown and all is forgiven. That’s certainly wishful thinking on my behalf and I hope Haskins can find a home where he’s, at least, wanted.
2020 Stats: 6 games (2 starts) 1-1 as a starter
49 for 89 passing; 647 yards; 5 TD 1 INT
We got him up outta here!!!!! Now we won’t talk about me asking Gus and Katherine about making this switch before it happened, no there’s no need to bring up old stuff. YOU’RE WELCOME PHILADELPHIA! Welcome to the krew – this column – Jalen. I mean this is really simple. The heat was coming on Doug and once it got to the point where he could conceivably make the change, he did. And it worked out. Sure, they lost to Arizona in Hurts’ second start but I don’t think the goal was for Jalen to get them to the playoffs as much as it was to look significantly better than Carson has, which he’s done. Carson could probably benefit from a new place with much tempered expectations but again that’s for another column, this one is all about Jalen “KISS” Hurts – IYKYK. I think Jalen is the QB in Philly next season and Philly finds a way to unload him. Despite what I said about Captain Crab Leg earlier, Carson might be the top QB for those shopping – I’d personally take Stafford but whatever. Free that colonizer and let Philly continue its great legacy of Black QBs. Long live Jalen, DILLY DILLY!
Before we get to our usual group that’s been holding us down all season long, let me take this time to say once again that if Eric B ain’t a head coach next season I’m on the NFL’s HEAD. For real. Like cut the bullshit. Mad white [insert the N word here if you’re allowed to say it] who ain’t got no stripes get head coaching gigs ALL DAY LONG. Cut the shit NFL. Make it happen and not on some Rooney Rule shit either bringing in real candidates only to check a box and hire some no-name coach from Eastern Idaho Tech.
2020 Stats: 14 games (14 starts) 4-10 as a starter
330 for 472 passing; 4134 yards; 27 TD 6 INT
Shout to mans. He been holding it down when the rest of his team is out here counting the days to vacation. At the time I type this, he sits third in passing yards and ninth in passing touchdowns, yet his Texans only have 4 wins on the season. Now maybe this is why owners tend to not fire their head coaches early in the season but I don’t think it would’ve made a difference. Houston doesn’t have a GM and has an infinite amount of holes to fill in getting this team to be competitive. Thankfully, they have DeShaun Watson so getting FAs to come on down shouldn’t be hard. Too often we spend time harping on what a player doesn’t do but are surprisingly quiet when a situation like this unfolds where DeShaun is balling his ass off and the franchise is the one letting him down. I don’t know much about GMs to say where they should go in that department but I have said previously via this column that they should snag Eric B. Let this be the last bit of free game I give you Houston without a Turkey Leg coupon.
TEDDY TWO GLOVES (BLACK PANTHAS)
2020 Stats: 13 games (13 starts) 3-10 as a starter
308 for 441 passing; 3360 yards; 14 TD 8 INT
I’mma just let you know now I forgot to add PJ in here. I’m not wasting a paragraph on PJ’s one start but he won and I can’t wait for the XFL to return (Black owned business now too, ah-ah-ah). Iight cool we got that out the way.
We can’t talk about Theodore without referencing how he would’ve actually been the guy the Bucs went after if we didn’t get Thomas. This makes me sad for him that he had to settle for the struggle that is the South Carolina Alley Cats. I could see a lot of things happen here. Matt Rhule is set at coach so really it’s his world. Does he look at any of the QBs that will hit the open market? Does he draft a rookie QB early in the 2021 Draft? Does he start next year with a QB competition between Teddy and PJ?
A 3-10 record with an unimpressive TD:INT ratio doesn’t make me certain Rhule and company opt to run it byke next year. Also important here is what happens with OC Joe Brady. The hotshot LSU OC behind Joe Burrow’s Hot Boy season in the Bayou might be a much sought after candidate in the college ranks as a head coach. This may end up being a blessing but right now it looks a lil ‘queasy face emoji’ for me. Let’s hope all works out well – but not too well cuz he’s in my division – for Mr. BridgeH2O.
CAMERON NEWTON (MATTAPAN PATRIOTS)
2020 Stats: 13 games (13 starts) 6-7 record as a starter
216 for 328 passing; 2381 yards; 5 TD 10 INT
Cam Newton’s 2020 season has been a microcosm of the year itself; just long and ugh! Basically everyone in the culture was rooting for Cam to prove the haters wrong and have a year for the ages. After 20 years of Tower Tom being a strictly pocket passer, Belichick and McDaniels were charged up about having a mobile QB that might open up the playbook a lil’. But a big part of Tom taking his talents to Tampa was the lack of weapons they had in Foxborough. Belichick has even mentioned how going for broke during New England’s run has finally caught up to them and the coin cupboard is desert dry.
What seems obvious is that the team isn’t high on Stidham, this helps Cam potentially have a future outside of this season there but it isn’t looking too hot. Does McDaniels actually leave the nest a second time after leaving Indy at the altar a few seasons ago? Is there a QB on the market that might tickle Belichick’s fancy? Not sure about any of it, and I am nervous that outside of Cam’s 11 rushing TDs, there’s not a lot to get excited about with this union. But I hope I am wrong here because Cam is the elder statesman of this column and at only 31, it’d be sad to see a former MVP be at the end of the road.
2020 Stats: 14 games (14 starts) 8-6 record as a starter
336 for 497 passing; 3637 yards; 26 TD 11 INT
Kredit to Keim and Kliff for getting the Kardinals and Kyler some keys…okay I ran out of K puns. Kyler has a lot to work with which is great but also puts the spotlight on him to deliver right away. Arizona has been in the playoff hunt the bulk of the season, seesawing between a team that looks ready for the big stage and one that’s not quite there yet. Last night’s loss to a banged-up Niners team didn’t help their push to secure that final wildcard spot and regardless of if they do make it or not, this team – and QB – will benefit from what we can hope will be a traditional off-season and pre-season. Adding 11 scores on the ground to his gaudy numbers, the skies the limit for Kyler; if he can churn out more seasons like this while improving his passing and ball security.
2020 Stats: 13 games (13 starts) 9-4 record as a starter
215 for 332 passing; 2461 yards; 21 TD 8 INT
I did warn that the Ravens would enter a stretch of the season where we got to see if they were legit or not. And as I thought, the results were so-so. With the Browns finally learning how to play football, the Ravens can’t simply coast to a wildcard spot anymore and if the playoffs were to start as of my typing these words, Baltimore would be on the outside looking in. I don’t have any answers about what needs to improve because on paper Baltimore looks formidable. I don’t – fully – believe the Lamar-can’t-throw-isms but when they can’t pull away and establish themselves as a surefire AFC playoff team there’s one person’s doorstep that the criticism is going to land on. Baltimore is still in the running for the playoffs and may need help getting in but first, they need to finish strong in these last two games of the regular season. Passing The Baton will be watching closely indeed.
2020 Stats: 14 games (14 starts) 10-4 record as a starter
344 for 490 passing; 3806 yards; 37 TD 13 INT
Imagine my heartbreak when I’ve been talking the mostest shit about running Russ his MVP and watching that go down the chute after a few lackluster performances. Now, to cop some pleas, Russ is doing it all by himself and I’m positive he would much rather another SB win over an MVP trophy any day. Russ’ case may have been better to make had it not been for the next guy on this list as the Seahawks passer ranks second in completion percentage (70.2%) of QBs with at least 200 attempts, second in TDs, and eighth in yards. This is already a career season in touchdowns thrown and could also be Russ’ personal best in completions, yards, and completion percentage in a single season. Let’s hope he can put it all together in the postseason, as that’s really the only thing left to vie for in what’s been a Hall of Fame career.
2020 Stats: 14 games (14 starts) 13-1 record as a starter
366 for 544 passing; 4462 yards; 36 TD 11 INT
I don’t know what you want me to say here. Patty Mahomes looks well on his way to another MVP and at least another Super Bowl appearance. The former champion and MVP came into this week first in completions (Brady and Kyler who have both played this week are above him), is still first in yards, and sits third in passing touchdowns. He is also the winningest QB with only 1 loss to his name this year. Really barring anything wild the AFC should be a cakewalk but I’ll save my thoughts on that for the playoff editions of PTB. Run this man his MVP Roger. Boy oh boy, I can only hope and pray my dearest Buccaneers stop him from repeating in the big dance.
Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year – good riddance 2020 – and PTB and I will see you all in the playoffs!