Gauging the confidence levels of 6 new starting quarterbacks

#3 Gardner Minshew – High

Minshew brought that certain energy he provided the Cougar faithful with as the moustache-wearing Heisman candidate to Jacksonville

There aren’t a lot of guys in the league, who I enjoyed watching more than this guy right now. Just like he did at Washington State, Minshew brought that certain energy he provided the Cougar faithful with as the moustache-wearing Heisman candidate to Jacksonville.

After starting his collegiate career at East Carolina and almost ending up as a graduate assistant with Alabama, he jumped in for Mike Leach at Wazzu and put up spectacular numbers, completing over 70 percent of his passes for 4779 yards and 38 touchdowns compared to nine picks. At around six feet with average arm talent, he fell to the sixth round, but quickly established himself as the backup in Jacksonville with a good training camp and some moments in the preseason, before taking over under center.

Less than a quarter into the season, Minshew was already asked to take over for newly signed Nick Foles who broke his clavicle and the rookie started with 13 straight completions. Overall, he went 22 of 25 for 275 yards and two touchdowns, with his one pick coming off Leonard Fournette’s hands on a pass that shouldn’t have even been close to landing in the defender’s hands.

Already starting down by ten points against the most explosive team in football, that was a pretty good debut. While the rookie did struggle to string together drives for most of his first start and set up Houston’s only touchdown by fumbling the ball inside their own 20, he did lead them back against the Texans on that final drive, where he converted a fourth-and-ten on a scramble and threw a touchdown on the run.

Unfortunately, the Jaguars decided to give Leonard Fournette the ball on the two-point conversion when I thought Minshew had done enough to earn the opportunity to do it himself. Against the Titans on Thursday Night, Minshew piled on a lot of easy, short completions on square-ins and flat routes, but he also had some pin-point throws, to allow his receivers to gain some late separation.

That includes a 22-yard touchdown to his favourite target D.J. Chark on a fade route and he should have had another one later on in the game to Dede Westbrook on a perfect rainbow throw right into the hands of the receiver perfectly in stride running an inside fade, which was dropped badly.

Confidence is a huge factor for this kid and he simply has that swagger that has me believing in him, after how I have seen him convert his play in college to early success in the pros. Minshew is patient inside the pocket and will stand in there for a route or pattern to develop. His pocket presence is excellent for a rookie and he finds seams to set up into, while having the ability to quickly re-set.

He is a very rhythmic and anticipatory passer, which shows up on timing-based routes, where he releases the ball before his receivers even get into their breaks at times, and he has been outstanding with his ball-placement. Minshew is also surprisingly slippery when he escapes the pocket and he has picked up some crucial first downs with his legs despite not being a great athlete.

He ripped off 56 yards on the six times he took off against Houston. While he is looking to push the ball down the field and give his receivers chances along the sidelines, Minshew also doesn’t mind checking the ball down if nothing is there.

At this point the sixth-round pick is completing 74 percent of his passes for just under 700 yards and five touchdowns with that freak INT. His passer rating of 110.6 ranks eight among all quarterbacks with at least ten attempts and it’s not like Leonard Fournette has provided the Jags with a consistent rushing attack.

The stats might look okay, but when you consider that in this last game he had a 69-yarder and still finished with 66 rushing yards only, meaning he was in negative column up until that point late in the fourth quarter, Jacksonville has needed Minshew’s passing ability.