We were told that this is the age of the dual-threat Black quarterback, but in Week 13 of the NFL season, the pocket passing QBs stole the show.
With names like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott stealing the headlines weekly, one might be shocked to realize that there was just one Black QB in the Top 10 in passing yards on Sunday.
Teddy Bridgewater was 10th, but he struggled mightily in a 22-9 loss to Kansas City on Sunday night, completing just 22 of 40 passes for 257 catch-up yards and two picks.
Lamar Jackson had 253 passing yards and not much else in a 22-19 loss to the Steelers, a game in which LJ8 was sacked seven times. Both Jackson and Dak Prescott had passer ratings around 80. Jackson’s second suspect game in a row is cause for concern in Baltimore.
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No other brother could crack the 250-yard passing mark. Patrick Mahomes managed to bring Kansas City to a win, but his passing prowess was lacking that past magic as he was just 15-of-29 for 184 yards and a pick. Mahomes continues to win while producing at half the rate to which we are accustomed.
Texans QB Tyrod Taylor had a passer rating of 16.5 and completed just 5 passes for 45 yards in a 31-0 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. It was a loss that signaled the official beginning of an all-out tank job in Houston. Head coach David Culley and Taylor are the sacraficial lambs.
Pocket Passing Producers
Tom Brady, Kirk Cousins, Justin Herbert, Bayou Bengals Burrow, Jimmy G, Matt Ryan, Jared Goff and Mathew Stafford all had 295 yards or more passing. The yardage didn’t neccessarily equate to wins as the aforementioned quarterbacks went a combined 4-4 and the seven Black starters who played on Sunday went 4-3. But who’s REALLY counting?
It’s also not totally surprising that the “pocket passing quarterbacks” threw for more yards as they are less likely to scramble or have designed runs in the game plan. The racial dynamic in how the passing yardage broke down is intriguing, nonetheless.
Black QB Chronicles | Black Quarterbacks Open NFL Season With Undefeated Sunday
Russ and Kyler Cook
There were two Black quarterbacks who carried on tradition this weekend. The diminutive dynamo Kyler Murray returned after missing three games with a janky ankle. Head coach Kliff Klingsbury wisely limited Murray’s passing attempts (11-of-15) as he made his way back. He had the highest passer rating in the NFL on Sunday (136.9). The Cardinals rushed the ball 35 times with James Connor (20 rushes, 75 yards) and a healthy Murray (10 rushes, 59 yards) leading the way.
Murray’s limited aerial ouput was still enough to elevate the 24-year-old into the records books of all-time prolific passers at his age.
Kyler Murray is the 4th youngest player with 10,000 passing yards 🔥 pic.twitter.com/r8aqmpeXke
— Overtime (@overtime) December 5, 2021
READ MORE: Black QB Chronicles: Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray Redefine The QB Position
Murray is still very much in MVP contention with him at the top of the NFL totem pole at 10-2.
Russell Wilson finally started cooking for the Seattle Seahawks. With all odds against them, the future Hall of Famer had a vintage performance, going 30-of-37 for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns in a huge win against the San Francisco 49ers.
Everybody and their mama had the 49ers damaging the down-trodden Seahawks. Speculation about Russell Wilson’s imminent trade and his deteriorating relationship with head coach Pete Carroll has dominated the football news in Seattle.
Wilson’s best performance since returning from a broken finger is a breath of fresh air for the current Seahawks and any potential suitors. It also shuts up talking heads like ESPN’s Damien Woody who said, “Russ hasn’t been cooking nothing.”
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