Doubts about his rookie year, the long wait to report with his team and a terrible record as a coach have Tua Tagovailoa, Aaron Rodgers and Zac Taylor under scrutiny
With the start of the < With the 2021 NFL season right around the corner, it's time to take a look at the characters under the most pressure to produce this year.
For this exercise I chose 10 elements, nine players and a head coach, who should produce favorable results in the 2021 season, some due to their bad year such as rookies, others because of the expectations that were generated around them or simply because of the record they have had running a franchise.
Notable absences? Of course there will be some, but they will surely be part of another list that will be published in the coming days before starting the campaign.
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa has faced criticism since joining the NFL for a hip injury that sidelined him in his senior year at Alabama, questions about his health, accuracy, arm strength and size have been a constant, it also did not help his cause that he was removed in the final stretch of some games to bring in veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick to guide the Dolphins to victory.
Such has been the insistence of some fans on trading him that even head coach Brian Flores has had to come to his defense before the press to reiterate that he is committed to Tagovailoa as the future in < b>Miami. It won't be easy to be in the young quarterback's shoes this season, especially when he begins to suffer his first losses and the voices in the stands begin to ask for the entry of backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
In a relatively quiet offseason, there was one story that grabbed all the headlines: the absence of Rodgers during activities of the Packers. It was a tug-of-war from day one, with voices signaling the quarterback's discontent with the institution, while the team insisted in every way that Rodgers was the face of the franchise.
Finally, Rodgers checked in after a long vacation and appears to be ready for what could be his last season in Green Bay, largely because of the relationship. rotates between the quarterback and the team. This does not mean that it will be a wasted season, surely the fans will demand Rodgers to have a year very similar to 2020 --when he was the NFL Most Valuable Player-- to win that elusive second Lombardi Trophy.
HC Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
Not much to look for here, Taylor came to a franchise that fired Marvin Lewis after a 6-10 season in 2018 and two years in charge of the Bengals< /b>, Taylor has barely managed to win six games. It's true that last year he suffered from Joe Burrow's injury, but winning six games is an invitation to an early dismissal in the NFL.
QB Daniel Jones, New York Giants
It's not easy when you have to replace a legend who brought two Super Bowl rings to a franchise, especially when that decision seemed more like a whim of the then coach Pat Shurmur than a sporting merit.
Unfortunately Jones was left in the middle of that controversy and hasn't been able to fully connect with the Giants fans. As a matter of fact, he also hasn't shown the durability that characterized Eli Manning and has missed five games in his two years in the league, is just 8-18 as a starter and has already thrown 22 interceptions for just 35 touchdown passes. .
If Jones doesn't perform well in 2021, the Giants will surely be looking for a new quarterback for next year.
QB Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
It's strange writing this from a quarterback who made it to the Super Bowl just three years ago, but Goff is trying to revive his career in Detroit, where there just doesn't seem to be enough tools to help him succeed on the field. The situation is not at all favorable for Goff, who could even end up losing his job to the Lions who are trying to build a roster for the future.
QB Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints
Winston bet on arriving in New Orleans to become the heir to Drew Brees and the Looks like he hit the jackpot.
The problem for Winston is that the crowd has gotten used to the spectacular passing game led by Brees and the explosive plays from Taysom Hill when he enters the field as a wild card quarterback/running back/tight end. Winston has the arm to move on offense, but his accuracy issues cost him his job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so in such a vertical attack the turnovers could prove quite costly for he.
WR Henry Ruggs III, Las Vegas Raiders
It's too early to use the word dud on Ruggs, but if he follows the line he showed in 2020 then he will earn the label with all due merit.
Ruggs had just 26 receptions for 452 yards with two touchdowns, pretty poor numbers for someone taken with the 12th overall pick in the draft.
It's true that the Raiders were far from a dominant team last season, but at least offensively they were in the top-10 in points scored and yards produced, so no excuses. for Ruggs.
If in 2021 it doesn't at least double those numbers, there will be nothing to save it from the so painful label of fiasco.
WR Jalen Reagor, Philadelphia Eagles
Reagor also didn't have the spectacular year expected, in part because of a thumb injury that sidelined him for part of the season and also the shaky quarterback position of the Eagles, yet it is inexcusable for a first-round draft pick, expected to have an immediate impact, to finish the year with just 31 receptions for 396 yards and a touchdown (two, considering special teams).
Philadelphia's commitment to Jalen Hurts at quarterback and a full offseason training with the offense should help Reagor break through in his sophomore year, especially all if we consider that his entire career will be compared to Justin Jefferson, the receiver chosen one turn behind him by the Minnesota Vikings and who in 2020 finished with 1,400 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
QB Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers
Head coach Matt Rhule decided not to bet his project on a rookie quarterback, but on a veteran like Darnold with experience as owner.
Darnold faces pressure not only to receive that trust from the head coach, but also to prove that he is a quarterback worth that third overall pick the New York Jets invested in him.
In favor of Darnold we must say that Carolina is a much more stable franchise than New York at the moment and has more weapons offenses, beginning with a solid running attack led by Christian McCaffrey.
But this is also a double-edged sword, because while it represents a greater opportunity for success, it also represents the pressure of producing points by having All-Pro-caliber support in the backfield.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
Garoppolo is in a free fall largely due to failing health and may be facing his last chance to establish himself as a starter in a NFL franchise despite reaching the Super Bowl just two years ago with the Niners.
San Francisco did its part in the draft by drafting Trey Lance with the third overall pick and unless Garoppolo can produce a season similar to what had. Rodgers last year at Green Bay after the team made a similar move by taking on Jordan Love to force the team to delay whatever succession plans they have in place, it's very likely we'll see a Change in position with the 49ers.
Very few face more pressure this year than Garoppolo, who already has his successor at the front door.
