It’s safe to say that, after an emphatic season-opening win, New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold has crashed back to earth.
Darnold took full responsibility after the Jets lost 21-17 to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night, admitting that his performance was not good enough.
“From my point of view, I just have to play better, simple as that,” Darnold said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN. “It’s not acceptable, the way I played. I know that, and I have to take it like a man. I feel like I’m responsible for some of the stagnant offense we had. I just have to play better, that’s it.”
Darnold went 15-of-31 for 169 yards, throwing two interceptions late in the fourth quarter. He was reined in by a very conservative gameplan and outplayed by fellow rookie Baker Mayfield in the defeat.
The Jets knew even after Darnold quarterbacked the team to an emphatic win over the Detroit Lions that the rookie was going to have ups and downs and warned everyone accordingly. He’s 0-2 since then and clearly has a way to go yet.
