Anthony Lynn says Chargers are going back to Tyrod

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

I was cool with the decision to start Alex for one year. Alex is a way better QB than tyrod. Alex did actually give us an outside shot to win one, much as I was excited about Mahomes eventually taking over. It was respectful to Alex and made it easier to let him go. It took a ton of pressure off mahomes and Reid (Reid would have been crucified if mahomes wasn't nails from the get go). And in the end we ended up with great trade value. Theres quite a huge difference between replacing a franchise staple like Alex or Eli vs replacing a stopgap like Tyrod.

That's not even getting into mahomes being way more of a work in progress at the time.

The better example is the browns starting tyrod over baker a few years ago. They shouldn't have done that and arguably it could have costed them a playoff berth.

I think the idea that Mahomes was more of a work in progress has been pretty well established as a farce at this point. Even with the benefit of hindsight, his Broncos game makes it clear that his improvisational and playmaking abilities were simply innate.

But I'm not trying to discuss that sit/start decision at all - it's not germane here at all, IMO.

As for Taylor's performance in Cleveland - look at his career and tell me which season is the outlier. He played poorly in Cleveland but it was also well outside the trend he'd established as a starter the 3 seasons prior. Additionally, you cite the switch to Mayfield as the catalyst for the Browns improved performance, but let's not forget that the Browns went 1-4 w/ Baker Mayfield under center and Hugh Jackson as the HC (and Todd Haley as the OC). It wasn't until Greg Williams and Freddie Kitchens took the reigns that the Browns showed any life.

But a 1-1-1 record w/ Taylor is what kept them out of the playoffs? I think not. Especially not when the tie was to a Steelers team that started the season 7-2-1 and a 13-3 NOLA squad. No, starting Taylor made no impact on that playoff season. And ultimately Baker's lack of forward progress makes you question how much help he actually provided in that late season push to .500 for Cleveland.

Taylor was a good, solid, game-manager of a QB in Buffalo. That's who he'll be in SD. They can make the post-season with that, especially if Taylor acts as a band-aid that allows Herbert to gain a more fundamental understanding of the offense in the process.