Category Archives: 2026 NFL Preseason

Top Ten QBs For 2026! Countdown 5 Down to #1!

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Its time to finish this off an get ready to predict the NFL divisions and this year there is more to cover than usual. My Top Ten has started off with a bang with #10. San Darnold #9. Caleb Williams, #8. Joe Burrow, #7. Dak Prescott, & #6. Jalen Hurts. Its important to offer nuance as to why certain players are ahead of others and for these 5, that was in the last article.

Now we’re going to hit the final 5 and include honorable mentions so lets get going:

#5 – Drake Maye: Had a remarkable run to Super Bowl LX with a very surprising ang gaudy 8.9 ypa. The singular stat from a QB that translates to team success. His 2025 was 354  of 492 for 4,394 yards 31 TDs to only 8 interceptions. Where many will remind me this is just about going into the 2026 season and not a lifetime ranking, take a look at how last season ended for Maye. Not just the Super Bowl drubbing but his statistical drop off from the regular season through the playoffs. Did you know Maye had the largest passer rating drop off in the last 30 years between regular and postseason?

Oh and Taylor Blitz told you the only stat equating QB success with team success is yards per attempt. That trailed off from a gaudy 8.9 yards per attempt to 6.9. Or in essence would have him behind Dak Prescott (9th) and Mac Jones who was (10th) at the time of last December’s article.

You’ll note both missed the playoffs.

He did receive a boost with the trade for former All Pro Receiver AJ Brown and some will question why have Maye this low going into 2026?

Keep in mind his Patriots will have a 1st place schedule vs last year’s 4th place schedule. Instead of the Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, & Tennessee Titans. They now have the likes of Denver (held them to 60 yards passing in the AFC Championship), Seattle Seahawks (blew them out in SB LX 29-13, LA Chargers, and Jacksonville Jaguars. A total of 8 teams with 10 or more wins last year with 3 others with 9. Maye will struggle mightily all season and will face 4 of last year’s Top Ten defenses. Can he hold on to the 5th spot?? He throws a great ball but will be up against it in 2026.

#4 – Patrick Mahomes: The real question is will he be ready for the start of the season. His receiving corps seems in flux with Rashee Rice’s latest off season legal setback. Eventually Chiefs brass is going to grow to distrust Rice as a player. With a repaired knee will #15 be able to move to create time or duplicate last year’s 64 carries 422 yards 5TDs. Last year he had a down year with 315 of 502 3,584 yards 22 TDs and 11 interceptions. His yards per attempt plummeted to 6.6 yards and hopefully signing Kenneth Walker III from Seattle will take pressure off a less mobile Mahomes.

It’s not a must year for Mahomes in terms of who he is and based on 5 Super Bowl trips in 7 years looks to be headed to a few down years and this ranking will change. Yet his great years put him in position where we have to see it happen first. I really hope he isn’t slowed by his knee injury but that was a nasty take down he suffered last December. We just don’t know how he will move around once he comes back.

#3 – Lamar Jackson: With this being his 1st year without HC Jim Harbaugh in Baltimore will he be able to flourish?? Which sounds ridiculous when he had 2 NFL MVP seasons playing for him. However I warned you before he was drafted in ’18 the challenge is to develop Jackson totally as a passer. The offensive approach in Baltimore hasn’t changed from the read option game where the passing offense has sputtered in curcial playoff losses. Nuance and timing in the passing game has rendered receivers ineffective as none have really established themselves with the Ravens from a league wide perspective.

Jackson still has time but this is going to be a year he has to show his growth from the pocket from play call passing specifics. Not just throw to TE Mark Andrews or from scrambling around. In ’25 he threw for 2,549 yards 21 TDs while rushing 62 times for 349 yards with 2 scores. He did have a gaudy 8.4 yards per attempt which is Super Bowl level but he has to show up with complete games in the playoffs. He can’t afford to miss 4 games again due to injury & with Harbaugh’s dismissal it will all come down on #8 if they falter in the playoffs again.

#2. Josh Allen: Speaking of playing under the tutelage of a new Head Coach, Allen comes into ’26 with former OC Joe Brady elevated to the big seat. On the heels of winning league MVP he followed up ’24 completing 319 of 460 3,668 yds with 25TDs. However he threw 10 interceptions having to squeeze throws in to receivers who couldn’t get separation. Bills brass is hoping the trade for WR DJ Moore will cure some of that.

Allen is in his 9th season. Not a kid anymore

Allen had 579 yards and a whopping 14 TDs on the ground but he’s taken 12 years worth of hits in his 8 seasons. One issue is while playing Superman he can be wreckless with the football evidenced by his 7 fumbles last year. None more costly before the half in the AFC Divsional loss to Denver that had the Bills fighting uphill. A back-breaking turnover. Turning 30 he has to take less hits and become a distributor and lean more on James Cook, Moore, Dawson Knox & Dalton Kincaid.

He still has a cannon for a right arm but the hits he’s taken will send him down the Cam Newton path of a big body having the throwing prowess beaten out of it. I warned of this as last year was concluding & they couldnt chase down the new AFC East bully in New England. Now they have gone to the Super Bowl Josh hasn’t been able to achieve. This year will be interesting now he and Buffalo are now the hunters…

#1. Matthew Stafford: This year’s reigning MVP is gearing up for a ride off into the sunset Super Bowl triumph at Sofi. A 2nd Lombardi Trophy cements a Hall of Fame legacy as last year he had his best season. In completing 388 of 597 for 4,707 yds with a career best 46 TDs and just 8 interceptions, he was the best in pro football by a mile last year. He had his tenth 4,000 yard season at 37 years of age… yikes

His yards per attempt was a Super Bowl worthy 7.9 last year & he put up 374 yds & 3TDs in an NFC Championship loss up in Seattle. He put up 27 points but the defense let them down. Hence the trade for Myles Garrett & both KC Chiefs starting cornerbacks. Although he is headed into his 18th season, he’s entered a quarterback mastery phase where his body isn’t betraying him. Not like other great contemporaries. Think about it a second…

2018-2020 Drew Brees struggled to complete passes more than 15 yards downfield. Peyton Manning in his final two seasons, with his neck and foot injuries had him a shell of himself. In fact he was hobbled in his final season 2015 throwing 9TDs to 17 interceptions while only starting 9 games. It seemed Stafford might have been going that route when Rams brass kept alluding to a back injury that could sideline him to start ’25.

Now he’s at full strength with Puka Nacua (129 rec/1,715 yds/ 10TDs), a full offseason with Davante Adams (60 rec/ 789yds / 14 TDs) & ’25 NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett?? Before his trade The Chancellor of Football already had the Rams picked to win Super Bowl LXI going away. How many short fields can Myles Garrett create for him. Stafford will go for Peyton Manning’s record of 55TDs (2013) and reignite the conversation of the Bob Waterfield/ Norm Van Brocklin team that won it all in 1951 with the highest scoring team in league history…well up to that point.

How big will the next ring be??

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DeShaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders As Starting QB in Cleveland??

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Let’s start this off with a few questions: If DeShaun Watson has a good 2026 with 4,000 yards and 30TDs would you re-sign him to another large contract?? You do realize this is the 5th and final year of his $230 million contract that has embarrassed the brass of this organization. If your answer is no you wouldn’t why would you start him? What is the upside??

The desire to end their status as a laughingstock of an organization alone should have them start Sanders. The other reason is the status and stature announcing Sanders is the starter will infuse confidence in him that he has a chance to grow into the position without totally looking over his shoulder.

Once you get past the stats its about where can a player grow to from where we are. We still have the preseason and a chance for Sanders to grow off the field with the projected starters in a complete season of rebuild out on Lake Erie. How much can he improve the rest of the preseason as a starter and over the season with a 24 year old player?

Allow him the chance to flourish from a leadership perspective with the youth movement happening among offensive players in their 1st & 2nd year. His voice in the locker room will have weight and he should be able to play more free without fearing every mistake will cause him to be replaced.

Once we’re in season and Sanders play isn’t going well or you’re not seeing the progression expected, then you can pull him for an experienced Watson.

Just a thought…

Taylor Blitz Favorite To Win Super Bowl LXI- Post Myles Garrett Trade

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…and NBA fans are saying OKC can’t trade Chet Holmgren for not showing up in a championship series. Enter Jared Verse! Now this is a seismic trade sending shockwaves through the league: Myles Garrett for Jared Verse to bolster the pass rush! In my article before the draft I had outlined they bolstered their secondary with 2 new corners traded for with Kansas City in Trent McDuffie & Jaylen Watson. This is annexed below.

Now they add a closer to bolster their championship run who has only been to the playoffs 3 times in his career. Garrett’s hunger will be needed to bolster a defense that only had 5 sacks in 3 postseason games. They had 47 on the year but heat on QBs dissipated in the playoffs with Sam Darnold throwing for 346 yards and only sacked him once in the NFC Championship Game.They’re giving up a young pass rusher in DE Jared Verse and what sucks is he was in the “Friday” remake promo right before the draft. Now he is being banished to the brown water of Lake Erie in Cleveland vs the blue ocean right outside Los Angeles. That is a painful pill to swallow. However the trajectory of the Rams putting the pieces together to win Super Bowl LXI can’t be underscored.

Garrett is a 2 time NFL DPoY, 1 time Taylor Blitz DPoY and the ink just dried in the NFL record books with last season’s 23 sacks. Keep in mind Verse only recorded 7.5 sacks in 2025. *sucks teeth*…upon further review Verse only had 1 sack in 3 postseason games combined last year. The truth is Myles Garrett is a Reggie White level future Pro Football Hall of Famer not just another good player. With the Eagles trading away WR AJ Brown today to the Patriots the NFC runway is clear barring any injuries…When the clock struck :00 to conclude last year’s NFC Championship Game, the Rams were the 2nd best team. Once the confetti fell on their division rivals in Levi Stadium it was time to dissect what was needed to beat the champion Seahawks. With the ink drying on Seahawk receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba’s 4 year $156 million contract the Rams needed to upgrade at corner and didn’t wait for the draft. In 3 games Smith-Njigba scorched Ram corners for 27 rec. 349 yards and 2 TDs. He led the NFL with 119 rec. and an NFL leading 1,793 yards with 10 scores and will be a problem for years to come. Yet the Rams pulled off the move of the offseason (up until Garrett) trading for 2 time All Pro Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie. Then brought in his teammate Jaylen Watson to man the corner on the other side.

These two were fresh off playing in 3 straight Super Bowls and faced the AFC’s best receivers during that run. No 1st round corner the Rams could draft would grant anywhere near that success so that “f*ck them picks” mantra has reared its head again. Brilliant move and these new corners were unsung heroes on last year’s 10th ranked defense which was 12th against the pass. They should immediately improve the Rams who were 17th & 19th respectively. This is the blanket LA expects to throw over the rest of the NFC West:

 

McDuffie & Watson had 58 passes defensed with 6 interceptions behind one of the weakest pass rushes in the NFL in Kansas City. Notice how many plays Watson made in the video blitzing? Now these two will be able to jump routes as Jared Verse (7.5 sacks) ooops scratch that….. Myles Garrett (23 sacks), Byron Young (12 sacks) & Kobie Turner (7 sacks) spearheaded a rush that had 47 sacks in ’25 compared to just 35 garnered in KC. Their leading sack artist was Chris Jones with just 7 sacks. This is what they have to counter Smith-Njigba and Kupp in Seattle.

The front seven needs a boost at Linebacker. This has been the weakest position over the last 3 years and has to be shored up for this defense to make the final leap. We’re talking no more than a top 10 to 12th ranking in defense with Stafford and the firepower on offense. Reigning MVP QB Matt Stafford (4,707 yds/ 46TDs) is hoping Puka Nacua (129 rec. 1,715 yds 10TDs) returns from rehab ready to go. Once he and DeVante Adams (60 rec. 789 yds 14TDs) can get a full season together should easily repeat as the NFL’s #1 offense. Barring injury this looks like a full sprint to Super Bowl LXI on their homefield in Sofi. Lets see who and what is addressed in this year’s draft:

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Top Ten QBs For 2026! Countdown 10 – 6!

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As we assess what we expect to see in the upcoming NFL season, everyone is ranking players on where they stand. Here this is a moving target as several players are coming down from career years while others have begun to make names for themselves. At least in NFL circles. This is not an all time standing for these men, its time to offer Taylor Blitz Times Top Ten for the upcoming season:

#10 – Sam Darnold: Achieved for winning Super Bowl LX for the Seattle Seahawks after reviving his career the season before in Minnesota. He resurrected his career with big games down the stretch where in ’24 he stumbled. In microcosm:

  • ’24 Vikings season: 361 of 545 – 4,319 yds 35TDs 12 ints. (7.92 yds per att.)
  • ’25 Seahawks season: 323 of 477 – 4,048 yds 25TDs 14ints. (8.48 yds per att.)

The truth of the matter is that gaudy 8.48 yards per attempt is 2nd in the league to Drake Maye. If you’re new here I wrote out on Dec 9th “The Lie Behind Passer Rating & Several Useless Statistics” where I told you yards per attempt is the statistic that equates to team success not passer rating… well #1 and #2 in yards per attempt faced off in LX or 1st vs 11th in passer rating. He’s elite now after a Phil Simms-esque season. Keep in mind he outdueled League MVP Matt Stafford in the NFC Championship Game to get there. He is returning with his receiving corps intact for ’26 too.

#9 Caleb Williams: No one grew more during the ’25 season than the former Heisman Trophy winner from Southern Cal. Williams with 5 – 4th quarter comebacks came of age similar to John Elway back in 1986. In his 1st playoff he had to make it happen on 4th and 8 and made a legendary throw for the 1st down.  Make that 6-4th quarter come from behind wins as they vanquished the Packers 31-27 in the Wild Card to cement a changing of the guard in the NFC North between the 2 teams.

He almost had a 7th when he had the biggest moment in the playoffs with his 4th down scramble throw to Cole Kmet to tie the game with :18 seconds left to force overtime against the LA Rams. Williams had the Rams on the ropes going to overtime tied 17-17.

For the season Williams was 330 of 568 3,942 yards 27 scores with 7 interceptions or 6.9 yards per attempt. He needs to improve on YPA and his 58% completion percentage in his 2nd full season under Ben Johnson. Keep in mind back in Detroit when Johnson was working with Jared Goff as his OC he improved by 1,193 yds and 10TDs than the season before. Don’t underestimate the value of great offensive coaching. Goff was in his 7th year where Caleb with a greater arm is entering just his 3rd. If last year he was 1 overtime interception from the NFC Championship Game, where would improvement of this magnitude put him in 2026?? Winning in the playoffs and magic moments for an improving QB and the skies the limit…

#8. Joe Burrow: Its been 4 years since Burrow led the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI and he has missed a total of 17 games in the last 3 years and coincidentally they haven’t made the playoffs all 3 years. This includes his spectacular ’24 when he was 460 of 652 for 4,918 yards and 43TDs. So which guy will we see? The MVP level ’24 Burrow or the Joe that missed at least 7 games in both ’23 & ’25?? The injuries are mounting up and if we have a 3rd season in 4 years where he’s missed significant time, we may have already seen the best of Burrow and he won’t be in the Top Ten. This doesn’t include the calf strain where he sat out the entire ’23 preseason.

He isn’t here for his ’25 season where his stats slipped to 1,809 yards 17TDs and 5 interceptions. He is about to turn 30 and journeyman Joe Flacco nearly equaled his stats (1,664 yds 13TDs/ 4ints) in relief. He still has the incomparable Ja’Marr Chase (125 rec/ 1,412 yds / 8TDs) and Tee Higgins as his active targets, Burrow can finish anywhere from #1 to outside the Top Ten. Which Burrow will we get??  Again, that Super Bowl visit was a long time ago and Burrow turns 30 this season….

#7. Dak Prescott: Sigh… now listen, I’ve been critical of Dak in previous articles and the tic where he comes up short in meaningful regular season games and playoffs still remain. I thought Dak never looked better than last year’s 404 of 600 attempts for 4,552 yds and 30 touchdowns. Number 4 gave you the feeling the Cowboys were never out of the ball game. Now they’ve re-signed George Pickens (93 rec. 1,429 yds 9TDs) to a 1 year “do it again” franchise tag. He is going to go all out to secure a long term deal. With CeeDee Lamb (1077 yds 3TDs) Jake Ferguson (82 rec 600yds/8 TDs) and Javonte Williams (1,201 yds rushing 11TDs) #4 can stand back and orchestrate and the Cowboys are capable of 40 points per game easy.

They’ve landed some players on defense and he won’t be asked to do as much if they start forcing some turnovers. If there is 1 quarterback who has the tools in place to alter the way history will think of him, its Dak’s 2026 season. Now come January…*sucks teeth*  your mission, should you choose to accept it…

#6. Jalen Hurts: Now with his Super Bowl LIX championship & MVP shining on the mantle, Hurts has to have a bounce back year to remain on the trajectory of the last 4 years & 2 Super Bowl appearances or he can slide right out of the elite. In year’s past he beat you with his arm and legs but threw the ball scared in 2026, failing to throw AJ Brown & Smitty open. His anticipation wasn’t there and he kept playing scared to turn the football over. This led to a fractured relationship with his best wideout and speculation is he can be traded any day now. But take a look at something:

  • ’24: 248 of 361- 2,903 yds 18 TDs 5ints / 150 car. 640 yds 14 TDs
  • ’25: 294 of 454- 3,224 yds 25Tds 6 ints / 105 car. 421 yds 8 TDs

Hurts was brilliant both running and passing leading the Eagles to the championship in ’04 with the NFL’s 2nd ranked rushing attack. They plummeted to 18th illustrated by Saquon Barkley falling from 2,005 yards to 1,140 yards. Once in obvious passing situations their opponents could clog the intermediate routes and Jalen was too cautious to take shots. Now that he is the $252 million dollar man he has to get over that and changing OCs for the 5th straight season. Another season of turmoil in ’26 could result in barely making the playoffs and slipping in the quarterback hierarchy possibly out of the Top Ten.

You can’t go entire halves of football with ZERO completions and Hurts did so twice. The Eagles punted on 72 drives in ’25 where they only had to 54 times in 2024.Third down percentage dropped from 40.28% to 36.73%. Hurts is making the big bucks to convert these to 1st and sustain drives. He has a ton of equity having been to the Super Bowl twice in the last 4 seasons but like Joe Burrow time starts to eat away at those memories. Less since he has won it all but things in the rear view mirror start fading…

The Eagles have lost a lot of pieces on the defensive side and may be forced to score more. Tactically this will lead to more interceptions but Hurts will have to take more chances.

Thanks for reading who is the bottom half of your Top Ten?

 

 

Taylor Blitz Favorite To Win Super Bowl LXI- Pre Draft: LA Rams

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When the clock struck :00 to conclude last year’s NFC Championship Game, the Rams were the 2nd best team. Once the confetti fell on their division rivals in Levi Stadium it was time to dissect what was needed to beat the champion Seahawks. With the ink drying on Seahawk receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba’s 4 year $156 million contract the Rams needed to upgrade at corner and didn’t wait for the draft.

In 3 games Jaxson Smith-Njigba scorched Ram corners for 27 rec. 349 yards and 2 TDs. He led the NFL with 119 rec. and an NFL leading 1,793 yards with 10 scores and will be a problem for years to come.

Yet the Rams pulled off the move of the offseason trading for 2 time All Pro Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie. Then brought in his teammate Jaylen Watson to man the corner on the other side. These two were fresh off playing in 3 straight Super Bowls and faced the AFC’s best receivers during that run.

No 1st round corner the Rams could draft would grant anywhere near that success so that “f*ck them picks” mantra has reared its head again. Brilliant move and these new corners were unsung heroes on last year’s 10th ranked defense which was 12th against the pass. They should immediately improve the Rams who were 17th & 19th respectively. This is the blanket LA expects to throw over the rest of the NFC West:

McDuffie & Watson have 58 passes defensed with 6 interceptions behind one of the weakest pass rushes in the NFL in Kansas City. Notice how many plays Watson made in the video blitzing? Now these two will be able to jump routes as Jared Verse (7.5 sacks), Byron Young (12 sacks) & Kobie Turner (7 sacks) spearheaded a rush that had 47 sacks in ’25 compared to just 35 garnered in KC. Their leading sack artist was Chris Jones with just 7 sacks. This is what they have to counter Smith-Njigba and Kupp in Seattle.

The front seven needs a boost at Linebacker in this year’s draft. This has been the weakest position over the last 3 years and has to be shored up for this defense to make the final leap. We’re not talking no more than a top 10 to 12th ranking in defense with Stafford and the firepower on offense.

Reigning MVP QB Matt Stafford (4,707 yds/ 46TDs) is hoping Puka Nacua (129 rec. 1,715 yds 10TDs) returns from rehab ready to go. Once he and DeVante Adams (60 rec. 789 yds 14TDs) can get a full season together should easily repeat as the NFL’s #1 offense.

Barring injury this looks like a full sprint to Super Bowl LXI on their homefield in Sofi. Lets see who and what is addressed in this year’s draft:

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How Sold Are You on Fernando Mendoza?

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Every year before the draft there are a handful of players pundits debate if their worth a 1st round pick. This year Fernando Mendoza has dominated conversation with fans and online communities in this aspect as the Raiders are set to take him 1st overall. College “feel good” stories come to die in the NFL and I don’t see him as a 1st overall selection.

That is rarified air where a team is hoping to land a future Hall of Famer not just a serviceable QB. You get those in the late 2nd or even the 3rd round which is what Mendoza’s play suggests. Yes he won the National Championship but so did Matt Lienart, Ken Dorsey, Stetson Bennett (who), Mac Jones, & JJ McCarthy. Bennett sits behind reigning MVP Matt Stafford with the Rams. Jones is on his 3rd team and 2nd string to Brock Purdy who just signed a $265 million deal, and McCarthy is a lame duck behind freshly signed Kyler Murray & Carson Wentz. He may not make the opening day roster in Minnesota.

I threw in Lineart & Dorsey as both were coming off back to back college championship visits and both had 34 consecutive wins just snapped in title games. So if you want to start with the he’s played so many college games as a defense… and lets face it: Did you know the Hoosiers won with 47 guys over the age of 23? He was on a well coached team that was 4 years older than many of the kids they faced in college. That won’t happen in the NFL. He ran an offense that was not sophisticated and his mechanics have to improve.

Its one of the reasons the Raiders signed Kirk Cousins who undoubtedly will be the opening day starter.

The Raiders had a tremendous offseason fortifying the defense and put themselves on a collision course where they have to take him #1 overall. If they fortify the line in the draft, Ashton Jeanty will break out and this is an 8 win team and drafting a QB next year #1 won’t be an option.

Mendoza does provide hope and he will be a serviceable starter. In the NFL Linebackers are 1 1/2 steps faster than their collegiate counterparts. The plodding runs you watched with Mendoza in college will lead to his getting hit and he has to be eased into the pro game. Hence the Cousins signing. His play projects to the NFL most reminiscent of Andy Dalton in Cincinnati. On a talented team he can make enough plays for a few playoff runs. Winning a Super Bowl? I don’t see that dynamic a QB.

Indiana and Mendoza caught lightning in a jug with a team old enough they should have been 2nd year NFL players. I’m sold on Mendoza being an average pro quarterback, nothing more.