BYU QUARTERBACKS TAKE OVER SUNDAY

If you’re a Jets fan, this may not be the article you want to read, but you’ve had time to heal.

If you’re a Vikings fan, I KNOW its not the article you want to read and your likely still in shock.

If you’re a Saints fan, this article will seem familiar.

Three NFL teams, three former Brigham Young University Quarterbacks seeing the field for those three NFL teams, and three NFL wins for each squad.

Once upon a time in the early 90’s, three BYU quarterbacks leading an NFL team was a thing. Steve Young was leading the Niners to Super Bowls, Jim McMahon was bouncing from team to team, and Ty Detmer had just entered the league.

As cool as that was for Cougar faithful, the Quarterbacks going Pro out of Provo dried up drastically once those players faded away.

Brandon Doman and John Walsh were drafted, but never saw a regular season snap.

John Beck got the call from Miami in the 2^nd round of the 2007 NFL draft in an attempt to put BYU back on the QB Map.

That didn’t go as planned, with Beck only playing 9 games in his entire NFL career with an 0-7 record and a ratio of 3 touchdowns to 7 interceptions.

Max Hall would crop up in random moments during the 2010 season and would even win a game with the Cardinals. His 1 touchdown and 6 interceptions left a lot to be desired and he was out of the league the following year.

So, after a solid span of consistent starting quarterbacks followed by years of spot starts, flame outs, and busts, BYU got back on track this week at the Quarterback spot.

It didn’t happen naturally such as the Young, McMahon and Detmer roles, but it happened nonetheless.

Zach Wilson seemed to be on his way out of New York if not the NFL before the Aaron Rodgers Achilles injury forced him back into the starting spot.

Now with a renewed opportunity and the same paltry statistical line, Wilson has taken advantage and led the Jets to three straight wins, including the previously undefeated Eagles.

His most recent game looked like it came straight from the 1920’s, but Wilson doesn’t dwell on history, he creates it.

Per the NFL on CBS, Zach became the first QB since 2000 to win a game with multiple 25 or more-yard completions within the final 30 seconds of the 4^th quarter. Wilson took an awful game and lit it up in a matter of seconds to lead his team into field goal range, forcing overtime against the Giants.

The Jets would go on to win in overtime 13-10.

Whether or not you think Zach is THAT guy, he stepped up in a big way in the most crucial part of the game, even an ugly game. BYU hasn’t had a pro quarterback do stuff like that since the 90’s.

That’s Cougar QB win #1.

Win #2 happened out in Indianapolis, where the visiting Saints won 38-27.

Taysom Hill was the beginning of the BYU quarterback resurgence in the league and once again shown through in a big way.

Hill has never been used as just a Quarterback per say, that’s no secret, but his ability to contribute to winning football from multiple spots is something that BYU fans take great pride in.

He got some quarterbacking in with 2 pass attempts, completing one for 44 yards to Weber State’s Rashid Shaheed.

New Orleans gave Hill 9 carries out of the backfield for 63 rush yards and two touchdowns to swing the game in favor of the Saints, which is a trend that usually ends with big results.

His 63 rush yards surpassed both Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams for the day, and one can continue to expect Hill to be involved when the Saints are playing competitive football.

That’s Cougar QB win #2.

The last Cougar quarterback victory wasn’t something we’ve seen yet this season.

Like Wilson’s return to relevance, rookie Jaren Hall, also had his number called due to a torn Achilles.

When Vikings starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, went down with the non-contact injury late in the game, Hall trotted out onto the field with his team holding a 14-point lead in Green Bay.

Rather than just run the ball and punt with the game basically in hand, the Vikings asked the ice-cold Hall to do a couple things off the bench in a game where he likely wasn’t planning on seeing the field.

Hall’s first pass attempt found KJ Osborn for 4 yards.

His second try saw the cheeseheads bring heat and Hall’s pass attempt ended up as a fumble lost to the Green Bay defense as he was hit from behind. After Green Bay failed to do anything with the turnover, Hall would get another go.

His most impressive play in that short time was a 16-yard strike for a first down to TJ Hockenson in which he hung in the pocket and showed some poise on a 3^rd & 8. The same down and distance he had fumbled on before.

Hall would end the game going 3 of 4 for 23 yards.

Hall may have been the quarterback under center when the game ended, but he was never pegged to get meaningful minutes at any point this season.

Now all eyes in Minneapolis shift towards him as the Vikings prepare to visit Atlanta this week.

Minnesota had won 3 of their last 4 games to get back to .500 after an 0-3 start to the season. Kirk Cousins was putting up MVP level numbers before the injury, and the Vikings boast one of the best receiving duos in the NFL between Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The Vikings revamped the defense, bolstered the offensive line and have a solid football team in place.

Assuming they call on Jaren Hall this weekend and beyond, one thing is certain: Hall is not inheriting a complacent rudderless football team that Minnesota was 5 weeks ago. The Vikings and their fans want to win now, and Hall will be under a heavy microscope. Even with the inherited pressure, Jaren seems eager to answer the call.

Cougar QB win #3.