LA Chargers: 5 reasons Tyrod Taylor can take Bolts to playoffs
Reason No. 5: Tyrod Taylor’s Buffalo seasons are underrated
It’s absolutely fair to question Tyrod Taylor’s performance in Cleveland. That tenure never quite got off on the right foot, and Taylor didn’t play well himself outside of the coaching issues.
Los Angeles Chargers
However, many undersell what Taylor did in Buffalo. He took the Bills to the playoffs for the first time in two decades. Many will say that his season was tainted by being benched for quarterback Nathan Peterman. Don’t Peterman’s immediate performances and time in the league since then prove that it was the wrong decision? There were issues with how Taylor was playing at points that year, but Chargers fans know all too well starting Peterman nearly cost the Bills their playoff spot.
Taylor averaged a 92.7 passer rating in his three Buffalo seasons. In Derek Carr’s last five seasons with the Oakland Raiders, he’s averaged a 93.7 passer rating. The Denver Broncos’ Drew Lock’s short sample size was solid, but there’s more that needs to be seen from him in terms of development. He put up an 89.7 passer rating last year. Our own Jason Reed has gone as far to say Taylor is the worst quarterback in the AFC West. While Patrick Mahomes is, far and away, the best quarterback in the division, the numbers simply don’t bear out Carr or Lock are ahead of Taylor by any significant margin at this point.
Taylor’s 92.7 rating also beats out Rivers’ passer rating of 88.5 last year. If Taylor plays to the level he’s capable of with a much better roster than he had in Buffalo or Cleveland, the Chargers are absolutely a Wild Card contender.
Next. Top 5 Chargers 25 years old or under
It’s hard to say as of now whether the Chargers will make the playoffs or not, but they’re more than capable of doing it with Taylor as the starter. He won’t commit turnovers to a high degree and brings some mobility no Chargers quarterback has ever had. The extra Wild Card slot and great defense are aids to Taylor’s chances, too. Finally, he was an underrated quarterback in his Buffalo career and proved he can take a team to the playoffs.