EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Sam Darnold's season starts now. Three games to go, three chances to fill the New York Jets with hope after another non-playoff season. This is how it works for a perennial also-ran: If you can't beat 'em on the field, celebrate your young quarterback's promise and sell the fan base on next season.
The Jets did that in 2018, as Darnold closed his rookie season with a flurry of strong performances. An encore won't be easy, though, because the Jets' upcoming schedule is treacherous. In the final 20 days of the season, Darnold will face three of the NFL's top seven defenses in yards allowed: the Baltimore Ravens (fifth) on Thursday at 8:20 p.