Gardner Minshew and Laviska Shenault are two big reasons to watch Thursday Night Football

I enter every single piece I write with a simple goal: To convince the reader of something. Whether it deals with a draft eligible quarterback, an offensive scheme, or the execution of a blitz, I want the reader to come away believing in what I have put in front of them. My goal here is the same. I want you to be excited to watch Thursday Night Football when you’re done reading.

This is not an easy task.

The jokes on Twitter and the snickering in living rooms began almost a week ago, when the promotions began airing for the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars, our two teams set to square off tomorrow night. They were everywhere. Take a few minutes on Twitter or Google and search for yourself, but come on back here when you are done.

I’m here to tell you, this game is must-watch from where I sit.

It starts with Gardner Minshew.

The Jacksonville quarterback has become one of football’s more engaging personalities, but anyone who saw him during his draft process, particularly down at the Senior Bowl, could have seen this coming. Minshew quickly won over the football media world at his Media Day session, talking about playing for Mike Leach, the chip on his shoulder, and working progression reads in an Air Raid offense.

But beyond the persona there was something fascinating about Minshew on film, dating back to his time at Washington State under Leach. His footwork:

Air Raid quarterbacks are notorious for having footwork problems, particularly in their mastery of the pocket. Minshew defied that conventional wisdom. His ability to flow from read to read while keeping his feet under him, ready to throw, was more in line with your traditional dropback quarterbacks in “pro style offenses” – whatever that term means – than a Mike Leach Air Raid passer.

Through two games he has completed 49 of 65 passes (a completion percentage of 75.4%) and 512 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. His NFL passer rating of 115.7 is seventh in the league, and his touchdown passes tie him for second behind only Russell Wilson, and in a group that contains Aaron Rodgers and another scorching-hot quarterback, Josh Allen.

That footwork is a huge reason why Minshew is off to his hot start:

On those plays against the Tennessee Titans, you can see how Minshew’s footwork keeps him in position to be successful, even when responding to pressure from the defense. He keeps his feet under him, works through reads, and evades the pressure slightly, creating just enough space to get off a throw from the pocket.

His footwork also puts those around him in a position to be successful, particularly when it comes to accurate ball placement and how he manipulates defenders in the secondary:

Minshew’s quick and precise footwork sets up defenders in the secondary, but also enables him to put the ball where it needs to for his receivers to make plays after the catch.

One of those receivers? Rookie Laviska Shenault Jr.

Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden deserves a ton of credit not only for how he has put Minshew in position to be successful but also for how he has utilized the rookie wide receiver. Gruden has run a mixture of West Coast and Air Raid passing concepts to give Minshew some defined reads in the passing game, but he has also been very creative with Shenault. The rookie has been used on 74 offensive plays, and has aligned in the offensive backfield as a running back, in the Wildcat as a quarterback, in the slot, in a wing and outside on the boundary.

So far this season Shenault has six receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown, as well as seven rushing attempts for 47 yards. This video dives into the various ways Gruden is using the rookie:

As the league moves closer and closer to an era of “positionless football,” Shenault might just be the offensive player for the modern age. Think about how opposing defensive coordinators have to approach Jacksonville. With Shenault in the game do you treat him as a wide receiver, and play a sub package? Or do you treat him as a running back, and play base. If you go with a sub package, Gruden can align him as a running back and test your light defensive fronts. But if you play base, Gruden can dial up passing concepts to stress your linebackers.

Either way, you are likely to be wrong.

So hopefully at this point you are excited to see this game Thursday night. Minshew’s footwork in the pockets, Shenault’s versatility and Gruden’s schematic diversity are three big reasons to watch. However, if you still are not convinced there is one more big reason:

That’s right, we have a quarterback facial hair battle brewing! Dolphins passer Ryan Fitzpatrick threw down the gauntlet in defense of beards earlier this week.

As you might expect, Minshew was quick to respond, generally playing it coy but with some shade thrown in:

So if I can’t convince you to tune in, perhaps the allure of a QB facial hair tussle can.