Rosen enjoys rapid NFL rise
He's only 21, but quarterback Josh Rosen has already shown tremendous poise, confidence and ability in his first NFL matches for the Arizona Cardinals.
HE is only 21, but California native Josh Rosen has already demonstrated the poise, confidence and ability in his first three NFL matches of his budding career for the Arizona Cardinals to show he could one day become one of the best quarterbacks in the game.
After a sizzling 2017 season for the UCLA Bruins when he threw for 26 touchdowns and completed 62.6 per cent of his passes, Rosen became the struggling Cardinals’ first round draft selection for the 2018-19 NFL season, the 10th draft pick overall, and their starting quarterback.
He is only the second Jewish quarterback ever to be a first-round draft pick – since Sid Luckman was snapped up by the Chicago Bears in 1939 before leading them to four NFL championships.
Described in NFL circles as a confident, intelligent player with an effortless throwing motion, impeccable footwork and the ability to deliver in the face of pressure, Rosen has shown glimpses of his enormous potential already, despite his injury-stricken team only winning one of their first five matches – a memorable 28-18
victory on October 7 against the San Francisco 49ers.
While he struggled with some overthrown passes and incompletions early in that game, he went on to finish with 170 yards and a touchdown, while only getting sacked once.
In Arizona’s last start, a 10-point away loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Rosen had little time and space to operate in, but still completed 21 of 31 passes for 240 yards.
Experiencing both highs and lows so far, Rosen said it is now a matter of learning how to balance them and keep improving.
“It was good to get the win [against the 49ers] but it’s a long road ahead,” Rosen said. “Some stuff I know I can do better.
“[Against Minnesota] we started getting something [going] at the end of the game [but] I think we have to get our playmakers involved early – we were a little stagnant.”
Head coach Steve Wilks said of Rosen, “Being in this kind of environment, being a rookie, I thought he handled the situation well”.
“Just [the] hostile environment, just understanding this is how the NFL is, he’s going to have to operate under these kinds of pressures. But everybody around him needs to help him out.”
According to the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, Rosen’s leading role in the Cardinals’ line-up is generating a real buzz among the area’s Jewish community, with signs spotted at games sporting messages like “Shalom Josh”, “Chosen Rosen” and “the Hebrew Hammer”.
Lawrence Bell, executive director of the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, has been a season ticket holder since 1988 and attends every game.
“Rosen looks like the real deal,” Bell said. “He is smart, his passes are on target, and he gives energy to the team.”
The Cardinals are due to play the Denver Broncos on October 19.
SHANE DESIATNIK
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