Rampant enthusiasm abounds for Sam Darnold, who flashed (repeatedly) in the preseason. If Darnold can perform immediately, and if new running back Isaiah Crowell is effective, this group might surprise in the AFC East. Those are ifs. Here is what we know: Whether or not Darnold becomes a star, he will not be the first great quarterback in Jets history. I was asked to make a video claiming such for our YouTube channel, but I politely refused, explaining that Joe Namath was indeed a great (not just good) player. People have no idea how to evaluate quarterback stats from the 1960s and '70s. Namath threw for more than 4,000 yards back when 2,600 was considered a fantastic season, becoming the only QB to do so until Dan Fouts accomplished the feat 11 years later (and with the benefit of a longer schedule). Namath also was the premier player on a Super Bowl team that pulled off the biggest upset in NFL history -- and he called his own plays doing it, to boot. He was even voted AFL Player of the Year two years in a row. Maybe football wasn't always Namath's priority, and maybe he was hurt an awful lot, but haters shouldn't tarnish his legacy because they are excited about Darnold's. Rant over.