Spurs Beat Pistons 106-91 to Snap 5-Game Home Skid
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B4 | Friday, April 23,2021 | LAREDO MORNING TIMES SPORTS Plentiful options abound for Texans at QB Spurs beat By John McClain HOUSTON CHRONICLE Pistons 106-91 No position in the NFL draft is a bigger crapshoot to snap 5-game than quarterback. With teams investing so much time and money into home skid scouting quarterbacks, it’s amazing how many of them don’t live up to the high ex- By Raul Dominguez The Spurs’ backups pectations general manag- ASSOCIATED PRESS scored 33 points and com- ers and coaches have when mitted just three turnovers. they’re drafted. SAN ANTONIO — Derrick Detroit took its biggest Next week’s draft should White had 26 points, Jakob lead of the first half at 31-26 be one of the riskiest in Poeltl added 17 points and 11 on Frank Jackson’s short league history. There was rebounds and the San Anto- jumper with 10:18 remain- no combine or private nio Spurs beat the Detroit ing. San Antonio then went workouts because of CO- Pistons 106-91 on Thursday on a 16-2 run over the next VID-19 restrictions. Some night to snap a five-game five minutes to take a lead prospects opted out last home losing streak. they never relinquished. season, and others played a Lonnie Walker added 18 Frank Jackson finished limited number of games Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images points and Rudy Gay had 14 with 14 points and Killian because of the pandemic. Florida quarterback Kyle Trask, from Manvel High School, could be available in for San Antonio. Hayes had10 points and five Still, five quarterbacks the third round of the NFL draft for the Texans if they choose to pick a QB. Josh Jackson had 29 assists. are projected to be among points to lead Detroit. At 18- TIP-INS the top 10 picks. The first leaving the Texans. The way teams expected them rare. That kind of experi- 42, the Pistons have the Pistons: Detroit is 7-26 on three draft choices are sup- feeling is after Watson re- to, that kind of failure ence is one reason Mond’s worst record in the Eastern the road this season. Jo- posed to be quarterbacks solves his legal problems, hasn’t kept general manag- stock has been going up Conference. seph missed the game as for the third time in history. Caserio will listen to offers ers from continuing to in- since the Aggies’ season The Spurs have won part of an injury manage- It’s possible the first four for teams still in the market vest heavily in the NFL’s ended. three of four to move into ment for a sore left ankle, prospects off the board for a quarterback. most important position. Just how valuable is a ninth in the Western Con- Smith has a sore left knee could be quarterbacks. As it stands today, the Trevor Lawrence, who’s franchise quarterback, and ference ahead of the Gold- and McGruder has a The Texans don’t have Texans have quarterbacks going first overall to Jack- why are teams so desperate en State Warriors. They sprained right elbow. Grant picks in the first two Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Fin- sonville, is the only can’t- to fill that position? would face each other in and Diallo both sat out with rounds, but that doesn’t ley, both acquired by Case- miss prospect at quarter- Since the Colts made the play-in tournament if abruised left quadriceps. mean they can’t draft a rio. It’s going to be interest- back this year. He started Manning the first overall the standings remain the Hayes played after sitting quarterback who can solid- ing to see if Caserio drafts a 36 games at Clemson. Zach pick in 1998, the NFL hasn’t same. out Wednesday’s game ify the position, if, as ex- third quarterback. And if Wilson, destined to go sec- gone more than two con- San Antonio swept the against Dallas as the team pected, Deshaun Watson is he does, what round will it ond overall to the Jets, start- secutive years without a two-game series with De- manages the rookie’s min- traded at some point. be? ed 28 games in three sea- quarterback being the first troit, winning both by dou- utes after he missed all but Three of the NFL’s best Three of the best quar- sons at Brigham Young and pick. That was in 2013-14 ble digits. three games in January quarterbacks — Tom Brady terbacks I’ve seen — Brady, had to earn a starting job in when offensive tackle Eric The Pistons and Spurs through March with a hip (sixth), Russell Wilson Joe Montana (third) and 2020. Fisher (Kansas City) and de- were both short-handed injury. Hayes started after (third) and Kirk Cousins Johnny Unitas (ninth Of the other leading fensive end Jadeveon Clow- Friday with less than a initially being listed as out. (fourth) — weren’t drafted round) — weren’t drafted in prospects, Justin Fields ney (Texans) were selected month remaining in the reg- Josh Jackson averaged 22 in the first two rounds. the first two rounds. (Ohio State) started only 22 first overall in back-to-back ular season. points in two games against That could bode well for The other quarterbacks games, Mac Jones (Ala- drafts. Detroit was without the Spurs this season. the second tier of prospects in my top five, John Elway bama) 17 and Trey Lance Before the league Wayne Ellington, Jerami Spurs: Johnson jogged such as Kellen Mond, Kyle and Peyton Manning, were (North Dakota State) 17, in- changed the rules to place Grant, Cory Joseph, Rodney back to the locker room fol- Trask, Davis Mills and Jamie first overall picks. cluding one game in 2020. more emphasis on passing McGruder, Mason Plumlee, lowed closely by trainer Newman if general manag- Funny thing about quar- Contrast their lack of ex- and scoring and restricting Dennis Smith Jr. and Hami- Will Sevening with 6 min- er Nick Caserio is interested terbacks selected among perience with Mond, who defensive players to further dou Diallo. Ellington and utes remaining in the first in one of them with the the top three picks. started 46 games at Texas enhance the passing game, Plumlee sat out for rest and quarter after being substi- 67th overall selection. Between 2014 and 2018, A&M and is projected to be it was common to go sever- injuries sidelined the rest. tuted for. Johnson took a Before the Texans select- there were eight quarter- drafted in the second or al years without a quarter- San Antonio was without shot earlier in the quarter ed Watson in 2017, they backs selected within the third round. Mond started back going first overall. DeMar DeRozan, Dejounte while on offense and fell to used only one first-round first three picks, and only 10 more games than Law- Dating to 1960, there was Murray and Patty Mills, the floor, where he re- pick on a quarterback — Da- Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield rence, the best quarterback aseven-year period (1976- who were all late scratches mained for about 30 sec- vid Carr, first overall in (first) is still playing with prospect since Andrew 82) between quarterbacks to its lineup. Murray and onds before rising and con- 2002. He played five sea- the team that drafted him. Luck in 2012. being the first pick — Steve Mills sat out for rest on the tinuing to play. Johnson re- sons before they released Jacksonville’s Blake Bor- Of the other quarter- Bartkowski (Atlanta) in 1975 second night of a back-to- turned to the team’s bench him and traded for Matt tles (third overall), Tampa backs in Mond’s group of and Elway in 1983. back and DeRozan missed with 2:50 remaining in the Schaub in 2007. Schaub Bay’s Jameis Winston prospects, Newman started Thursday, Lawrence will the game with a bruised first and re-entered the was their primary starter (first), Tennessee’s Marcus 18 games at Wake Forest be- be the fourth consecutive right quadricep. game in the second quarter for seven seasons. Mariota (second), the Los fore transferring to Georgia quarterback drafted first The Spurs dug deep into without any noticeable in- When Bill O’Brien was Angeles Rams’ Jared Goff last year and then opting overall. their bench and received a jury. He finished with 10 hired in 2014, he had a new (first), Philadelphia’s Car- out. Trask started 12 games Barring upsets, the Jag- crisp and balanced effort points and seven rebounds starting quarterback in his son Wentz (second), Chica- at Florida and Mills 11 at uars, Jets and 49ers are pre- with seven players scoring in 30 minutes.. Trey Lyles first four seasons. Ryan go’s Mitch Trubisky (sec- Stanford. pared to take quarterbacks at least five points. missed his 14th straight Fitzpatrick, Brian Hoyer, ond) and the New York Jets’ Starting experience in with the first three picks, After shooting 40percent game with a sprained right Brock Osweiler and Tom Sam Darnold (third) are no college used to be a vital but there’s something for from the field and 29per- ankle. Savage preceded Watson. longer with the team that factor when scouting quar- their fans to keep in mind: cent on 3-pointers in a 20- UP NEXT Watson, who has been drafted them. terbacks, but teams have Of the top nine quarter- point loss to Miami on Wed- Pistons: At Indiana on demanding to be traded No matter how many been forced to make adjust- backs in 2020 passer rating, nesday, San Antonio shot Saturday.