Skip to content

How Josh Rosen's gunslinger mentality caught up to him in loss to Memphis

Justin Ford / USA TODAY Sports

Josh Rosen has a little Brett Favre in his game, and sometimes that's a good thing, and sometimes that's a bad thing.

On Saturday it was a bad thing. Rosen threw a pair of terrible interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown as UCLA was upset by Memphis 48-45.

Both throws were bad decisions and ones a quarterback of Rosen's caliber just can't make. The Bruins pivot first threw across his body for the pick-6, a cardinal sin for any quarterback.

Then with UCLA driving for a go-ahead score in the fourth quarter, Rosen threw off his back foot with poor mechanics.

This is the life of a gunslinger quarterback. In UCLA's incredible 34-point comeback victory over Texas A&M in Week 1, Rosen was both spectacular and very lucky. The junior threw a pair of touchdowns that could have easily been intercepted, with the first one going directly through a defender's hands.

The other was nothing more than a prayer that fortunately was answered, otherwise the Bruins likely would have already been dealing with a pair of losses on the season.

Most quarterbacks would never make those two throws Rosen did against the Aggies, which means they would never get rewarded for them. Rosen on the other hand, isn't afraid to throw it up in hopes his receiver will make a play and sometimes it works to the Bruins' advantage.

To get incredible comebacks like Rosen pulled off against Texas A&M, though, means UCLA also has to accept brutal losses like it endured against Memphis.

The Bruins will just have to live with it when Rosen is behind center. And come next year, an NFL franchise will to live with it, too.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox