Why the biggest obstacle facing Daniel Jones and other struggling QBs may be in their heads

The “it” in the “It Factor” that makes some quarterbacks special is much more difficult to define than the “it” when a quarterback seems to “lose it.”

When age isn’t to blame for a formerly successful player’s performance drastically falling off — as appears to be the case in recent years with the Steelers’ Russell Wilson, the Browns’ Deshaun Watson and the Giants’ Daniel Jones — it’s usually a matter of lost confidence.

“Daniel Jones is a case, and Deshaun Watson is probably in the same category, where their confidence is at an all-time low,” former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “Confidence is an enormous part of playing quarterback, and when you lose it in the middle of a season, it’s tough to get back.”

Week 2 of the NFL season comes with a statement that would’ve sounded ludicrous at this time last year: Sam Darnold (Vikings) and Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers) are riding high, while Wilson, Watson and Jones could be in danger of losing starting jobs to backups Justin Fields, Jameis Winston and Drew Lock, respectively.