Week 4 Grades for Every Starting NFL QB

One thing we learned this week is that a quarterback can put up great numbers and still lose the game. Drew Brees nearly topped the 450-yard mark against the Green Bay Packers, but the New Orleans Saints are still without a win.

This shows that defense still does matter.

After four weeks, we're getting a clearer picture of which quarterbacks are primed for a big season. Players like Matt Ryan, Robert Griffin III and Joe Flacco have been the most consistent performers.

Here's a breakdown of how all 32 NFL signal-callers did in Week 4.

Tony Romo: F

Stats: 31/43, 307 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions

Monday night's game was a complete disaster for Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys. The Chicago Bears took advantage of poor decisions and miscommunications to create five turnovers. Romo will get a bulk of the blame, but others like Dez Bryant are also at fault.

This game is just another example of the type of struggles the Cowboys have had over the years. They appear to lack discipline and routinely shoot themselves in the foot. While there's a ton of talent on the roster, this Cowboys team just doesn't have enough leadership.

Eli Manning: B+

Stats: 24-of-42, 309 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Eli Manning orchestrated another last-minute drive to put the New York Giants in position to win. However, Lawrence Tynes was unable to connect on a 54-yard field goal. As a whole, Manning played well against the Philadelphia Eagles.

However, his one mistake was costly. The interception he threw in the end zone was the difference between a win and a loss.

Manning also continued his trend of making do with what the defense gives him. In this case, the Eagles had fewer defenders committed to covering Domenik Hixon. So, Manning targeted him, and Hixon finished with a career-high 114 yards on six receptions.

Michael Vick: B-

Stats: 19-of-30, 241 yards and one touchdown.

Michael Vick did just enough to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a big win against the New York Giants. However, he benefited a great deal from the play of LeSean McCoy. His ability to establish a strong rushing attack helped open things up for the passing game.

Vick actually had some ups and downs during the game. At times, he missed some open targets. This resulted in stalled drives and a few three-and-outs.

The Giants continued the trend of delivering big hits on Vick. The Eagles have to be a little worried about his long-term health. It's going to be hard for him to make it through the season taking this type of punishment.

Robert Griffin III: A

Stats: 26-of-35, 323 yards, no passing touchdowns, one rushing TD and no interceptions.

Each week, Robert Griffin III does something to show that he has an extremely bright future in the NFL. This is a special player who'll continue to get better as his career progresses. The biggest thing that continues to impress me is how he protects the football.

Griffin is very comfortable in this offense and is making smart decisions and good reads. With him in the lineup, the Redskins have a legitimate shot at winning every game.

Look for Griffin's numbers to improve as the health of wide receiver Pierre Garcon improves. Before Garcon's injury, these two had a very strong relationship.

Ryan Fitzpatrick: F

Stats: 22-of-39, 350 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions.

The Buffalo Bills had an ugly performance against the New England Patriots. This was especially true for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who threw four interceptions. Fitzpatrick has had a very up-and-down season, which is why the Bills are 2-2.

It's tough for any team to overcome that kind of performance from its quarterback, especially when the opponent has Tom Brady under center. Fitzgerald might have felt the pressure of having to keep pace with Brady and the high-powered New England offense.

The Bills have a ton of talent, but they're playing sloppy football. There's plenty of time to turn things around, but it has to start with Fitzpatrick taking better care of the football.

Ryan Tannehill: B+

Stats: 26-of-41, 431 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill and receivers Brian Hartline and Davone Bess combined for a total of 431 yards through the air against the Arizona Cardinals. Tannehill and Hartline are quickly establishing themselves as a dangerous combination.

This relationship is important for Tannehill's development. He needs a go-to receiver to help bail him out in tough situations.

Topping the 400-yard mark against the Arizona defense is impressive and demonstrates Tannehill's potential. The key is that he remains focused and committed to improving.

Tom Brady: A

Stats: 22-of-36, 340 yards and three touchdowns.

Tom Brady was at the top of his game against the Buffalo Bills. It appears that he made a point to target his old buddies Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski. These two combined for 14 catches and 213 receiving yards.

One of the keys to Brady's performance was the offensive line's ability to protect him. Brady had time to sit in the pocket and scan for open targets. The running game also helped to keep the Bills off-guard.

As usual, Brady did a great job making the Bills pay for turning over the football.

Mark Sanchez: F

Stats: 13-of-29, 103 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

The San Francisco 49ers have an elite defense, but that's no excuse for Mark Sanchez to have such a terrible performance. This is just the latest example why the New York Jets must consider going in a different direction with the position.

Sanchez isn't consistent enough to move an offense up and down the field. He's often inaccurate, makes poor decisions and struggles converting on third down. These are the type of issues a rookie quarterback typically confronts.

It is worth noting, however, that the Jets' offensive strategy isn't great for any quarterback. They keep bringing in Tim Tebow and keep trying without success to feature the running game.

Kevin Kolb: B

Stats: 29-of-48, 324 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

It isn't pretty, but Kevin Kolb is getting the job done for the Arizona Cardinals. The biggest reason for his success is his ability to perform in pressure situations. Kolb has developed a knack for moving his team down the field when it matters most.

The emergence of wide receiver Andre Roberts has helped Kolb a great deal, as it gives him another target outside of Larry Fitzgerald. Roberts' ability to pick up yards after the catch is a quarterback's best friend.

Kolb's struggles in the preseason had a lot to do with a lack of confidence. He didn't look comfortable in the pocket and looked gun-shy. However, he's becoming more confident with each Arizona win.

Alex Smith: C

Stats: 12-of-21, 143 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions.

The San Francisco 49ers didn't ask Alex Smith to do much against the New York Jets. They relied on their defense and running game to dominate.

 It's tough to get in a rhythm when you're only asked to throw 21 times, and Smith appeared to be off his game. However, he must improve his ability to attack the deep part of the field. The 49ers need to create more breathing room for the ground game.

This was an average performance for Smith, not anything spectacular.

Russell Wilson: F

Stats: 17-of-25, 160 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions.

Russell Wilson's inability to protect the ball is what led to the Seattle Seahawks losing to the St. Louis Rams. It's tough for any team to overcome three interceptions by its quarterback, especially when he also only throws for 160 yards.

The Seahawks are making a point to ease Wilson into the league. However, they weren't able to help him avoid making poor decisions. Wilson must quickly put this game behind him. He can't dwell on his mistakes. He must learn from them.

Seattle might want to consider giving Wilson more passing attempts. It's tough for a quarterback to get a rhythm when he only makes 25 throws.

Sam Bradford: B-

Stats: 16/30, 221 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

Sam Bradford was able to overcome a tough Seattle Seahawks defense that applied a lot pressure and lead the St. Louis Rams to a win. Seattle did an excellent job flushing Bradford out of the pocket. However, he was able to avoid mistakes and move the football.

It was nice to see Bradford involve Chris Givens, one of his rookie wide receivers, in the passing game. The Rams are going to need Givens and Brian Quick to make an impact this season.

Bradford also deserves credit for finding a way to be productive without any real offensive weapons around him.

Peyton Manning: A

Stats: 30-38, 338 yards. three touchdowns, no interceptions.

Peyton Manning had an easy day against a weak Oakland Raiders secondary. He was able to take advantage of mistakes and subpar talent. In this game, it looked like Manning was starting to show a better comfort level with his receivers.

The Broncos' offensive line also provided excellent protection. Manning isn't a mobile quarterback, so he needs a clean pocket to be at his best.

With Manning, this offense will continue to improve as the season progresses. It just needs time to get in sync.

Matt Cassel: D

Stats: 24-of-42, 251 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Throwing for 251 yards and two touchdowns doesn't mean anything if you also throw three interceptions. Matt Cassel's interceptions put the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers out of reach early for the Chiefs.

Cassel's career has been filled with these type of performances. He continues to play inconsistently, with  extreme highs and lows. Cassel has plenty of weapons at his disposal, but he continues to make poor decisions.

At this point, the Chiefs need to start scouting college quarterbacks. They need to add another player to the mix.

Carson Palmer: D+

Stats: 19-of-34, 202 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions.

It's really difficult to blame Carson Palmer for the struggles of the Oakland offense. He isn't getting much help from running back Darren McFadden, anyone in the wide receiving corps or the offensive line. Palmer is doing everything he can to help avoid more blowout losses.

This is going to be a long and rough season for Palmer. He's yet to have his full complement of wide receivers. Not many quarterbacks can find success throwing to the likes of Rob Streater and Juron Criner.

At this point, Palmer has to start thinking about his future with the Raiders. This is a team stuck in a rebuilding mode, which typically isn't a good place for a veteran quarterback.

Philip Rivers: C

Stats: 18-of-23, 209 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

The San Diego Chargers defense helped Philip Rivers overcome another shaky performance. Rivers continues to struggle to find any consistency. He is also throwing way too many interceptions.

The Chargers were able to win only because their defense caused six Kansas City turnovers.

A lot of Rivers' struggles are because he's not getting strong play from his wide-receiving corps. In the game against the Chiefs, the receivers combined for only five catches and 39 yards. No team can consistently win with those types of numbers.

Norv Turner must find a way to get Rivers back to playing at an elite level. There was a point in time when he was considered one of top-10 quarterbacks in the league.

Jay Cutler: B+

Stats: 18/24, 275 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions

Jay Cutler needed to come out and have a strong performance against the Dallas Cowboys. There was a ton of negativity surrounding his play that it threatened to derail the entire season. Cutler's strong performance against the Cowboys had a lot to do with the game plan.

Mike Tice used the running game and quick passes to set the tone. This allowed Chicago to then take shots down the field later in the game.

There's not doubting Cutler's talent, but he needs to find consistency if the Bears hope to make a run at the Super Bowl.

Matthew Stafford: C

Stats: 30-of-51, 319 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions.

Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions have had a rough start to the season. Stafford is putting up decent numbers, but is not doing enough to win games. The biggest disappointment is his inability to get the Lions in the end zone.

On the season, Stafford only has three touchdown passes, including none against the Minnesota Vikings. It's shocking to see such a high-powered offense struggle to put points on the board.

The Lions don't have a strong enough defense to overcome a struggling offense. Stafford can't have many more zero-touchdown games if Detroit wants to make another playoff appearance.

Aaron Rodgers: A-

Stats: 31-of-41, 319 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.

Finally, Aaron Rodgers put together a performance worthy of an MVP. He shredded a poor New Orleans  secondary and led his team to victory. The Packers have to feel good that they were able to get their offense firing on all cylinders.

However, there were a few points in the game when Rodgers looked erratic. For about a series or two, he missed some open targets. It's this type of play that hurt the Packers in their first three games.

Despite some struggles, this was a great performance by Rodgers.

Christian Ponder: C-

Stats: 16-of-26, 111 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions.

Christian Ponder isn't putting up great numbers, but he's doing enough to keep the Minnesota Vikings competitive. His ability to complete a high percentage of his passes and avoid turnovers is the key to his team's success.

While the Vikings are a surprising 3-1, they won't win many more games with Ponder producing so few passing yards. At some point, he has to start taking shots down the field and increasing the explosiveness of the attack.

That he was only able to only throw for 111 yards against a poor Detroit secondary is a concern. Things are going to get much tougher for Ponder once the Vikings begin to play teams with better secondaries.

Joe Flacco: A

Stats: 28-of-46, 356 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Joe Flacco continues to play at a high level. He's seeing the field well and easily locating open targets. The way he's spreading the ball around to his many weapons is impressive. It's part of the reason why the Baltimore Ravens offense is putting up such impressive numbers.

The makeup of this entire franchise is starting to shift. The Ravens are moving from a team that counted on its defense to win games to a franchise that relies must as much on an explosive offense. This is the type of balance needed to win the Super Bowl.

Flacco needs to continue to perform well in pressure situations. Thursday night's win against the Cleveland Browns was close to the end, but Flacco kept his cool and helped seal the victory.

Andy Dalton: B

Stats: 20/31, 244 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are quickly developing into an excellent pass-catching duo. It's obvious that Dalton worked hard in the offseason to avoid a sophomore slump. Of course, that's easier to avoid when you have Green lining up on the outside.

In the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dalton also worked the ball to his other playmakers like Jermaine Gresham and Andrew Hawkins. It's important that he continues to spread the ball around in order to keep defenses from focusing only on Green.

The competition for Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals continues to be weak. They have the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns next, followed by a bye week.

Dalton should have no problem taking advantage of both of these teams.

Brandon Weeden: C-

Stats: 25-52, 320 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

Brandon Weeden is in a tough situation with the Cleveland Browns. He's been asked to lead a young team to victories. However, the Browns haven't provided him with the weapons needed to succeed. In fact, they've only provided him with inconsistent and unreliable targets.

Young quarterbacks have a hard enough time adjusting to the NFL, but it's more difficult when you have receivers like Greg Little dropping passes.

Despite the lack of playmakers, Weeden has been able to put up decent numbers. He's averaging nearly 250 yards per game, with three touchdowns and seven interceptions on the season.

The biggest issue I notice with Weeden is that he seems to lack confidence. He not only lacks confidence in himself, he also lacks confidence in his wide receivers. This is noticeable by the way he hesitates to throw the ball. That hesitation resulted in the pick-six he threw to Cary Williams in the Thursday night loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

With Weeden, Cleveland is in the same boat they were in last year with Colt McCoy. They can't properly evaluate him because he is surrounded by subpar talent.

Ben Roethlisberger: B

Stats: Bye Week

Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers are on a bye this week. They host the Philadelphia Eagles next weekend.

On the season, Roethlisberger has done a good job moving the offense. He's doing this with a banged-up offensive line and a non-existent running attack. Pittsburgh is putting a lot of pressure on Roethlisberger to perform, and he's answering the call.

Pittsburgh isn't only dealing with issues on offense. The defense is also struggling, allowing 25 points per game, which ranks them 19th in the league.

This puts even more pressure on Roethlisberger, as he must keep pace with the opponent's offense.

Matt Ryan: A

Stats: 25-of-40, 369 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Matt Ryan continued his excellent start by leading the Atlanta Falcons to a late come-from-behind victory against the Carolina Panthers. Down by two points and starting at his own 1-yard line with fewer than two minutes remaining, Ryan didn't panic, completing a 59-yard pass to Roddy White to set up Matt Bryant's  last-second, game-winning 40-yard field goal.

Ryan has a stellar cast of playmakers at receiver in White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez. Their presence is part of the reason Ryan has such confidence.

At this point, Ryan is playing as well as anyone in the league. His strong play has put him in the early discussion for the MVP award.

Cam Newton: B+

Stats: 15-of-24, 215 yards, two touchdowns, 86 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Cam Newton rebounded nicely after a terrible performance against the New York Giants. He put the Carolina Panthers in position to pull off the upset against the Atlanta Falcons, but the defense didn't hold up its end of the bargain.

Newton protected the football and avoided turnovers. This allowed the offense to sustain drives and put points on the board. Newton's ability to run the football also played a key role in this game.

Moving forward, Newton needs to remain positive and learn from his mistakes. He can't afford another inappropriate and embarrassing touchdown celebration like he had against the Giants.

Drew Brees: A+

Stats: 35-of-54, 446 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions.

Drew Brees did everything he could to help the New Orleans Saints pull off their first win of the season. However, the defense wasn't able to hold the Green Bay Packers in check.

This has been a stressful season for the Saints, especially for Brees. It's tough to imagine that anyone could throw for almost 450 yards and three touchdowns but still lose the game.

Brees is a gamer and will continue to perform at a high level. However, that doesn't mean the Saints will win a lot of games.

Keep in mind that this performance came against a Packers defense that has done an excellent job against the pass. The most passing yardage Green Bay had allowed before facing the Saints was the 211 yards gained by Alex Smith and the 49ers.

Josh Freeman: C

Stats: 24-of-39, 299 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Josh Freeman's season has been a series of ups and downs. It's been so erratic that he looks like a different quarterback from quarter to quarter.

This was the case against the Washington Redskins on Sunday. Freeman started the game extremely cold only to mount a comeback later in the game.

It's not enough to show flashes of strong play. A quarterback needs to be more consistent. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won't win many games this season if Freeman continues his erratic play.

However, Freeman isn't exactly getting a lot of help from the rest of the team. Doug Martin and LeGarrette Blount haven't been able to establish any type of running game. This puts a lot of pressure on Freeman to make plays on his own.

Matt Schaub: B+

Stats: 20-of-28, 202 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Houston Texans defense again helped them build an early lead Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. The rushing attack and Matt Schaub's accuracy allowed the Texans to continue to build on that lead. As a team, Houston is playing at such a high level that it doesn't need a lot of production from Schaub.

Schaub's play needs to be measured by the way he moves the offense, avoids turnovers and finds a way to stay healthy. The Texans are playing for much more than individual stats. This is a team more than capable of making a run at the Super Bowl.

At some point, the Texans will need Schaub to increase his production. His accuracy and history shows that he's more than capable of answering the call.

Andrew Luck: C+

Stats: Bye week

Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts are on a bye week, then they host the Green Bay Packers next weekend.

Luck's rookie season has started off with a lot of ups and downs. He's showing that he has the talent to move the offense and keep his team competitive. However, Luck has also struggled with turnovers, throwing four interceptions.

Some of Luck's struggles must be laid at the feet of his offensive line. This group is struggling to handle the pass rush, which is forcing Luck to get rid of the ball earlier than he should. However, Luck still needs to make better decisions with the football.

Blaine Gabbert: D+

Stats: 23-of-34, 186 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Blaine Gabbert continues to struggle attacking the deep part of the field. Most of his completions come on underneath routes. This why he has a good number of completions but a low yardage total. The Jacksonville Jaguars need Gabbert to start taking more shots down the field.

Despite a strong first game, Gabbert is regressing to the way he performed last season. Jacksonville can't feel good about the lack of development of their young quarterback.

The Jaguars spent this offseason adding playmakers on offense. Justin Blackmon and Laurent Robinson both have the ability to make plays in the passing game. There's also Maurice Jones-Drew, who is one of the better running backs in the league.

All this means that Gabbert should be playing much better.

12/21 and 143 yards

Matthew Hasselbeck: D

Stats: 17-of-25, 193 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Tennessee Titans lost Jake Locker early in their game against the Houston Texans due to a shoulder injury. He was replaced by Matthew Hasselbeck, who showed a lot of rust. However, he was also stuck playing from behind the whole game.

Tennessee's defense is making it tough on all of their quarterbacks. The Titans are unable to stop the opponent's offense, which puts a ton of pressure on their offense to score points.

The Titans need to be worried that this could eventually create bad habits for Jake Locker.

It's not good for a young quarterback to continually play from behind and feel the pressure to put up big numbers.