Updated QB Power Rankings After NFL Week 10

If there is one word to describe the quarterbacks in Week 10 of the NFL season, it'd be the word "injury."

It seemed that every quarterback was getting injured as Michael Vick, Alex Smith, Jay Cutler and Ben Roethlisberger all suffered injuries this week. Some were playing exceptionally well before getting injured while others were really struggling before being forced to leave the game.

Apart from the injuries, there were plenty of impressive performances from the game's most important players. Today we'll break down those performances and see how they shuffled our weekly quarterback rankings.

You can view Week 9's quarterback rankings here.

32. Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs

Last Week's Ranking: 32

Week 10 Statistics: 11-of-26, 154 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception

For about seven minutes it appeared as if Matt Cassel was going to make a statement on Monday night. He led his team down the field for an early touchdown as the Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed scoring first for the first time this season.

However, things quickly went downhill for Cassel as he got back into his old ways of struggling to complete passes and make good decisions. He was completely overmatched by the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense the rest of the night and couldn't do anything profitable for his team.

The Chiefs ended up losing in overtime and Cassel ended up losing in our power rankings again.

31. John Skelton, Arizona Cardinals

Last Week's Ranking: 31

Week 10 Statistics: N/A (The Arizona Cardinals had a bye this week)

Without a chance to prove his worth due to a bye in Week 10, John Skelton remains planted as the second worst quarterback in the NFL.

For some reason I feel like he will be holding down this spot for the remainder of the season.

30. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets

Last Week's Ranking: 25

Week 10 Statistics: 9-of-22, 124 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception

After making slow movement up the power rankings, Mark Sanchez takes a major tumble thanks to a horrific game on Sunday.

Yes, he was going against the talented secondary of the Seattle Seahawks, but this poor of a performance is simply unacceptable for a legitimate starting quarterback. His 9-of-22 performance marked the fifth time this season that Sanchez failed to complete at least 50 percent of his passes.

It is officially time to pull the plug on Sanchez in New York. The season is quickly fading away and he has done nothing to prove he deserves more chances to hold on to his job.

29. Brandon Weeden, Cleveland Browns

Last Week's Ranking: 29

Week 10 Statistics: N/A (The Cleveland Browns had a bye this week)

No movement for Brandon Weeden as the Browns didn't play in Week 10.

With back-to-back games against the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers coming up, the next two weeks could decide the future for Weeden. If he plays well, he'll definitely be considered the answer at quarterback in Cleveland.

However, if he struggles, the Browns might be looking to move a different direction come 2013.

28. Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans

Last Week's Ranking: N/A (Jake Locker has been injured for the past five weeks)

Week 10 Statistics: 9-of-21, 122 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions

Locker finally returned from a shoulder injury and while his numbers don't look exceptional, he did help his team log a much needed win over the Miami Dolphins this week.

You could tell that Locker wasn't at full health and was still getting back into the swing of things, but his grittiness was there throughout the victory. The Tennessee Titans head into their bye week in Week 11 which means that Locker should be able to be 100 percent for Week 12.

27. Blaine Gabbert, Jacksonville Jaguars

Last Week's Ranking: 27

Week 10 Statistics: 18-of-31, 209 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception

I'm not sure if we are ever going to see much more than what we've seen so far this year from Blaine Gabbert.

He continues to struggle with his decision making and with dealing with pressure, two key qualities of successful quarterbacks. It was as clear as can be to see just how far Gabbert is behind a rookie like Andrew Luck, and that gap is only going to widen as the weeks pass.

There is a slight possibility that Gabbert develops into a serviceable starter, but with each week that goes by in his sophomore season, the chances of that happening grow smaller and smaller.

26. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

Last Week's Ranking: 28

Week 10 Statistics: 6-of-9, 70 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions

It may seem surprising to see Michael Vick move up two spots despite playing less than half of a game, but Vick looked extremely good for the short amount of time he was on the field.

He was finally making good decisions and had he not suffered a concussion, he would have likely made an even higher move up these rankings. However, the biggest problem with Vick has, and always will be, his ability to stay healthy.

The only question that remains now is how long Vick will be out. Initial reports on the severity of his concussion aren't good, so we might be seeing Nick Foles making an appearance in our rankings next week.

25. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins

Last Week's Ranking: 24

Week 10 Statistics: 23-of-39, 217 yards, zero touchdowns, three interceptions

After an awful performance in Week 10 from Ryan Tannehill, you might be surprised to see him only drop one spot in these rankings. However, there simply isn't a quarterback behind him that truly deserves being ranked higher, no matter how poorly Tannehill played.

He was simply overmatched by the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Considering how porous the Titans defense has been this year, this could be a bad sign for the Miami Dolphins.

Tannehill will need to bounce back in a big way in Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills, or the 2012 season could start spinning out of control for him and the Dolphins.

24. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills

Last Week's Ranking: 26

Week 10 Statistics: 27-of-40, 337 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, one fumble lost

This was the first time in a long time that Ryan Fitzpatrick actually looked like a legitimate NFL quarterback. Sure, his team lost, but with so many penalties and no defensive help at all, Fitzpatrick did everything in his power to get his team a win.

The ultimate reason the Buffalo Bills lost on Sunday was due to the overall struggles of the franchise as a whole. While Fitzpatrick is a decent quarterback, he certainly isn't anywhere near talented enough to fix the mess that is taking place in Buffalo this season.

23. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

Last Week's Ranking: 18

Week 10 Statistics: 21-of-36, 241 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions

It wasn't a horrible game from Cam Newton on Sunday, but two things stuck out from his loss to the Denver Broncos.

The first is just how far behind Newton is of a quarterback like Peyton Manning. You could easily tell that Manning is the far, far superior player.

The second thing that stuck out is that Newton is struggling to even give his team a chance to win games. He isn't proving that he has that winning mentality and it is affecting the play of his entire team.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Newton drop another few spots in these rankings before the season is over.

22. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Last Week's Ranking: 23

Week 10 Statistics: 12-of-19, 188 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, one fumble lost

I really wish that I could put Russell Wilson higher on this list, but all the quarterbacks ranked a few spots ahead of him played extremely well in Week 10.

However, the past few weeks for Wilson have shown just how talented this kid really is. In the past three games, Wilson has seven touchdowns, one interception and a 2-1 record.

As long as he continues to be a quality second option behind Marshawn Lynch, the Seattle Seahawks should continue to be a tough team to beat.

21. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams

Last Week's Ranking: 22

Week 10 Statistics: 26-of-39, 275 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions

What made Sam Bradford's performance this week so impressive is that it came against one of the best defenses in the NFL. Few quarterbacks have played as well as Bradford did against the San Francisco 49ers, and that has to be a huge boost in confidence for the third-year player.

This is the type of player that the Rams knew Bradford could become, and this game was probably the best game of his young career. He made fantastic decisions throughout the game and didn't let the 49ers throw him off his game.

Had his 80-yard pass to Danny Amendola in overtime not been called back for an illegal formation, he would have likely beat San Francisco and been much higher on this list. However, after his Week 10 performance, don't be surprised to see him steadily move up these rankings for the remainder of the season.

20. Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings

Last Week's Ranking: 21

Week 10 Statistics: 24-of-32, 221 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions

Everyone who was ready to get down on Christian Ponder after his 63-yard performance last week have been silenced after his excellent performance in Week 10.

He easily led the Minnesota Vikings to a huge victory over the Detroit Lions due to his solid play. While Adrian Peterson's 171 rushing yards might have outshined what Ponder did, it was Ponder's play that really allowed Minnesota to cruise away with the win.

As long as he can continue to make plays down the field like he did on Sunday, the Vikings will have to feel good about how bright their future is with their young quarterback.

19. Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders

Last Week's Ranking: 19

Week 10 Statistics: 29-of-45, 368 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, one fumble lost

Carson Palmer is doing everything in his power to help his team win. However, when you have no running game and your defense gives up 55 points, it is nearly impossible to win.

Few quarterbacks have been as surprising as Palmer has been this year, as no one expected him to be anywhere near as good as he has been so far. If he can get any type of help, the Raiders could be a competitive team.

Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon, and now Palmer will have to learn to deal with another losing franchise.

18. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Last Week's Ranking: 16

Week 10 Statistics: 29-of-37, 337 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions

The big reason why Philip Rivers drops down these rankings this week is because he continues to struggle with turnovers. On top of that, he also completely disappeared in the second half of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

There was a time before the season started that Rivers was considered one of the "elite" quarterbacks in the league. However, his flaws have been displayed in a major way this season and he is now struggling to remain in the top-half of these rankings.

17. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals

Last Week's Ranking: 20

Week 10 Statistics: 21-of-30, 199 yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions

It was a big game for Andy Dalton on Sunday and an even bigger win for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Playing against a quality opponent in the New York Giants, Dalton came up huge for Cincinnati. He started the game with two quick touchdown passes, and officially put the game away in the third quarter with his third and fourth touchdown passes of the game.

He continues to find A.J. Green, and as long as he does that, Dalton has the potential and weapons surrounding him to continue to move up in the rankings.

16. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

Last Week's Ranking: 17

Week 10 Statistics: 21-of-33, 341 yards, three touchdowns, one interception, one rushing touchdown

After weeks of struggling, Joe Flacco finally played a great football game in Week 10. While you could point to the struggles of the Oakland Raiders and their defense, Flacco still deserves credit for engineering such a huge blowout.

He was able to find open receivers all game long and get into a nice rhythm early. When Flacco plays like he did on Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens become one of the toughest teams to beat in the league.

15. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

Last Week's Ranking: 15

Week 10 Statistics: 28-of-42, 329 yards, three touchdowns, one interception

If Matthew Stafford could start games like he finishes games, I can guarantee that the Detroit Lions would have a much better record than 4-5.

However, Stafford continues to take too much time to begin playing at a high level and it continues to cost his team victories. I'm not ready to drop Stafford down in these rankings because of how strong he finished the game.

Unfortunately, if he continues to be non-existent for the start of games, I'll have no choice but to start moving him down the rankings.

14. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys

Last Week's Ranking: 14

Week 10 Statistics: 19-of-26, 209 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions

Tony Romo did two really fantastic things for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

First, he didn't turn the ball over. Only a handful of quarterbacks have struggled as much as Romo has this season with turnovers, so having zero in a game like this was huge.

Secondly, Romo didn't do anything to hurt his team's chances to win in Week 10. The fact that he played within what the defense was giving him was huge for Dallas.

The Cowboys needed a victory as bad as any other team this week, and Romo did plenty to ensure that happened.

13. Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins

Last Week's Ranking: 13

Week 10 Statistics: N/A (The Washington Redskins had a bye this week)

No game for Robert Griffin III this week keeps him steady at the No. 13 ranking for another week. He gets the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11, so don't be surprised if he has a huge game and makes a move back towards the top 10 in the quarterback rankings.

12. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears

Last Week's Ranking: 9

Week 10 Statistics: 7-of-14, 40 yards, zero touchdowns, two interceptions

Jay Cutler missed the entire second half of his matchup against the Houston Texans, but that isn't the reason he took such a drop in the rankings this week.

The reason he falls three spots is because of how much he struggled in the first half against a quality defense. Both of the Chicago Bears' losses this season have come when teams were able to get pressure on Cutler.

That happened on Sunday and Cutler was well on his way to his worst game of the season. That's why he drops out of the top 10 this week.

11. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Last Week's Ranking: 12

Week 10 Statistics: 14-of-20, 210 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions

Josh Freeman continues to play exceptional football and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to win games. They're on a three-game winning streak and definitely look ready to challenge for a playoff spot this season.

In Week 10, Freeman was his efficient self on way to a 137.5 quarterback rating. Despite his defense giving up an early lead to the San Diego Chargers, Freeman kept his composure and battled back to get his team the victory.

If Freeman continues to play at such a high level, the Buccaneers will be a scary, scary team by the end of the season.

10. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Last Week's Ranking: 11

Week 10 Statistics: 18-of-26, 227 yards, zero touchdowns, one interceptions, two rushing touchdowns, one fumble lost

Let's just sit back for a moment and enjoy the fact that Andrew Luck has the Indianapolis Colts sitting at a 6-3 record right now. I'm not sure there is a word in the English language strong enough to describe just how amazing of a feat that is.

While Luck has struggled some recently with his arm, his legs and five rushing touchdowns on the season have more than made up for any struggles. This is the most exciting rookie quarterback the NFL has seen in along time and he certainly has the potential to become one of the best quarterbacks in the league in no time.

9. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers

Last Week's Ranking: 10

Week 10 Statistics: 7-of-8, 172 yards, one touchdowns, zero interceptions

Sunday was day of concussions for a number of the league's quarterbacks and Alex Smith was just another victim.

Smith's injury occurred in the second quarter, but before he was forced out of the game he was well on his way to having another fantastic performance. He already had a ridiculous 143.8 quarterback rating at the time of his injury and it appeared as if the St. Louis Rams didn't have an answer for him.

Hopefully, Smith's injury isn't serious because he has definitely been playing at an enjoyable level for the past few weeks as he has climbed up these rankings.

8. Eli Manning, New York Giants

Last Week's Ranking: 7

Week 10 Statistics: 29-of-46, 215 yards, zero touchdowns, two interceptions, one fumble lost

I'm not exactly sure what has been happening to Eli Manning in recent weeks. In the past four games, Manning has thrown six interceptions and only one touchdown.

While he was able to sneak away with victories in the first two games of his struggles, his past two poor performances have resulted in losses. Even worse, his team is losing the giant divisional lead they had built up only a few weeks ago.

Manning needs to turn his season around quickly, or he'll find himself outside of the top 10 in no time.

7. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans

Last Week's Ranking: 8

Week 10 Statistics: 14-of-26, 95 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions

While Matt Schaub wasn't very good at all against the Chicago Bears on Sunday night, he deserved to move ahead of Eli Manning for two reasons. The first reason is that his team won and the second reason is that his team won against a much better defense.

This game was a defensive matchup from the start, but Schaub did just enough to squeak out the biggest win of the year for the Houston Texans. He'll ultimately need to play much better for Houston to make a deep run this season, but Schaub deserves credit getting a monstrous win in Week 10.

6. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Last Week's Ranking: 6

Week 10 Statistics: 9-of-18, 84 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions

There was not one pretty moment in the Pittsburgh Steelers' overtime win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night, and that includes the play of Ben Roethlisberger.

A separated shoulder took Roethlisberger out of the game in the third quarter, but even up until that point Roethlisberger was struggling. Considering that every quarterback that has played Kansas City has looked like the world's greatest, it is a little troubling that Roethlisberger struggled so much.

We'll have to see just how serious his injury is, but if he can play next week, look for him to bounce back in a big way against the Baltimore Ravens.

5. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Last Week's Ranking: 5

Week 10 Statistics: 21-of-32, 298 yards, three touchdowns, one interception

If there was any quarterback who was going to surprise the previously undefeated Atlanta Falcons, you almost knew it was going to be Drew Brees. These are the games that Brees lives for, and he played exceptionally well in the biggest game of the season.

For the first time all year, Brees was able to consistently get the ball into Jimmy Graham's hands. He ended the day with seven receptions, 146 yards and two touchdowns, and was a menace all day to the Falcons' secondary.

Things are starting to come together for the New Orleans Saints, and the only reason this is happening is because of the stellar play of their quarterback.

4. Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Last Week's Ranking: 4

Week 10 Statistics: 23-of-38, 237 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions

There simply wasn't a time during the New England Patriots' win over the Buffalo Bills that Tom Brady didn't look in control of the game. Whether it was a big third down or an opportunity in the red zone, Brady did it all to ensure his team a victory on Sunday.

He continues to be overly impressive, and while it may not always show in his statistics, Brady continues to be as impressive as any other quarterback in the league.

3. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

Last Week's Ranking: 3

Week 10 Statistics: 27-of-38, 301 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions, one fumble lost

Despite having a rather so-so day on Sunday, Peyton Manning continues to hold down the No. 3 spot in our power rankings.

He was the catalyst of the Denver Broncos offense against the Carolina Panthers, saying and doing whatever needed to be done. The result was a fourth-straight victory for Denver and a huge lead in the AFC West.

If I was a playoff-caliber team in the AFC, I'd be very worried about what Manning is doing right now. He looks as good as he ever has and could be poised to make a run at the Super Bowl.

2. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

Last Week's Ranking: 2

Week 10 Statistics: 34-of-52, 411 yards, three touchdowns, one interception

Even in the Atlanta Falcons' first loss of the season, Matt Ryan was extremely impressive. In fact, he did everything in his power to get his team to remain undefeated.

Unfortunately, he had absolutely no help from the ground game and a tipped pass in the end zone by Jabari Greer sealed the loss for the Falcons. This loss might ultimately be a great thing for Ryan and the Falcons.

They can now take their focus off of being undefeated and put it back onto getting home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Last Week's Ranking: 1

Week 10 Statistics: N/A (The Green Bay Packers were on bye this week)

With none of the other top quarterbacks having a career game, Aaron Rodgers remains our top-ranked quarterback heading into Week 11.

Rodgers plays the Detroit Lions next week, so don't be surprised if he has a huge game to remain in the top spot in these rankings for another week.