NFL Quarterback Power Rankings, Post-Week 11
When you look at the quarterbacks playing in the NFL today, you can’t help but feel like these are the last years of a golden age for signal-callers. Pretty soon the Peyton Mannings and Tom Bradys will all be gone, leaving us with the next generation of guys still looking to blossom and stabilize.
If you pay attention, non-cerebral quarterbacks who possess elite physical traits (arm, legs, etc.) can generate short-term success, but eventually defenses begin to figure out their weaknesses and find a formula that forces these guys to do the things they struggle with.
Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers and Andrew Luck make up a strong group of next-gen Hall of Famers at the position, but there will almost certainly be a void left behind when these legends are no longer entertaining us with greatness.
My point? Let’s appreciate this moment in history and enjoy it while it lasts. These are the QBs who always find themselves atop the power rankings each and every week.
Fun fact for this week: Not one QB accounted for a rushing TD. This marks the first time all year it has happened.
Methodology
1 of 34
These rankings factor in several major attributes for the quarterback position.
Personal observation and opinion play a key role. A general section for film-review grades form a foundation, but the output of these QBs' most recent performances is what really sends them flying up and down the rankings each week.
Wins also give quarterbacks a slight boost in addition to their individual performances. The statistics used to help determine the ranking system are pulled from ESPN.com, NFL.com and Pro Football Focus (subscription required), unless stated otherwise.
Stats that are factored in include passer rating, completion percentage, yards per pass, rushing yards per game, touchdown-to-interception ratio, fumbles lost and wins.
As the season moves on, the weighted influence from last year's output will be reduced by 25 percent each week.
When more than one quarterback plays for a team in one game, the QB with the most passing attempts is featured in the slide.
Note: Total QBR is a scoring system that assesses everything a quarterback does on the field. It is explained further on ESPN.com.
Also, Pro Football Focus grades every single play of the season to generate a cumulative point total, which weighs into the metric as well.
Quarterbacks Ranked Last Week but Not This Week
2 of 34
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Houston Texans
Benched for Ryan Mallett
Last Ranked: 21st
Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
Torn ACL
Last Ranked: 14th
Austin Davis, St. Louis Rams
Benched for Shaun Hill
Last Ranked: 28th
32. Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
3 of 34
This Week
Bye
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season Average
Blake Bortles continues to lead the NFL with 14 interceptions despite shutting down for a Week 11 bye.
He also has the lowest Total QBR (25.6), passer rating (72.2) and lowest grade via Pro Football Focus of any QB currently starting.
With all of that, Bortles has shown the potential to be a franchise QB and is already an upgrade over Chad Henne.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 1 | @ PHI | L 17-34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 2 | @ WSH | L 10-41 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 3 | IND | L 17-44 | 14 | 24 | 58.3 | 223 | 2 | 2 | 27 |
| 4 | @ SD | L 14-33 | 29 | 37 | 78.4 | 253 | 1 | 2 | 25 |
| 5 | PIT | L 9-17 | 22 | 36 | 61.1 | 191 | 0 | 2 | 28 |
| 6 | @ TEN | L 14-16 | 32 | 46 | 69.6 | 336 | 1 | 1 | 29 |
| 7 | CLE | W 24-6 | 17 | 31 | 54.8 | 159 | 1 | 3 | 31 |
| 8 | MIA | L 13-27 | 18 | 34 | 52.9 | 221 | 1 | 2 | 31 |
| 9 | @ CIN | L 23-33 | 22 | 33 | 66.7 | 247 | 2 | 1 | 32 |
| 10 | DAL | L 17-31 | 22 | 37 | 59.5 | 290 | 0 | 1 | 32 |
| 11 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32 |
Next Week Outlook
Bortles and the Jaguars will travel to Indianapolis to take on a 6-4 Colts team looking to redeem itself from an embarrassing loss.
The Colts lead the series 19-8 and dominated their meeting in September by the score of 44-17.
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31. Michael Vick, New York Jets
4 of 34
This Week
Bye
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season Average
Michael Vick hasn’t played much this season, but his 75.9 passer rating is the fourth-lowest among starting QBs.
Vick’s 33.7 QBR rating is the second-lowest among all starting quarterbacks, and he has the fewest yards per pass attempt (5.18).
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 1 | OAK | W 19-14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2 | @ GB | L 24-31 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 3 | CHI | L 19-27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 4 | DET | L 17-24 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 5 | @ SD | L 0-31 | 8 | 19 | 42.1 | 47 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 6 | DEN | L 17-31 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 7 | @ NE | L 25-27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 8 | BUF | L 23-43 | 18 | 36 | 50.0 | 153 | 0 | 1 | 32 |
| 9 | @ KC | L 10-24 | 21 | 28 | 75.0 | 196 | 1 | 0 | 31 |
| 10 | PIT | W 20-13 | 10 | 18 | 55.6 | 132 | 2 | 0 | 31 |
| 11 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 31 |
Next Week Outlook
Week 12 has the Jets and Bills facing off for Round 2 of this divisional matchup. Back in October, the Bills routed the Jets with a 43-23 victory.
Can Vick help his team exact revenge on the road in frigid temperatures? He is currently listed as questionable for the game with a foot injury, but all indications are that he’s good to go.
30. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
5 of 34
This Week
The Raiders continued the pursuit of their first win of the season when they traveled to San Diego to play the 5-4 Chargers. Derek Carr and his 26th-ranked passing attack failed to find a much-needed win against a talented Chargers team.
According to Fallon Smith of CSN Bay Area, Carr said he suffered a quadriceps injury in the first quarter of the 13-6 loss against San Diego.
He was 16-of-34 for 172 yards with one lost fumble on Sunday.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ SD | L 6-13 | 16 | 34 | 47.1 | 172 | 0 | 0 |
Season Average
Carr has started all 10 games for the Raiders and currently leads all NFL rookies with 2,075 passing yards and 13 TDs. In addition, he has been sacked 11 times and has committed 11 turnovers (nine interceptions, two fumbles).
The real problem with Carr and the Raiders is that the passes he’s completing aren’t going for many yards (5.59 yards per pass attempt), nor are they leading to touchdowns.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 31 |
| 1 | @ NYJ | L 14-19 | 20 | 32 | 62.5 | 151 | 2 | 0 | 31 |
| 2 | HOU | L 14-30 | 27 | 42 | 64.3 | 263 | 1 | 2 | 30 |
| 3 | @ NE | L 9-16 | 21 | 34 | 61.8 | 174 | 0 | 1 | 31 |
| 4 | MIA | L 14-38 | 16 | 25 | 64.0 | 146 | 1 | 1 | 31 |
| 5 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 29 |
| 6 | SD | L 28-31 | 18 | 34 | 52.9 | 282 | 4 | 1 | 31 |
| 7 | ARI | L 13-24 | 16 | 28 | 57.1 | 173 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| 8 | @ CLE | L 13-23 | 34 | 54 | 63.0 | 328 | 1 | 0 | 28 |
| 9 | @ SEA | L 24-30 | 24 | 41 | 58.5 | 194 | 2 | 2 | 28 |
| 10 | DEN | L 17-41 | 30 | 47 | 63.8 | 192 | 2 | 2 | 29 |
| 11 | @ SD | L 6-13 | 16 | 34 | 47.1 | 172 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Next Week Outlook
Carr and the winless Raiders get to kick off the week’s NFL action on Thursday night at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. This will be the first time these two teams have played each other this season.
Carr and the offense need to do a better job finding the end zone. The Raiders are currently ranked 32nd in points scored and will be facing the top-ranked passing defense in the NFL.
29. Zach Mettenberger, Tennessee Titans
6 of 34
This Week
On Monday night, the Titans hosted the Steelers in a prime-time matchup that most predicted would end with a Pittsburgh victory.
The Steelers were allowing just 35.5 percent conversions on third down, the fifth-best percentage in the NFL, while the Titans were the worst third-down offense in the league, converting on just 29.9 percent of their attempts. Yet somehow this team managed to make this an exciting game that went down to the wire.
In the process, Titans QB Zach Mettenberger broke the record for most passing yards by a rookie on Monday Night Football.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ PIT | L 24-27 | 15 | 24 | 62.5 | 263 | 2 | 1 |
Season Average
Mettenberger may be a rookie QB who has yet to win his first game, but he still boasts one of the best yards-per-pass-attempt averages (7.81) among all starting QBs.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 1 | @ KC | W 26-10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 2 | DAL | L 10-26 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 3 | @ CIN | L 7-33 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 4 | @ IND | L 17-41 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 5 | CLE | L 28-29 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 6 | JAX | W 16-14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 7 | @ WSH | L 17-19 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 8 | HOU | L 16-30 | 27 | 41 | 65.9 | 299 | 2 | 1 | 29 |
| 9 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 29 |
| 10 | @ BAL | L 7-21 | 16 | 27 | 59.3 | 179 | 1 | 1 | 30 |
| 11 | @ PIT | L 24-27 | 15 | 24 | 62.5 | 263 | 2 | 1 | 29 |
Next Week Outlook
On Sunday, Mettenberger will lead the 2-8 Titans to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles. Mettenberger will be looking to boost the 30th-ranked Titans offense once again against the Eagles and their 28th-ranked passing defense.
28. Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings
7 of 34
This Week
Last Sunday the Vikings took the short trip to Soldier Field to play a Bears defense that had struggled in recent weeks.
Teddy Bridgewater failed to move the ball downfield with his 29th-ranked passing attack.
The Bears defense was ranked fifth in causing fumbles (13), but the rookie QB did a great job protecting the ball in the pocket.
However, Bridgewater looked like a rookie quarterback against the Bears. He attempted 28 passes but only managed 158 yards through the air and 13 points.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ CHI | L 13-21 | 18 | 28 | 64.3 | 158 | 1 | 1 |
Season Average
There are currently two starting QBs with a lower average of yards per pass than Bridgewater’s 6.57: Derek Carr and Mike Vick.
There are four QBs with at least 100 completions and a passer rating below 80, and Teddy Bridgewater is one of them with a rating of 75.
In the seven games Bridgewater has played in, he has been held under 20 points on five occasions.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 1 | @ STL | W 34-6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 2 | NE | L 7-30 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 3 | @ NO | L 9-20 | 12 | 20 | 60.0 | 150 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| 4 | ATL | W 41-28 | 19 | 30 | 63.3 | 317 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| 5 | @ GB | L 10-42 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 6 | DET | L 3-17 | 23 | 37 | 62.2 | 188 | 0 | 3 | 30 |
| 7 | @ BUF | L 16-17 | 15 | 26 | 57.7 | 157 | 1 | 2 | 30 |
| 8 | @ TB | W 19-13 | 24 | 42 | 57.1 | 241 | 1 | 0 | 30 |
| 9 | WSH | W 29-26 | 26 | 42 | 61.9 | 268 | 1 | 0 | 27 |
| 10 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 27 |
| 11 | @ CHI | L 13-21 | 18 | 28 | 64.3 | 158 | 1 | 1 | 28 |
Next Week Outlook
The Vikings will host the red-hot Green Bay Packers this Sunday with their heralded rookie QB at the helm. Bridgewater will get a chance to observe one of the greatest QBs in the game, Aaron Rodgers from the opposite sideline.
In the last meeting between these two teams the Packers won a decisive 44-10 victory—can Bridgewater return the favor?
27. Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia Eagles
8 of 34
This Week
The Eagles looked to continue their luck as they faced perhaps their biggest challenge of the season Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.
Green Bay’s defense was vulnerable, but Sanchez failed to keep up in a shootout against Aaron Rodgers.
Though he threw for 346 yards, he failed to complete 60 percent of his passes and tossed up a pair of INTs.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ GB | L 20-53 | 26 | 44 | 59.1 | 346 | 2 | 2 |
Season Average
Of the current starting quarterbacks, Sanchez is ranked second with an average of 8.54 yards per pass. He is also one of just six starting QBs completing less than 60 percent of their passes. He is currently completing 59.2 percent of his 103 pass attempts.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 1 | JAX | W 34-17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 2 | @ IND | W 30-27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 3 | WSH | W 37-34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 4 | @ SF | L 21-26 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 5 | STL | W 34-28 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 6 | NYG | W 27-0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 7 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 8 | @ ARI | L 24-20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 9 | @ HOU | W 31-21 | 15 | 22 | 68.2 | 202 | 2 | 2 | 24 |
| 10 | CAR | W 45-21 | 20 | 37 | 54.0 | 332 | 2 | 0 | 24 |
| 11 | @ GB | L 20-53 | 26 | 44 | 59.1 | 346 | 2 | 2 | 27 |
Next Week Outlook
Playing host to the Houston Texans, the Eagles are undefeated at home (4-0). This is an impressive feat considering they’re ranked 30th in the takeaway margin.
These two teams haven’t met each other in over four years.
26. Drew Stanton, Arizona Cardinals
9 of 34
This Week
With Palmer out of the season and Drew Stanton set to replace him, the challenge couldn’t be any bigger for the Cardinals. Last Sunday they faced the Detroit Lions defense that had given up fewer points per game (283.4) than any other team in the NFL.
Stanton, who was completing less than 50 percent of his passes (48.9) heading into the game, needed to have an efficient day, and he did just that. He put up 306 yards through the air while completing 65.6 percent of his passes.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| DET | W 14-6 | 21 | 32 | 65.6 | 306 | 2 | 2 |
Season Average
On the season, Stanton has the lowest completion percentage (53.6) of any starting QB in the league. Last Sunday was his first game completing over 60 percent of his passes bu saw him throw his first INT.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 1 | SD | W 18-17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 2 | @ NYG | W 25-14 | 14 | 29 | 48.3 | 167 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 3 | SF | W 23-14 | 18 | 33 | 54.5 | 244 | 2 | 0 | 32 |
| 4 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32 |
| 5 | @ DEN | L 20-41 | 11 | 26 | 42.3 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| 6 | WSH | W 30-20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 7 | @ OAK | W 24-13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 8 | PHI | W 24-20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 9 | @ DAL | W 28-17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 10 | STL | W 31-14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 11 | DET | W 14-6 | 21 | 32 | 65.6 | 306 | 2 | 2 | 26 |
Next Week Outlook
With Stanton now in charge of the team with the best record in football, the pressure could affect the way he plays in the upcoming game against the Seahawks. Trying to win at CenturyLink Field in Seattle is one of the hardest feats in football.
The odds appear stacked against the Cardinals for this one.
25. Kyle Orton, Buffalo Bills
10 of 34
This Week
Kyle Orton got his shot Thursday night against a defense that was ranked fourth overall in total yards allowed.
Orton put up an uninspired performance that resulted in just 193 yards on 39 passes.
After a poor performance the last two weeks, Orton could be in danger of being sent back to the bench if he can’t replicate the success the team had earlier in the year.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ MIA | L 9-22 | 22 | 39 | 56.4 | 193 | 0 | 0 |
Season Average
According to Pro Football Focus, only three current starters (Bortles, Vick, Carr) at QB have accumulated a lower grade than Orton. His play has deteriorated since returning from the bye week. In fairness, he was asked to face two powerful defenses in the Dolphins and the Chiefs. However, in the first meeting with the Dolphins, back when EJ Manuel was starting, Buffalo put up 29 points and won the game.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 1 | @ CHI | W 23-20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 2 | MIA | W 29-10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 3 | SD | L 10-22 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 4 | @ HOU | L 17-23 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 5 | @ DET | W 17-14 | 30 | 43 | 69.8 | 308 | 1 | 1 | 24 |
| 6 | NE | L 22-37 | 24 | 38 | 63.2 | 299 | 2 | 1 | 25 |
| 7 | MIN | W 17-16 | 31 | 43 | 72.1 | 283 | 2 | 1 | 25 |
| 8 | @ NYJ | W 43-23 | 10 | 17 | 58.8 | 238 | 4 | 0 | 22 |
| 9 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 |
| 10 | KC | L 13-17 | 29 | 48 | 60.4 | 259 | 1 | 0 | 23 |
| 11 | @ MIA | L 9-22 | 22 | 39 | 56.4 | 193 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
Next Week Outlook
According to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, head coach Doug Marrone offered up this vote of confidence for Kyle Orton last Friday: "Right now I'm planning on sticking with Kyle and again I believe—and [with] every player, not just the quarterback position—who gives us the best chance to win. So that's the way I'm headed this week."
Marrone also stated that the toe injury Orton sustained against the Dolphins on Thursday “won’t affect his availability” against the Jets.
24. Shaun Hill, St. Louis Rams
11 of 34
This Week
Shaun Hill took to the field to make his first start of the season against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Rams hosted the Denver Broncos on Sunday with little hope for a victory, yet somehow Hill managed to pull off what was probably the biggest upset of the season.
He completed 69 percent of his passes and avoided any turnovers.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| DEN | W 22-7 | 20 | 29 | 69.0 | 220 | 1 | 0 |
Season Average
After opening his NFL career with some impressive performances, Austin Davis was been trending downward the longer the season went on. This week he was replaced by Hill.
It didn’t take long for Hill to pay off. His first start produced an enormous win and catapulted him to 24th on the list.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32 |
| 1 | MIN | L 6-34 | 8 | 13 | 61.5 | 81 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| 2 | @ TB | W 19-17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 3 | DAL | L 31-34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 4 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 5 | @ PHI | L 28-34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 6 | SF | L 17-31 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 7 | SEA | W 28-26 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 8 | @ KC | L 7-34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 9 | @ SF | W 13-10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 10 | @ AZ | L 14-31 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 11 | DEN | W 22-7 | 20 | 29 | 69.0 | 220 | 1 | 0 | 24 |
Next Week Outlook
The giant-killers travel to San Diego to face Philip Rivers and the Chargers. Hill will get another chance to prove he can be a starting QB in this league.
23. Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12 of 34
This Week
McCown led the 29th-ranked offense into the nation’s capitol to play the 3-6 Redskins. Going into the contest there were signs that this was a winnable game for the Bucs.
McCown had his best game of the season against an incredibly talented defense, throwing for 288 yards and two TDs in their upset win over Washington.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ WSH | W 27-7 | 15 | 23 | 65.2 | 288 | 2 | 0 |
Season Average
McCown has averaged 7.53 yards per pass with six TDs and six INTs. He has also completed 63.4 percent of his passes.
McCown has thrown six TDs compared to six INTs.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 |
| 1 | CAR | L 14-20 | 22 | 35 | 62.9 | 183 | 2 | 2 | 18 |
| 2 | STL | L 17-19 | 16 | 21 | 76.2 | 179 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| 3 | @ ATL | L 14-56 | 5 | 12 | 41.7 | 58 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| 4 | @ PIT | W 27-24 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 5 | @ NO | L 31-37 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 6 | BAL | L 17-48 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 7 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 8 | MIN | L 13-19 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 9 | @ CLE | L 17-22 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 10 | ATL | L 17-27 | 27 | 43 | 62.8 | 301 | 2 | 2 | 26 |
| 11 | @ WSH | W 27-7 | 15 | 23 | 65.2 | 288 | 2 | 0 | 23 |
Next Week Outlook
The Bucs will travel to face the Bears this Sunday after winning their first game of the season a week earlier. Tampa Bay is ranked 19th in passing, and the Bears are 19th in total defense.
McCown has his work cut out for him in this game. Having said that, this is a very winnable game for the Bucs.
Both head coach Lovie Smith and McCown will be facing their old team at their old stomping ground.
22. Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins
13 of 34
This Week
Washington returned from a bye week refreshed and ready to do some damage against the 1-8 Buccaneers. Unfortunately, the damage ended up being to the reputation of the Redskins’ QB.
This was supposed to be a good opportunity for Griffin III to find his groove against the 29th-ranked defense.
“Griffin's average throw traveled 4.19 yards past the line of scrimmage, easily his lowest in a game in his career (previous low: 4.78 in Week 10 last season). Only one of his passes traveled 15 or more yards downfield, and it fell incomplete,” wrote ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert.
But the worst part of his day came in the press conference afterwards.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| TB | L 7-27 | 23 | 32 | 71.9 | 207 | 1 | 2 |
Season Average
RG3’s seems to be more than just rusty after returning from a dislocated foot suffered in Week 2. His technique has been up-and-down with rushed throws and inaccurate passes—the same goes for his decision-making.
Despite the criticism of late, Griffin III still leads all QBs (with at least 100 pass attempts) in completion percentage (72).
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 26 |
| 1 | @ HOU | L 6-17 | 29 | 37 | 78.4 | 267 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| 2 | JAX | W 41-10 | 2 | 3 | 66.7 | 38 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 3 | @ PHI | L 34-37 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 4 | NYG | L 14-45 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 5 | SEA | L 17-27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 6 | @ ARI | L 20-30 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 7 | TEN | W 19-17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 8 | @ DAL | W 20-17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 9 | @ MIN | L 26-29 | 18 | 28 | 64.3 | 251 | 1 | 1 | 20 |
| 10 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 |
| 11 | TB | L 7-27 | 23 | 32 | 71.9 | 207 | 1 | 2 | 22 |
Next Week Outlook
RG3 will head across the country to try and silence his critics by beating the fourth-ranked defense in the NFL, that of the 49ers.
21. Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns
14 of 34
This Week
With freezing temperatures in Cleveland against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Brian Hoyer had perhaps the worst outing of his football career.
Hoyer has had a decent year so far, especially with the deep ball. On this day he failed to take advantage of the NFL's 28th-ranked defense. Despite 330 yards through the air, his team managed just seven points on the day.
Hoyer's 30 incompletions against the Texans were the most by a QB in a game this season.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| HOU | L 7-23 | 20 | 50 | 40.0 | 330 | 1 | 1 |
Season Average
Hoyer may not be completing a high percentage of his passes (55.7) but is still averaging an impressive 7.82 yards per pass attempt.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 25 |
| 1 | @ PIT | L 27-30 | 18 | 30 | 60 | 222 | 1 | 0 | 25 |
| 2 | NO | W 26-24 | 24 | 40 | 60 | 204 | 1 | 0 | 24 |
| 3 | BAL | L 21-23 | 19 | 25 | 76.0 | 290 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| 4 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 22 |
| 5 | @ TEN | W 29-28 | 21 | 37 | 56.8 | 292 | 3 | 1 | 20 |
| 6 | PIT | W 31-10 | 8 | 17 | 47.1 | 217 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| 7 | @ JAX | L 6-24 | 16 | 41 | 39.0 | 215 | 0 | 1 | 22 |
| 8 | OAK | W 23-13 | 19 | 28 | 67.9 | 275 | 1 | 0 | 24 |
| 9 | TB | W 22-17 | 21 | 34 | 61.8 | 300 | 2 | 2 | 22 |
| 10 | @ CIN | W 24-3 | 15 | 23 | 65.2 | 198 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 11 | HOU | L 7-23 | 20 | 50 | 40.0 | 330 | 1 | 1 | 21 |
Next Week Outlook
The Browns are currently 6-4 and will travel to Atlanta to face off against the Falcons, who have the worst-ranked defense in the NFL.
Hoyer will also get to enjoy his new toy, wide receiver Josh Gordon, who returns from a suspension ready to play for the first time since preseason.
20. Ryan Mallett, Houston Texans
15 of 34
This Week
Ryan Mallett made his first career start on Sunday in Cleveland.
Mallett's first career TD pass went to J.J. Watt on his way to winning his first game as a starter. It’s hard not to be impressed by his debut.
O'Brien spoke on Monday, according to DrewDougherty of HoustonTexans.com, after looking at Mallett’s film. This is what he concluded:
“I thought he was decisive for the most part in the passing game. I had him down for two poor decisions. When you throw the ball whatever it was, 30 times, and you only have two poor decisions, that’s not bad for a first start. Those were the things that I had seen in practice, and it was good to see that in a game.”
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ CLE | W 23-7 | 20 | 30 | 66.7 | 211 | 2 | 1 |
Season Average
For those of you who may think Mallett is ranked too high for a QB who's only played in one game, consider the fact that he has the second-highest QBR in the league behind only Aaron Rodgers.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 1 | WSH | W 17-6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 2 | @ OAK | W 30-14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 3 | @ NYG | L 17-30 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 4 | BUF | W 23-17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 5 | @ DAL | L 17-20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 6 | IND | L 28-33 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 7 | @PITT | L 23-30 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 8 | @ TEN | W 30-16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 9 | PHI | L 21-31 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 10 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 11 | @ CLE | W 23-7 | 20 | 30 | 66.7 | 211 | 2 | 1 | 20 |
Next Week Outlook
Mallett will look to continue his early success when the Texans host the Bengals on Sunday. Houston is ranked 28th in passing yards per game (209) and is 2-2 at home. The Bengals are 1-2 on the road and have a secondary that’s beaten up pretty badly.
19. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
16 of 34
This Week
Stafford and Co. faced yet another tough challenge last week when they traveled to the desert to face the Cardinals. The Cardinals had allowed just 37.3 percent third-down conversions from their opponents, which was ranked eighth.
The matchup in the secondary was incredible to watch, as Patrick Peterson did a nice job slowing down Calvin Johnson.
After the game Matthew Stafford had this to say about the Detriot Lions defense, as per Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 AM: “That's one of the best secondaries, if not the best secondary, we've seen all season."
In that game he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 20,000 yards passing.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ ARI | L 6-14 | 18 | 30 | 60.0 | 183 | 0 | 1 |
Season Average
There are a lot of Lions fans out there who want to equate their team's success to some sort of maturity or growth from Stafford. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case. The maturity of the defense, on the other hand, is very much a factor in this team’s success.
According to Pro Football Focus, Stafford is ranked 60th out of 68 NFL quarterbacks this season. Keep in mind that this grade goes beyond his stats and looks at his performance on every single play he participates in.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17 |
| 1 | NYG | W 35-14 | 22 | 32 | 68.8 | 346 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| 2 | @ CAR | L 7-24 | 27 | 48 | 56.2 | 291 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| 3 | GB | W 19-7 | 22 | 34 | 64.7 | 246 | 0 | 2 | 16 |
| 4 | @ NYJ | W 24-17 | 24 | 34 | 70.6 | 293 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| 5 | BUF | L 14-17 | 18 | 31 | 58.1 | 221 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| 6 | @ MIN | W 17-3 | 19 | 33 | 57.6 | 185 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | NO | W 24-23 | 27 | 40 | 67.5 | 299 | 2 | 2 | 21 |
| 8 | @ ATL | W 22-21 | 24 | 47 | 51.1 | 325 | 2 | 1 | 20 |
| 9 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 |
| 10 | MIA | W 20-16 | 25 | 40 | 62.5 | 280 | 2 | 1 | 18 |
| 11 | @ ARI | L 6-14 | 18 | 30 | 60.0 | 183 | 0 | 1 | 19 |
Next Week Outlook
This Sunday at Gillette Stadium, two of the league’s best teams will square off. Stafford needs to play better in order for this team to be nearly unstoppable.
The Patriots have the 16th-ranked defense, so moving the ball won’t be easy for Stafford and their struggling offense.
18. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
17 of 34
This Week
Cam Newton needed to play a good game in order to win the NFC South, sitting at 3-6-1. However, they failed to pick on the second-worst defense in the NFL while hosting the Atlanta Falcons.
Newton was able to put up fairly decent numbers but had his second consecutive game with multiple interceptions.
Not only does Newton have limited weapons in the receiving corps, but he also had to play through noticeable discomfort. There were not specific injuries to Cam reported by head coach Ron Rivera, but he did seem slower and less mobile than he ever has.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| ATL | L 17-19 | 23 | 37 | 62.2 | 292 | 2 | 2 |
Season Average
Newton has now thrown 10 INTs on the season, which is tied for the fifth-most in the NFL.
He has been sacked 32 times this year, tied for the most in the NFL.
He has not thrown a pick in seven consecutive games. Since Week 6, the Panthers have lost five-straight games.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 |
| 1 | @ TB | W 20-14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 2 | DET | W 24-7 | 22 | 34 | 64.7 | 281 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | PIT | L 19-37 | 24 | 35 | 68.6 | 250 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| 4 | @ BAL | L 10-38 | 14 | 25 | 56.0 | 197 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| 5 | CHI | W 31-24 | 19 | 35 | 54.3 | 255 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| 6 | @ CIN | Tie 37-37 | 29 | 46 | 63.0 | 284 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| 7 | @ GB | L 17-38 | 17 | 31 | 54.8 | 205 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 8 | SEA | L 9-13 | 12 | 22 | 54.5 | 171 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| 9 | NO | L 10-28 | 10 | 28 | 35.7 | 151 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| 10 | @ PHI | L 21-45 | 25 | 40 | 62.5 | 306 | 2 | 3 | 19 |
| 11 | ATL | L 17-19 | 23 | 37 | 62.2 | 292 | 2 | 2 | 18 |
Next Week Outlook
Bye
17. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
18 of 34
This Week
The Bears hosted the Vikings in their first of two games this season. Jay Cutler was able to beat a rookie QB and the Vikings defense, which was ranked ninth in total yards per game.
He surpassed the 300-yard passing mark for the third time all year and completed an impressive 72.1 percent of his passes.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| MIN | W 21-13 | 31 | 43 | 72.1 | 330 | 3 | 2 |
Season Average
Cutler’s 12 INTs are the second-most by a QB so far. However, he does have redeemable qualities, such as his 21 TD passes, which is tied with Philip Rivers for sixth in the NFL.
The polarizing QB may be a gunslinger at times, but has also done a good job completing 67 percent of his passes.
Cutler is also tied for the league lead with Cam Newton for losing more fumbles (5) than any other QB in the NFL at the moment.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15 |
| 1 | BUF | L 20-23 | 34 | 49 | 69.4 | 349 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| 2 | @ SF | W 28-20 | 23 | 34 | 67.6 | 176 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| 3 | @ NYJ | W 27-19 | 23 | 38 | 60.5 | 225 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| 4 | G B | L 17-38 | 22 | 34 | 64.7 | 256 | 2 | 2 | 17 |
| 5 | @ CAR | L 24-31 | 28 | 36 | 77.8 | 289 | 2 | 2 | 15 |
| 6 | @ ATL | W 27-13 | 26 | 38 | 68.4 | 381 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| 7 | MIA | L 14-27 | 21 | 34 | 61.8 | 190 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| 8 | @ NE | L 23-51 | 20 | 30 | 66.7 | 227 | 3 | 1 | 18 |
| 9 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 |
| 10 | @ GB | L 14-55 | 22 | 37 | 59.5 | 272 | 1 | 2 | 22 |
| 11 | MIN | W 21-13 | 31 | 43 | 72.1 | 330 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
Next Week Outlook
Jay Cutler and the Bears will host the Buccaneers this Sunday. Both teams are coming off victories and are looking to extend their good fortunes.
16. Eli Manning, New York Giants
19 of 34
This Week
Eli Manning and the Giants hosted the 49ers and their second-ranked defense. This game also featured the return of Aldon Smith, arguably one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL.
How can we sum up Eli Manning’s performance against the 49ers on Sunday? Andrew Siciliano put it nicely: “Eli Manning is the first QB to throw five-plus interceptions in a game since Eli Manning did it Week 15, 2013.”
Oh, and he completed just 48.9 percent of his passes, but the Giants still almost won the game.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| SF | L 10-16 | 22 | 45 | 48.9 | 280 | 1 | 5 |
Season Average
Manning has now thrown 11 INTs on the season, which is the third-most in the NFL. The Giants are currently in the midst of a five-game losing streak.
He started the season ranked 27th and had been slowly making his way into the top 10 until this most recent performance.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 27 |
| 1 | @ DET | L 14-35 | 18 | 33 | 54.5 | 163 | 1 | 2 | 28 |
| 2 | ARI | L 14-25 | 26 | 39 | 66.7 | 277 | 2 | 2 | 26 |
| 3 | HOU | W 30-17 | 21 | 28 | 75.0 | 234 | 2 | 0 | 23 |
| 4 | @ WAS | W 45-14 | 28 | 39 | 71.8 | 300 | 4 | 1 | 15 |
| 5 | ATL | W 30-20 | 19 | 30 | 63.3 | 200 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| 6 | @ PHI | L 0-27 | 13 | 23 | 56.5 | 151 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 7 | @ DAL | L 21-31 | 21 | 33 | 63.6 | 248 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| 8 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 |
| 9 | IND | L 24-40 | 27 | 52 | 51.9 | 359 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| 10 | @ SEA | L 17-38 | 29 | 44 | 65.9 | 283 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 11 | SF | L 10-16 | 22 | 45 | 48.9 | 280 | 1 | 5 | 16 |
Next Week Outlook
The divisional matchup against the Cowboys could get sloppy on Sunday if it rains, which is in the forecast.
Eli Manning will look to get revenge for the 31-21 loss the Cowboys handed them back in October.
Dallas currently has the 15th-ranked defense in the league.
15. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers
20 of 34
This Week
Traveling to MetLife stadium to play the New York Giants, who have the worst-ranked defense in the NFL, should be the perfect opportunity for Kaepernick and Co. to put up some big numbers and continue on the path toward keeping their playoff hopes alive.
The 49ers must protect their QB, who has taken more sacks (31) than anyone in the NFL.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ NYG | W 16-10 | 15 | 29 | 51.7 | 193 | 1 | 0 |
Season Average
Kaepernick has been taken down 31 times so far, which is tied for the most in the NFL with Cam Newton. Many of those sacks are not the fault of the offensive line, but rather slow and poor decision-making from the young QB.
On the year, Kaepernick has thrown for 14 TDs with five INTs.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 |
| 1 | @ DAL | W 28-17 | 16 | 23 | 69.6 | 201 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | CHI | L 20-28 | 21 | 34 | 61.8 | 248 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| 3 | @ AZ | L 14-23 | 29 | 37 | 78.4 | 245 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 4 | PHI | W 26-21 | 17 | 30 | 56.7 | 218 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 5 | KC | W 22-17 | 14 | 26 | 53.8 | 201 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| 6 | @ STL | W 31-17 | 22 | 36 | 61.1 | 343 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| 7 | @ DEN | L 17-42 | 24 | 39 | 61.5 | 263 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| 8 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 |
| 9 | STL | L 10-13 | 22 | 33 | 66.7 | 237 | 1 | 0 | 21 |
| 10 | @ NO | W 27-24 | 14 | 32 | 43.8 | 210 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| 11 | @ NYG | W 16-10 | 15 | 29 | 51.7 | 193 | 1 | 0 | 15 |
Next Week Outlook
San Francisco is finding ways to win the close games but will need to put more points on the board moving forward.
Kaepernick has only surpassed 250 yards on two occasions this year.
14. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
21 of 34
This Week
Cincy traveled to New Orleans to take on the 4-5 Saints, and both teams needed a win desperately.
The Red Rifle rebounded from an embarrassing performance last Thursday night to complete 72.7 percent of his passes for three TDs and no INTs.
According to ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert, Dalton “completed seven of eight passes for 117 yards and a touchdown on third down. All seven completions converted a first down, helping him to a 99.97 third-down QBR, the best of his career.”
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ NO | W 27-10 | 16 | 22 | 72.7 | 220 | 3 | 0 |
Season Average
Dalton seems to be returning to his roller-coaster 2013, where he could play like a Pro Bowler one week and a backup the next. Dalton has had four games with no TD passes and four with multiple TD passes this season alone.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| 1 | @ BAL | W 23-16 | 25 | 38 | 65.8 | 301 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| 2 | ATL | W 24-10 | 15 | 23 | 65.2 | 252 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 3 | TEN | W 33-7 | 15 | 23 | 65.2 | 169 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 4 | Bye | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 13 |
| 5 | @ NE | L 17-43 | 15 | 24 | 62.5 | 204 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| 6 | CAR | Tie 37-37 | 33 | 43 | 76.7 | 323 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| 7 | @ IND | L 0-27 | 18 | 38 | 47.4 | 126 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 8 | BAL | W 27-24 | 21 | 28 | 75.0 | 266 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| 9 | JAX | W 33-23 | 19 | 31 | 61.3 | 233 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| 10 | CLE | L 3-24 | 10 | 33 | 30.3 | 86 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
| 11 | @ NO | W 27-10 | 16 | 22 | 72.7 | 220 | 3 | 0 | 14 |
Next Week Outlook
On Sunday the Bengals will travel to Houston to play the 4-5 Texans. You probably had no idea the Texans have won the last five meetings between these two teams.
The Bengals are 15th in passing yards per game (240), while Houston is 29th in passing yards allowed (273).
13. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
22 of 34
This Week
Bye
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season Average
A standout game by Stafford, Kaepernick, Hoyer or Newton would have sent Flacco back a few notches, but none of the aforementioned QBs did enough to jump Flacco.
Flacco’s season numbers are right on point with an average NFL starter across the board.
Throughout the season, the QB has ranged from 27th to 10th on the power rankings.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 23 |
| 1 | CIN | L 16-23 | 35 | 62 | 56.5 | 345 | 1 | 1 | 27 |
| 2 | PIT | W 26-6 | 21 | 29 | 72.4 | 166 | 2 | 0 | 20 |
| 3 | @ CLE | W 23-21 | 19 | 31 | 61.3 | 217 | 1 | 1 | 20 |
| 4 | CAR | W 38-10 | 22 | 31 | 71.0 | 327 | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | @ IND | L 13-20 | 22 | 38 | 57.9 | 235 | 0 | 1 | 19 |
| 6 | @ TB | W 48-17 | 21 | 29 | 72.4 | 306 | 5 | 0 | 13 |
| 7 | ATL | W 29-7 | 16 | 25 | 64.0 | 258 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 8 | @ CIN | L 24-27 | 17 | 34 | 50.0 | 195 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| 9 | @ PIT | L 23-43 | 30 | 45 | 66.7 | 303 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 10 | TEN | W 21-7 | 16 | 27 | 59.3 | 169 | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| 11 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 |
Next Week Outlook
Joe Flacco and the Ravens return from their bye week and have had two weeks to prepare for a Monday Night Football matchup against the Saints.
Flacco will have to put points on the board to match the potent offense of New Orleans.
12. Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
23 of 34
This Week
Alex Smith had his hands full this week against a Bills defense that had been terrorizing QBs all year long.
This was a tough battle between the Chiefs and the Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium. After a shaky first half of the season, the Seahawks defense had finally started to play like they did during their Super Bowl run.
Against the Seahawks’ secondary, Smith went 11-of-16 for 108 yards passing. These are far from impressive box scores, but he did what he had to do for a victory, while Jamaal Charles took the game over.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| SEA | W 24-20 | 11 | 16 | 68.8 | 108 | 0 | 0 |
Season Average
In Kansas City’s last eight games (7-1), Smith has thrown 10 TDs and just one INT. Smith would be ranked higher if he could find a way to generate more yards with either his feet or his arm. He is currently one of the lowest-ranked starting QBs in yards per pass attempt with an average of 6.79.
The longest completion of the season for Smith was just 34 yards. That’s the lowest of any starting QB in the NFL.
Amazingly, he has yet to throw a TD pass to a wide receiver this season. In fact, he only has three TD passes in the last five games combined, yet the Chiefs keep winning.
So why is Smith moving up in the rankings? For starters, he has only thrown one INT in his last nine games combined and has completed 69.8 percent of his passes since the bye week.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 |
| 1 | TEN | L 10-26 | 19 | 35 | 54.3 | 202 | 1 | 3 | 24 |
| 2 | @ DEN | L 17-24 | 26 | 42 | 61.9 | 255 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| 3 | @ MIA | W 34-15 | 19 | 25 | 76.0 | 186 | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | NE | W 41-14 | 20 | 26 | 76.9 | 248 | 3 | 0 | 16 |
| 5 | @ SF | L 17-22 | 17 | 31 | 54.8 | 175 | 2 | 1 | 17 |
| 6 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 |
| 7 | @ SD | W 23-20 | 19 | 28 | 67.9 | 221 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| 8 | STL | W 34-7 | 24 | 28 | 85.7 | 226 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 9 | NYJ | W 24-10 | 21 | 31 | 67.7 | 199 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| 10 | @ BUF | W 17-13 | 17 | 29 | 58.6 | 177 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 11 | SEA | W 24-20 | 11 | 16 | 68.8 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
Next Week Outlook
Smith and the Chiefs will square off against their longtime divisional foes on Thursday night. This will be the first of their two matchups, and the Raiders are not a very good team right now.
This could be a good week to see if the Chiefs could jump-start a passing attack that has been dormant for much of the season.
11. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins
24 of 34
This Week
What better time to face the best pass rush in the NFL than right after your starting LT goes down with a season-ending injury?
Tannehill used his legs a little in this Thursday night divisional matchup.
In addition to leading the league in sacks (34) the Bills were also ranked sixth in total yards allowed per game (320.9). To make matters worse, Tannehill was 1-4 lifetime against the Bills going into the game. Having said that, the Dolphins pulled off a convincing victory as Tannehill completed 76.5 percent of his passes for 240 yards and two TDs.
His only blemish on the day was his first fumble of the season.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| BUF | W 22-9 | 26 | 34 | 76.5 | 240 | 2 | 0 |
Season Average
Since Week 7, Tannehill has thrown nine TDs and two INTs while completing 70.7 percent of his passes. His season average for yards per pass attempt (6.67) is on the low end but is rising as of late. There are only nine current starters with an average yards per attempt lower than seven.
Tannehill is certainly trending upward, and it’s time people start recognizing that he’s been a big reason his team has gone 4-1 in its last five games.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 |
| 1 | NE | W 33-20 | 18 | 32 | 56.3 | 178 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| 2 | @ BUF | L 10-29 | 31 | 49 | 63.3 | 241 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 3 | KC | L 15-34 | 21 | 43 | 48.8 | 205 | 1 | 0 | 22 |
| 4 | @ OAK | W 38-14 | 23 | 31 | 74.2 | 278 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| 5 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 |
| 6 | GB | L 24-27 | 20 | 31 | 64.5 | 244 | 2 | 2 | 22 |
| 7 | @ CHI | W 27-14 | 25 | 32 | 78.1 | 277 | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 8 | @ JAX | W 27-13 | 16 | 29 | 55.2 | 196 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 9 | SD | W 37-0 | 24 | 34 | 70.6 | 288 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| 10 | @ DET | L 16-20 | 27 | 38 | 71.1 | 207 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 11 | BUF | W 22-9 | 26 | 34 | 76.5 | 240 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
Next Week Outlook
The 6-4 Dolphins will have the tough task of going into Mile High Stadium to take on a Broncos team that will be incredibly motivated. Tannehill has been great, but the Broncos pose a litany of challenges he may not be ready for.
The Broncos have the fifth-ranked defense.
10. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
25 of 34
This Week
The Seahawks headed to Kansas City to face a tough 6-3 Chiefs squad who were ranked seventh in total yards per game.
Russell Wilson continued to struggle to push the ball downfield and threw for just 178 yards in the loss.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ KC | L 20-24 | 20 | 32 | 62.5 | 178 | 2 | 0 |
Season Average
Among qualified players, Wilson is leading the NFL in rushing yards per attempt at 7.7. Although Wilson’s rushing production is impressive, he has fewer than 200 passing yards in six games this year, including in each of the last four.
So why is he ranked so high?
For one, this kid has a knack for not turning the ball over. He is one of just three QBs to start every game this year without giving up a single fumble to the opposition. Pairing that with his five INTs, 13 pass TD and league-leading four rushing TDs shows a guy who can keep the chains moving, sustain drives and keep it out of the other team's hands.
If you add together TD passes and rushing TDs while subtracting INTs and fumbles lost, no QB ranked lower than Wilson has a better ratio than his plus-12. Furthermore, there is no QB ranked lower than Wilson who has both a better QBR and PFF grade than he does.
The results from his efficient play equate to the Seahawks being ranked fifth in the NFC in total points scored, with 260.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 1 | GB | W 36-16 | 19 | 28 | 67.9 | 191 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | @ SD | L 21-30 | 17 | 25 | 68 | 202 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | DEN | W 26-20 | 24 | 34 | 70.6 | 258 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 |
| 5 | @ WSH | W 27-17 | 18 | 24 | 75 | 201 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | DAL | L 23-30 | 14 | 28 | 50.0 | 126 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 7 | @ STL | L 26-28 | 23 | 36 | 63.9 | 313 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 8 | @ CAR | W 13-9 | 20 | 32 | 62.5 | 199 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 9 | OAK | W 30-24 | 17 | 35 | 48.6 | 179 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 10 | NYG | W 38-17 | 10 | 17 | 58.8 | 172 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 11 | @ KC | L 20-24 | 20 | 32 | 62.5 | 178 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
Next Week Outlook
Expect Wilson and the Seahawks to be ready to play against the Cardinals on Sunday. These teams have not faced each other yet, and it should be exciting to watch these two juggernauts go head-to-head.
9. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
26 of 34
This Week
The battle against the Panthers was a good win for the Falcons. One thing Matt Ryan needed to be aware was of holding on to the ball, because the Panthers’ defense was ranked second in the NFL with 14 forced fumbles. They were never able to take the ball away from Ryan.
He threw for 268 yards and a touchdown on the day.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ CAR | W 19-17 | 31 | 45 | 68.9 | 268 | 1 | 0 |
Season Average
Over the last two weeks against the Panthers and Bucs (both of which have poor pass defenses), Ryan has thrown 76 passes for just two TDs and about 6.5 yards per attempt. Despite this, Russell Wilson has done nothing to pass him in the rankings.
Ryan also has three fourth-quarter comebacks for Atlanta so far this year.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 |
| 1 | NO | W 37-34 | 31 | 43 | 72.1 | 448 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | @ CIN | L 10-24 | 24 | 44 | 54.5 | 231 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 3 | TB | W 56-14 | 21 | 24 | 87.5 | 286 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | @ MIN | L 28-41 | 25 | 41 | 61.0 | 298 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 5 | @ NYG | L 20-30 | 29 | 45 | 64.4 | 316 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 6 | CHI | L 13-27 | 19 | 37 | 51.4 | 271 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 7 | @ BAL | L 7-29 | 29 | 44 | 65.9 | 228 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 8 | DET | L 21-22 | 20 | 27 | 74.1 | 228 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 9 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| 10 | @ TB | W 27-17 | 20 | 31 | 64.5 | 219 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 11 | @ CAR | W 19-17 | 31 | 45 | 68.9 | 268 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
Next Week Outlook
Ryan and the Falcons will put forth their best effort against the Browns, hoping to get one step closer to that divisional title.
The Falcons boast the 10th-ranked offense, but their defense is atrocious.
8. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
27 of 34
This Week
Bye
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season Average
There are only four QBs who have completed more than 100 passes while averaging over eight yards per pass attempt—Tony Romo is in that club, averaging 8.34 yards per attempt.
After a rough start to the season, Romo has been a stalwart in the top 10. He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game this season.
| Week | Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 1 | SF | L 17-28 | 23 | 37 | 62.2 | 281 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 | @ TEN | W 26-10 | 19 | 29 | 65.5 | 176 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| 3 | @ SL | W 34-31 | 18 | 23 | 78.3 | 217 | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| 4 | NO | W 38-17 | 22 | 29 | 75.9 | 262 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| 5 | HOU | W 20-17 | 28 | 41 | 68.3 | 324 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| 6 | @ SEA | W 30-23 | 21 | 32 | 65.6 | 250 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 7 | NYG | W 31-21 | 17 | 23 | 73.9 | 279 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 8 | WSH | L 17-20 | 17 | 28 | 60.7 | 209 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| 9 | ARI | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A |
| 10 | @ JAX | W 31-17 | 20 | 27 | 74.1 | 246 | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| 11 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
Next Week Outlook
The 7-3 Cowboys return from their bye to face the New York Giants at home. This could be a big day for Romo, considering he had two weeks to prepare for the Giants and their 31st-ranked defense.
7. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
28 of 34
This Week
Last Sunday the Chargers played host to the winless Oakland Raiders, as they looked to get back on track following their Week 10 bye.
Philip Rivers had thrown for 339 YPG, 11 TDs in his last five road games against Oakland.
He failed to pass for 200 yards for the second consecutive day but did manage to avoid turnovers and come away with the 13-6 victory, ending a three-game skid.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| OAK | W 13-6 | 22 | 34 | 64.7 | 193 | 1 | 0 |
Season Average
Since Week 6, Philip Rivers has undoubtedly cooled off after starting the season on fire. His regression could perhaps be due to a reported rib injury. Either way, the Chargers have gone 1-4 while averaging 13.5 points per game during that span.
Despite the slump, Rivers has a Total QBR of 80.5, the second-highest of any QB to start every game this season (behind only Aaron Rodgers).
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 1 | @ AZ | L 17-18 | 21 | 36 | 58.3 | 238 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2 | SEA | W 30-21 | 28 | 37 | 75.7 | 284 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | @ BUF | W 22-10 | 18 | 25 | 72.0 | 256 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | JAX | W 33-14 | 29 | 39 | 74.4 | 377 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | NYJ | W 31-0 | 20 | 28 | 71.4 | 288 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | @ OAK | W 31-28 | 22 | 34 | 64.7 | 313 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | KC | L 20-23 | 17 | 31 | 54.8 | 205 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | @ DEN | L 21-35 | 30 | 41 | 73.2 | 252 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 9 | @ MIA | L 0-37 | 12 | 23 | 52.2 | 138 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 10 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 11 | OAK | W 13-6 | 22 | 34 | 64.7 | 193 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
Next Week Outlook
Rivers needs just 87 yards to reach 35,000 career passing yards. He should pass that against the Rams on Sunday.
6. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
29 of 34
This Week
In one of the most anticipated matchups of the week, the 6-3 Colts played host to the 7-2 Patriots. Andrew Luck had the top-ranked passing attack heading into the game, while the Patriots were ranked 14th against the pass.
He finished the game with 303 passing yards and two TDs but lost the game decisively to Tom Brady and Co.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| NE | L 20-42 | 23 | 39 | 59.0 | 303 | 2 | 1 |
Season Average
Like Aaron Rodgers, Luck has thrown for 28 TD passes on the season, the second-highest in the league, but also has 10 INTs to go with it. After 11 weeks of NFL action, only eight QBs have thrown for at least 10 INTs.
Luck has been asked to do a lot in this offense and has generally stood up to the challenge. Over his last three games, however, the Colts have gone 1-2, while Luck has failed to complete at least 60 percent of his passes in each of those contests.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 |
| 1 | @ DEN | L 24-31 | 35 | 53 | 66.0 | 370 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 2 | PHI | L 27-30 | 20 | 34 | 58.8 | 172 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| 3 | @ JAX | W 44-17 | 31 | 39 | 79.5 | 370 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | TEN | W 41-17 | 29 | 41 | 70.7 | 393 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | BAL | W 20-13 | 32 | 49 | 65.3 | 312 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 6 | @ HOU | W 33-28 | 25 | 44 | 56.8 | 370 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 | CIN | W 27-0 | 27 | 42 | 64.3 | 344 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 8 | @ PIT | L 34-51 | 26 | 45 | 57.8 | 400 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 9 | @ NYG | W 40-24 | 25 | 46 | 54.4 | 354 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
| 10 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 11 | NE | L 20-42 | 23 | 39 | 59.0 | 303 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
Next Week Outlook
Luck and Co. will look to get back on track and put the loss to New England behind them for good. What better team for that than the 1-8 Jaguars?
Jacksonville has the 25th-ranked defense against the pass, which should bode well for the most prolific passing game in the NFL in terms of yards.
5. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
30 of 34
This Week
The Bengals headed to New Orleans to take on Drew Brees and the 4-5 Saints. Both teams were desperate for a win and looking to take first place in their respective divisions.
Brees struggled to pick apart a defense ranked 30th in total yards allowed per game. He only managed to score 10 points for the Saints’ offense in their disappointing loss.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| CIN | L 10-27 | 33 | 41 | 80.5 | 255 | 1 | 0 |
Season Average
Despite losing in New Orleans, Brees has actually played good football. According to Pro Football Focus, Brees is ranked third among all NFL QBs using their unique grading system that factors in every play of every game this season.
Brees also has the highest completion rate of all QBs to start every game of the season, completing 69.5 percent of his attempts.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 1 | @ ATL | L 34-37 | 29 | 42 | 69 | 333 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2 | @ CLE | L 24-26 | 27 | 40 | 67.5 | 237 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | MIN | W 20-9 | 27 | 35 | 77.1 | 293 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | @ DAL | L 17-38 | 32 | 44 | 72.7 | 340 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | TB | W 37-31 | 35 | 57 | 61.4 | 371 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 7 | @ DET | L 23-24 | 28 | 45 | 62.2 | 342 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| 8 | GB | W 44-23 | 27 | 32 | 84.4 | 311 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 9 | @ CAR | W 28-10 | 24 | 34 | 70.6 | 297 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 10 | SF | L 24-27 | 28 | 47 | 59.6 | 292 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 11 | CIN | L 10-27 | 33 | 41 | 80.5 | 255 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
Next Week Outlook
According to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports, “Ravens QB Joe Flacco has won four of his past five starts on Monday Night Football. Saints QB Drew Brees has won nine of his past 10.”
This should be an exciting matchup between two franchise QBs who thrive under the lights.
4. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
31 of 34
This Week
The Rams didn’t seem to pose much of a threat to the Broncos on paper but have generated a couple of upsets this season with wins over the 49ers and Seahawks. We can now add the Broncos to that list, as the Rams held Manning to a season-low seven points on the day.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ STL | L 7-22 | 34 | 54 | 63.0 | 389 | 1 | 2 |
Season Average
This is the first time in two years that Manning has been ranked lower than No. 2. With that said, he still boasts one of the highest Total QBR’s (80.0) in football. He also has one of the best yards-per-pass-attempt averages at 8.11.
For what it's worth, Manning has completed the longest pass of the season, which went for 86 yards.
Manning has also thrown more TD passes (30) than any other QB in the league.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 1 | IND | W 31-24 | 22 | 36 | 61.1 | 269 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | KC | W 24-17 | 21 | 26 | 80.8 | 242 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | @ SEA | L 20-26 | 31 | 49 | 63.3 | 303 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 5 | AZ | W 41-20 | 31 | 47 | 66.0 | 479 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 6 | @ NYJ | W 31-17 | 22 | 33 | 66.7 | 237 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | SF | W 42-17 | 22 | 26 | 84.6 | 318 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | SD | W 35-21 | 25 | 35 | 71.4 | 286 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | @ NE | L 21-43 | 34 | 57 | 59.6 | 438 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | @ OAK | W 41-17 | 31 | 44 | 70.5 | 340 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 11 | @ STL | L 7-22 | 34 | 54 | 63.0 | 389 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Next Week Outlook
Peyton Manning was shut down last week against the Rams and he will have to bounce back against one of the best defenses in the league. The Dolphins are ranked second in the NFL on defense and will be coming into town looking for blood.
It’s hard to imagine Manning losing another one, especially at home.
3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
32 of 34
This Week
After being upset in Week 10 by the Jets, it was hard to imagine the Titans pulling off the feat for the second time in a row. Pittsburgh should have stomped on the 22nd-ranked defense in the league but instead decided to make a close game out of it.
Ben Roethlisberger’s 207 passing yards on the day were the second-fewest of the season for him.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| TEN | W 27-24 | 21 | 32 | 65.6 | 207 | 1 | 1 |
Season Average
For those of you out there who don’t think Big Ben belongs this high, consider this—according to Pro Football Focus, Roethlisberger has the second-highest grade among QBs this season. Plus, he is one of just four QBs who have already surpassed the 3,000-yard mark.
Big Ben is one of seven QBs who have thrown over 20 TD passes thus far. His 24 TDs are tied with Tom Brady for fourth in the NFL. He is also fourth among qualified QBs with a 105.3 passer rating.
Not only does this guy deserve to be this high, but he is nearly neck-and-neck with Brady.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| 1 | CLE | W 30-27 | 23 | 34 | 67.6 | 365 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 2 | @ BAL | L 6-26 | 22 | 37 | 59.5 | 217 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| 3 | @ CAR | W 37-19 | 22 | 30 | 73.3 | 196 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | TB | L 24-27 | 29 | 40 | 72.5 | 314 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | @ JAX | W 17-9 | 26 | 36 | 72.2 | 273 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 6 | @ CLE | L 10-31 | 21 | 42 | 50.0 | 228 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 7 | HOU | W 30-23 | 23 | 33 | 69.7 | 265 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 8 | IND | W 51-34 | 40 | 49 | 81.6 | 522 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | BAL | W 43-23 | 25 | 37 | 67.6 | 340 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | @ NYJ | L 13-20 | 30 | 43 | 69.8 | 343 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 11 | TEN | W 27-24 | 21 | 32 | 65.6 | 207 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Next Week Outlook
Bye
2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
33 of 34
This Week
Tom Brady and the Patriots are now in sole possession of first place in the AFC East after a resounding 42-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday night. That’s now six straight wins for New England.
Brady had some success against the Colts’ shaky secondary but also threw two INTs on the day.
In what was an epic battle between two of the best QBs representing the old and the new, Brady proved that he is still a force in this league.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| @ IND | W 42-20 | 19 | 30 | 63.3 | 257 | 2 | 2 |
Season Average
There are six QBs with a minimum of 100 passes who have a passer rating beyond 100. Brady is one, with a rating of 102.
Brady’s big win over the dangerous Colts helped Tom Terrific move up to the second spot and avoid being passed over by Ben Roethlisberger.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| 1 | @ MIA | L 20-33 | 29 | 56 | 51.8 | 249 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 2 | @ MIN | W 30-7 | 14 | 21 | 66.7 | 149 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | OAK | W 16-9 | 24 | 37 | 64.9 | 234 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 4 | @ KC | L 14-41 | 14 | 23 | 60.9 | 159 | 1 | 2 | 14 |
| 5 | CIN | W 43-17 | 23 | 35 | 65.7 | 292 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| 6 | @ BUF | W 37-22 | 27 | 37 | 73.0 | 361 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| 7 | NYJ | W 27-25 | 20 | 37 | 54.1 | 261 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 8 | CHI | W 51-23 | 30 | 35 | 85.7 | 354 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 9 | DEN | W 43-21 | 33 | 53 | 62.3 | 333 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 10 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| 11 | @ IND | W 42-20 | 19 | 30 | 63.3 | 257 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Next Week Outlook
Brady and the Patriots will host the Detroit Lions and their No. 1 overall defense of Sunday. This will be a big test for Brady moving forward. He is currently leading an offense that’s ranked seventh overall and ninth in passing offense.
1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
34 of 34
This Week
The Packers took on the Eagles at Lambeau Field in what turned out to be a one-sided blowout. Both defenses were struggling coming into the game, but no quarterback was playing better football than Aaron Rodgers.
He put up 341 yards and three TDs with no INTs on the day.
| Opponent | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT |
| PHI | W 53-20 | 22 | 36 | 61.1 | 341 | 3 | 0 |
Season Average
So far this season Rodgers leads all QBs in Total QBR (85.9) and yards per pass attempt (8.78). He is also tied for second in the league with his 28 TD passes yet has only thrown three picks with a passer rating of 120.1.
Oddly enough, Rodgers has fewer passing attempts so far this season than Colin Kaepernick, Brian Hoyer and Cam Newton.
| Week | Opp | Outcome | Comp | Att | PCT | Yards | TD | INT | Rank |
| PS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 1 | @ SEA | L 16-36 | 23 | 33 | 69.7 | 189 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | NYJ | W 31-24 | 25 | 42 | 59.5 | 346 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | @ DET | L 7-19 | 16 | 27 | 59.3 | 162 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 4 | @ CHI | W 38-17 | 22 | 28 | 78.6 | 302 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | MIN | W 42-10 | 12 | 17 | 70.6 | 156 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | @ MIA | W 27-24 | 24 | 42 | 57.1 | 264 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | CAR | W 38-17 | 19 | 22 | 86.4 | 255 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | @ NO | L 23-44 | 28 | 39 | 71.8 | 418 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 9 | Bye | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 10 | CHI | W 55-14 | 18 | 27 | 66.7 | 315 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | PHI | W 53-20 | 22 | 36 | 61.1 | 341 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Next Week Outlook
Aaron Rodgers will face the Vikings in frigid temperatures this Sunday. The Packers are second in the league in points scored, while the Vikings have the fourth-ranked pass defense in the league. The best QB in football should be able to win a game against a rookie QB.
Ryan Riddle is a former NFL player writing for Bleacher Report.
Follow him on Twitter.
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