QB Report Cards for 2025 NFL Week 6

Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones and Bryce Young all continue to play well. It's long past time to stop blaming or crediting the quarterbacks for everything. Situations matter. Now, multiple former "busts" are thriving. The performances seen during Week 6 once again proved this point.

Bleacher Report continues its quest of grading every performance by the league's signal-callers. Those mentioned are currently skewing the curve.

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Score: 31-27 loss vs. Indianapolis Colts

Stat Line: 27 of 44 for 320, two touchdowns and an interception

The best compliment anyone can provide a backup quarterback is that the team didn't drop off dramatically with them in the lineup. In the case of the Arizona Cardinals' Jacoby Brissett, the offense operated at a much smoother level and consistent pace.

Brissett threw for 320 yards. He operated within the scheme and got the ball out in rhythm, which aren't necessary strengths of starter Kyler Murray. In fact, Murray has thrown for at least 320 yards only once since the start of the 2023 campaign.

With Murray still nursing a foot injury, Brissett should start again next weekend. The Cardinals can let Murray heal then make a decision which option should start coming out of the team's Week 7 bye.

Grade: B+

Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Mike Stewart

Score: 24-14 win vs. Buffalo Bills

Stat Line: 20 of 32 for 250 yards and a touchdown

After being thumped by the Carolina Panthers in Week 3, the Atlanta Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. posted back-to-back outstanding performances.

"... I loved his practice response," head coach Raheem Morris said of Penix's preparation after the Falcons' last loss. "I loved his verbal response to his team. I loved his response in the game, and I loved his response of knowing it's a process, and I love how he reacted to the criticism. I love how he reacted to everything."

Penix is clearly taking command. He wasn't perfect on Monday, with a couple passes thrown into non-existent windows—which were nearly intercepted—and some instances where he can do a better job layering his attempts instead of always throwing 100-mph fastballs.

In the end, the Falcons offense moved the ball to the tune of 443 yards against the Bills. Penix's response has been getting the ball into the hands of his playmakers and letting them go to work, which is exactly what Atlanta wants from the quarterback position.

Grade: B

Cooper Rush & Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Score: 17-3 loss vs. Los Angeles Rams

Stat Line: (Rush) 11 of 19 for 72 yards, an interception and a fumble lost; (Huntley) 10 of 15 for 68 yards and three carries for 39 yards

The Baltimore Ravens are at a severe disadvantage whenever Lamar Jackson isn't in the lineup. The fact the team's defense is playing poorly doesn't help matters. But a change in the team's quarterback hierarchy should occur after Sunday's contest.

Cooper Rush didn't throw a single touchdown during the last three games. Instead, he provided four interceptions. During the last two outings, the Ravens' previous QB2 led one touchdown drive.

Head coach John Harbaugh decided to make a change after Rush committed his second turnover against the Rams.

The Ravens began moving the ball with Tyler Huntley behind center. Huntley is clearly better suited to the offense, to the point where he should move into the role as Jackson's primary backup.

As of now, Jackson is expected back from his hamstring injury after next week's bye. If not, Huntley should get the nod as the starter.

Grade: (Rush) F; (Huntley) B

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Colin Hubbard

Score: 24-14 loss vs. Atlanta Falcons

Stat Line: 15 of 26 for 180 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions; six carries for 42 yards

The Falcons defense frustrated Josh Allen throughout Monday's contest. Apparently, Atlanta had some Kryptonite to slow Superman. Allen had been exceptional to start this season, yet he was clearly flustered.

Usually, the NFL's reigning MVP is going to make a mind-bending throw and/or a backbreaking run in a critical moment. Those instances never materialized. Instead, he tried to flip the ball to receivers, threw to areas with no one in the vicinity and made mistakes that aren't typical.

Allen forced two throws that turned into interceptions as both halves neared their ends. On the first, he was late over the middle to Khalil Shakir and Dee Alford undercut the pass. The second came when the quarterback pressed late in the fourth quarter. Allen rolled to his left and tried to make a play but had the ball tipped and picked again.

Buffalo is now on a two-game losing streak, with a franchise quarterback coming off his worst outing of the season.

Grade: D

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Brian Westerholt

Score: 30-27 win vs. Dallas Cowboys

Stat Line: 17 of 25 for 199 yards, three touchdowns and an interception

Bryce Young received plenty of help Sunday, with Rico Dowdle going off on his old team. However, Young's performance when trying to go punch for punch with Dak Prescott and the Cowboys' explosive offense deserves recognition because it was impressive.

When trailing the Cowboys, Young completed 10 of 10 passes for 125 yards, three touchdowns and a perfect passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus.

Young's interception wasn't on him, either, since it ricocheted off of Tetairoa McMillan's hands into the awaiting arms of safety Donovan Wilson.

With Dowdle emerging as the focal point of Carolina's offense, Young is benefiting and dealing when necessary. The Panthers are now 3-1 over their last four games and building something of substance.

Grade: A

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Score: 25-24 win vs. Washington Commanders

Stat Line: 17 of 29 for 252 yards and a passing touchdown, as well as a rushing score

Caleb Williams will inevitably do something that make onlookers go, "Wow." The second-year quarterback will also do some things that make everyone scratch their heads in bewilderment. The Chicago Bears just want their quarterback doing enough to win games. Williams did so Monday against the Commanders.

Ironically, Williams' wild style has led to some of the most consistent quarterbacking the Bears have ever experienced. As StatMuse noted, the sophomore signal-caller is the first quarterback in franchise history to open the season with at least 200 passing yards and one touchdown toss in each of the initial five games.

The biggest difference in performance between last year's top two draft picks ultimately boiled down to one simple premise: Williams didn't commit any turnovers, while Jayden Daniels did so twice. Those mistakes provided Chicago with the edge.

Grade: B

Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Matt Ludtke

Score: 27-18 loss vs. Green Bay Packers

Stat Line: 29 of 45 for 219 yards and two touchdowns

The Cincinnati Bengals made a desperate attempt to save this season by trading with a division rival, the Cleveland Browns, to bring in Joe Flacco so he can serve as the squad's starting quarterback.

Flacco looked about as good as anyone could expect after practicing three days with his new team. While it wasn't always pretty, the 40-year-old quarterback understood the assignment: Throw the ball to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Cincinnati's dynamic duo at wide receiver combined to catch 15 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Flacco targeted them a total of 20 times.

The Bengals did pull within six points in the fourth quarter before the Packers responded with another touchdown. A promising second half can be built upon after four straight punts to start Flacco's tenure. The veteran will get more comfortable with time in the system and around his new teammates. He won't be Joe Burrow, but he also won't be Jake Browning.

Grade: C

Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Score: 23-9 loss vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Stat Line: 29 of 52 for 221 yards

All Cleveland Browns quarterbacks must endure the initiation test of losing to the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Dillon Gabriel is the latest to do so.

Gabriel provided a poor first impression after the organization fully handed him the reins. Granted, the third-round rookie entered the starting lineup last weekend against the Minnesota Vikings. But the Browns organization made the decision this past Tuesday to trade previous starter Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals. There's no going back now.

Either Gabriel plays well enough to warrant full-time starting consideration, or he'll eventually give way to Shedeur Sanders as Cleveland's front office continues its evaluation.

Gabriel's biggest weakness has been an inability to drive the ball downfield. Against the Steelers, he completed only four of 15 pass attempts that were 10 or more yards downfield, according to ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi. He's now 7-of-25 through two starts.

Grade: F

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Rusty Jones

Score: 30-27 loss vs. Carolina Panthers

Stat Line: 25 of 34 for 261 yards and three touchdowns

Dak Prescott can only do so much. The Dallas Cowboys field an elite offense. But they can't help when opponents run roughshod over the team's sieve-like defense.

The Panthers accumulated 410 yards Sunday, with Rico Dowdle setting a single-game franchise record by recording 239 yards from scrimmage. To make matters worse, the Cowboys offense never had an opportunity late in the game to push toward a victory, because the Panthers chewed up the final 6:07 and kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

Prescott is playing at an MVP-caliber level, yet Dallas is 2-3-1. A quarterback can't do it all.

"At the end of the day, they're getting better," Prescott told reporters when asked about the Dallas' defensive performance. "The communication, they're getting the ball out, so they're going to get better."

Grade: A

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Score: 13-11 win vs. New York Jets

Stat Line: 19 of 30 for 174 yards and a touchdown

Weird things tend to happen during the International Series. Case in point, Bo Nix completed only three second-half passes Sunday against the Jets, yet the Denver Broncos still made a fourth-quarter comeback to win by two points.

Aside from escaping with a victory, the most important lesson from this particular contest centered on the Broncos' usage of tight end Evan Engram. Engram had six touches in London. He only had 12 through his first four appearances.

By getting the veteran tight end involved, Nix will have a security blanket in the passing game to make the scheme more varied. The second-year quarterback still needs to be more aggressive and perform better down the stretch than he did Sunday. Even so, the Broncos are 4-2 and heading back home to play in Denver for the first time since late December.

Grade: C

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

AP Photo

Score: 30-17 loss vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Stat Line: 23 of 29 for 203 and two touchdowns

When operating at peak performance, no quarterback in the league orchestrates his offense more efficiently than the Detroit Lions' Jared Goff. That version didn't show in Kansas City against the Chiefs. Goff wasn't as precise as he normally is.

"We were both playing that game of long possessions and when you play that game, you have to finish them with touchdowns, and they did and we didn't, Goff told reporters. "If you're going to play that time of possession game, you have to score at the end of them and they did more than we did."

To the quarterback's point, the Lions only got into the red zone twice and scored one touchdown. The more interesting aspect was seeing Goff's usual accuracy be slightly off on throws he normally makes. The Chiefs didn't generate a huge amount of pressure, but their defensive linemen had a few quick wins on key downs to possibly throw Goff off to a degree.

Grade: C

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

Score: 27-18 win vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Stat Line: 19 of 26 for 259 yards, a touchdown and an interception

Jordan Love's self-awareness has translated to the field.

"The biggest thing: I wasn't creating as many off schedule plays last season," Love told ESPN's Kevin Clark when asked about his 2024 performance. "I was obviously dealing with some injuries and stuff like that. I think that's a big part of my game I gotta get back into."

The comment is important to understand how the Green Bay Packers' quarterback looked better this season. With the 2:32 remaining and the Bengals down by only one score, Love extended a 3rd-and-9 play by rolling to his left, resetting his feet, launching a pass just before being hit by defensive end Joseph Ossai and completing a 31-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden.

The play allowed the Packers to push into field-goal territory and create a two-score lead with under two minutes remaining.

Grade: C+

Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Score: 31-27 win vs. Arizona Cardinals

Stat Line: 22 of 30 for 212 yards, two touchdowns and an interception; five carries for 20 yards and a score

The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. The best teams have signal-callers who positively create beyond the typical demands of the job. Daniel Jones is still re-establishing himself as a quality starter, but Sunday's performance against the Cardinals shows how far he's already come working within the Indianapolis Colts system.

Early in the contest, Jones threw an interception that was eerily reminiscent of the mistakes he made as a member of the New York Giants. The quarterback didn't see the linebacker underneath the intended route and threw it directly to Mack Wilson Sr.

However, later in the contest, Jones settled down and continually made throws and plays when they were absolutely necessary, specifically with a 17-yard scramble that help set up the first of Indianapolis' two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

Arizona had the Colts on the ropes. Jones and Co. came back swinging and emerged victorious.

Grade: B

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo

Score: 20-12 loss vs. Seattle Seahawks

Stat Line: 27 of 42 for 258 yards and two touchdowns

It's almost unfair to judge Trevor Lawrence's performance Sunday when he didn't have a chance behind his offensive line.

According to ESPN Research (h/t Michael DiRocco), Lawrence faced pressure on 54 percent of his 50 dropbacks. Seattle sacked the Jaguars quarterback seven different times, hit him on 17 occasions and created 33 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus.

No quarterback is going to excel when under constant duress. Yet, somehow, the Jaguars remained within striking distance in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, Jacksonville's final three offensive possessions ended in punts.

Kudos to Lawrence for enduring such an onslaught and helping to keep his team in the game. In the end, he could have overcome Seattle's attacking front but missed some throws. The performance is understandable considering the circumstances.

Grade: C

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Score: 30-17 win vs. Detroit Lions

Stat Line: 22 of 30 for 257 yards and three touchdowns; 10 carries for 32 yards and a score

Patrick Mahomes is still Patrick Mahomes, as seen during Sunday Night Football against the Lions.

Mahomes shredded the Lions defense, particularly when exploiting a specific advantage. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Mahomes completed 13 of 17 pass attempts for 165 yards when targeting linebackers in coverage. The quarterback's revolutionary improvisational skills were also on display as well. The Chiefs coaching staff even used that to their advantage by calling a speed option near the goal line, where Mahomes kept the ball for a rushing touchdown.

The Lions may have entered the contest with an elite offense, but it was the Chiefs who outgained them 355 to 297 yards.

"The great thing about this offense is it can come from anywhere," Mahomes told reporters after the game.

True. But it starts with the quarterback.

Grade: A

Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Jeff Lewis

Score: 20-10 win vs. Tennessee Titans

Stat Line: 17 of 23 for 174 yards, a touchdown and an interception

The Las Vegas Raiders earned their first victory since Week 1. They did so against a team they should have beaten. It's important for a squad to take care of business. That's exactly what Raiders quarterback Geno Smith isn't doing.

Smith threw yet another interception. He leads the league with 10.

"I told coach that I need to jump into a lake or ocean or something," the veteran quarterback told reporters after Sunday's meeting with the Tennessee Titans. "It's a lot of bad luck stuff happening to me. But I'm in control of that."

Yes, Smith is in control of it. His latest interception wasn't bad luck. It came courtesy of a bad decision. Smith rolled to his right and tried to hit a tight end throwback. Instead, he left the ball short and inside, which is why it was easily picked. Tennessee did pressure Smith on the play, but he released the ball prior to being hit. That example is on the quarterback.

The Raiders play much better competition over the next month. Smith must cut down on his mistakes.

Grade: C

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo

Score: 29-27 win vs. Miami Dolphins

Stat Line: 29 of 38 for 264 yards and two touchdowns

Justin Herbert returned to form against the Miami Dolphins. After getting off to an early MVP-caliber start, he and the Los Angeles Chargers faltered over the last two weeks.

Against the Dolphins, Herbert saved his best for last. As Pro Football Focus noted, the quarterback completed 17 of 22 passes for 171 yards and threw both of his touchdowns during the second half. His 42-yard connection with Ladd McConkey, where the wide receiver did an outstanding job creating after the catch, helped set up the game-winning field goal.

While the McConkey connection at a critical juncture was a short pass turned into a big play, Herbert did his part by shrugging off a potential sack and slipping the ball to his most reliable target.

The Chargers continued to deal with multiple injuries along their offensive line, but Herbert and Co. overcame.

Grade: A

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Score: 17-3 win vs. Baltimore Ravens

Stat Line: 17 of 26 for 181 yards, one touchdown and a fumble lost

Matthew Stafford doesn't always need to play like a future Hall of Fame inductee despite surpassing Dan Marino Sunday for ninth on the NFL's all-time list in passing yardage.

"We did just enough to win the game—which is the name of the game, so we'll take it," Stafford told reporters.

The Rams struggled in the red zone, scoring two touchdowns in five trips deep into Baltimore's territory. Stafford struggled to connect with veteran wide receiver Davante Adams, particularly near the end zone.

But Los Angeles' defense held up its end of the bargain, while the usually explosive Rams offense did just enough to ensure a victory. Stafford isn't going to sweat a middling performance, because he understands that each week is different and a win is all that matters.

Grade: C

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

Score: 29-27 loss vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Stat Line: 21 of 32 for 205 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions

An organization is not in a good place when the starting quarterback openly questions the squad's leadership after a loss.

"I think it starts with the leadership in helping articulate that for the guys and then what we're expecting out of the guys," he told reporters. "We're expecting this—are we getting that? Are we not getting that? We have guys showing up to players-only meetings late, guys not showing up to players-only meetings. There's a lot that goes into that. Do we have to make this mandatory? Do we not have to make this mandatory?

"It's a lot of things of that nature that we've got to get cleaned up, and it starts with little things like that."

At 1-5, Tagovailoa's public message may already be too late. But he hasn't helped matters by playing poorly. Some self-reflection is also necessary.

Grade: F

Drake Maye, New England Patriots

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Score: 25-19 win vs. New Orleans Saints

Stat Line: 18 of 26 for 261 yards and three touchdowns

The New England Patriots are going back to the future, because they're sitting pretty with a 4-2 record and have a franchise quarterback pulling the trigger offensively.

To fully understand how well the Patriots' second-year signal-caller is playing this season, the following statistic should sum it up nicely: Maye became only the fourth NFL quarterback under the age of 23 to throw for more than 200 yards and generate at least a 100 passer rating over the course of five straight games. Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott and Dan Marino were the previous three.

"His instincts are crazy," Patriots linebacker Christian Ellis said of Maye after Sunday's contest. "Sometimes he flicks the ball out there and he just moves in the pocket so well now. He knows where to be and he knows where the ball needs to be. He's playing great."

Grade: A

Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Score: 25-19 loss vs. New England Patriots

Stat Line: 20 of 26 for 227 yards

Spencer Rattler's plight this season feels like a broken record. The quarterback continues to play relatively well, but the New Orleans Saints are finding ways to lose games.

Case in point, the Saints had a chance Sunday with under nine minutes in the fourth quarter to drive the ball and possibly take the lead. Instead, tight end Juwan Johnson fumbled.

Otherwise, Rattler continued to play sound, efficient football. He hasn't committed a turnover in three straight games. He's tied for third in completions. He certainly feels he can play better, but he's not getting enough help, either.

The Saints are rapidly reaching the point, even with a 1-5 record, where they won't be looking for a quarterback next offseason, because Rattler is good enough to start. The front office can then concentrate on building around him.

Grade: B

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Matt Freed

Score: 23-9 win vs. Cleveland Browns

Stat Line: 21 of 30 for 235 yards and two touchdowns

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a significant advantage over the Cleveland Browns, because the latter doesn't have much of an offense to speak of. However, the Browns do field an excellent defense, which can make life difficult on any quarterback.

Aaron Rodgers wasn't phased. The Steelers are getting the most out of 41-year-old quarterback. By protecting Rodgers properly—Cleveland didn't muster a single sack and only three quarterback hits—the future Hall of Fame inductee went to work. He completed 70 percent of his passes and didn't commit any turnovers.

Rodgers has been highly efficient over the last two weeks of play. He still makes a couple of exceptional throws per contest. He's been everything the Steelers hoped he'd be, even at this late stage of his career.

Grade: A

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

AP Photo

Score: 34-17 win vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Stat Line: 17 of 25 for 195 yards and a touchdown; 13 carries for 58 yards and a score

The New York Giants made a statement Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles. New York may have a 2-4 record, but the team is 2-1 in its last three games. The improved record coincides with Jaxson Dart's insertion into the starting lineup.

Early returns portend a franchise quarterback, as long as Dart can remain healthy. His team has certainly rallied about this year's 25th overall draft pick.

"Jaxson brings a spark," fellow rookie Cam Skattebo said after Thursday's game. "He's a quarterback, a very competitive quarterback that knows what to do with the ball at the right times, and he can use his legs. He does a great job just being the general on the field, and props to him and props to the guys around him that help him be who he is."

Grade: B+

Justin Fields, New York Jets

AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Score: 13-11 loss vs. Denver Broncos

Stat Line: Nine of 17 for 45 yards; seven carries for 31 yards

The Justin Fields experiment may have already run its course with the New York Jets. The idea of Fields being a starting NFL quarterback may be all completely done even if the Jets don't know it yet.

Fields simply isn't good enough to elevate an offense. His issues remain the same. He still doesn't have a good feel for the pocket or the internal clock to get the ball out quickly, hence why the Denver Broncos sacked him as many times (nine) as the quarterback completed passes during Sunday's meeting.

Head coach Aaron Glenn isn't entering a change at quarterback, though.

The Jets coaching staff isn't helping matters by not retrofitting a run-dominant offense, where Fields' athleticism can shine. Instead, the Jets think they can compete as currently constructed. The league's only winless record says otherwise.

Grade: F

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Score: 34-17 loss vs. New York Giants

Stat Line: 24 of 33 for 283 yards, a passing touchdown, rushing score and an interception

The Philadelphia Eagles offense isn't clicking and last week's meeting between the quarterback Jalen Hurts, running Saquon Barkley and wide receiver AJ Brown didn't make a difference during Thursday's contest against the New York Giants.

Instead, things may have gotten worse.

"We have a lot of things to get fixed," head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters. "We just had an off night. Everybody did."

Hurts threw a backbreaking fourth-quarter interception. With the Eagles in the red zone and trailing by 10 points, he left a pass inside on an attempted out-route. The ensuing Cordale Flott interception set up the Giants' final touchdown, which pushed the game out of reach for Philadelphia.

Grade: D

Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Score: 30-19 loss vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stat Line: 27 of 39 for 347 yards and two interceptions

The shine wore off of Mac Jones rather quickly, though it shouldn't have.

During Jones' initial run as the starter, questions of whether he should remain the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback bubbled to the surface. Those ruminations quieted over the last two weeks, even with Jones posting monster numbers in the passing game.

Granted, the 49ers lost Sunday to the Buccaneers, which also dampens the spirit. But Jones has thrown for over 340 yards in back-to-back contests. He was more reckless with the ball this past weekend, thus the two interceptions. He's also being asked to drive the ball down the field while trying to compete against high-end competition in the last two contests.

The Niners may need Jones in the lineup to keep slinging the ball now that the defense will be without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner for the rest of the season.

Grade: C+

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

https://x.com/theblockspot/status/1977514580025733364

Score: 20-12 win vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Stat Line: 16 of 27 for 295 yards and two touchdowns

The jury is no longer out. It has reconvened. The verdict is obvious: Sam Darnold is a legitimate franchise quarterback.

Throughout the 2024 campaign, no one wanted to anoint Darnold. Everyone remained wary, because Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has a quarterback-friendly system and he's so good with the position because he once played it.

Darnold is now in Seattle and continues to thrive. He averaged 10.9 yards per attempt Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 28-year-old veteran leads the NFL by averaging 9.6 yards per attempt. He leads all other quarterbacks, who have played in six games, by a full yard in the category. As Pro Football Focus noted, he tops the NFL in completions and completion rate on deep passes since the start of the 2024 campaign.

Grade: A

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Jason Behnken

Score: 30-19 win vs. San Francisco 49ers

Stat Line: 17 of 23 for 256 yards and two touchdowns

The MVP conversation is currently centered on Baker Mayfield for good reason.

Take a moment and forget the multiple comeback victories that opened the season. Now, go and look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' roster as it's currently comprised and understand what the team's quarterback continues to do is truly special.

The Bucs are 5-1. They just beat the 49ers, who were 4-1 entering the contest, without the services of the starting right side of their offensive line, top running back and three of their four best wide receivers.

Mayfield just keep ballin'. He currently ranks top four in passing yardage and touchdown passes despite the injuries found around him.

"I don't know what he put in his cereal before the game," rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson said about his quarterback, "but that guy wants it every single week."

Grade: A

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/Jeff Lewis

Score: 20-10 loss vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Stat Line: 26 of 38 for 222 yards, a touchdown, an interception and two fumbles lost

Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward looks overwhelmed. He insists he isn't even after a three-turnover performance Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.

"I'm real comfortable out there from seeing the coverage to protection," Ward told reporters. "... It's just us doing more of our one-eleven. Myself? Not turning the ball over. We can help out the defense. We haven't done that all season.

He added, "I think I see every play, whether we're in practice or out of practice. It's slowed down for me. It's now me connecting with the receivers and staying ahead of the chains."

An understanding of concepts and what to do is different than actually executing. Ward is a bit of an untamed horse, with some wild throws and moments. He'll improve when he starts to calm down and allows those things he understands to translate onto the field.

Grade: D

Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Score: 25-24 loss vs. Chicago Bears

Stat Line: 19 of 26 for 211 yards, three touchdowns, an interception and a fumble lost; 10 carries for 52 yards

The Washington Commanders had every opportunity to put Monday's game away, but the team, specifically quarterback Jayden Daniels, fumbled the opportunity.

Three touchdown passes are easily offset by a quarterback not being able to handle a wet ball and trying to toss the moistened pigskin into his running back's stomach when he's expecting a normal handoff. Daniels should have taken the loss. Instead, the fumble and Bears recovery led to the game-winning drive.

All Daniels had to do was be smart. Even with it being 3rd-and-1, the Commanders could have punted on the following play and potentially pinned the Bears deep into their own territory instead of Chicago getting the ball at the 44-yard line.

During the first quarter, Daniels also threw an interception in the red zone after not seeing an underneath defensive back. Chicago scored three points on the ensuing drive.

A six-point swing occurred because of Daniels' mistakes. Those instances are tough to swallow when the team lost by one.

Grade: D+