QB Report Cards for 2025 NFL Week 12

Divergent paths define the NFL's 32 starting quarterbacks during the final leg of the regular season.

In the case of the Cleveland Browns, the team finally made Shedeur Sanders its starting quarterback. It's a vital step in the process of deciding whether the organization will or won't be forced to draft a signal-caller in 2026.

Conversely, the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott helped keep their respective squad's postseason hopes alive by leading their teams to overtime victories.

Each week, Bleacher Report assesses each QB performance to see how they stack up compared to the rest of the league. In Week 12, a growing consensus seems to be forming around a certain Los Angeles Rams signal-caller and the MVP award.

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Samantha Chow

Score: 27-24 loss vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Stat Line: 33 of 49 for 317 yards and a touchdown

Jacoby Brissett has to be asking himself how much he actually needs to do in order for the Arizona Cardinals to win a game.

Over the last two weeks, he threw for a staggering 769 yards on 80 total completions. The veteran quarterback led the Cardinals on a touchdown drive to establish a fourth-quarter lead, only to have Arizona's defense give up a touchdown during the Jaguars' ensuing drive.

Brissett then led a game-tying drive with under two minutes left to play. The Cardinals came up short in overtime, as did the quarterback when he tried to push the ball all the way down the field to Xavier Weaver during a 4th-and-4 play.

The decision to chuck a deep pass may not have been ideal in the moment, but Brissett had done more than than enough at that point for the Cardinals to win.

"When you know they're going to be in a certain coverage in a got-to-have-it (moment), you feel good about a one-on-one ball to win the game," head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters.

Grade: B

Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman

Score: 24-10 win vs. New Orleans Saints

Stat Line: 16 of 23 for 199 yards, two touchdowns and an interception

Everyone outside of the Atlanta Falcons organization expected the franchise to move Kirk Cousins this past offseason after benching the veteran quarterback during the 2024 campaign, giving way to a top-10 draft pick in Michael Penix Jr.

However, the Falcons had other plans. With Penix on a rookie contract, Atlanta wasn't forced to move past Cousins, unless an excellent offer came from another organization. None materialized. So, Atlanta chose to retain Cousins' services. Sunday's performance showed why it was a smart decision.

Penix had an extensive injury history in college. His partially torn ACL is the third such injury he's endured during his football career. With Penix out, Cousins is an experienced alternative, even if he's not the quarterback he once was.

Cousins rolled back the clock to a degree against the Saints and helped lead Atlanta to a two-score victory. In order to maximize the veteran quarterback at this point in his career, the Falcons coaching staff smartly catered the offense to his skill set.

"[Head coach] Raheem Morris explained after the game the Falcons 'accommodated' Cousins by utilizing more play-action and under-center looks," Tori McElhaney of the Falcons official site reported.

Grade: B

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Score: 23-10 win vs. New York Jets

Stat Line: 13 of 23 for 153 yards

The Baltimore Ravens are winning in spite of Lamar Jackson.

In the last three games, he completed less than 60 percent of his passes, threw only one touchdown passes and provided 57 total rushing yards. He's simply not the same dynamic quarterback at this point in time.

According to Jackson, he's not suffering from any lingering issues after being injured earlier in the season.

"I can't call it," he told reporters, "but I'm out there so I feel like I should still be able to do what I do. ... I feel like we just need to execute a lot better. We getting great field position, but we're not putting points on the board. That have nothing to do with no injury."

The Ravens are taking care of business while Jackson tries to figure out what's going wrong. Keep in mind, Baltimore's last three opponents owned a combined 9-24 record.

The QB must get back into a groove before the Ravens play the Steelers twice, host the New England Patriots and face the Green Bay Packers late in the campaign.

Grade: D

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith

Score: 23-19 loss vs. Houston Texans

Stat Line: 24 of 34 for 253 yards and two interceptions

Football is the ultimate team sport, hence why it's always been silly to assign wins and losses to the quarterback position.

Sometimes it feels like Josh Allen can do anything. He's big enough, strong enough and athletic enough to do things other quarterback can't. Even he is at the mercy of his surrounding cast.

Case in point, the Houston Texans sacked the reigning NFL MVP a career-high eight times during Thursday Night Football.

"When they hit the quarterback 12 times, I don't like that," Bills coach Sean McDermott told reporters. "I don't like that stat at all. It's not a healthy way to play or a healthy way to keep our quarterback healthy through the remainder of the season. So that's just not a good formula right there."

Allen was clearly rattled by the pressure, which directly contributed to the game-sealing interception. When opportunities arose, he didn't take advantage, either. The Bills offense provided an all-around poor performance, sans James Cook.

Grade: F

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

Score: 20-9 loss vs. San Francisco 49ers

Stat Line: 18 of 29 for 169 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions

Bryce Young and the 49ers' Brock Purdy played a game Monday that felt like, "Anything you can do, I can do worse." That's not exactly how the song goes, but it applies to both quarterbacks in this outing.

Young followed a career-best effort in Week 11 with a sub-200-yard performance, while also throwing a pair of interceptions.

Aside from connecting with rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan on a 29-yard touchdown, Young's approach consisted primarily of checking down throughout the contest. He struggled against the Niners' blitz packages. His two turnovers were both highly questionable decisions as well.

From San Francisco's 1-yard line, he rolled to his right and decided to flip a pass into the end zone that Ji'Ayir Brown intercepted instead of taking the available space in front of him and running for a score.

Brown intercepted Young in the fourth quarter as well. An argument can be made that San Francisco should have been called for defensive holding. Still, Brown was playing single-high right over the top of McMillan's route. Even with a clean stem from the wide receiver, Young would have still thrown into double-coverage.

Grade: D

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Score: 31-28 win vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Stat Line: 19 of 35 for 239 yards, three touchdowns and a fumble lost

The Chicago Bears continue to win tight games, with Caleb Williams playing well down the stretch.

Chicago has won four straight contests by a combined 14 points. Against Pittsburgh, the Bears weren't as potent late in the game. In fact, the Bears punted during their last two offensive possessions. However, Williams helped led a touchdown drive to start the fourth quarter, which began with a 20-yard pass connection with D.J. Moore.

Sunday's outing was far from flawless.

The sophomore quarterback's inexplicable fumble in the end zone cannot happen after holding the ball too long, not showing good pocket awareness and basically giving away a defensive touchdown. It's an example of decision-making at its worst.

Also, Williams performed poorly against pressure despite the Bears' offensive line holding up relatively well for most of the contest.

In the end, Chicago won again. Williams made multiple excellent throws. He deserves credit for where the team currently stands. At the same time, there are a couple underlying concerns to watch closely.

Grade: B

Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Score: 26-20 loss vs. New England Patriots

Stat Line: 19 of 37 for 183 yards, a touchdown and an interception

Joe Flacco may have played in his last game as the starting quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals.

"I'm not going to clear anything for Thursday yet," head coach Zac Taylor said when asked about Joe Burrow's upcoming status after the loss to the Patriots. "He put himself in a great position to be ready to play this weekend, and the best decision for us was to wait a couple more days."

The conversation centered on Burrow's return pretty much speaks to the job that Flacco has done as of late. The 40-year-old veteran completed just 51.4 percent of his passes Sunday and threw one of the worst pick-sixes anyone will ever see, especially from a quarterback with so much experience.

"I feel really fortunate to have found myself in this situation," Flacco said when asked about his thoughts after what might have been his last start for Cincinnati.

The Bengals wanted someone to steady the ship during Burrow's absence, hence Flacco's midseason acquisition. The latter couldn't offset the team's deficiencies, though. The Bengals were 1-5 with the veteran in the lineup.

Grade: D

Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Eric Gay

Score: 24-10 win vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Stat Line: 11 of 20 for 209 yards, a touchdown and an interception

The Cleveland Browns were looking for any kind of spark, and Shedeur Sanders provided one during his first NFL start.

There's no reason for anyone to get ahead of themselves. The Browns have been here before. In fact, they reached this same point earlier this season when Dillon Gabriel played relatively well during his first start (190 passing yards and two touchdowns in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings).

How a rookie quarterback responds when opponents are specifically game-planning for them often tells a different story, especially after tape gets out regarding their skill set.

Sanders deserves credit, because some of his worst habits at the collegiate level didn't become an issue during Sunday's contest. This year's 144th overall draft pick looked more comfortable stepping up into the pocket, got rid of the ball quickly and didn't fade against pressure.

The Browns' coaching staff helped with a solid game plan involving a good run game and quick hitters, including Sanders' 66-yard touchdown toss, which was nothing more than simple swing pass to running back Dylan Sampson.

Sanders is clearly a more talented playmaker than Gabriel. Some excitement is warranted. Overall, it's a small step in the right direction for an organization that's taken 42 steps backward over the last 26 years.

Grade: B

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/LM Otero

Score: 24-21 win vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Stat Line: 24 of 36 for 354 yards, two touchdowns and an interception; five carries for nine yards and a score

Dak Prescott doesn't get enough credit for how good of a quarterback he really is, because the team, as a whole, hasn't been as good this season. Sunday's comeback victory against the rival Eagles showed exactly how valuable he is.

Once Philadelphia built a 21-0 first-half lead, Dallas' season teetered on the brink of oblivion. A 4-6-1 record likely would have pushed any hopes of postseason contention beyond the realm of possibility.

Instead, Prescott led a comeback that tied the largest in Cowboys franchise history. During the second half, the quarterback threw for 202 yards and provided a pair of touchdowns.

"That game was needed," he said. "Never blinked. Never had any doubt. A thousand percent believed from the beginning. I'm telling guys, 'Believe. Believe.' And then there was a moment in the fourth quarter where (left guard Tyler Booker) goes, 'Believe.' And I go: 'I know.'"

Grade: A-

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

Score: 34-27 win vs. New York Giants

Stat Line: 28 of 42 for 276 yards, two touchdowns and an interception

Jared Goff experienced the worst game of his professional career last weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles. He bounced back Sunday against the Giants.

However, he still wasn't quite the same efficient quarterback as he's been throughout his time with the Lions.

Detroit benefited greatly by leaning on running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who provided a staggering 264 yards from scrimmage and the game-winning 69-yard rushing touchdown in overtime.

"Dude's as good as they come in this league," Goff told reporters. "You can tell the fear in the defense when the ball gets in his hands, the way they rally to him. And certainly, when he gets to the second level on some of those longer runs, you can feel the safety, the angle they start taking, and it's a good feeling for us."

Goff still needs to be better handling pressure and making decisions when under duress. Otherwise, the Lions should be happy last weekend's performance didn't linger.

Grade: B-

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Mike Roemer

Score: 23-6 win vs. Minnesota Vikings

Stat Line: 14 of 21 for 139 yards

Jordan Love wasn't slinging the ball everywhere against the Vikings. He didn't need to. The Green Bay Packers used the tried-and-true method of running the ball, even without Josh Jacobs in the lineup due to injury, and playing good defense to garner a decisive victory.

"I've never called the same run so many times consecutively," Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters after the game. "It was like three yards and a cloud of dust, but it was effective. Bottom line, I just thought the way our defense was playing, we just took the air out of the ball and said, 'Go win it for us.' "

Emanuel Wilson carried the ball 28 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

With this approach, all a team asks of its quarterback is to not make mistakes. Love didn't. He did enough to keep his team on track and let everyone else go to work.

Grade: C

Davis Mills, Houston Texans

AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith

Score: 23-19 win vs. Buffalo Bills

Stat Line: 16 of 30 for 153 yards and two touchdowns

Davis Mills is playing well enough in C.J. Stroud's stead that he's generated conversation about whether he could get another opportunity to start for a team in the future.

The Texans have won three in a row with Mills in the starting lineup. Though Houston's defense deserves significant praise for the squad's recent success. At the same time, he has played relatively well, with no turnovers during the last two contests.

"Davis has been phenomenal for us these past couple of weeks," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters after this past week's Thursday Night Football. "Coming in, especially on a short week, not getting a ton of full-speed reps, the timing of throwing the football is affected a little bit. I thought he weathered the storm and he handled himself well. Even though we had some (early) passes there we would have liked to connect on, he still stayed steady, still stayed calm as he always does, keeping everybody calm on the sideline."

Grade: B

Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Score: 23-20 loss vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Stat Line: 19 of 31 for 181 yards and two touchdowns

For the first time during the 2025 campaign, Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts offense let down the team.

The performance didn't start that way. The Colts moved the ball well and built a 20-9 lead going into Sunday's fourth quarter. The Kansas City Chiefs even lost a fumble during their first drive of the final frame.

From that point forward, the Indianapolis offense went three-and-out on four straight possessions, including its lone overtime opportunity. Jones completed three of nine passes during that stretch.

"Obviously very frustrating. Not up to our standards today," head coach Shane Steichen told reporters after the overtime loss. "There's a lot of stuff that I wanted to get called that I felt good about in the pass game and we just weren't efficient doing it, and it starts with me."

The Colts' plight doesn't get any easier next weekend when they host the Houston Texans and their No. 1-ranked defense.

Grade: C

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Score: 27-24 win vs. Arizona Cardinals

Stat Line: 18 of 30 for 256 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions and a fumble lost

Trevor Lawrence giveth to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he giveth away to the other team. A four-turnover performance should not have resulted in a victory for Lawrence and Co. It did, though.

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen wants the 2021 No. 1 overall pick to play more freely and loose. He is. But consequences exist to that approach, which can be seen through Lawrence's mistakes.

"We had four turnovers and they were all on me, so I own that, and I've got to do my job and take care of the ball and not put our defense in tough spots," Lawrence told reporters. "Totally get that, but I'm never going to play scared. I'm going to continue to let it rip, and I think that's why we have a chance at the end of the day—[it] is because you keep playing.

"So, never going to apologize for that. But I will say I cannot turn the ball over four times."

After Lawrence's final interception, he led the Jaguars to 10 points and an overtime victory. Jacksonville will endure the turnovers all day long if it still finds way to fall on the positive side of the ledger.

Grade: C

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Peter Aiken

Score: 23-20 win vs. Indianapolis Colts

Stat Line: 29 of 46 for 352 yards and an interception

Earlier, Daniel Jones and the Colts' fourth-quarter and overtime failures were highlighted. Conversely, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs thrived despite trailing by 11 points late in the contest.

During that final frame and overtime, Mahomes completed 13 of 21 passes for 202 yards. He did what a superstar should do: He willed his team to victory when they desperately needed someone to step up.

"All five of our losses felt like this game, where there were plays we could make and we didn't," he told reporters after the contest. "You can talk about it all day, but until you prove it, it doesn't. We proved today we could make the plays."

Mahomes did throw an interception during the Chiefs' first drive, though Colts defensive Laiatu Latu made an unbelievable play where he tipped a short pass in the air and caught the ricochet.

Beyond that miscue, Mahomes did everything the Chiefs needed to help his team snap a two-game losing streak.

Grade: A

Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Eric Gay

Score: 24-10 loss vs. Cleveland Browns

Stat Line: 30 of 44 for 285 yards, a touchdown and a fumble lost

Earlier in the season, Geno Smith played poorly. He continues to play poorly, but the veteran quarterback has no chance whatsoever behind the Las Vegas Raiders' patchwork offensive line.

The Browns generated 10 sacks, with 20 total quarterback hits. No quarterback will be able to stand tall in the pocket and deliver consistently when enduring that much pressure. Smith doesn't help his case by holding the ball too long at times and making poor reads. But anyone would be seeing ghosts when they're sacked 20 times over a three-game span.

"The numbers are, whatever, they're next to nothing," head coach Pete Carroll told reporters. "We had opportunities to make big plays, and we didn't hit them. Quarterback was under duress the entire time, so our ability to match up with their pass rush didn't work out well."

At 2-9, the story remains the same for the Raiders. Smith no longer needs to be in the lineup. He's not helping the team. Kenny Pickett at least provides better mobility behind a dysfunctional front five.

Grade: F

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Score: 34-7 win vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stat Line: 25 of 35 for 273 yards and three touchdowns

If the 2025 regular season ended today, Matthew Stafford would be named the NFL MVP. He might anyway as long as he continues to play as well as he has.

Once again, the 37-year-old played near-flawless football for the eighth straight game. During that stretch, he threw at least three touchdowns and posted a QB rating over 100 in six contests. The Rams hold a 7-1 record as well, including a six-game winning streak.

No quarterback has played better than Stafford this season.

"It feels like he's in total command," head coach Sean McVay told reporters. "… There is a true ownership, and I think he's just totally and completely present and he's really just enjoying the opportunity to compete week in and week out. Even when he does the (pregame) breakdown with the team, you can tell he loves being a part of this team—you can feel that. He instills a belief every time that we go out on the field; we feel like good things are going to happen because he's leading the way."

Grade: A

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Melissa Tamez

Score: 23-6 loss vs. Green Bay Packers

Stat Line: 12 of 19 for 87 yards and two interceptions

The honeymoon is officially over for J.J. McCarthy. After only six starts, questions about whether the Minnesota Vikings made the wrong decision by allowing Sam Darnold to leave in free agency are already surfacing.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell summed up the Vikings' current setup rather succinctly.

"It's about not putting the game in (McCarthy's) hands where the variance of a young quarterback will cost our whole team," he told reporters. "There's a needle to thread there."

Minnesota can trust its quarterback.

Obviously, young signal-callers will make mistakes. They're part of the developmental process. But the hope is that those same QBs also flash what made them high draft picks in the first place. McCarthy hasn't. He's now thrown two interceptions in four of those six contests, while completing under 55 percent of his passes. Sunday's 87 passing yards were also a season low. Minnesota managed only four total yards in the second half of play.

Grade: F

Drake Maye, New England Patriots

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Score: 26-20 win vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Stat Line: 22 of 35 for 294 yards, a touchdown and an interception

On paper, the New England Patriots should have easily taken care of the Cincinnati Bengals. The hosting team had other plans.

As a result, the Patriots needed to dig deep, come back and legitimately earn a victory, which is a positive moving forward for Drake Maye and Co.

The Bengals held a 10-point lead in the second quarter. The Patriots responded with 17 unanswered points and never surrendered the lead, though Cincinnati got within three late in the fourth quarter.

"You're gonna face adversity in this league," Maye said during a postgame interview with CBS Sports. "... That's football, that's the NFL. Battling back and trying to find a way to win."

Once again, Maye was deadly when pushing the ball down the field. He completed eight of 14 passes for 166 yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. However, his effectiveness could be limited in the future after left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson both left Sunday's contest with injuries.

Grade: B

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Butch Dill

Score: 24-10 loss vs. Atlanta Falcons

Stat Line: 30 of 43 for 243 yards, an interception and a fumble lost

Plenty went wrong for the New Orleans Saints during Sunday's meeting with the Falcons. Particularly, the offense didn't convert in the red zone, which only compounded the squad's kicking issues, with Blake Grupe missing two field goals.

Despite those obvious issues, rookie quarterback Tyler Shough remains the focal point after failing to build upon his impressive performance against the Carolina Panthers prior to the Saints' bye.

Shough didn't play poorly, and the Saints' coaching staff mismanaged the game by trying to make Taysom Hill a big part of the game plan around the end zone.

At the same time, Shough has a small window to prove himself as the Saints' long-term answer at quarterback. Currently, New Orleans owns a top-three pick in the 2026 draft. By stacking consecutive strong outings upon one another, the Saints won't have to consider a quarterback near the top of next year's class.

Through three games, Shough has shown some promise, but it's far from enough to anoint him as anything.

Grade: D

Jameis Winston, New York Giants

AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

Score: 34-27 loss vs. Detroit Lions

Stat Line: 18 of 36 for 366 yards, two touchdowns an interception; one catch for 33 yards and a touchdown

At this point in the New York Giants' 2-10 season, Jameis Winston is the right quarterback to lead them.

No, he's not going to make a bad team significantly better. However, the 31-year-old veteran is A) entertaining and B) keeps rookie Jaxson Dart on the bench for as long as possible to ensure he's fully healthy.

Maybe Dart returns in Week 13, but the Giants don't have a firm timetable on when he'll be back in the lineup.

"My only concern was just making sure Jaxson's healthy and right," interim head coach Mike Kafka told reporters prior to Sunday's contest. "Again, we have a lot of trust in the doctors. We have a lot of trust in that process, going through the concussion process."

Sunday's effort was prime Winston. He threw for 366 yards, while completing only 50 percent of his passes. Oh, he also caught a reverse pass, which turned into a 33-yard touchdown after coming back to the ball and forcing a missed tackle.

The Giants had the Lions on the ropes yet allowed a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to slip away before losing in overtime.

Grade: C

Tyrod Taylor, New York Jets

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Score: 23-10 loss vs. Baltimore Ravens

Stat Line: 17 of 28 for 222 yards, a touchdown and an interception

The New York Jets made a change at quarterback this past week. The move didn't make a difference.

After Justin Fields' benching, Tyrod Taylor entered the lineup against the Ravens and the Jets offense managed all of 10 points.

Obviously, the Jets offense is a work-in-progress with wide receivers Jon Metchie III and Adonai Mitchell being the top options after being pre-trade deadline acquisitions. A Breece Hall fumble inside the Ravens' 5-yard line certainly didn't help matters.

Even when those factors are added to the equation, the Jets don't have what they need behind center. Taylor may be better than Fields at communicating and getting the offense in the right play because of his extensive experience, but the Jets aren't getting enough from either for the offense to get rolling.

"Just being efficient consistently, consistently going out there and doing the right things, I think we took a step in that direction today," Taylor told reporters. "We just didn't finish it."

Grade: D

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

Score: 24-21 loss vs. Dallas Cowboys

Stat Line: 27 of 39 for 289 yards and a touchdown; seven carries for 33 yards and two touchdowns

The Dallas Cowboys set about shutting down the Philadelphia Eagles run game, then asked Jalen Hurts and the passing game to beat them. It nearly happened, then everything fell apart.

The Eagles built a 21-0 second-quarter lead. From that point, Philadelphia managed only 107 yards of offense. The unit punted five times and lost a fumble. Outside of a missed field-goal attempt early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles showed little resistance as the Cowboys surged to catch up and eventually surpass them in overtime.

"I think it's a matter of the execution, the discipline, and the focus in what we do," Hurts told reporters. "There are a lot of instances where it's showing up, and we've been able to figure it out and will ourselves to a win. Tonight, we didn't. We played a hell of a first half, and we didn't play not even close enough to our standard in the second half with things that take no talent, honestly."

A strong start does enough to push up Hurts' final grade, but the poor finish says far more about the inconsistencies currently found in Philadelphia's offense.

Grade: B

Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Nam Huh

Score: 31-28 loss vs. Chicago Bears

Stat Line: 24 of 31 for 171 yards, a touchdown, an interception and a fumble lost

Mason Rudolph is who he is, and he's not a quality NFL starter.

Rudolph made his 14th career start Sunday as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He continued to prove he's not capable of leading the team's offense. He's a backup who understands the scheme and has an established history with the coaching staff. Beyond those two points, he doesn't add much when he's thrust into the starting lineup, as he was this past weekend after Aaron Rodgers suffered a fractured wrist on his non-throwing hand.

The 2018 third-round draft pick came into the NFL with a reputation of being able to push the ball downfield, because that's what he did at Oklahoma State. In reality, Rudolph benefited greatly from a quarterback-friendly collegiate system. Sunday's performance showed he's not much of a vertical passer, with multiple poor misses, including an interception on his first pass.

Head coach Mike Tomlin expects Rodgers back in the lineup this weekend against the Buffalo Bills. He'll need to be for the Steelers offense to get back on track.

Grade: D

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

Score: 20-9 win vs. Carolina Panthers

Stat Line: 23 of 32 for 193 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions

Brock Purdy threw three straight first-half interceptions Monday, and the San Francisco 49ers somehow found a way to win. The Niners didn't just win; they controlled most of the game despite the miscues.

Purdy was simply off target through large portions of the contest. While he did throw three picks, he flirted with danger on multiple other occasions. Surprisingly, the Panthers didn't snag a few more.

Each of the interceptions were instances of being a tick late over the middle of the field and not being putting enough zip on the passes.

San Francisco's success centered on Christian McCaffrey as the offensive focal point. The running back had 31 total touches, including nine on San Francisco's opening touchdown drive, and 142 yards from scrimmage.

The Niners benefited from the Panthers' lack of offensive firepower and Bryce Young also playing poorly. But San Francisco will need far more from Purdy than he provided during this prime-time contest if it wants to make a serious run this season.

Grade: F

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Score: 30-24 win vs. Tennessee Titans

Stat Line: 16 of 26 for 244 yards and two touchdowns

Sam Darnold did exactly what he needed to do against the NFL's worst team, while bouncing back from a woeful four-interception performance. He provided an efficient, turnover-free outing against the Titans.

To be clear, Darnold did throw a pair of near-interceptions. The fact that both broke in his favor is what matters, because the quarterback can come out of the Seahawks' latest contest with a win after building some confidence.

When all else fails, Darnold can rely on the safety net of throwing to the NFL's best wide receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who broke the Seahawks' single-season receiving yardage record through 11 games.

"Nobody's done what he's doing." Darnold said. "It's unbelievable, man."

When a quarterback has the luxury of a wide receiver who's always open, the two will find ways to connect and get an offense going.

Grade: B

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Score: 34-7 loss vs. Los Angeles Rams

Stat Line: (Mayfield) nine of 19 for 41 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions; (Bridgewater) eight of 15 for 62 yards

Baker Mayfield's shoulder injury is the only thing that matters coming out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Sunday night meeting with the Rams.

Head coach Todd Bowles said Mayfield suffered a sprained left shoulder, which prevented him from finishing the contest. With the Bucs' QB1 potentially out of the lineup for a period, the team turns to veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater.

"I'm very confident," Bridgewater told reporters. "If it's my number, I've just got to answer the bell.

"I'm going to take this one day at a time. I've just got to continue to prepare the way I've been preparing all year and if my number gets called I've just got to go play."

The Buccaneers are still tied atop the NFC South despite three straight losses. They must find a way to respond whether or not Mayfield is in the lineup.

Grade: D (for both)

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/Stew Milne

Score: 30-24 loss vs. Seattle Seahawks

Stat Line: 28 of 42 for 256 yards and a touchdown; six carries for 37 yards and a touchdown

Even at 1-10, the Tennessee Titans are exactly where they need to be. The previous statement may come across as counterintuitive, but they didn't field the caliber of roster to make a significant leap this fall.

Instead, Tennessee is getting what it needs on two fronts.

First, Cam Ward is slowly getting better as the season progresses. In some ways, he sits in a similar position as Drake Maye of a year ago. Ward is able to create plays when asked to carry the offense despite an inferior surrounding cast. During Sunday's contest, this year's No. 1 overall pick showed how he can extend multiple plays with his legs and keep the offense going.

Second, the Titans still own the No. 1 overall pick atop the 2026 NFL draft, which they can eventually trade and receive a windfall of assets in return to build out the roster around Ward.

No one enjoys a lost season, but a couple of positives are emerging as a result.

Grade: B