QB Report Cards for 2025 NFL Week 16

An NFL season is a war of attrition, particularly at the quarterback position.

Ten teams fielded different quarterbacks in Week 16 compared to their opening-day starters. These changes occurred because of injury, benching or trade. Only one of those squads currently claims a winning record, though the Indianapolis Colts have been spiraling downward in recent weeks.

During Saturday's action, Jordan Love suffered a concussion before the Green Bay Packers fell to the rival Chicago Bears in overtime. A day later, Lamar Jackson left the Baltimore Ravens contest, and his team wasn't able hold onto a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead.

No matter the circumstance, Bleacher Report continues to grade every single quarterback performance throughout the 2025 campaign, with the latest action quickly boiling down to the haves and have nots.

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Score: 26-19 loss vs. Atlanta Falcons

Stat Line: 16 of 31 for 203 yards, a touchdown and an interception

Those within the Arizona Cardinals organization are speaking like they understand a major organizational overhaul is forthcoming.

"I loved the resilience," head coach Jonathan Gannon said after the Cardinals' seventh straight loss. "I thought we battled in there, but ultimately fell a little short. I thought a key component of the game is that we moved it, but had to settle for some field goals. They converted some touchdowns."

Playing hard and moral victories aren't good enough. During Arizona's current losing streak, the Cardinals' average margin of loss is over 14 points. This team isn't close and it's not just falling "a little short."

At this point, the team isn't even getting fun play from Brissett, who at least put up numbers and continued fighting late in games. The veteran backup-turned-starter's 203 passing yards were his fewest this season (not including two minimal appearances earlier in the season).

The Cardinals need a new starting quarterback. That quarterback will likely have a new coaching staff to help in his development.

Grade: D

Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Score: 26-19 win vs. Arizona Cardinals

Stat Line: 21 of 35 for 197 yards, two touchdowns, an interception, a fumble lost and a rushing score

Kirk Cousins may just be playing himself into one last starting opportunity with another franchise. The Falcons have now won two in a throw and three of their last five since Cousins became the starter.

Cousins hasn't been flawless, but he's closer to the version of himself that became Atlanta's big free-agent pickup two offseasons ago compared to the player who the coaching staff benched last year.

At 37-years-old, Cousins could realistically offer a team another two to three seasons as a starter. The fact he came into a situation with a 3-7 record and helped the squad double its win total with two games left to play will intrigue those around the league looking for a veteran presence to stabilize their offense.

Obviously, the Falcons plan to move forward with Michael Penix Jr. behind center, and they can save $35 million toward the 2026 salary cap by designating Cousins as a June 1 release, per Over The Cap.

If the Falcons are able to win out against the Los Angeles Rams and suddenly surging New Orleans Saints, Cousins could go from an afterthought to a much-desired alternative to drafting a quarterback from a weak positional class.

Grade: B-

Lamar Jackson & Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Score: 28-24 loss vs. New England Patriots

Stat Line: (Jackson) seven of 10 for 101 yards; (Huntley) nine of 10 for 65 yards

Lamar Jackson hasn't looked like himself since the first month of the season, which continued into Sunday Night Football.

Jackson left the primetime contest and didn't return because of a back injury after being hit by New England Patriots safety Craig Woodson.

"It's BS, bro," Jackson told reporters. "I can't control that. I'm on the ground. I'm down. I gave myself up. I got kneed in the back. ... [I'm] getting injured, and then we're fighting for a chance to make the playoffs. I can't finish the game with my guys. It's BS."

Head coach John Harbaugh said, "It's a bruise of some kind. I don't know how serious he'll be. We'll have to find out in the next couple of days."

Tyler Huntley is a capable backup, but he was placed in a position where he didn't receive much preparation throughout the practice week, so the Ravens leaned on running back Derrick Henry.

Ultimately, the unexpected transition gave way to the Patriots finding a way to overcome their fourth-quarter deficit, because they have an MVP candidate behind center.

Grade: C (for both)

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Score: 23-20 win vs. Cleveland Browns

Stat Line: 12 of 19 for 130 yards

The NFL's reigning MVP has thrown for 200 or fewer yards in three of the Buffalo Bills' last four games. The team won all three.

Josh Allen doesn't need to be a superhuman performer each week. He can try to avoid pressure, fall over himself and nearly hand the opponent a safety, with the Bills still emerging victorious.

Right now, the best thing Allen can do is turn around and hand the ball to the NFL's leading rusher, James Cook.

Cook just so happened to produce 100 rushing yards in each of the aforementioned contests where Allen threw for fewer than 200.

"He's the best back in football," Allen said of Cook. "I don't know how the awards will shake out, but he should be in the running for every award. He makes our offense go."

The quarterback did suffer a foot injury Sunday, which may have hampered his effectiveness to some degree, but he was cleared to return to the contest.

Grade: C

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Rusty Jones

AP Photo/Rusty Jones

Score: 23-20 win vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stat Line: 21 of 32 for 191 yards and two touchdowns

Bryce Young may not be the quarterback the Carolina Panthers hoped he'd be after selecting him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, but he shows up when it matters.

Young has earned the nickname, "Carolina Reaper," based on his ability to put games away in the fourth quarter. He did so again Sunday, with a seven-play 43-yard drive that led to the game-winning field goal thanks primarily to a 34-yard connection between Young and wide receiver Jalen Coker.

"We have the utmost confidence in Bryce," tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders told reporters. "He isn't our quarterback for no reason. Everything he has gone through to get to this point today, the resilience and the mental toughness and the way he carries himself, it all plays a part in that."

Because of Young's late-game heroics, the Panthers are now in position to win their first division title since 2015.

Grade: B

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Score: 22-16 win vs. Green Bay Packers

Stat Line: 19 of 34 for 250 yards and two touchdowns

The Chicago Bears needed a lot to break in their favor and claim an overtime victory against the Packers, but Caleb Williams made a gorgeous throw during the extra frame to call game.

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Williams uncorked a pass that traveled nearly 57 yards through the air—the third-longest completion of his career—and connected with DJ Moore, who created less than a yard of separation. .

"When adrenaline's going in the moment and being able to hit it like that and for Caleb to let it fly as he did," Bears tight end Cole Kmet told reporters. "I mean, in the wind—we didn't have wind like that in practice all week," he said. "Just a special throw and special catch in a huge moment for us."

Williams and his crew may have not been perfect leading up to that final play, but the quarterback threw the perfect pass at the perfect time and created a game-and-a-half advantage atop the NFC North.

Grade: B+

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Doug Murray

Score: 45-21 win vs. Miami Dolphins

Stat Line: 25 of 32 for 309 yards and four touchdowns

Miami is where Joe Burrow got his groove back.

After his much-discussed comments about the need for football to be fun, Burrow didn't help matters by falling flat last weekend against the Baltimore Ravens.

Sunday's outing looked far more like the Burrow and Bengals offense that everyone has come to expect.

The unit accumulated 407 yards, with the quarterback throwing for 309. Burrow also did a much better job reestablishing his rapport with Ja'Marr Chase, who caught nine passes for 109 yards.

"It was fun. I'm having fun playing football. Not playing football is not fun," Burrow said, with a bit of explanation added to qualify his previous comments. "This is how it is supposed to look, feel like, so we gotta keep that feeling going these next couple weeks and build some momentum."

Burrow and Co. could experience plenty of fun over the next two weeks with a pair of home games against the struggling Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns.

Grade: A

Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Kirk Irwin

Score: 23-20 loss vs. Buffalo Bills

Stat Line: 20 of 29 for 157 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions; four carries for 49 yards

Shedeur Sanders' offense got off to an excellent start, with a well-executed eight-play, 69-yard touchdown drive. The rest of Cleveland Browns' possessions weren't nearly as effective.

Sanders threw a pair of interceptions and suffered a laceration to his pinkie finger on his throwing hand. The turnovers were unfortunate because they came off tipped passes, but the quarterback could have done a better job in both situations.

The first occurred with a pass that was slightly high and behind his intended target, Quinshon Judkins. The second came when Sanders couldn't manipulate an oncoming pass-rusher who tipped the quarterback's pass.

Still, the fifth-round rookie continues to flash. He simply needs to be more consistent and reliable on a down-by-down basis.

"He battled like he does," head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters. "I thought he made some unbelievable plays with his feet today. He'll fight through injuries. A little finger injury's not going to keep him out of there. Really proud of the way he fought."

Grade: C

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

Score: 34-17 loss vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Stat Line: 21 of 30 for 244 yards and two touchdowns

The Chargers defense did something the Dallas Cowboys haven't accomplished all season; Los Angeles adjusted midgame and slowed the opponent's offense.

Dak Prescott and Co. came out firing on all cylinders with three straight scoring drives. The Cowboys didn't score another point during the rest of the game.

"We all underachieved, really," owner Jerry Jones told reporters. "And the fact we're not in the playoffs says that for you. But I thought we've done some things out there that, frankly, we can carry forward with us. It's always the case that there's some positive things."

Those "positive things" almost all fall on the offensive side of the ball. Prescott still threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns. The offense managed 340 yards. The unit still ranks among the league's top two. That side of the ball hasn't been the problem despite Dallas' latest outcome.

Grade: B

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

AP Photo

Score: 34-20 loss vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Stat Line: 28 of 47 for 352 yards, a touchdown, interception and fumble lost

Bo Nix may have put up plenty of yards Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the quarterback didn't play particularly well.

His two turnovers both came in the second half after the Broncos had tied the game at 17.

First, Nix botched a zone-read handoff that gave Jacksonville the ball in Denver territory, which resulted in a Jaguars' field goal. Second, he threw an interception, while trailing by 14, because he made a predetermined decision on 4th-and-2 instead of reading out the play and targeting an open receiver.

These types of mistakes are hard to overcome when playing a quality opponent.

Denver doesn't have a lot of time to fix what went wrong since they play on Christmas Day against the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I said to them, one of the things you've managed to do each week is get on to the next challenge," head coach Sean Payton told reporters. "So I think the same thing has to apply, especially on a short week like this. You've shown the ability to digest the game before and then get onto the next challenge. And you have to do the same after a tough loss."

Grade: C-

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Rey Del Rio

Score: 29-24 loss vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Stat Line: 34 of 54 for 364 yards and three touchdowns

Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions had Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers won, until they didn't.

The Steelers forced Goff to take over Detroit's offense and win the game. He nearly did, with 364 passing yards and three touchdown tosses, not including a game-winning connection that was called back due to offensive pass interference.

"In my opinion," Goff told reporters, "that's a bad call."

What's really amazing about the Lions still having a chance to win is that their usually explosive run game was a non-factor during the contest. Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 16 yards.

Goff's arm kept the Lions in the game, as he passed for a season-high 364 yards. Normally, that type of effort is enough. It wasn't in this particular case. Now, the Lions are on the brink of postseason elimination a season after finishing 15-2 and owning the NFC's No. 1 seed.

Grade: A-

Jordan Love & Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Score: 22-16 loss vs. Chicago Bears

Stat Line: (Love) eight of 13 for 77 yards; (Willis) nine of 11 for 121 yards and a touchdown, 10 carries for 44 yards

Jordan Love getting knocked out of Saturday's game and entering the NFL's concussion protocol was the primary story from Green Bay's latest meeting with the Bears. Though the Packers continue to play relatively well when Malik Willis is forced to play.

"I thought Malik went in there and did a helluva job," head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters. "He was poised, made some plays with his legs, made some plays with his arm, made some off-schedule plays.

"I thought the operation was pretty smooth for the most part, but not enough at the end obviously."

Unfortunately, a misplayed snap and fumble in overtime gave the Bears the ball, with which they scored the game-winning touchdown four plays later.

"That play, ultimately, it decided the game," Willis said. "It didn't give us a chance to get points. It didn't give us a chance to help the defense out and keep them over there on the sideline, let them rest up and get ready for their final drive. It kind of flipped the game on its head."

Grade: C (for both)

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith

Score: 23-21 win vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Stat Line: 23 of 35 for 187 yards and a touchdown

The Houston Texans are right where they need to be with 10 wins and the inside track to earning the AFC's final postseason berth. C.J. Stroud helped get them there with a strong fourth-quarter push against the Las Vegas Raiders.

During the Texans' last two offensive possessions Sunday, Stroud finished nine of 10 passing, including a one-yard touchdown connection with tight end Dalton Schultz and a game-sealing 24-yard pass to Nico Collins.

"It was ugly but you wanna win in December no matter how it looks," Stroud told reporters. "We started off kinda bad in the first quarter and from there kinda rolled. Starts with me, missing some throws here and there."

Stroud also added why he wasn't as efficient to start the game, "Rushed my timing. Some of them I should progress, shouldn't force the ball."

But Houston's quarterback settled down when it mattered and made the necessary throws to ensure his squad escaped with a victory.

Grade: B

Philip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Score: 48-27 loss vs. San Francisco 49ers

Stat Line: 23 of 35 for 277 yards, two touchdowns and an interception

The Indianapolis Colts made the right call by bringing the 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement to step in for the injured Daniel Jones. Unfortunately, Rivers won't get to experience the postseason, because Indianapolis has now been eliminated.

Rivers' age almost became an afterthought, because he had complete control of the offense and moved the ball. The veteran quarterback couldn't overcome a pitiful performance by the Colts defense, though.

Indianapolis has no answer for the Niners' offense. San Francisco gained 440 yards and converted eight of 12 third- and fourth-down attempts. With the season on the line, Lou Anarumo's unit provided a pitiful performance.

Rivers did more than enough to help his team win for the second consecutive week only to be let down both times. He threw for 277 yards and two scores Monday. Rivers' only real mistake came late in the game when he was forced to press and threw a pick-six. At that point, the Colts were already trailing by two touchdowns.

Grade: B

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo

Score: 34-20 win vs. Denver Broncos

Stat Line: 23 of 36 for 279 yards and three touchdowns; six carries for 20 yards and a score

The Jacksonville Jaguars have finally unlocked the super-saiyan version of Trevor Lawrence. He might as well have a visible golden aura shimmering around him with the way he's currently playing quarterback.

Lawrence and Co. went into Denver, gained 345 yards of offense against an elite defense, controlled the second half and snapped the Broncos' 11-game winning streak.

"I feel great with our offense right now, what we're able to do, the passing game, guys are making plays, giving them opportunities down the field, and we're protecting well," Lawrence told reporters. "We're doing a lot of things well. We just got to not take it for granted."

Lawrence should feel great, because he's clearly playing with more confidence than he has at any point during his professional career.

Prior to being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2021 class, many billed Lawrence as the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck. He previously struggled to reach those lofty expectations. Now, he's on a roll. As a result, the Jaguars are as well.

Grade: A+

Gardner Minshew II & Chris Oladokun, Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/John Amis

Score: 26-9 loss vs. Tennessee Titans

Stat Line: (Minshew) three of eight for 15 yards; (Oladokun) 11 of 16 for 111 yards

All the years of fortune breaking the Kansas City Chiefs' favor has shifted in the opposite direction.

A week ago, Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and LCL. Gardner Minshew didn't make it through one half of play as the Chiefs' starter until he also suffered a devastating knee injury, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

With Minshew out of the lineup, Chris Oladokun made only his second NFL appearance in four seasons. He's now set to take over the Chiefs offense with two games left to play.

"Been here awhile. I haven't gotten many opportunities to go out in a live, regular-season game and get a lot of valuable snaps," Oladokun said during an interview with KSHB 41 News' Matt Foster. "... (My teammates) really rallied behind me and made me feel comfortable out there just playing some ball."

Oladokun added, "I've been waiting on an opportunity, but I hate that it had to come to this."

Grade: D

Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Score: 23-21 loss vs. Houston Texans

Stat Line: 16 of 23 for 201 yards, two touchdowns and an interception

Geno Smith returned to the Las Vegas Raiders' lineup and played better than he had through most of this season.

Smith missed the previous contest because of shoulder injury. Kenny Pickett did nothing during the previous week's meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles to warrant a further look. Whereas, Smith had the Raiders up and playing relatively well against the Texans and their top-ranked defense.

In fact, Las Vegas held a third-quarter lead before allowing the Texans to score the game-deciding touchdown and run out the game's final 5:24. For once, Smith and the offense didn't let the Raiders down.

With another loss, the Raiders are tied with the New York Giants for the league's worst record, which means they're in line for the No. 1 overall draft pick depending on how the team finishes the season. Maybe another switch at quarterback is necessary to ensure Las Vegas' nine-game losing streak continues, especially with the Giants next of the docket.

Grade: C+

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

Score: 34-17 win vs. Dallas Cowboys

Stat Line: 23 of 29 for 300 yards and two touchdowns; eight carries for 42 yards and a score

Justin Herbert pieced together an outstanding performance against the Dallas Cowboys in what turned out out to be decisive victory. Herbert affected the game as a passer and runner. More importantly, he thrived in two particular areas.

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Herbert provided the second-most efficient outing by any quarterback this season when he posted a plus-23.9 EPA during his 33 dropbacks.

More importantly, the injuries and constant shuffling along the Chargers' offensive line isn't affecting Herbert nearly as much as it should. The quarterback completed nine of 11 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown when pressured by Dallas. He wasn't sacked, either.

"He's amazing, his accuracy, his escapability, his ability to throw on the run," Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs said of Herbert. "He's got it all."

Grade: A

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/John Froschauer

Score: 38-37 loss vs. Seattle Seahawks

Stat Line: 29 of 49 for 457 yards and three touchdowns

Matthew Stafford did nearly everything he needed to do for the Rams to beat the Seahawks in Seattle. Then, everything else fell apart.

Seattle benefited from a punt return touchdown, breakdown in Los Angeles' coverage for another score, freak two-point conversion and a Rams' missed field goal to overcome a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and emerge victorious in overtime.

Meanwhile, Stafford threw for 457 yards and three touchdowns. He led seven different scoring drives against the NFL's second-best scoring defense. The MVP candidate placed his team in a position to win on multiple occasions only to be let down.

"Any time you come in here, play that defense, one of the best, if not the best in the league, and do what we were able to do on offense, control the game and score whatever we scored, 37," Stafford said. "Feel good about it. Obviously, there's a couple plays we want back to maybe score in the red zone earlier in the game or continue a drive where we got off the field early in the game, but I was proud of our effort."

Grade: A

Quinn Ewers, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo

Score: 45-21 loss vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Stat Line: 20 of 30 for 260 yards and two interceptions

Tua Tagovailoa's benching and Quinn Ewers' insertion into the starting lineup did not provide the Miami Dolphins with a boost when facing the Cincinnati Bengals.

To the seventh-round rookie's credit, he operated the offense without looking overwhelmed and threw for 260 yards. He was particularly efficient during the first half by completing 10 of 12 attempts for 109 yards. But the Dolphins got down big in the second half and Ewers was forced to press, which resulted in a pair of interceptions.

"I was calm and I was ready for the opportunity at hand," Ewers told reporters. "Felt like I had a great grasp of the game plan and felt like I had the confidence of the guys around me. I was fired up to get back out there on the field."

The Dolphins will definitely want to see more of Ewers. Yes, he slid to the final round of the 2025 draft. However, he was once viewed as a 5-star recruit and potential first-round draft pick. Ewers never fully developed at Texas, but he clearly has plenty of upside that Dolphins may be able to mine.

Grade: C-

J.J. McCarthy & Max Brosmer, Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo

Score: 16-13 win vs. New York Giants

Stat Line: (McCarthy) nine of 14 for 108 yards, an interception, fumble lost, two carries for 20 yards and a touchdown; (Brosmer) seven of nine for 52 yards

Just when J.J. McCarthy started to build positive momentum and looked like the franchise quarterback Minnesota hoped he'd be upon his selection with last year's 10th overall draft pick, he suffered another injury.

The Vikings won their previous two contests by scoring at least 31 points. The offense managed over 300 yards in both. Neither could be said about Sunday's performance against the Giants, though Minnesota still emerged victorious.

McCarthy left the game in the second quarter with a hand injury and didn't return for the second half.

"Thinking about the last three weeks," head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters, "he's looked like he's found a place of decisiveness and ownership of the offense.

Instead, undrafted free agent Max Brosmer might be the young quarterback in the lineup to finish out the season, which is a worst-case scenario for the Vikings because McCarthy needs those reps to continue building toward 2026.

Grade: C

Drake Maye, New England Patriots

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Score: 28-24 win vs. Baltimore Ravens

Stat Line: 31 of 44 for 380 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and fumble lost

The New England Patriots offense is once again being propelled by Drake Maye's big arm.

Against the Ravens, Maye completed four of five passes beyond 20 air yards for a career-high 111 passing yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. His plus-62.6 EPA on deep attempts leads the NFL and is the best from a Patriots quarterback since before Tom Brady left the franchise.

A beautiful over-the-shoulder, 37-yard touchdown to rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams was counted among those completions.

Maye led two touchdown drives after the Patriots fell behind by 11 points in the fourth quarter. He finished 12 of 14 passing during those possessions.

"Just thought gritty. He got hit," head coach Mike Vrabel said of his quarterback. "It was great for him to have success. I'm happy for him, especially executing there at the end of the game."

Grade: B+

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Ella Hall

Score: 29-6 win vs. New York Jets

Stat Line: 32 of 49 for 308 yards and a touchdown

Of all the young quarterback currently in lineups for teams to get a look at before the regular season ends, the New Orleans Saints' Tyler Shough has showed the most in regards to being the future of his respective franchise.

The Saints have won three straight games and four of their last six with Shough as the starter. The second-round rookie set a new career-high Sunday with 308 passing yards in what became a lopsided victory over the Jets.

"We're super proud of what we're putting together," Shough told reporters. "The season hasn't gone exactly as we wanted it to, but we kind of stayed resilient through that."

With the talented quarterback behind center and upcoming games against the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons, the Saints could easily finish the 2025 campaign with seven wins after starting the season with a 1-8 record.

Grade: A

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Score: 16-13 loss vs. Minnesota Vikings

Stat Line: seven of 13 for 33 yards and an interception

The Vikings defense demolished Jaxson Dart's confidence.

The rookie quarterback barely managed to do anything during Sunday's contest. In fact, Dart complete one pass for two years in the game's first half. He finished with a mere 33 passing yards and didn't have any affect on the game as a runner, either.

Teams starting a rookie quarterback should always expect a stinker or two where the first-year player looks overwhelmed. The Vikings defense had Dart's head spinning, though he wouldn't fully admit as much.

"I thought they did a good job," Dart said of Minnesota's defense. "I thought they did a good job of staying true to rush lanes. The opportunities that you have in the game when you're kind of in those exotic downs and when they are trying to light it up, you just try your best to stay composed during all that."

Grade: F

Brady Cook, New York Jets

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Score: 29-6 loss vs. New Orleans Saints

Stat Line: 22 of 35 for 188 yards, an interception and fumble lost

Brady Cook didn't look as overwhelmed during his second professional start, but the New Orleans Saints overran the undrafted rookie nonetheless.

The Saints sacked Cook eight times, while the rookie managed 188 passing yards.

"It's hard to tell exactly what's going on in the moment, but at the end of the day I need to get the ball out," Cook told reporters.

The odds have been stacked against Cook since he left Missouri. He wasn't guaranteed a roster spot. The Jets had no inclination of actually playing him this season until everything fell apart with the squad's veteran quarterback options. Now, the Jets get to see if Cook can provide any kind of spark. He has two more games to show what he can do.

"He gives us the best chance to win," head coach Aaron Glenn said. "He wouldn't be in there if we didn't believe that."

Grade: D

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Score: 29-18 win vs. Washington Commanders

Stat Line: 22 of 30 for 185 yards and two touchdowns; seven carries for 40 yards

A little perspective can go a long way.

"I think it's funny," Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley said after Saturday's victory over the Commanders. "But we'll have moments in this season where we're like, 'Man, we're not doing this, we're not doing that.' We just won the NFC East division. Went back-to-back, something that hasn't been done in a long time. So it's funny. It just all depends on the perspective you can have. And, like we've been saying, we're right where we wanna go."

As part of the constant questioning, Jalen Hurts has been placed under a microscope with each week's performance scrutinized to the nth degree. Interestingly, Hurts hasn't thrown for 200 yards in five of the Eagles' last eight games. Philadelphia won each of those contests. It lost when the quarterback needed to do more.

The previous statistic isn't an indictment of Hurts' play. Instead, it shows how talented and balanced the offense can be, with the quarterback pulling the strings.

"We got playmakers at all the phases in this offense," tight end Dallas Goedert said. "And whatever they're taking away, something's gonna be open. And we just gotta find a way to exploit it."

Grade: B+

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Rey Del Rio

Score: 29-24 win vs. Detroit Lions

Stat Line: 27 of 41 for 266 yards and a touchdown

The Pittsburgh Steelers needed an offensive pass interference call to keep their winning streak alive. All that matters is that it happened. The team has now won three in a row with firm control of the AFC North.

Aaron Rodgers didn't need to be huge part of Sunday's outcome, because the Steelers biggest offensive plays came courtesy of an explosive run game. Jaylen Warren broke two 45-yard touchdown runs.

Kenneth Gainwell definitely deserves most of the credit for Rodgers' lone touchdown pass as well since the running back became tied up with the defender, caught the ball while on the ground and had the awareness to get up and scamper for the score.

Rodgers does deserve credit for playing sound football without mistakes. In fact, he hasn't committed a turnover during the current streak. He's providing the Steelers with exactly what they need right now, particular with his performance Sunday on third and fourth downs.

"It's been playoff-type football for us the last three weeks," Rodgers told reporters. "... So, it says a lot about the guys we got, says a lot about the leadership, the organization and the players."

Grade: B

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Score: 48-27 win vs. Indianapolis Colts

Stat Line: 25 of 34 for 295 yards, five touchdowns and an interception

Brock Purdy is officially on a heater.

The San Francisco 49ers' quarterback threw for 295 yards in each of the last two games, with an eight-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio, including a career-high five scoring throws during Monday Night Football.

San Francisco scored on seven of its initial eight drives against the Colts. The lone exception was a missed field goal as the first half expired. Otherwise, the Niners' offense did whatever it wanted throughout the majority of the contest.

Purdy did throw an interception late in the game. Up to that point, he displayed excellent decision-making and ball placement. The Colts certainly didn't have any answers as San Francisco went up and down the field.

The Niners are peaking at the right time with the postseason looming. Purdy deserves significant credit, because he's clearly rounded back into form after missing eight games this season due to a turf-toe injury. He now has full command of the offense and it's operating at the highest level.

Grade: A

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Brooke Sutton/GAP Photo/John Froschaueretty Images

Score: 38-37 win vs. Los Angeles Rams

Stat Line: 22 of 34 for 270 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions

The Seattle Seahawks' victory over the Rams needed more than good quarterback play to make it happen, but it included a strong rebound performance from Sam Darnold.

Darnold has experienced stretches this season where questions of whether regression bubbled to the surface. Instead, the quarterback responded in those instances, as he did Thursday. Darnold's mistakes played a significant part in the Rams building a 16-point fourth-quarter lead.

But Darnold never wavered and connected with tight end AJ Barner on a 26-yard pass to the tie the game during the final frame, then led a nine-play 65-yard touchdown drive in overtime, including the winning two-point connection with tight end Eric Saubert.

"It just shows he's a true competitor," Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba told reporters. "A lot of guys would get down on themselves and give up, lay down. But that's not what we do. That's not who he is. That goes around to the whole team. Excited to have a leader in Sam."

Grade: B

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Rusty Jones

Score: 23-20 loss vs. Carolina Panthers

Stat Line: 18 of 26 for 145 yards, a touchdown and an interception

Baker Mayfield looks like a shell of the player who was an MVP candidate through the first half of the season. Now, he and the Buccaneers offense can't seem to get out of their own way.

Tampa Bay lost six of its last seven contests. Over the last five weeks, the Bucs scored more than 20 points only once. During that stretch, Mayfield threw for more than 200 yards once (in the game where Tampa scored more than 20).

Mayfield had an opportunity Sunday to replicate some early-season magic with a late game-winning drive. Instead, he dropped back to pass, read the situation differently than Mike Evans and threw a game-sealing interception because the two weren't on the same page.

"I was trying to find a lane to step through and make a throw to him," Mayfield told reporters. "(Evans) thought I was going to scramble, which based on some of the scrambles earlier to that, so you can't blame him."

Now, the Bucs find themselves out of first place in the NFC South. Though they remain in the hunt.

Grade: D

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/Stew Milne

Score: 26-9 win vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Stat Line: 21 of 28 for 228 yards and two touchdowns

The Titans should be ecstatic with Cam Ward's development.

Against the Kansas City Chiefs' defense, which has given more seasoned quarterbacks fits in recent weeks, Ward proved to be up to the task.

According to Pro Football Focus, this year's No. 1 overall pick completed nine of 12 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs' blitz packages. Ward is known for his playmaking ability, but he accelerated his internal clock and made smart decisions by completing 15 of 18 pass attempts and throwing two touchdowns in under 2.5 seconds, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

"I think I've been better each and every week, whether it's one thing or whether it's a major thing," Ward told reporters. "I think just going forward, I just (have to) continue to control what I can control, lead my teammates, be a great team player and try to win games."

Grade: A

Marcus Mariota & Josh Johnson, Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Score: 29-18 loss vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Stat Line: (Mariota) seven of 14 for 965 yards; (Johnson) five of nine for 43 yards and an interception

The Washington Commanders just need this season to end, because their quarterback situation has been an absolutely disaster.

Jayden Daniels didn't build on his NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2024. Instead, he dealt with multiple injuries before the coaching decided he needed to sit for the reason of the season and heal. Marcus Mariota hasn't performed well, the he got knocked out of Saturday's game with a hand and quad injuries. Josh Johnson once again found his way onto the field in his 18th NFL season.

Mariota and Johnson combined to throw for 130 yards. The Eagles dominated the second half of the rivals latest meeting. Meanwhile, the Commanders really have nowhere to go from this point, with Johnson expected to start during Thursday Night Football if Mariota isn't cleared by Washington's medical staff.

Grade: F