Power Ranking Starting NFL Quarterbacks Heading into Week 11
The NFL can be a ruthless business.
Of the 28 quarterbacks who started in Week 10, four will not start in Week 11 due to performance or injury issues.
It will certainly be strange to not see Peyton Manning under center for the Denver Broncos.
For the purpose of this power ranking, we have taken into consideration recent form, number of games played and surrounding talent.
Where does Manning's replacement, Brock Osweiler, rank, and does Tom Brady grab the No. 1 spot after leading yet another game-winning drive?
32. Case Keenum
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Jeff Fisher announced on Monday that Case Keenum will start for the St. Louis Rams at the Baltimore Ravens, per NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal.
It means Nick Foles, whom the Rams acquired in an offseason trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, is benched.
Keenum started two games for the Houston Texans in 2014 and won both. Per Rosenthal, Fisher said his offense “needs a spark” and believes Keenum, who has a career completion percentage of 55.2, is the man to provide it.
31. Blaine Gabbert
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Blaine Gabbert was a success in his first start since October 6, 2013.
So much so that Gabbert will lead the San Francisco 49ers again on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
Gabbert wasn’t great against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, completing 60 percent of his throws and throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions.
But he secured an invaluable victory, sealing the win with a five-yard scramble on 3rd-and-4.
30. Brock Osweiler
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Four years into his NFL career, Brock Osweiler will make his first start in the NFL on Sunday.
There’s little to judge him on other than a cameo against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and a string of preseason games.
Having Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas, both pacy weapons, will suit the strong-armed Osweiler.
The 24-year-old can also operate under center—an ideal trait in head coach Gary Kubiak’s scheme.
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29. Mark Sanchez
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According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Sam Bradford is expected to miss the Philadelphia Eagles' next two games.
That means Mark Sanchez will take up the reins.
Sanchez entered the Eagles game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday and proceeded to throw a red-zone interception while the Eagles trailed by one with under five minutes to go.
Sanchez found himself in a similar situation last season. When Nick Foles broke his collarbone in Week 9, Sanchez stepped in to continue the Eagles' playoff push.
Sunday was Sanchez’s first game this season. He knows the playbook, and a week spent taking first-team reps will have him ready for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
28. Johnny Manziel
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Johnny Manziel turned in the best performance of his career in Week 10, finishing 33-of-45 passing for 372 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Manziel is beginning to show poise in the pocket, a trait rarely seen in his rookie season. He was 12-of-13 passing for 101 yards from the pocket on Sunday, per ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon, and head coach Mike Pettine recently observed: “He learned, ‘I don’t have to turn every play into a punt return,’” per Darin Gantt of NBC Sports.
If he continues to develop, he’ll shoot up the rankings in no time.
27. Matt Hasselbeck
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Matt Hasselbeck did everything asked of him when called into action earlier in the season, winning both games he started in Andrew Luck’s absence.
Against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, he will start for the first time since Week 5. Luck is sidelined with a lacerated kidney and a partial tear of an abdominal muscle, per NFL.com’s Andie Hagemann.
Hasselbeck was efficient in those games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, completing 63.2 percent of his passes and not committing any turnovers.
ESPN’s Mike Wells called Hasselbeck “among, if not the best backup quarterback in the NFL.” His experience is crucial as the Indianapolis Colts look to win the AFC South.
26. Matthew Stafford
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Matthew Stafford is enduring a turbulent season, but on Sunday, he showed he’s willing to put all trade talks, alluded to by NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, beyond him and focus on playing football.
He became the first quarterback to beat the Packers in Green Bay since Erik Kramer in 1991. While some teammates struggled to cope with the pressure in the fourth quarter, Stafford thrived, converting two third downs on the final drive and throwing a game-winning touchdown to Lance Moore.
Stafford’s performances have been called into question—and rightly so. Only one quarterback has thrown more interceptions than Stafford’s 12, and at times, the former No. 1 overall pick has struggled to solve opposing defenses. But his attitude has been commendable.
25. Brian Hoyer
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Brian Hoyer suffered a concussion on Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals, but head coach Bill O’Brien is hopeful Hoyer will start against the New York Jets this weekend, per NFL.com’s Conor Orr.
And that’s good news for a team in the playoff hunt after tying the Indianapolis Colts atop the AFC South.
Before Monday’s game, Hoyer had a passer rating of at least 100 in four of his previous five games.
The Texans have won in three of Hoyer’s last four starts. He is making O’Brien’s decision to bench him for Ryan Mallett—released by the team in October after missing a flight—earlier in the season all the more odd.
24. Blake Bortles
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There are reasons for the Jacksonville Jaguars to expect a bright future with Blake Bortles as quarterback.
He’s on pace to throw for 4,233 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Bortles wasn’t at his best against the Baltimore Ravens and showed there are still several areas for improvement. He missed a few routine passes and held on to the ball for too long at times.
But if Bortles can lead the Jaguars to their first playoff appearance since 2007 (they are third in the AFC South, one game behind the division-leading Indianapolis Colts), the mistakes will be quickly forgotten.
23. Alex Smith
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Alex Smith continues to do enough to help the Kansas City Chiefs win football games.
He isn’t the most exciting quarterback, but he doesn’t have to be. Smith isn’t committing any costly mistakes—his last interception coming in Week 3—and Charcandrick West has performed brilliantly in Jamaal Charles’ absence.
That recipe, along with a defense beginning to shine, has put the Chiefs in the playoff hunt.
22. Ryan Tannehill
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Ryan Tannehill is turning into a bit of a mystery.
After improving in each of his first three seasons, the Miami Dolphins probably expected more from the quarterback they awarded a six-year contract extension worth $95 million in May, per NFL.com’s Conor Orr.
Compared to 2014, Tannehill is down in accuracy, touchdown percentage and passer rating, and he is on pace to throw more interceptions.
His deep-ball accuracy is better, as shown by this pass to Kenny Stills (h/t Jeff Hyde of PhinManiacs.com), but Tannehill fails to outwit opposing defenses on a consistent basis.
21. Teddy Bridgewater
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Teddy Bridgewater has done little wrong for the Minnesota Vikings this season.
Similar to Alex Smith’s position in Kansas City, Bridgewater has been steady while his running back and defense have shone.
The next step is for Bridgewater to step up in the big games, and he’ll get the opportunity in the coming weeks. The Vikings face the Green Bay Packers twice, the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals in their season run-in.
20. Kirk Cousins
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Kirk Cousins is a free agent in the offseason but will not be without several suitors.
In 2015, he’s been more accurate than Tom Brady and has thrown for more yards than Aaron Rodgers. In his last three games, Cousins has thrown eight touchdowns to one interception.
On Sunday, he carved the New Orleans Saints defense to the tune of 20-of-25 passing for 324 yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions and a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
The biggest factor holding Cousins back is a lack of consistency.
19. Ryan Fitzpatrick
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Ryan Fitzpatrick had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb on Friday, per Ben Shpigel of the New York Times.
The injury didn’t hinder Fitzpatrick against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9.
But against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, Fitzpatrick had his worst game of the season, completing 44.1 percent of his passes and struggling to move the ball until late in the third quarter.
18. Marcus Mariota
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In his rookie year, Marcus Mariota is continuing to learn with each passing week.
On Sunday, he learned not to throw the ball up in a wild panic when under pressure. His pass was intercepted by Carolina Panthers safety Kurt Coleman, and Carolina shut out the Titans in the second half.
It was a blip in an otherwise promising rookie season for Mariota.
The week before, he threw for 371 yards and four touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints, as he celebrated his second AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. Not bad, given that was his sixth NFL game.
Mariota has thrown 13 touchdowns to six interceptions and is completing 65.6 percent of his throws.
Through experience, Mariota will learn to become an adept player. He has the potential to become a top-10 quarterback.
17. Joe Flacco
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Joe Flacco is doing an admirable job considering the Baltimore Ravens have a lack of talent at the receiver position and are struggling to run the ball.
The next-best receiver behind the injured Steve Smith Sr. is Kamar Aiken, who is averaging 45.1 yards per game.
The Ravens rank 23rd in rushing offense, averaging less than 100 yards per game, so Flacco doesn’t have a whole lot to work with around him.
Yet he’s still averaging 276.9 throwing yards per game—the best figure of his career.
Flacco has been careless with the football, though, committing three turnovers in Sunday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s thrown 10 interceptions this season—only four quarterbacks have thrown more.
16. Jameis Winston
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Jameis Winston understands that he is the leader in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers locker room.
This impassioned postgame speech, per the Buccaneers Twitter feed, led to head coach Lovie Smith saying, “He’s not a rookie quarterback anymore,” per ESPN.com’s Andrew Astleford.
“That’s just normal Jameis Winston as far as I see it,” Smith continued. “He’s in that role.”
Through Weeks 5 to 9, he didn’t throw an interception. The two he threw against the Dallas Cowboys were excused when Winston ran in for a game-winning touchdown.
Winston is improving at a rate the Buccaneers should be immensely pleased with.
His decision-making requires improvement—Winston fumbled the ball after attempting a Cam Newton-like front flip into the end zone on the play before his rushing touchdown, but he wasn’t punished for the turnover due to a defensive holding penalty—but he’s embracing his role as a leader.
15. Tyrod Taylor
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In the games Tyrod Taylor has started, the Buffalo Bills are 5-2.
Without their starting quarterback, they are 0-2.
Taylor’s success is in his accuracy. Excluding Tony Romo, who has played only two games, Taylor’s completion percentage of 70.5 leads all starting quarterbacks.
For those who think his accuracy might be a result of Taylor shying away from attempting vertical throws, his 8.2 yards per attempt is tied for fourth among starting quarterbacks.
We’re yet to see Taylor beat a great defense—the strongest defense he has beaten is the New York Jets, and they were without three starting defensive backs—and for that reason, Taylor, despite the statistics, can’t be considered a top-10 quarterback yet.
We’ll learn more about Taylor’s development on Monday night when the Bills take on the New England Patriots in Gillette Stadium.
14. Russell Wilson
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Russell Wilson’s regression as a quarterback was confirmed on Sunday night against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback completed just 43.8 percent of his throws. His 67.2 passer rating was the lowest Wilson has recorded in a regular-season game since Week 10 last year.
Though he’s having his best season in terms of accuracy and passing yards per game, Wilson is more careless with the football.
Through nine games, he has thrown seven interceptions, the same number he managed during the whole of 2014. He was lucky to throw just one interception to Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu on Sunday, as Mathieu missed two more opportunities to pick off Wilson.
Currently three games behind the Cardinals and two games behind the projected fifth- and sixth-seeded teams, Seattle needs its quarterback to turn things around if it is to reach the playoffs.
13. Eli Manning
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Eli Manning was one refereeing decision away from recording another memorable win over the New England Patriots on Sunday night.
Unfortunately for Manning, the pass to Odell Beckham Jr. that was eventually ruled incomplete put an end to that narrative. (The play can be seen here at the 2:20 minute mark, per the NFL.)
The two touchdowns Manning threw took his tally to 21 for the season, which is tied for the third-highest total. He threw for 361 yards from 24 completions, a yards-per-completion number of 15.04.
Manning is having his best-ever season in terms of accuracy (64.6 percent), interception percentage (1.6) and passer rating (96.9). He’s on pace to throw 34 touchdowns—the highest number of his career.
Manning showed excellent composure throughout Sunday's contest, especially on the final drive.
Inside his own half with under three minutes to go, a beautiful pass to Dwayne Harris on third down put the New York Giants in field-goal range.
Two plays later, Manning threw a precise back-shoulder throw to the same player to set up 1st-and-goal from the 5-yard line.
The next play was the incomplete pass to Beckham Jr. The drive would culminate in a field goal before Tom Brady stole the headlines with a game-winning drive.
Still, if Manning continues to play as well as he did against the Patriots, the Giants stand a great chance of winning the NFC East.
12. Matt Ryan
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The Atlanta Falcons offense has fallen flat in recent weeks, as turnovers have threatened to derail their season.
Through Weeks 6 to 8, Matt Ryan was responsible for five turnovers, displaying an unusual lack of care.
His stat sheet against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9 looks impressive, but he missed some throws a quarterback of his talent should make, failing to connect with Julio Jones and Nick Williams on what would have been first downs.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Ryan his No. 9 quarterback from 2014, but Ryan isn’t currently playing like a top-10 quarterback.
11. Jay Cutler
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Whisper it: Jay Cutler is having a really good season.
We’re used to seeing inexplicable mistakes from the Chicago Bears quarterback, but under offensive coordinator Adam Gase, Cutler is playing superb football.
He is more confident in his ability to complete difficult throws and isn’t panicking under pressure. On Sunday, Cutler was 6-of-8 for 196 yards and three touchdowns when the St. Louis Rams blitzed, per ESPN Stats & Info (via ESPN’s Matt Bowen).
Cutler’s passer rating over his last three games is 115.3. His touchdown-to-interception ratio during that period is 6-to-1. The Bears can’t ask for more than that.
10. Tony Romo
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Tony Romo will start for the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, according to ESPN.com news services.
Before suffering the broken collarbone that forced him to miss seven games, Romo completed 75 percent of his attempts and led the Cowboys to a 2-0 start. His 98.8 passer rating exceeds Ben Roethlisberger’s.
Romo would probably be higher on this list if he hadn’t suffered an injury. The Cowboys certainly wouldn’t be 2-7.
9. Drew Brees
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In a bleak season for the New Orleans Saints, their quarterback has been a highlight.
While the defense continues to struggle each week, as this graphic by ESPN’s Adam Schefter shows, Drew Brees continues to shine.
Against the Washington Redskins on Sunday, he took his touchdown tally to 20.
Brees is averaging 330.2 passing yards per game. He’s projected to throw for 4,755 yards, and that’s after missing Week 3 and without the services of longtime safety blanket Jimmy Graham.
8. Philip Rivers
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It’s hard not to feel sorry for Philip Rivers.
Has a quarterback of such talent ever been hit with such an injury-stricken offense?
Rivers is on pace to throw for 5,392 yards, but that’s unlikely to happen now with Keenan Allen out for the season and Malcom Floyd not certain to see the field again in 2015 with a shoulder injury, according to ESPN’s Eric D. Williams.
Left tackle King Dunlap has missed four games due to a concussion and ankle injury. Center Chris Watt suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 8. Guard Orlando Franklin has missed five games due to a high-ankle sprain and MCL knee sprain.
The result of the depleted offensive line? Rivers being sacked 21 times.
The San Diego Chargers are 2-7, but their quarterback, who has a 69 percent completion percentage and 100.7 passer rating, isn’t at fault.
7. Derek Carr
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In his second season, Derek Carr is beginning to look like the real deal.
His touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree against the Pittsburgh Steelers (shown in this video from the NFL at the 4:20 mark) was sublime.
Carr has thrown 21 touchdowns to six interceptions and has a passer rating of 101.5. Against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, he recorded his third straight game passing for more than 300 yards.
Carr is making the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and Vikings regret passing on him and selecting other quarterbacks in last year’s draft.
6. Andy Dalton
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Andy Dalton has had the two worst games of his season in the last three weeks.
In Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he threw a pair of interceptions and was thankful for two interceptions by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth quarter, as the Bengals ran out 16-10 winners.
On Monday night against the Houston Texans, Dalton struggled when the defense brought pressure and missed some throws, posting his lowest completion percentage of the season.
He’s still having an incredible season—Monday’s game was Dalton’s first without a touchdown—but he will want to ensure those games against the Steelers and Texans were blips.
5. Aaron Rodgers
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Aaron Rodgers is an elite quarterback not currently playing at an elite level. An early-season contender for MVP, Rodgers’ performances have dipped as his team has struggled.
Through Weeks 1 to 5, Rodgers was completing 70.6 percent of his throws, and his passer rating was 115.54. Through Weeks 6 to 10, the reigning MVP’s completion percentage was 56.3, and his passer rating was 89.4.
The growing inaccuracy is one thing. Another worrisome sign is Rodgers missing a wide-open receiver in the end zone due to getting “scared,” per ESPN.com’s Jason Wilde. Rodgers made the comment after missing Randall Cobb for an easy touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in Week 9.
Despite Andy Dalton posting better numbers than Rodgers, the Packers quarterback is ahead due to the lack of talent he’s throwing to compared to Dalton and the absence of a Packers running game.
4. Ben Roethlisberger
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The initial diagnosis when Ben Roethlisberger sprained his foot against the Oakland Raiders in Week 9 was “a few weeks” on the sideline, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Turns out Roethlisberger wouldn’t miss a single game.
His incredible recovery was complete when he replaced the injured Landry Jones against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday and proceeded to throw for 379 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-9 win.
Roethlisberger is remaining tough in a season where injuries have threatened to ruin the Steelers’ entire 2015 campaign.
3. Cam Newton
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Tune in to any Carolina Panthers game this season, and you’re likely to see one of three things: Cam Newton launching the ball to a receiver for a huge gain, Cam Newton leaping into the end zone or Cam Newton dancing in the end zone.
The quarterback has put the Panthers offense on his back, and Carolina is playoff-bound because of him.
Newton brings talent and excitement to the field, and long may it continue.
2. Carson Palmer
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As each game passes, the Arizona Cardinals will continue to wonder what might have been had Carson Palmer not suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Week 10 last year.
The injury has introduced added resiliency to Palmer’s performance. Against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night, the 35-year-old had two strip-sacks that swung momentum in Seattle’s favor.
Palmer’s response? Two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, including a 14-yard strike to Jermaine Gresham, to seal a statement win.
To be the best player in the league coming off such a serious injury is a remarkable accomplishment, yet it's one that some believe Palmer is capable of achieving. ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss is ready to add his name to the MVP debate.
1. Tom Brady
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Tom Brady is currently the best quarterback in the league, with his game-winning drive against the New York Giants on Sunday as another series to add to the 38-year-old’s 2015 highlight reel.
Brady’s resolve, composure and intelligence were all on show as he led the 48th game-winning drive of his career, per New England Sports Network’s Doug Kyed.
He continues to amaze behind a makeshift offensive line. On Sunday, the average age of his five offensive linemen was 23.9, according to Rich Hill of Pats Pulpit.
It’s incredible that Brady is enjoying such success behind an inexperienced, ever-changing group, and it is for this reason that Brady is No. 1.
Brady’s 16th season in the league is turning into one of his greatest. His words about playing for 10 more years appear more feasible with each passing week.
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