NFL1000: Doug Farrar's Week 8 QB Rankings
There's a new sheriff in town, and his name ain't Peyton Manning.
Throughout the first two months of B/R's NFL1000 QB rankings, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have comfortably sat atop the list. Alex Smith and Drew Brees have come close to that greatness, and you know Deshaun Watson will be considered in time, but there hasn't been another quarterback to take the rest of the league by the scruff of the neck in such a consistent and noticeable fashion that he would merit the top spot.
Until now.
With his bravura performance against the Washington Redskins on Monday night, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz took the top spot in our rankings. The Eagles are the league's only one-loss team after their 34-24 win over Washington, and Wentz has been a major part of that. Wentz completed 17 of 25 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns with one interception, which propelled him to the league lead in touchdown passes with 17.
But it's not just Wentz's passing ability that has him up top this week—it's also what he does at the line of scrimmage with the additional freedom the coaching staff has given him in his second season, and the danger he creates as a rusher, that makes him so special. Wentz has improved dramatically in his reads and his anticipation throwing, and the evidence is all over the film.
The rest of the leaderboard looks fairly consistent up top, with the obvious exception of the injured Rodgers, but it was time to recognize Wentz, who has climbed our charts all season.
Our weekly quarterback rankings are decided and written by NFL1000 lead scout Doug Farrar and quarterbacks scout Mark Schofield. Farrar evaluates all NFC quarterbacks, and Schofield does the same with the AFC quarterbacks.
Farrar and Schofield combine tape analysis and advanced metrics to give you a sense of which quarterbacks are trending up, which are trending down and which are better or worse than their reputations might imply.
The rankings are based on recent performance, of course, but they are also adjusted for opponent, factor in the talent around the quarterback and consider the player's history over the last few years.
Good news for some, bad news for others. Here are the NFL1000 quarterback rankings ahead of Week 8.
Notable Omissions
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Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
Deshaun Watson was home this weekend as the Houston Texans were on their bye week, as was Matthew Stafford and his Detroit Lions. The bye week quarterbacks will return to the rankings next week, but since we rank based on performance, they were excluded this week.
33. DeShone Kizer, Cleveland Browns
2 of 34
Last Week: N/A
In the early going against the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns fans were overjoyed and I was pleased to learn that Hue Jackson had been reading the NFL1000 writeups. The Cleveland offense was working under DeShone Kizer's direction by giving him concepts with defined half-field reads. It used a double-slant concept with a designed throw to the running back in the flat. It ran two different play-action boot concepts, first with a defined throw to the flat and second by incorporating a throwback screen to the running back. It seemed to be working, as Kizer was confident with his reads and decisions and the ball was coming out quickly.
But then he made two mistakes that caused Jackson to pull him for the second time this year.
The first was a poor decision where Kizer tried to hit Rashard Higgins on a deep out pattern. Kizer's throw came late—an indication the game is not speeding up for him yet—and the pass sailed over the head of the receiver and into the waiting arms of safety Kevin Byard.
The second interception provided another example of Kizer letting his eyes lead defenders to the football. Cleveland ran another play-action boot concept, and Kizer had his tight end open in the flat. But rather than take the easy throw, Kizer waited for the deeper crossing route from Bryce Treggs. Byard, who was covering the flat route, saw Kizer and dropped off the shorter pattern to settle underneath Treggs' crossing route and was in position for an easy interception. Once again this season, Jackson had seen enough.
Kizer still showed flashes of what he can offer an offense, such as a third-down conversion late in the first quarter on a sticks concept where he drilled in a throw to tight end Seth DeValve between two defenders with velocity and accuracy. But at this point, the handwriting is on the wall. Jackson has lost confidence in his young quarterback, and it would be surprising to see the rookie get another start in 2017 absent injury.
32. Cody Kessler, Cleveland Browns
3 of 34
Last Week: N/A
Once again this season, Jackson pulled his rookie quarterback and inserted a second-year player in his place. This time, Jackson turned to Cody Kessler to come on in relief of Kizer after the rookie threw his second interception. It was clear Kessler provided a spark to the Browns offense. The timing on route concepts was much improved, and the offense had more of a vertical element to its execution when Kessler was on the field.
One area that stands out between the two quarterbacks is timing and anticipation. Whereas Kizer is more of a "see it, throw it" quarterback at this point in his career, Kessler is much more willing and effective at making anticipation throws. With Kessler in the game, the ball was coming out on time or even ahead of schedule, putting receivers in position to make easy catches and preventing defenders from driving on throws. A prime example of this was on 2nd-and-6 early in the fourth quarter. The Browns ran a spot concept—something Kessler ran often while at USC—and the quarterback dropped in a perfect touch pass to tight end David Njoku on a corner route to pick up the first down.
Similar to Tennessee on this day, there were some missed opportunities for Cleveland when Kessler was pulling the trigger. On 4th-and-3 early in the fourth quarter, Kessler had Kenny Britt open on a wheel route in a vertical concept, but the quarterback overthrew the pass. Later in the fourth quarter, an offensive pass interference penalty erased a nicely designed route concept that freed running back Duke Johnson Jr. in the flat. On the next play, Kessler forced a post route to Njoku in coverage, and it was intercepted.
Despite the mistakes, Kessler might be the better choice for the Browns right now. I know, last week I argued for Jackson to give Kizer some defined reads and to stick with him as the quarterback. But given that Jackson pulled him yet again, it might be time to stick with the switch for the rest of the season.
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31. Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears
4 of 34
Last Week: 26
On Dec. 24, 2006, the Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 10-3 despite the fact quarterback Chris Weinke completed just four of seven passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. Carolina's head coach? John Fox.
On Nov. 13, 2011, the Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs 17-10 despite the fact quarterback Tim Tebow completed just two of eight passes for 69 yards and a touchdown. Denver's head coach? Fox.
On Sunday, the Chicago Bears beat the Carolina Panthers 17-3 despite the fact quarterback Mitchell Trubisky completed just four of seven passes for 107 yards.
Chicago's head coach? You guessed it.
So, we know Fox has a knack for pulling victory from the jaws of defeat with a game plan that would look best on the 1926 Providence Steam Roller. That doesn't do much for Trubisky's development, though. Of the passes he did throw, Trubisky exhibited mixed results. He overthrew running back Tarik Cohen on an out route for his first pass but later hit Cohen down the middle on a really nice throw that predicated a 70-yard play. He overthrew tight end Zach Miller on a deep ball early in the third quarter but had connected with Miller over the middle in the first quarter.
In other words, Trubisky was off and on, as most young quarterbacks tend to be. He doesn't need to be hidden under five levels of concrete in every game plan; he needs more short and intermediate throwing opportunities that allow him to build rhythm and confidence. When he has a clean pocket and his receivers can get open, Trubisky shows potential both in and out of the pocket. The Bears will have to take the training wheels off eventually.
30. Brett Hundley, Green Bay Packers
5 of 34
Last Week: 25
Brett Hundley threw three interceptions last Sunday after Aaron Rodgers was removed with a broken collarbone against the Minnesota Vikings, but you'd expect that from a young quarterback thrown into the middle of a game against one of the NFL's best defenses. This time, Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy had a full week to prepare Hundley for the New Orleans Saints' vulnerable but improving defense, and the third-year man had a rough day, completing just 12 of 25 passes for 87 yards and an interception. Not that he didn't have deep-ball opportunities—he nearly hit Jordy Nelson on a deep seam route in the second quarter—but Hundley threw the ball a bit late, with just enough air under it for cornerback Marshon Lattimore to break it up.
Hundley was wild high a couple of times, but the primary issue at this point in his career is that he's very much a see-it-and-throw-it player; he's not yet expert at throwing his receivers open, and McCarthy is notorious for refusing to scheme his receivers open. So, what happened a lot against the Saints' excellent coverage is that Hundley either threw early and erratically or held the ball too long in rollouts waiting for something to happen.
It's been clear for years that Rodgers' ability to create big plays out of rudimentary schemes is one of his greatest attributes. The Packers will see that emphasized in his absence. Hundley could use some quick combos designed to give him an easy first read, but he may have the wrong coaching staff for that.
29. Drew Stanton, Arizona Cardinals
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Last Week: N/A
Drew Stanton came into the game against the Los Angeles Rams in the second quarter after Carson Palmer broke his arm and threw a quick outlet pass to Larry Fitzgerald to try to establish a rhythm. That rhythm snapped on Stanton's second throw, when he play-faked to Adrian Peterson, fell down and flipped a quick pass to Peterson before the Rams' furious rush got to him. He then threw a quick slant to Fitzgerald, overthrew a deep vertical route to John Brown out of bunch left and threw an interception to Rams linebacker Mark Barron. He was targeting Brown over the middle but missed that Barron had dropped into coverage and was occupying the space he apparently thought Brown would be.
It was that kind of day for Stanton, the career backup who completed five of 14 passes for 62 yards with an interception. Outside of a quick-read 23-yard pass to J.J. Nelson with 3:42 left in the 33-0 Rams victory, Stanton was unable to get anything going. His last throw of the day was a wild toss in the general vicinity of two Arizona Cardinals receivers—Stanton was just running around, trying not to get sacked and threw the ball up to save himself.
If Stanton is to be the Cardinals' starter for the rest of the season, it's imperative head coach and offensive play-designer Bruce Arians provides him with a set of first-read open route concepts and relies more on the running game. Stanton isn't a great deep thrower, and with the Cardinals offensive line a liability, he won't have enough time to prove that on most of his snaps.
28. Jay Cutler, Miami Dolphins
7 of 34
Last Week: 20
I know what you are thinking: How can a quarterback who throws a pair of touchdowns while completing 12 of 16 passes be ranked this low?
Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.
Yes, Jay Cutler threw two touchdown passes in the early going against the New York Jets. The first came on a designed rollout with a smash concept to the left side of the field, and Jarvis Landry was left uncovered in the back of the end zone for the easy completion and score. The second came on another short toss from Cutler to tight end Anthony Fasano on a well-designed rub concept that freed the tight end for an easy completion on a slant route for a touchdown.
Other than that, Cutler struggled in the pocket. He threw a disastrous interception on a simple slant/flat concept late in the second quarter. Deep in his own territory and facing an unblocked blitzer off the edge, Cutler simply pulled the trigger on a throw to the flat without doing anything to move the blitzer, get him in the air or work the football around him by adjusting his arm angle. The pass hit Jamal Adams in the hands, deflected into the air and was intercepted by Muhammad Wilkerson. Then later in the second quarter, Cutler took back-to-back sacks when he was slow to make a decision with the football and allowed the pressure to get home. Finally, a number of his passes were off target, such as a throw to tight end Julius Thomas off a play-action fake that was high and behind the open tight end. That missed opportunity came from a clean pocket.
Cutler's day ended when he suffered a chest injury in the third quarter, paving the way for Matt Moore to come on and lead the comeback effort.
The Miami Dolphins offense has been struggling for weeks and is a bottom-three unit in a number of categories, including yards per game and adjusted net yards per attempt. Contrast the Miami offense under Cutler with how aggressive it looked under Moore and weigh the decision ahead of Adam Gase. Cutler might be his quarterback, but Moore might be the team's.
27. C.J. Beathard, San Francisco 49ers
8 of 34
Last Week: 27
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan named C.J. Beathard, a third-round rookie out of Iowa, the starter for the time being after benching veteran Brian Hoyer in San Francisco's Week 6 loss to Washington. Beathard did show more of an ability to get the ball downfield than Hoyer did, so the move seemed like the right thing to do. On a team where every position group is developing, Beathard was simply going to have to take his lumps and show that he has starter potential over time, as opposed to getting the nod because the guy in front of him isn't getting it done.
Against the Dallas Cowboys in his first NFL start, Beathard took enough lumps for multiple games. He completed 22 of 38 passes for 235 yards, was sacked five times and added a rushing touchdown. Beathard did connect with Marquise Goodwin for 48 yards on a nice slant/post concept in the first quarter, and you could see how Beathard's arm could mesh well with Shanahan's evolved route concepts.
Outside of that, however, there wasn't much to talk about. Beathard was under pressure far too often—on 19 of his 45 dropbacks—and he completed just two of six passes when hit or hurried. At least three of the sacks were Beathard's fault, as he held the ball too long or failed to keep his eyes downfield when running.
Beathard has some potential as a pocket passer—he moves decently around the pocket, and though he can be a bit wonky and mechanical when rolling out to throw, he does have a good sense of what it takes to throw deep. He needs to get on the same page with his receivers regarding anticipation and route timing, though that's to be expected for a first-year quarterback who wasn't supposed to start at this point.
26. Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts
9 of 34
Last Week: 22
On a 3rd-and-14 with two minutes remaining in the first quarter, Jacoby Brissett dropped into the pocket to throw. The Indianapolis Colts offense was running a sticks concept, with each receiver running a curl route right at the first-down marker. From a clean pocket, Brissett surveyed the field before hitting Chester Rogers with a high-velocity throw between two defenders for a first down. It was a prime example of what Brissett can accomplish when he has time in the pocket to execute his reads and make a throw.
The problem Sunday was he rarely had time.
The Jacksonville Jaguars tormented Brissett all afternoon to the tune of 10 sacks for a total of 64 lost yards. Truth be told, that number could have been higher were it not for Brissett showing his play strength on a few occasions and staying upright and throwing the ball away while in the grasp of defenders.
Now, not all the sacks can be blamed on the guys up front. There were plays when the coverage was tight downfield and Brissett simply ran out of time and options. There were also times where Brissett was slow to get through his reads and late making up his mind. On two straight snaps near the end of the first half, the second-year quarterback had tight end Jack Doyle open, but he was either slow to throw to him or slow to get to another read, and the pressure got to him.
If this column by Gregg Doyel is any indication, the storm clouds have arrived in Indianapolis. Players are starting to point fingers, and the season might be teetering on the brink of collapse. Much like their backup quarterback Sunday, the Colts could be running out of time in the 2017 season.
25. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
10 of 34
Last Week: 5
Palmer has started 181 regular-season games in his career and thrown for over 46,000 yards. He was the point man for Arians' vertical offense at its best in Arizona, but we may have seen the last of Palmer in the NFL.
In a 33-0 loss to the Rams, Palmer completed 10 of 18 passes for 122 yards and an interception. The pick came with 5:48 left in the first half, and it was the play on which Palmer suffered a broken left arm—he was moving around in the pocket, waiting for Nelson to release from coverage on a deep over route. Linebacker Alec Ogletree walloped Palmer, who threw the ball behind Nelson into the awaiting hands of Rams cornerback Lamarcus Joyner.
Palmer is estimated to be out eight weeks, according to Arians, and given that Palmer was wondering about retirement before the season began, this could indeed be it. The play that ended Palmer's season and perhaps his career was sadly emblematic of his 2017 season—a barely mobile quarterback tasked to stand in the pocket and wait for deep routes to open up behind a bad offensive line as he got hit over and over.
The injury seemed like something that was bound to happen. Now, with Stanton as his starter, Arians must adjust his passing game to accommodate more short and intermediate throws, as well as designed openings underneath. It's what he should have been doing for Palmer all season.
24. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
11 of 34
Last Week: 24
One might be inclined to give Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco an incomplete ranking for the past week. When Mike Wallace left the game after a squeamish hit from Minnesota Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo that drew a personal foul penalty, the Ravens receiver joined Jeremy Maclin, Breshad Perriman and Chris Matthews as sidelined Baltimore passing options for Flacco. Throwing to a mix of Michael Campanaro, Chris Moore and Benjamin Watson, Flacco completed 27 of 39 passes for only 189 yards and a touchdown.
That lack of familiarity showed on the film. Whether it was a deep throw to Moore that the quarterback threw toward the sideline while the receiver broke inside or a hitch route that Flacco threw in the direction of Javorius Allen while the receiver cut inside on a slant, the Ravens struggled to get on the same page in the passing game Sunday.
However, these are not solely weekly rankings. We have to consider the entire body of work to date when looking at Flacco. Right now, the evidence is clear that this is not a good passing game. After seven games the Ravens are dead last in passing yards per game (157.4). Using Football Outsiders' Team Offense DVOA, Baltimore is 28th in passing offense. As for Flacco, he remains 31st in ANY/A with 3.34. Only Kizer prevents Flacco from being the league-worst, but he remains on pace for a historically low season.
There were some, albeit brief, signs of life from Flacco and this passing game on Sunday. Late in the game, he showed nice touch and placement on a vertical route to Moore in the honey hole against Minnesota's Cover 2 defense. He later found Moore on a goal-line fade route to get the Ravens into the end zone as time expired.
But those throws came late in the game after the issue had been determined, and they cannot erase seven games' worth of evidence. Similar to Flacco's ANY/A numbers, only ineptitude from the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland is keeping the Ravens out of the basement in the AFC North. Baltimore faces a short week and a visit from the resurgent Dolphins on Thursday night, and they will need to get well (health-wise and production-wise) in a hurry if they are going to avoid a third straight loss.
23. Eli Manning, New York Giants
12 of 34
Last Week: 15
The New York Giants got away with a Week 6 win against the Broncos by throwing a few additional route concepts into head coach Ben McAdoo's limited playbook when offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan took over the play-calling and inserting a second tight end into far more plays to help with the blocking. Against the Seattle Seahawks this Sunday, none of that mattered much. Down to a couple of NFL-caliber receivers led by rookie tight end Evan Engram, Eli Manning struggled against a Seattle defense that is playing as well as ever and leads the NFL in points allowed. It was a schematic and personnel mismatch.
Manning completed 19 of 39 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown—good enough to win early when Seattle's offense was sputtering but not nearly enough when Russell Wilson started connecting downfield with his receivers. Manning hit Engram for a really nice five-yard touchdown pass over Seahawks safety Earl Thomas in the second quarter, but that was the last time the Giants scored.
Manning attempted just one pass over 20 yards in the air all day, and it wasn't completed. That was a rollout pass against Seattle's Cover 1 in the third quarter, and Manning underthrew receiver Tavarres King by a good five yards.
This was simply a case where a bad offense upset by injuries met a defense it couldn't match, and the passing game became reductive as a result. You could fault the Giants for taking so few chances as the game got out of hand on the way to its 24-7 conclusion, but if they had been less risk-averse, the result could have been even more negative.
22. Case Keenum, Minnesota Vikings
13 of 34
Last Week: 19
After a few exciting big throws against Tampa Bay's leaky pass defense September 24, the Vikings have settled into a risk-averse game plan with Case Keenum. It was effective against the even more risk-averse Baltimore Ravens on Sunday due to the Vikings' stellar run game and defense. Under these conditions, Keenum can play the traditional role of "game manager" and not have it be a negative. Keenum completed 20 of 31 passes for 188 yards, no touchdowns and an interception against Baltimore, and he hasn't thrown for more than 239 yards in any of his last four games. Head coach Mike Zimmer will take it for the time being, as his team is 3-1 over that stretch.
The interception came on Keenum's first throw of the day, on which he tried to hit Laquon Treadwell on a go route up the right-side numbers. Treadwell wound up contesting the catch with cornerback Brandon Carr, and the receiver inadvertently tipped the ball to Carr for the pick. From then on, any deep balls Keenum threw were more throwaways than anything else; it's clear the quarterback has been told not to challenge coverages unless he has an obvious opening.
On those short passes where he doesn't have to expend time and energy squaring up to throw deep, Keenum is a relatively efficient drive-extender, and it's good the Vikings have a backup who can fill in a lot of the blanks while the injury situations with Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater work themselves out. This approach leaves little margin for error against more explosive offenses, but the Vikings are betting on their defense shutting other passing games down as opposed to making Keenum do things he's not comfortable with.
It's not a philosophy you'd want to go through an entire season with, but it's working in the short term.
21. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
14 of 34
Last Week: 18
Head coach Sean McVay didn't need Jared Goff to do too much against the Arizona Cardinals' depleted defense in the Los Angeles Rams' 33-0 win; the running game was working, and Cardinals quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton played like enemy agents. Goff's stats (22 completions in 37 attempts for 235 yards, one touchdown and one interception) weren't world-beating, but they were consistent with the overall mission to have Goff find more comfort and rhythm in his offense every week.
McVay put Goff on the efficiency game plan—he attempted just two deep passes in this game. The first fell incomplete on a miscommunication to Cooper Kupp in the first quarter, and the second was nearly intercepted by safety Antoine Bethea late in the second quarter as Goff tried to hit Sammy Watkins on a deep route up the numbers.
Mostly, Goff settled for short and intermediate completions on timing routes, extending drives on plays in which his early reads were schemed open. This has been McVay's plan for Goff all season, and it continues to work because the efforts of running back Todd Gurley and the Rams' outstanding defense mean Goff doesn't need to do much more.
Goff did run for a designed nine-yard touchdown at the end of the first half, which was an interesting wrinkle, and he hit Kupp for his lone touchdown pass of the day on a perfectly blocked receiver screen late in the fourth quarter. The interception wasn't entirely his fault; Gurley had motioned out wide left and ran an in-cut as part of a rub concept, and safety Tyvon Branch got away with bumping the running back out of his route, leading to Deone Bucannon catching the ball.
This is how you work with young quarterbacks: You expose them to different elements of your passing game over time and expand the playbook as things start to coalesce.
20. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
15 of 34
Last Week: N/A (Bye)
With under four minutes remaining in the game and his team trailing by 15, Andy Dalton threw the ball away on a 4th-and-2.
I could probably just stop here and move on, right?
Dalton’s day started pretty well. His first touchdown pass, a short scoring strike to Brandon LaFell, was well placed and required patience in the red zone. Dalton needed to wait and find a lane to fit the throw around underneath linebacker Ryan Shazier in coverage, but the placement, velocity and anticipation were “high level,” as described by Tony Romo in the booth. A short throw to tight end Tyler Kroft gave Dalton his second scoring pass of the day, and it came on a well-executed flood concept working off play-action.
But then the mistakes came as the Pittsburgh Steelers built a lead and focused on pressuring Dalton. The first of two interceptions came on a slant route to A.J. Green that Dalton overthrew, and the pass was tipped and intercepted. The second came on a post route Dalton stared down, allowing the safety to break out of his deep Cover 2 zone and onto the route for the turnover.
On the previously mentioned fourth down, Dalton had a hitch route along the left side early in the play but pulled the football down and tried to buy time with his feet. As he rolled to his right, he had a receiver open in the middle of the field, but he threw the ball away and ended the game. Sometimes throwing the ball away is the right call, but on a fourth down in this situation, surrendering is not an option.
19. Matt Moore, Miami Dolphins
16 of 34
Last Week: N/A
When Ryan Tannehill suffered his preseason knee injury, many assumed the job would fall to Matt Moore. But Adam Gase went out and lured Jay Cutler out of retirement to assume the starting role, leaving Moore in the backup spot. But when Cutler suffered his chest injury in the third quarter, Gase was forced to turn to Moore once again, and he sparked a big comeback win for the Miami Dolphins against their AFC East rivals the New York Jets.
The difference between the Cutler-led Dolphins and the offense under Moore was night-and-day. Miami was a more aggressive, downfield offense under their backup, as evidenced by his first two completions. On the first, Moore slid in the pocket to buy time before finding Leonte Carroo on a post route over the middle. On the second, the QB found Julius Thomas up the seam for a big play on a switch concept, thanks in part to an impressive one-handed catch by the tight end.
Moore threw his first touchdown pass of the season on a deep corner route to Kenny Stills in the face of a blitz. He saw one-on-one coverage to the outside and dropped in a nice anticipation throw for the score. Not only did Moore get the ball out of his hands on time and before the break, but the QB hung in the pocket under duress until the last second and stepped into the throw, something the offense was missing over the past few weeks.
Moore connected on a near-perfect throw with Stills a little later to tie the game on a short crossing route from right to left. Stills had a defensive back trailing him on his back hip as well as the underneath linebacker to contend with in coverage, but Moore put the football high to the outside and away from both defenders for the score.
Moore did make one mistake on his opening drive, forcing a throw in the direction of Anthony Fasano on a seam route that was intercepted by rookie safety Marcus Maye. Moore never came off Fasano and let his eyes lead the rookie safety to the football.
As we await word on Cutler's health, it is worth considering that Moore might be the better option for the Dolphins right now regardless. The offense kicked into a second gear under his direction, and for a struggling passing game, changing horses seems like the logical next step.
18. Trevor Siemian, Denver Broncos
17 of 34
Last Week: 17
The Denver Broncos suffered a second straight embarrassing defeat on Sunday. After losing at home to the previously winless New York Giants, the Broncos were shut out by the Los Angeles Chargers 21-0 on the road. In the loss, which dropped the Broncos to 3-3, Siemian completed 25 of 35 passes for 207 yards and an interception.
The game plan seemed to focus on quick passes in an attempt to neutralize the pass-rushing tandem of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. Three-step concepts such as curl/flat, slant/flat and tosser were utilized early and often by the Broncos. But when the Chargers took the lead and increased their cushion to 14-0, Denver struggled to get more vertical in an attempt to close the gap. Siemian threw a number of interceptable passes in the game, such as an overthrow in the direction of Demaryius Thomas that sailed over the receiver's head and right into the chest of safety Jahleel Addae, who could not secure the interception.
Siemian also lost a fumble in a critical situation. Trailing 14-0 late in the first half, the Broncos faced a 1st-and-10 at the Chargers' 35-yard line. Facing pressure off the edge, the QB tried to climb the pocket but was stripped in the process, and Los Angeles recovered the loose ball.
A second-down sack early in the third quarter illustrates how teams might approach Denver going forward. The Broncos tried a spacing concept with each receiver settling down in zone at about five yards depth. The Chargers rushed only three defenders, allowing them to double-team routes underneath. With nowhere to go with the football, Siemian tried to buy time with his feet but eventually was dragged down for the sack.
Denver's blowout victory over the Dallas Cowboys seems like a lifetime ago. Since putting 42 points on the visiting NFC East team, Denver has averaged only 10.5 points per game in its four contests since. Over that stretch the Broncos have lost to the Buffalo Bills, escaped with a narrow win over the Oakland Raiders and then lost the two straight games. Their offense is not clicking, and perhaps getting the ground game going again is the easiest answer to their woes as Siemian has been most effective with a strong rushing attack. But if they cannot establish the run, then we are back to questioning just how far Siemian can take this team.
17. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
18 of 34
Last Week: 14
Perhaps the most embarrassing part of the Carolina Panthers' 17-3 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday was that the Panthers' allegedly high-powered offense went down against a team whose rookie quarterback (Mitchell Trubisky) completed four passes on seven attempts. When you lose to a team whose offensive strategies come out of the 1930s, it means your own offense isn't working. Newton completed 21 of 34 passes for 211 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions against the Bears; it was one of his worst performances in a season that's been highly inconsistent.
Rookie safety Eddie Jackson scored both of Chicago's touchdowns, and though Newton is listed as the party responsible for the first-quarter fumble Jackson returned 75 yards for a touchdown, it was less a fumble and more an option pitch rookie receiver Curtis Samuel couldn't hold on to. Newton's first pick, which Jackson returned 76 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, was supposed to be a simple backside slant to receiver Kelvin Benjamin. But cornerback Prince Amukamara was playing Benjamin with tight coverage, and Benjamin failed to box Amukamara out of the play. Given Benjamin's size advantage and the quick-throw concept, much of the blame for that one can be placed on the receiver. Benjamin has to use his size and physicality to take the cornerback out and get the ball.
Newton's second pick came halfway through the fourth quarter—here, he was evading Chicago's pressure (which the Bears brought effectively all day) and tried to hit running back Christian McCaffrey with an intermediate throw at the right sideline. McCaffrey was trying to move to the right side in coordination with Newton's rollout, and Danny Trevathan was in front of him. Newton could have arced the ball over Trevathan's head and hit McCaffrey in stride, but he inexplicably threw the ball right to the linebacker. It was a bad play, and through Newton was pressured, he needs to react more effectively to what's around him in situations like that.
The real story of Newton's day was how often he was pressured—22 times in 43 dropbacks, which was one more pressure than the Indianapolis Colts' Jacoby Brissett had, and Brissett was sacked 10 times by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Newton took five sacks, attempted 14 passes and completed nine for 99 yards and the pick to Trevathan while under duress. The Bears were bringing creative blitzes and pressure packages, especially with linebacker Leonard Floyd, and Carolina's underwhelming offensive line couldn't handle it. Carolina's offense isn't creative enough to offset that kind of pressure, and Newton took the brunt of that. The Panthers have said that they want to call fewer designed runs for Newton, but with sub-optimal protection and no other effective options, they may have to reverse course.
16. Josh McCown, New York Jets
19 of 34
Last Week: 11
The New York Jets gave a game away on Sunday down in Miami against the Dolphins. Despite holding a 14-point lead in the second half and facing a backup quarterback, they could not salt the game away and lost to an AFC East opponent for the second-straight week. While their start has been unlike what many expected from the Jets this year, this loss highlights what might be their ceiling as an offense.
Josh McCown finished the day 17 of 27 for 207 yards and three touchdowns with an interception. The first two scoring plays came on vertical routes to Robby Anderson. On the first, McCown dropped in a beautiful touch pass on a go route along the right sideline for a touchdown. The second came on a post/out combination in the red zone with Miami running Cover 4. The inside receiver broke outside, pulling the safety to the sideline, and Anderson cut over the middle on the post route. McCown hit him in stride to get the Jets out to an early lead.
But after his third scoring toss, a 10-yard pass to Austin Seferian-Jenkins on the run which gave the Jets a 28-14 lead, McCown and the offense sputtered. They went three-and-out, three-and-out and four-and-out on their ensuing three possessions and allowed Miami to tie the game at 28. On the last two of those drives, McCown was sacked on third downs to bring on the punt team.
Once the game was tied, McCown had one last throw. He attempted an out route along the boundary in the direction of Jermaine Kearse, but Bobby McCain stepped in front of the pass for the interception, setting up the game-winning field goal for the Dolphins.
That closing stretch from the Jets offense illustrates how the unit needs to improve to be able to finish off games. Similar to last week against the New England Patriots, the Jets could not make plays in the second half when they needed to. That is why Jets fans are looking to the future when it comes to the quarterback position despite McCown's play this year,.
15. Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Last Week: 23
Much like his throwing motion, we are all over the place with how to view Blake Bortles as a quarterback. Some weeks he is an effective passer who can put up big numbers, and other weeks it seems like he is the anchor holding back what could be a playoff team.
This week Bortles was more of the former. With rookie running back Leonard Fournette sidelined, Bortles shouldered more of the workload and responded. He completed 18 of 26 passes for 330 yards and a touchdown, without throwing an interception. Outside of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Robert Golden and Mitchell Trubisky, Bortles' yards per attempt of 12.69 was the highest for any passer in Week 7. His play helped Jacksonville improve to 4-3 with a 27-0 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
What was interesting was how Jacksonville used Bortles throughout the game. Early on the Jags got Bortles moving around, using boot concepts or designed rollouts to give him some easy reads and throws. As one might expect given their running game, Jacksonville utilized play action as well, and Bortles was able to hit Keelan Cole on a deep ball midway through the first quarter for a big gain.
His touchdown pass on a goal-line fade throw to Marcedes Lewis was reminiscent of their connection in London against the Baltimore Ravens. Bortles dropped in a perfectly placed fade route into the back corner of the end zone, and the tight end was easily able to pull in the pass for a score.
Bortles was slow to make decisions at times and seemed unable to make anticipation throws. A prime example was the strip-sack before halftime. Facing a 3rd-and-10 in field-goal range, Bortles looked to throw a curl route to Allen Hurns. But rather than getting the ball out before the break, the QB waited to see Hurns turn before starting his throwing motion. That delay, coupled with his elongated delivery, led to a strip sack and a missed opportunity for points. It did not hurt the Jaguars on Sunday, but it is something to watch as the season continues.
14. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
21 of 34
Last Week: N/A (Bye)
The San Francisco 49ers had lost their previous five games by three points or less, leading a lot of pundits to emphasize that they were better than their winless record indicated. The Dallas Cowboys put that notion to rest with a 40-10 Sunday blowout in which Dak Prescott completed 16 of 25 passes for 234 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. It was the ideal Cowboys game plan: lead with Ezekiel Elliott and put Prescott in winning situations. And the second-year quarterback played his part expertly.
Prescott started with two incompletions caused by tipped passes at the line, but he eventually got into a rhythm after some inaccurate moments under pressure. His first touchdown pass came with 10:34 left in the second quarter on a beautiful 18-yard end-zone throw to tight end Jason Witten over the head of 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt. Prescott hit the veteran on a well-designed tight end combo route to the right side. His second touchdown pass was more of a handoff to Elliott, who caught the ball four yards behind the line of scrimmage and rumbled 76 total yards for what was termed a 72-yard touchdown pass.
And with the game already out of hand at 33-3 in the fourth quarter, Prescott arced the ball over two 49ers defenders—cornerback Rashard Robinson and Adrian Colbert—to Dez Bryant. This was simply a jump catch Bryant was bound to win.
The Cowboys are still getting their offense in a consistent structure, and Prescott is facing more pressure than he was last season. At times he'll regress and make errant throws under that pressure, but as long as the running game is on point, Prescott can use play action and his own mobility—he ran for a touchdown in this game—to enhance what offensive coordinator Scott Linehan wants to do. Prescott has three straight three-touchdown games.
13. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
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Last Week: 9
If there was one opponent who should have given Matt Ryan an opportunity to turn his flailing season around, it was a New England Patriots defense that had set an NFL record by allowing six straight games of 300 yards passing or more. Yes, the Pats have adjusted their coverage breakdowns and started to play more zone defense, but Ryan's failure to execute Atlanta's game plan in a 23-7 Falcons loss was quite disconcerting. Even more troubling is the game plan itself.
Throughout the 2017 season, new Atlanta offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian has refused to use the pre-snap motion and route combination concepts that made Ryan so effective in 2016. Ryan needed those to create designed openings because he is not an upper-tier thrower to receivers who are closely defended.
Ryan completed 23 of 33 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown, which at least put his 2017 touchdown-to-interception ratio above .500 at 7-6, but the stats he put up belie an inefficiency that is a product of both quarterback and scheme. Ryan attempted four passes of 20 air yards or more against the Patriots and didn't complete one of them. He overthrew Mohamed Sanu in the end zone late in the first quarter despite a clean pocket. His underthrown deep ball to Julio Jones early in the second quarter allowed safety Duron Harmon to defend the pass. Ryan tried to hit Jones again later in the second quarter, but backup cornerback Johnson Bademosi was plastered all over the receiver, and Ryan didn't throw it at an angle that would have allowed Jones to jump for it. And he wildly overthrew Sanu late in the second quarter on a cross-body throw that looked bad from start to finish.
Quarterbacks who throw well to targets who are closely covered understand the correct timing, velocity and arc required to throw those receivers open. Ryan doesn't have this ability; again, he needs defined openings to succeed deep, and he's not getting them in this offense. The result is a passing game that is highly vulnerable to tight coverage, so you can expect the Falcons to see more and more of that. It's inexcusable that an offense with this many weapons is so muted, but this is what the Falcons face now. With a 3-3 mark, it could cost them the postseason if they don't adapt.
12. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
23 of 34
Last Week: 6
After years of 5,000-yard seasons that turned into 7-9 records due to abysmal defenses, it must be a relief to Saints quarterback Drew Brees that he can have a subpar day and still have his team. Sunday's 26-17 win over the Green Bay Packers put the Saints in first place in the NFC South, and with a defense that appears to be improving every week, this team is going to be a tough out when Brees has a good day.
Brees did throw for 331 yards and a touchdown against the Packers, making him the only quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 300 yards seven straight times against one opponent, per the Elias Sports Bureau (h/t NOLA.com's Jeff Duncan)—but he also threw two interceptions. Had this game pitted Brees against Aaron Rodgers instead of Brett Hundley, the result may well have been different.
Brees' first interception came with 6:33 left in the first quarter trailing 7-0. He tried to hit receiver Brandon Coleman on a deep seam route in the end zone, but cornerback Damarious Randall had inside position on the route, and Brees had a little hitch in his delivery before he let the ball go. Either Coleman didn't extend the route horizontally as Brees expected, or Brees threw right to Randall for the turnover.
The second pick came with 2:48 left in the first quarter. Here, Brees tried to get the ball to Michael Thomas on a boundary route to the right side, and cornerback Davon House simply wouldn't let Thomas get free downfield. Brees was throwing with anticipation on both throws, but his targets didn't meet his expectations.
Brees did hit Ted Ginn on a couple of deep routes off levels concepts, in which crossers underneath left single coverage on the speed receiver, and he completely suckered Green Bay's defense with a play fake on his lone touchdown to Coleman. Brees is still a master of his environment; like any other quarterback, he will have the occasional mistake-filled day. The difference now is that the Saints can win even when that happens.
11. Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
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Last Week: 16
You have to give Kirk Cousins credit. Against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, he was facing a top run defense and a brutal rotation of pass-rushers with an injury-depleted offensive line, a running game that couldn't get rolling and a receiver corps that struggles with consistency. And had it not been for the brilliance of Carson Wentz, Cousins still may have taken his team to a win.
Playing from behind through the entire second half and almost constantly under duress, Cousins completed 30 of 40 passes for 303 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The pick was his only real mistake—with 8:48 left in the game, Cousins tried to extend the play with Eagles defenders catching up to him in the pocket, end Brandon Graham hit his arm and affected Cousins' trajectory, and Cousins threw an easy pick to safety Corey Graham.
Other than that, though, Cousins held up well though he was outmanned and the momentum was clearly heading in the Eagles' direction. He threw to running back Chris Thompson for a seven-yard touchdown on a second-quarter coverage bust and connected with tight end Jordan Reed for two second-half touchdowns. Reed is Cousins' best and most effective target when he's healthy, and he proved that in his efforts to help his quarterback keep the game competitive.
The Redskins are playing with awful injury luck on both sides of the ball, but as long as Cousins shows this level of toughness and savvy, they'll remain competitive.
10. Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
25 of 34
Last Week: 8
After a thrilling victory Monday night over the Indianapolis Colts, Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans came out flat against the Cleveland Browns and needed overtime to pull out a 12-9 victory. Mariota did complete 21 of 34 passes for 203 yards, but you would expect better numbers against one of the league's bottom defenses in both DVOA (where the Browns are 25th) and net yards per passing attempt allowed (26th).
Sunday's story was one of missed opportunities for Mariota and the Titans offense. On their opening drive, Mariota looked to hit rookie tight end Jonnu Smith on a seam route, but the catchable pass was dropped. Mariota then had another tight end, Delanie Walker, open on a deep pass working off play-action early in the second quarter, but the ball was slightly underthrown and broken up. He also hit Walker on a 3rd-and-6 later in that quarter with a well-timed and placed out pattern, but the tight end fumbled the football away to Cleveland. Finally, in overtime the Titans had a chance to convert a 3rd-and-6 and keep the football, but Mariota's throw to Eric Decker was left too far inside and allowed the defensive back to break the pass up at the catch point.
Of course, the team missed a chance when it faced a 1st-and-goal at the Cleveland 1-yard line but was stopped on four straight plays.
It wasn't all bad for Mariota in the passing game, though. In the third quarter, Tennessee executed a fake bubble screen where Mariota hit wide receiver Rishard Matthews with a wisely placed pass, leading the receiver away from safety contact to set up the previously mentioned 1st-and-goal. Tennessee also ran a flea-flicker where Mariota wanted to hit DeMarco Murray on a seam route in the middle of the field, but seeing that covered he moved to the outside and dropped in an accurate throw to Taywan Taylor for a big gain. In that situation many quarterbacks simply force the ball to the first read given the design of the play.
But in the end it was not the type of performance that inspires. Now, the Titans get to use their bye week to get everyone healed and ready for a five-game stretch against conference opponents, including Pittsburgh and Houston. That slate of contests might be the one that defines Tennessee's season, and the Titans need a fully healthy Mariota for that stretch drive.
9. Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
26 of 34
Last Week: N/A (Injury)
Jameis Winston has had an inconsistent season, but he certainly did enough to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Sadly, Winston doesn't play cornerback or safety, where a majority of Tampa Bay's problems reside. Winston completed 32 of 44 passes for 384 yards, three touchdowns and an interception against a very good Buffalo defense, but the Bucs defense left the barn door open for the Bills, and as many times as Winston put his team ahead, his defense made those attempts redundant. The result? A 30-27 loss decided by Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka with 14 seconds left in the game.
Where Winston came up short was in the deep passing game, completing just one pass of 20 yards or more for 33 yards in five attempts. He overthrew DeSean Jackson early due to inconsistent throwing mechanics on a rollout and did the same on a long right-sideline fadeaway throw under pressure to Charles Sims. And the interception he threw into the teeth of the Bills defense on an attempt to tight end Cameron Brate was one you wouldn't expect from a veteran.
As much as Winston will occasionally frustrate, his deep touchdown to tight end O.J. Howard was a great example of a schematic wrinkle the Bucs like to run from time to time, and it gave Winston his easiest opening of the day. With 10:16 left in the game, Howard ran a delayed release from the right to the left side, breaking free to the left sideline after the Bills had already overcommitted to Jackson running a crossing route the other way, and Winston ran boot action to the right. Head coach Dirk Koetter has had success with tight end delayed releases before, and this one embarrassed the Bills.
The Buccaneers can win with Jameis Winston's talent. They can overcome his occasional bouts with Superhero Syndrome. But this year's defense gives the Bucs a minimal margin for error, and Winston will have to rein it in for a while if his team is to compete in the NFC South down the stretch.
8. Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers
27 of 34
Last Week: 7
Here come the Chargers.
OK, maybe it is still too soon for such a declaration, but Los Angeles improved to 3-4 with its third straight win, knocking off the Denver Broncos 21-0 at home. Philip Rivers was steady for the Chargers in the victory, completing 15 of 26 passes for 183 yards, a pair of touchdowns and no turnovers.
It was interesting watching this game unfold and seeing the game plan offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt put together. Whisenhunt is cut from the Don Coryell offensive tree and typically favors a more vertical, downfield passing game. But perhaps the presence of players like Von Miller on the other side of the ball made Los Angeles incorporate more of the three-step quick passing game into the offense this week. In addition, Whisenhunt called some designed roll-outs and bootlegs to get Rivers on the move and away from pressure. You don't usually equate these things with Rivers and the Chargers offense, but it was understandable given the situation.
Something that is also interesting to see develop is the relationship between Rivers and his second-year tight end, Hunter Henry. Last week Rivers looked to Henry late in the game for a big completion that put the Chargers on the cusp of field-goal range. On a 3rd-and-11 in the fourth quarter Sunday, Whisenhunt called a Y-option route that gave his tight end his choice of routes depending on the coverage. Henry sat down in space and Rivers drilled in a fastball for the conversion. A few plays later, Rivers hit Travis Benjamin on a quick slant route the receiver took the distance to close the book on any potential Denver comeback.
The Chargers are still a long shot to make it into the playoff picture. But with an imposing defense led by Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram and an offense getting on the same page, Los Angeles has the potential to make things very interesting in the AFC West. Back-to-back East Coast trips to New England and Jacksonville will go a long way toward uncovering whether the Chargers are for real or just a mirage.
7. Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills
28 of 34
Last Week: N/A (Bye)
Tyrod Taylor's growth as a quarterback continued this week in Buffalo's 30-27 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The quarterback completed 20 of 33 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown, and he made a number of plays late in the game to help the Bills pull out the victory.
What continues to stand out watching Taylor is his wizardry in and around the pocket. On multiple occasions the quarterback danced and darted away from pressure while keeping his eyes downfield, either converting plays with his legs or finding receivers in scramble-drill situations to extend drives. A prime example came on a 3rd-and-14 to close out the third quarter. Taylor was flushed from the pocket but, after avoiding defenders, managed to find tight end Nick O'Leary in the flat to extend the drive.
But his development as a pocket passer should not be overlooked. Two throws that stand out both went to Deonte Thompson. First, facing a 3rd-and-5 midway through the second quarter, Thompson ran the bending vertical route on a verticals concept working from right to left, and Taylor dropped in a precision throw to convert. Taylor hit Thompson again on a crossing route in the fourth quarter, this time releasing the ball just seconds before absorbing a hit in the pocket.
The touchdown came on a well-executed switch concept, where Taylor lofted a throw to tight end Logan Thomas in the front left corner of the end zone for the score. The ball came out a hair late and was slightly underthrown, but it was still a good read and decision, with the throw put in a spot where Thomas could make a play.
More anticipation from Taylor as a passer would be great to see going forward. There are times when he is a "see it, throw it" quarterback, and if he could get the ball out a hair quicker on some of these plays, he'll put his receivers in advantageous situations. But as B/R's Mike Tanier argued yesterday, "it's hard to criticize Taylor unless you deliberately set out to." He is playing the position at a high level right now and is a big reason for Buffalo's success.
6. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
29 of 34
Last Week: 13
In what was perhaps a must-win game for the Oakland Raiders, the team and quarterback Derek Carr delivered Thursday night in a showdown with the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. On the third final play of the game after a succession of penalties, Carr found Michael Crabtree on a quick out pattern just inside the front left pylon for the game-tying touchdown, and the converted extra point gave Oakland the victory. In just his second start since suffering his back injury, Carr completed 29 of 52 passes for 417 yards and three touchdowns of his own.
Early, the game plan seemed to be to feed Amari Cooper. Oakland got on the board to take a 7-3 lead in the first quarter on a flea flicker, with Carr hitting Cooper deep along the left sideline for the touchdown. Their second scoring connection came on a well-designed passing concept, with Cooper running a deep crossing route from the left packaged with a go/flat combination on the right. Carr had time in the pocket before hitting Cooper across the middle, and the receiver raced into the end zone for his second TD of the night.
Carr was not exactly perfect on the game-winning drive. After a gain of 15 to Cooper, Carr missed his next two throws. First he underthrew Cooper over the middle on a deep corner route. Then he put too much on a ball to Johnny Holton on a vertical route that saw the receiver flagged for pass interference. But his throw on 2nd-and-20 to Cooper for a 39-yard gain was placed so well that it found Cooper just before the backside safety could rotate over and break up the pass. A few plays later, Jared Cook pulled down a jump ball along the left sideline to get the Raiders down to the 1-yard line, setting up the dramatic conclusion.
The winning throw came on a designed roll to the quarterback's left. That is a tough throw to make from a mechanical standpoint, especially with an injured back. But Carr delivered, and the Raiders pulled out the win.
Things do not get easier for Oakland. They face three road games against AFC East opponents. They travel to Buffalo and then Miami, before facing the New England Patriots in Mexico City in what would have been a home game. But if Oakland can build off this win and take two of its next three, the Raiders can keep themselves in the mix in the AFC.
5. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
30 of 34
Last Week: 10
Statistically speaking Ben Roethlisberger was not the best passer in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform on Sunday. That title is held by veteran safety Robert Golden, who dropped in a touch pass to wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey on a fake punt for a 44-yard gain. That gave Golden a passer rating of 118.8 on the afternoon, eclipsing the 117.4 mark posted by Big Ben.
But one statistic aside, Roethlisberger was sharp in his team's victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 224 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His first scoring play was a vintage throw to Antonio Brown on a switch concept in the red zone for the touchdown. Roethlisberger drilled that throw into a very small window with impressive velocity and placement. The other touchdown was a bit easier, where Roethlisberger hit a wide-open JuJu Smith-Schuster for a score.
Velocity was probably the major takeaway from Roethlisberger's outing against the Bengals. In addition to the throw to Brown for a touchdown, he hit his favorite target along the right sideline on a vertical route late in the first half again on a fastball. On that play, Roethlisberger attacked the soft spot of a Cover 2 look from Cincinnati and drilled the throw into the window. Later in the game, he found Ladarius Green over the middle again between defenders to convert a 3rd-and-13.
He also showed good eye movement and manipulation, particularly on a post route to Vance McDonald against another Cover 2 look. On that play, Roethlisberger opened to his left to move the play-side safety to the outside, before finding his tight end cutting over the middle between the safeties and in the soft spot of the zone.
After a stretch that had many questioning whether Pittsburgh was going to get its offense on the same page, the Steelers have put together three big wins in the AFC. Tied with the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots and holding a tiebreaker over the former, the Steelers are in a very good spot as October winds down; of course, a date with New England in December has the potential to decide the top seed in the conference.
4. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
31 of 34
Last Week: N/A (Bye)
The Seahawks offense has been the definition of "feast or famine" all season, capable of long stretches of poor execution and mindless repetition broken up by splash plays you want to watch over and over. Russell Wilson is the main instigator of the splash plays, while an offensive line that couldn't make it in the SEC is the primary reason for the stretches of blah football.
There was one point in Seattle's eventual 24-7 win over the New York Giants last Sunday in which the Seahawks had 12 straight plays in moving from the Giants' 15-yard line to one yard from paydirt, and they got no points out of the exercise. Seattle got too cute with short passes, and tight end Jimmy Graham dropped a pass in the end zone to end the drive on 4th-and-1. It was a continuation of Seattle's red-zone woes, and it wasn't until the second half that Wilson started to get things going.
Doug Baldwin wrecked cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie with a foot fake on Wilson's third-quarter touchdown pass to him, and Wilson did a nice job of placing the throw to beat the overhead coverage.
A flea-flicker gave speed receiver Paul Richardson a fourth-quarter opportunity to beat safety Landon Collins in the end zone, and though a slight underthrow allowed Collins to fight for the ball, the officials ruled the catch went to Richardson. Graham later redeemed himself for earlier flubs with a one-yard touchdown catch in which Wilson set the play to go back to the spot of Graham's end-zone drop.
Wilson is one of the more impressive quarterbacks in the NFL in his ability to recover from negative circumstances and paint over them with big plays. It makes you wonder how productive he would be if his offensive coaching staff didn't seem intent on putting him in a hole most of the time.
3. Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
32 of 34
Last Week: 2
The high-flying Kansas City Chiefs are suddenly much closer to Earth in the wake of their second straight loss, a 31-30 defeat at the hands of the Oakland Raiders. But unlike their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks ago, this defeat can not be put on the shoulders of Alex Smith. The veteran QB had a strong performance in the loss, completing 25 of 36 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns.
Smith's first TD toss was a testament to the matchup nightmare that is Travis Kelce. He was isolated in man coverage on the recently acquired NaVorro Bowman, and Kelce beat the linebacker on a corner route for the score. But Smith's second TD toss of the night highlighted his newfound aggression in the vertical passing game. Smith hit Tyreek Hill, another tough assignment, on a straight go route against David Amerson for a huge 64-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter to give the Chiefs a 17-14 lead. Smith did a good job holding the free safety in the middle of the field for a moment while Hill erased a big pre-snap cushion from Amerson on the outside.
Smith might have gotten away with one in the third quarter, though. Facing a 3rd-and-12 in his own territory, Smith looked to hit Albert Wilson on a deep post route. The pass was slightly underthrown, and safety Keith McGill II was in position for an interception, but the ball deflected off McGill's hands and into Wilson's for the 63-yard touchdown.
Smith's final offensive snap on the night, a sack on a 3rd-and-4 in the fourth quarter, prevented the Chiefs from running out the clock. Using a bunch formation to the right, the Chiefs looked to convert through the air, and Smith might have had a very narrow window to hit Wilson on a crossing route, but the Raiders dropped eight into coverage and took away throwing lanes. Smith tried to buy time with his feet but ran out of time and was sacked to force a punt that led to the game's dramatic conclusion.
2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
33 of 34
Last Week: 1
In a scene perhaps best described by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in The Hound of the Baskervilles, the New England Patriots turned in their most complete performance of the season Sunday night, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 23-7 in a rematch of Super Bowl 51. Quarterback Tom Brady had another clean and effective game, completing 21 of 29 passes for 249 yards, a pair of touchdowns and no turnovers.
Once again, Brady's movement in the pocket was featured prominently. On a pair of third-down conversions, to Chris Hogan on 3rd-and-16 and later on a 3rd-and-8 to Rob Gronkowski, Brady bought time and avoided pressure by sliding to his left before delivering accurate throws downfield. He also displayed great anticipation, such as the seam route he threw to Brandin Cooks later in the game. Brady pulled the trigger before Cooks even thought about turning for the football, making the throw virtually impossible to defend.
His first touchdown came on a well-executed fly sweep right out of Bob Stitt's playbook at the Colorado School of Mines. Brady simply flipped the football forward to Cooks, who scampered around the left end for the score. The second scoring play was more conventional. Brady put the football low and away from the defender in a spot where only running back James White could make the catch off an angle route.
Brady did avoid a disastrous interception thanks to a roughing the passer penalty. Brady was pressured and slid to his right before uncorking a deep ball into the end zone that was off the mark and intercepted.
After a shaky start, New England now sits at 5-2, atop the AFC with a record that matches both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers. After a home date with the Los Angeles Chargers, New England is on the road for five of its following six games. This next stretch will likely show us which Patriots team is the true article: the one with the shaky start or the one that seems to be rounding into form.
1. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
34 of 34
Last Week: 4
It wasn't easy for Carson Wentz on Monday night. The Washington Redskins brought multiple blitz packages to disrupt the second-year quarterback, and at times Wentz surrendered to the pressure. But as has been the case throughout this season, the more you pressure Wentz, the more he'll make you pay with an ability to make tight-window throws with bodies around him like a young Ben Roethlisberger. Wentz finished his night with 17 completions in 25 attempts for 268 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, adding a team-leading 63 rushing yards on eight carries as the Eagles moved to 6-1 with a 34-24 Monday night win over the Washington Redskins.
The most obvious example of Wentz's ability to make plays under pressure came with 9:49 left in the third quarter, when Wentz evaded two Washington defenders on a five-man blitz and hit running back Corey Clement for a gorgeous nine-yard touchdown pass over the head of Redskins linebacker Zach Brown, despite two more Washington defenders closing in on him. This was yet another example of how Wentz uses his size to defeat pass rushes, but also how he's developed as a touch passer with impressive accuracy.
With a much cleaner pocket, Wentz hit rookie receiver Mack Hollins on a deep seam route in the second quarter, once again throwing the ball where his target could easily bring it in and where the defender (safety D.J. Swearinger) could not. Wentz's improvement as an anticipation thrower is notable in his sophomore season, and it's a big reason why he's become such an effective deep-ball thrower.
As a runner, Wentz is just as dangerous, which he showed with a ridiculous 17-yard scamper after initially appearing to be sacked under a mass of Redskins players.
Right now, there isn't much Wentz can't do—his field vision has improved drastically, he's taken control of the Eagles offense at the line of scrimmage and he's taken himself into MVP contention.
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