NFL Week 12: Grading Michael Vick, Peyton Manning and the Quarterbacks
Week 12 was an interesting week for quarterbacks.
Michael Vick threw his first interception of the season, which incidentally was his first since December 2006.
Peyton Manning had one of the worst days of his career, playing better than only Rusty Smith, who was making the first start of his rookie season.
Tom Brady was literally perfect and several other stars lived up to expectations.
Like I said, it was an interesting week.
Read on to find out the grade that each quarterback got in Week 12.
Rusty Smith: Tennessee Titans
1 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
0-20 loss to the Houston Texans
17/31, 138 yards, 0 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 26.7 rating
The Analysis:
The baby-faced rookie from Florida Atlantic didn't exactly prove that he belongs in the NFL.
Smith faced a historically bad Houston pass defense and failed miserably.
The Grade:
F
Peyton Manning: Indianapolis Colts
2 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
14-36 loss to the San Diego Chargers
31/48, 285 yards, 2 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 59.8 rating
The Analysis:
I don't know that I've ever seen Peyton Manning play this poorly. On a day where the Jacksonville Jaguars had already lost and the Colts had a chance to take the division lead, he put up a stinker.
It started so promisingly, too, when he threw a touchdown pass to Jacob Tamme early in the first quarter. Consider this an aberration.
The Grade:
F
Jimmy Clausen: Carolina Panthers
3 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
23-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns
16/28, 195 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, 63.8 rating
The Analysis:
Maybe Clausen stayed up too late watching Notre Dame beat their rivals from Southern Cal. Regardless, he wasn't very good in this game.
This rookie needs some more time on the bench before he's ready for the NFL game.
The Grade:
C-
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Carson Palmer: Cincinnati Bengals
4 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
10-26 loss to the New York Jets
17/38, 135 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions, 41.0 rating
2 carries, 5 yards
The Analysis:
What happened to the Carson Palmer of old? He has so much talent around him, but just can't get the job done.
The Bengals may need to think about getting a quarterback in the upcoming draft. It's clear that Palmer can't win games for them anymore.
The Grade:
C-
David Garrard: Jacksonville Jaguars
5 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
20-24 loss to the New York Giants
20/35, 165 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, 57.1 rating
6 carries, 41 yards, 1 touchdown
The Analysis:
The rate at which Garrard manages to turn the ball over is astounding. Once again, he gave the other team an extra possession twice, with one fumble lost and one interception thrown.
The running game is what carried the Jaguars here and helped keep the game close, not Garrard's arm.
The Grade:
C
Josh Freeman: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
10-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens
17/37, 162 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, 67.6 rating
6 rushes, 27 yards
The Analysis:
For the first time in a while, Freeman just wasn't very good. His sole touchdown pass came in garbage time, down two touchdowns with just three minutes left.
All in all, he just never really got the offense moving.
The Grade:
C
Bruce Gradkowski: Oakland Raiders
7 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
17-33 loss to the Miami Dolphins
17/32, 252 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions, 63.5 rating
The Analysis:
He may be the fan favorite, but Gradkowski really doesn't do all that much on the football field.
The quarterback threw two picks in this game, one of which has a very costly underthrown ball intended for Jacoby Ford in the end zone.
The Grade:
C+
Matt Hasselbeck: Seattle Seahawks
8 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
24-42 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
20/37, 282 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 74.4 rating
2 carries, -2 yards
The Analysis:
Matt Hasselbeck threw for 282 yards and two scores, but those numbers are skewed by the 87-yard touchdown pass he threw to Ben Obomanu in garbage time.
When you take those stats out, Hasselbeck was just not very good.
The Grade:
C+
Donovan McNabb: Washington Redskins
9 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
13-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings
21/35, 211 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 74.8 rating
2 carries, 7 yards
The Analysis:
Minnesota doesn't have one of the best defenses in the NFL this season, but the Redskins and Donovan McNabb still only managed to score one touchdown against them.
He had multiple opportunities to take the lead in the fourth quarter, and failed each time. Not so good, Mr. McNabb.
The Grade:
C+
Jake Delhomme: Cleveland Browns
10 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
24-23 win over the Carolina Panthers
24/35, 245 yards, 0 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 64.6 rating
2 carries, 2 yards
The Analysis:
Delhomme may have gotten the win, but it wasn't really because of exemplary play on his part. He rode Peyton Hillis' back to the win, threw two interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown), and failed to win by more than one point against the inept Panthers.
All in all, it shouldn't be enough to force Colt McCoy back to the bench when he returns from his ankle injury.
The Grade:
C+
Shaun Hill: Detroit Lions
11 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
24-45 loss to the New England Patriots
27/46, 285 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions, 65.9 rating
4 carries, 23 yards
The Analysis:
Hill led his team to a quick lead, but couldn't rally them when the Patriots offense exploded.
Against a dismal New England pass defense, the Lions' replacement for Matthew Stafford was just not very good.
The Grade:
B-
Ryan Fitzpatrick: Buffalo Bills
12 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
16-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
23/45, 265 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 67.4 rating
2 carries, 4 yards
The Analysis:
Fitzpatrick may not have been statistically impressive, but he kept his team in the game against the heavily favored Steelers.
Truthfully, he should have gotten the win. Steve Johnson dropped a perfectly thrown ball in the end zone during overtime.
The Grade:
B-
Mark Sanchez: New York Jets
13 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
26-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals
16/28, 166 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 71.4 rating
3 carries, -4 yards
The Analysis:
Mark Sanchez was good but not great in this game. However, good was enough to get the win for his team against the Bengals.
The true star of this game was the Jets' Brad Smith.
The Grade:
B
Ben Roethlisberger: Pittsburgh Steelers
14 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
19-16 win over the Buffalo Bills
20/33, 246 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 83.6 rating
1 carry, 18 yards
The Analysis:
Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers escaped with a win in this one. Big Ben didn't do anything spectacular—he left that chore to Rashard Mendenhall.
But, he didn't make any mistakes either.
The Grade:
B
Brett Favre: Minnesota Vikings
15 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
17-13 win over the Washington Redskins
15/23, 172 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 87.6 rating
5 carries, 9 yards
The Analysis:
It's kind of sad that this was actually a good game for 2010 Brett Favre. But then again, I don't feel too bad for him.
This wasn't an outstanding performance by any means, but Favre held on to the ball for his team and got the victory.
The Grade:
B
Jon Kitna: Dallas Cowboys
16 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
27-30 loss to the New Orleans Saints
30/42, 313 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, 82.7 rating
5 carries, 20 yards
The Analysis:
Kitna played quite well in this game. He led his team back from a 17-point deficit in the second half. He threw what should have been the game-clincher to Roy Williams, but the ball was knocked loose by Malcom Jenkins. He also moved his team down the field to have a shot at a tying field goal.
But in the end, it just wasn't enough.
The Grade:
B+
Joe Flacco: Baltimore Ravens
17 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
17-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
25/35, 289 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 103.2 rating
3 carries, -2 yards
The Analysis:
Flacco helped move the Ravens up and down the field, but with the exception of the second quarter, they couldn't score a single point.
He did only turn the ball over once and played efficiently throughout the game.
The Grade:
B+
Michael Vick: Philadelphia Eagles
18 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
26-31 loss to the Chicago Bears
29/44, 333 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 94.2 rating
9 carries, 44 yards
The Analysis:
Vick couldn't get the victory against the tough Chicago Bears defense but he still played quite well. The spiral still looks tight and the interception, which came on a pass tipped at the line, was his first of the season.
It's amazing that Vick has gotten to the point where I can look at the stat line above and be slightly disappointed by his performance.
The Grade:
B+
Chad Henne: Miami Dolphins
19 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
33-17 win over the Oakland Raiders
17/30, 307 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 100.3 rating
3 carries, -4 yards
The Analysis:
Chad Henne finally looked a like a good starting quarterback this week. He only threw one interception, which any Dolphins fan will tell you is a good thing.
He also made plays when he needed to and helped provide the spark that lifted his team to victory after Jacoby Ford's opening kickoff return for a touchdown gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead.
The Grade:
A-
Philip Rivers: San Diego Chargers
20 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
36-14 win over the Indianapolis Colts
19/23, 185 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 100.2 rating
3 carries, 7 yards
The Analysis:
Rivers didn't do anything spectacular, but he didn't ever mess up either. Consider this just another chapter in the MVP-quality season he's having.
Somehow, he and the Chargers just don't know how to lose around this time of year.
The Grade:
A-
Matt Schaub: Houston Texans
21 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
20-0 win over the Tennessee Titans
25/35, 178 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 101.8 rating
2 carries, -2 yards
The Analysis:
Matt Schaub threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter to jump out to a 14-0 lead, then rode Arian Foster and the running game to the finish line.
This was a very good performance by a very good quarterback against a division rival.
The Grade:
A-
Kyle Orton: Denver Broncos
22 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
33-36 loss to the St. Louis Rams
24/41, 337 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 110.5 rating
The Analysis:
Orton played very well but ended up with a disappointing loss to the St. Louis Rams.
He once again threw for over 300 yards and had great ball security, but it just wasn't quite enough. The two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, however, were impressive.
The Grade:
A-
Drew Brees: New Orleans Saints
23 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
23/39, 352 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 86.7 rating
3 carries, -3 yards
The Analysis:
Drew Brees, playing on Thanksgiving Day, had quite the day.
But the highlight came on the tail end of an 89-yard drive when he hit Lance Moore for the game-winning 12-yard touchdown with just 1:55 left.
The Grade:
A
Aaron Rodgers: Green Bay Packers
24 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
17-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons
26/35, 344 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, 114.5 rating
12 carries, 51 yards, 1 touchdown
The Analysis:
Rodgers was unbelievably accurate against the Falcons and accounted for both touchdowns. The second, an improv throw to Jordy Nelson for 10 yards and the score, should have forced overtime as it came with just 0:56 left. But Matt Ryan was the opposing quarterback and he was even better.
This was yet another incredible performance for the Packers star, but he still took the loss.
The Grade:
A
Matt Ryan: Atlanta Falcons
25 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers
24/28, 198 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, 108.0 rating
The Analysis:
Matt Ryan was nearly flawless in this playoff-like game. The atmosphere was intense, as was the game.
Ryan stepped up to the challenge and led two fourth-quarter drives for scores that decided the outcome.
The Grade:
A+
Eli Manning: New York Giants
26 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
24-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars
14/24, 226 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 117.7 rating
3 carries, -1 yard
The Analysis:
What made this game so impressive for Manning was the fact that he brought his team back from an 11-point halftime deficit by throwing two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.
Even though Kevin Boss stretched the second out a lot longer than it should have originally gone, Manning still made the throws when he needed to.
The Grade:
A+
Sam Bradford: St. Louis Rams
27 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
36-33 win over the Denver Broncos
22/37, 308 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 113.3 rating
1 carry, -1 yard
The Analysis:
In this shootout win over the Broncos, Bradford had the best game of his young career. The Oklahoma product produced career highs in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and quarterback rating.
He also continues to lead the league in touchdown passes thrown to unheralded receivers with awesome names after helping Michael Hoomanawanui score once and Billy Bajema score twice.
The Grade:
A+
Matt Cassel: Kansas City Chiefs
28 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
42-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks
22/32, 233 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 129.3 rating
5 carries, 28 yards
The Analysis:
Matt Cassel was unbelievable in this game, getting it done with his arm and his legs. He showed an incredible connection with Dwayne Bowe, who had 13 receptions for 170 yards and three scores.
It's safe to say that any time you have four touchdown passes, no turnovers, and lead a blowout win, you had a pretty decent week.
The Grade:
A+
Jay Cutler: Chicago Bears
29 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
31-26 win over the Philadelphia Eagles
14/21, 247 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 146.2 rating
7 carries, 17 yards
The Analysis:
Cutler was simply superb in this game, throwing for four touchdowns and looking in control throughout.
Most impressively, he avoided the mental mistakes that he's known for and avoided turning the ball over. That helped a lot in beating a very dangerous Eagles team.
The Grade:
A+
Tom Brady: New England Patriots
30 of 32
Week 12 Stats:
45-24 win over the Detroit Lions
21/27, 341 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 158.3 rating
4 carries, 1 yard
The Analysis:
For the second straight week, Brady was simply magnificent. The perfect 158.3 quarterback rating says it all.
Under the intense spotlight of a Thanksgiving Day game, Brady impressed everyone.
The Grade:
A+
Troy Smith: San Francisco 49ers
31 of 32
Plays Monday Night
Derek Anderson: Arizona Cardinals
32 of 32
Plays Monday Night
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