NFL Week 13 Report Cards: Breaking Down the Stars and Duds at QB
NFL Week 13 Report Cards now turns to the quarterbacks. Whether you agree with it or not, the quarterbacks take most of the blame and receive most of the credit for wins and losses.
Michael Vick continued his run to greatness with a victory over the Texans, and Peyton Manning's woes continued versus Dallas.
Speaking of Dallas, Jon Kitna is having a great season filling in for Tony Romo, while the Arizona Cardinals wish they had a backup quarterback because finding a starter for this season is pretty much a pipe dream at this point.
The grades are ready, so let's review.
Derek Anderson/John Skelton/Max Hall, Arizona Cardinals
1 of 30
Grade: F
Derek Anderson continues to use his Arm of Doom to destroy the Arizona Cardinals. Max Hall finally was inserted into the game, but was promptly injured.
So, John Skelton came in the game because, according to head coach Ken Whisenhunt, Anderson "wasn't himself."
Considering Anderson was not making reads and threw an interception, it's difficult to say what was any different about the troubled QB from Oregon.
Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
2 of 30
Grade: F
When you have 15 seconds left in the game, and you have a timeout left, you use it. You don't run the clock out on your own offense.
This is Quarterbacking 101.
Jimmy Clausen, Carolina Panthers
3 of 30
Grade: F
While the Panthers have problems up and down their offense, defense and special teams, Jimmy Clausen has not shown he's ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Clausen threw for only 169 yards and one interception with zero touchdowns. He shows panic in the pocket under pressure, and generally looks like he hasn't caught up to the speed of the NFL yet.
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Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins
4 of 30
Grade: F
One touchdown and three picks.
There's not much more to say here. Chad Henne has had numerous opportunities to be the quarterback of the future for the Dolphins, and he's squandered all of them.
While Henne may finish out the year, don't expect to see him starting for the Dolphins next year.
Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks
5 of 30
Grade: D-
Matt Hasselbeck threw for more than 200 yards, but he didn't have any touchdowns and he threw two interceptions.
Hasselbeck doesn't have much to work with, but he's a veteran quarterback who can do better than this.
Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans
6 of 30
Grade: D
Kerry Collins threw for only 169 yards and had two interceptions. His completion rate is awful, but the Titans offense isn't what it was six weeks ago, and with the Titans fortunes fading, you can bet Randy Moss is taking plenty of plays off.
Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos
7 of 30
Grade: D
This is a first for Kyle Orton this year. Orton normally has been the lone bright spot on the team, as they've continued to lose week after week.
Not this week. While Orton didn't have any interceptions, he threw for no touchdowns and only 117 yards. The offense just was not moving.
Knowshon Moreno had a good day, but that didn't do much for Orton's grade.
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
8 of 30
Grade: D
Admittedly, Peyton is being graded on a curve. Manning has Reggie Wayne as a target right now and that's about it. The Colts have no running game to fall back on, and Manning is shouldering the burden.
That being said, he just can't lock on to receivers like he's been doing and make the opposing defense's job just that much easier.
No matter how much the team may be hurting, trying to force throws and ending up with a pick six isn't how you fix things.
Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams
9 of 30
Grade: D+
Sam Bradford had 187 yards passing and one interception.
It was only his second interception in the last seven games, so it's not like this guy is making a ton of bad decisions.
However, Bradford wasn't spectacular, and this is the result.
Troy Smith, San Francisco 49ers
10 of 30
Grade: D+
Troy Smith wasn't asked to shoulder the offense in light of Frank Gore's injury by only throwing 25 times, but that could be because his completion percentage, 40, was downright awful. He had one touchdown and one interception on the day, and Smith needs more work before he takes on a defense like Green Bay's.
Eli Manning, NY Giants
11 of 30
Grade: C-
While the Giants won, Eli Manning wasn't one of the main factors in that win. The Giants relied on their running game while Manning threw for only 161 yards and one pick.
In a game dominated by the running backs, that pick looms large on his grade.
Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins
12 of 30
Grade: C-
McNabb threw for 296 yards and a touchdown, but those two interceptions just killed things for him, as he continues to be one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in the league this year.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills
13 of 30
Grade: C
Ryan Fitzpatrick had his work cut out for him against the Vikings defense, and he did the best he could, given the circumstances.
Fitzpatrick threw for 158 yards, one touchdown and one pick. This was a bad week for a quarterback who has been putting up great fantasy numbers recently.
Jake Delhomme, Cleveland Browns
14 of 30
Grade: C
Jake Delhomme didn't throw a bunch of game-blowing interceptions, but that wasn't for lack of trying. Delhomme did a lot of game managing and did throw one touchdown. But he didn't do anything to make Cleveland fans forget Colt McCoy.
Drew Stanton, Detroit Lions
15 of 30
Grade: C
Drew Stanton didn't do too badly for having to face the Chicago Bears defense. That's not saying he did great, it's just pointing out it could've been a lot worse.
Stanton didn't throw any interceptions, had a touchdown and had 187 yards.
Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
16 of 30
Grade: C+
Philip Rivers threw for 280 yards and one touchdown, but he had one interception. Rivers needed to get the ball in the end zone more, and he didn't. Combined with the Chargers' continued meltdown on special teams, this wasn't a good week for Rivers to not get in the end zone more.
Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs
17 of 30
Grade: B-
Matt Cassel managed the game well, didn't make mistakes and threw for 196 yards and one touchdown.
Cassel is getting better every week, and the Chiefs can feel confident he'll step up and play well in the playoffs.
Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18 of 30
Grade: B-
Josh Freeman has been having a pretty good year, led a few fourth-quarter comebacks and generally has been a lot more reliable than thought coming into the season.
Freeman knew when to hand the ball off to LeGarrette Blount, and only threw one pick. The Bucs gave the Falcons a scare, but came up short.
Tarvaris Jackson, Minnesota Vikings
19 of 30
Grade: B-
Tarvaris Jackson threw for two touchdowns, but he also had three picks, including one returned for a touchdown.
Jackson hasn't been consistent enough to keep the starter's job in Minnesota, and three picks isn't going to help his case any.
Still, for a game against the Buffalo Bills, he was good enough.
Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
20 of 30
Grade: B
Jay Cutler threw for 234 yards and one touchdown versus the Detroit Lions, but the Bears needed help from a bad call again to beat the Lions.
Cutler still had a pretty decent day—not his best, but definitely nothing to get upset about.
David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
21 of 30
Grade: B
David Garrard looked fine despite battling a wrist injury, and he did the smartest thing a quarterback can do under the circumstances: He handed the ball off to Maurice Jones-Drew.
Jason Campbell, Oakland Raiders
22 of 30
Grade: B
Jason Campbell didn't do anything to hurt the Raiders, which was one of the reasons Tom Cable kept benching him, so the Raiders have that going for them.
Campbell threw for 117 yards and one touchdown with a 62.5 percent completion rate. This was a game dominated by the running backs, and Campbell just went along for the ride.
Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
23 of 30
Grade: B
Matt Schaub did just about everything he could to win the game last Thursday night, throwing for 337 yards and two touchdowns. He had one interception, and that was a big one, but the blame for the defeat can't be put on Schaub's shoulders.
Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles
24 of 30
Grade: A
Michael Vick threw for more than 300 yards and two touchdowns in the air, plus 48 yards rushing and one touchdown on the ground.
Vick continues to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league this season.
Jon Kitna, Dallas Cowboys
25 of 30
Grade: B+
Jon Kitna may only have had 167 yards and one touchdown, but he had a 69.2 percent completion rate and didn't throw an interception.
Kitna is, hands down, the best backup quarterback in the league. The Cowboys would be wise to keep him around, even at his relatively advanced age of 38, for one more year.
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
26 of 30
Grade: A
Matt Ryan held the team together, got them across the goal line and helped lead the Falcons to another win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His 205 yards and two touchdowns don't tell the whole story, and the Falcons now look primed to go deep into the playoffs.
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
27 of 30
Grade: A
Ben Roethlisberger came on the field already hobbled by a foot injury, then he had his nose broken in the first series, and he still came back and threw for 253 yards and one touchdown.
He only had one pick, but against the Ravens defense, what are you complaining about?
This was as hard a game to win as you can find in the NFL, and Roethlisberger proved again why he's one of the best in the league.
Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
28 of 30
Grade: B-
Flacco had a mostly good game, throwing for 266 yards and one touchdown; but he made a few bad throws, especially late in the game, and his turnover under the pass rush proved to be the difference.
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
29 of 30
Grade: A
All Drew Brees did was throw for 313 yards, two touchdowns, have an 82.8 percent completion rate and draw the Bengals offsides with the game on the line.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
30 of 30
Grade: A
Aaron Rodgers threw for just shy of 300 yards, three touchdowns and had a 70 percent completion rate for a QB rating of 135.
Not a bad day.
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