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QB Index, Week 2: Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott rocket up ranks

With opening week of the NFL's 100th season in the books, NFL.com editors Ali Bhanpuri, Tom Blair, Gennaro Filice and Dan Parr join forces to update the QB Index -- the hierarchy among starting quarterbacks -- heading into Week 2.

How do we arrive at these rankings? Well, each of the four QB watchers submits a ballot, and through the power of mathematics, we average out the results to arrive at our list. The individual rankings of each writer are listed in every QB blurb. As the season progresses, the pecking order will increasingly rely on 2019 performance alone, which means the deck will constantly reshuffle. But after one week, with a tiny sample of regular-season tape to evaluate, performance prior to the '19 campaign is also taken into account in the unique QB evaluations of each ranker.

NOTE: Up/down arrows reflect movement from the Week 1 QB Index. Rankings reflect each quarterback's standing heading into Week 2 and were locked before "Thursday Night Football." Stats for QBs who play on Thursday night are also locked, to provide better context for those QBs' rankings.

1
Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 1 | Blair: 1 | Filice: 1 | Parr: 1

2019 stats: 1 game | 75.8 pct | 378 pass yds | 11.5 ypa | 3 pass TD | 0 INT

Parr: The reigning MVP didn't even need two healthy ankles to slice and dice what many think is potentially an elite defense in Week 1. Sure, losing Tyreek Hill for at least the next month is going to be a new test, but this superhuman pigskin distributor (and Sammy Watkins) did just fine without him against the Jaguars (18 of 25 for 216 yards and 2 TDs after Hill left the game). We're full speed ahead on Mahomes at No. 1.

2
2
Tom Brady
New England Patriots · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 2 | Blair: 4 | Filice: 2 | Parr: 2

2019 stats: 1 game | 66.7 pct | 341 pass yds | 9.5 ypa | 3 pass TD | 0 INT

Parr: Couple a scintillating debut against another one of those defenses that was supposed to be pretty decent at stopping people with the signing of one of the league's most talented receivers, and you get our first mover in the rankings this week. It seems old Tommy B. didn't come to play. He came to destroy anything in his path, with or without AB. Unfortunately, Brady's kryptonite is waiting for him in South Beach in Week 2 (Brady has six more losses on the road vs. the Dolphins than any other opponent). Just kidding. Did you see Miami's defense last week? Me neither. It didn't show up. Long live the GOAT.

3
1
Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 3 | Blair: 2 | Filice: 4 | Parr: 3

2019 stats: 1 game | 60.0 pct | 203 pass yds | 6.8 ypa | 1 pass TD | 0 INT

Parr: Rodgers moves down a spot because Brady showed he's still Brady while Rodgers wasn't Rodgers in Week 1. A rough start for Green Bay's QB1 in Chicago, no doubt, but we're not going to get too down on the two-time MVP considering last Thursday night was his first game action in Matt LaFleur's offense and he was up against one of the league's best defenses. It might not get any easier for him against a Vikings defense that overwhelmed Matt Ryan and the Falcons in Week 1, though.

4
1
Russell Wilson
Seattle Seahawks · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 5 | Blair: 3 | Filice: 3 | Parr: 5

2019 stats: 1 game | 70.0 pct | 196 pass yds | 9.8 ypa | 2 pass TD | 0 INT

Parr: The Seahawks had a minus-196 differential in total yards vs. the Bengals (teams are 54-466-1 when finishing a game with a yard differential of minus-196 or worse since 2000), but Seattle still managed to win, which speaks to Wilson's efficiency and immense value to this team. Posting less than 200 yards passing isn't going to get anyone excited in this era of beaucoup offense, but his throws to D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on what turned out to be the game-winning drive were the difference. He drops a spot only because Brady is still such a gem.

5
Philip Rivers
Los Angeles Chargers · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 4 | Blair: 5 | Filice: 7 | Parr: 6

2019 stats: 1 game | 73.5 pct | 333 pass yds | 9.8 ypa | 3 pass TD | 1 INT

Parr: He was overshadowed by Austin Ekeler's star turn on Sunday, but Rivers appeared to be his usual self after not playing a snap in the preseason. He fired some darts to Keenan Allen and the snake-bitten Hunter Henry, who will once again miss time with an injury, while taking a beating from a Colts D that recorded four sacks and eight QB hits. The one major blemish on his Week 1 performance -- a fourth quarter interception in the Colts' end zone -- is more a credit to Malik Hooker than a knock on Rivers. It was a spectacular play by the Indy safety. But as if being without Henry, Melvin Gordon and Russell Okung wasn't enough, Rivers might be sans the services of Mike Williams on Sunday, too.

6
1
Drew Brees
New Orleans Saints · QB

_ Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 6 | Blair: 8 | Filice: 6 | Parr: 4_

2019 stats: 1 game | 74.4 pct | 370 pass yds | 8.6 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1 INT

Parr: Brees made a mistake we rarely see from him, throwing his first red-zone INT since 2017 in the first quarter vs. the Texans, but he bounced back to record his 35th fourth-quarter comeback (only Peyton Manning has more in the Super Bowl era). He's going to struggle when defenses force him out of the pocket, but when they don't, he'll dominate with precision no other QB can match.

7
2
Carson Wentz
Philadelphia Eagles · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 8 | Blair: 6 | Filice: 5 | Parr: 7

2019 stats: 1 game | 71.8 pct | 313 pass yds | 8.0 ypa | 3 pass TD | 0 INT

Parr: Wentz shook off a bleak start for Philly to lead the biggest comeback of his career, rallying from a 17-0 deficit. It might not have been the ideal way to open the season, but ultimately it was a highly encouraging step for a guy who hadn't taken a snap in a game since Dec. 9. Here's a stat to be excited about if you're an Eagles fan: Wentz was 12 of 13 for 197 pass yards, three TDs, and zero INTs on third down in Week 1.

8
Deshaun Watson
Houston Texans · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 7 | Blair: 7 | Filice: 8 | Parr: 8

2019 stats: 1 game | 66.7 pct | 268 pass yds | 8.9 ypa | 3 pass TD | 1 INT | 40 rush yds | 1 rush TD

Parr: He'd like to have that third-quarter interception back, and sure, he hangs onto the ball for too long at times, but Watson made hero throw after hero throw against the Saints on Monday night, nearly pulling off a fourth-quarter comeback victory in one of the toughest places for visitors to win. The former Clemson QB gives his team a chance to win pretty much every time he takes the field. Watson is 14-9 as a starter in the regular season, and all nine losses have come by one possession. How rare is that? Well, per NFL Research, he's the only QB since 1950 to have at least 90 percent of his losses come by one possession (minimum five career losses).

9
3
Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 9 | Blair: 9 | Filice: 9 | Parr: 9

2019 stats: 1 game | 71.7 pct | 304 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 2 pass TD | 2 INT | 24 rush yds | 0 rush TD

Bhanpuri: Tough outing for the 2016 MVP, who threw two ghastly interceptions versus the Vikings, including one in the red zone late in the third quarter that ultimately crushed the Falcons' chance at mounting a comeback. As he's done over the last decade, though, Ryan matched his head-scratching throws with some absolute beauts, none more so than the arching 20-yard scoring connection to Calvin Ridley off a sluggo route. The biggest concern for Atlanta's franchise QB after Week 1 is the embattled group up front, which will be without starting rookie right guard Chris Lindstrom for at least a couple months after the first-rounder broke his foot against Minnesota.

10
5
Dak Prescott
Dallas Cowboys · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 11 | Blair: 11 | Filice: 10 | Parr: 12

2019 stats: 1 game | 78.1 pct | 405 pass yds | 12.7 ypa | 4 pass TD | 0 INT

Bhanpuri: Surprised Dak could see anything but dollar signs by the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' demolition of the Giants. The polarizing fourth-year pro was money throwing all over the field, but especially on chunk-yardage plays, going 8 of 9 for 243 yards and three scores on passes of 10-plus air yards against New York. Few things scream "PAY ME" like laying a perfect passer rating on a division rival.

11
6
Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 12 | Blair: 10 | Filice: 11 | Parr: 13

2019 stats: 1 game | 85.0 pct | 324 pass yds | 16.2 ypa | 5 pass TD | 0 INT

Bhanpuri: The Ravens' offense was the unit I was most excited to see in Week 1, and Lamar Jackson and Co. did NOT disappoint. The former Heisman Trophy winner displayed pinpoint accuracy on short, intermediate and deep throws, completing six of seven passes that traveled 10 or more air yards (including three that traveled 30-plus!), per Next Gen Stats. And while the long touchdown bombs to Marquise Brown and Willie Snead have been the highlights replaying regularly on NFL Network since Sunday (and rightfully so), the ball placement on his first touchdown toss -- the quick slant to Hollywood Brown -- shouldn't be overlooked. If Jackson doesn't lead the speedy receiver with a precisely placed pass, there's a good chance Brown gets tripped up by Eric Rowe for only a modest gain instead of a 47-yard score. " Not bad for a running back"? How about perfect for a quarterback.

12
2
Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh Steelers · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 13 | Blair: 16 | Filice: 12 | Parr: 10

2019 stats: 1 game | 57.4 pct | 276 pass yds | 5.9 ypa | 0 pass TD | 1 INT

Bhanpuri:Big Ben struggled to connect on intermediate and deep passes throughout the Steelers' lopsided loss to the Patriots on Sunday -- a problem that has plagued the QB since Week 17 of last season when Antonio Brown was working his way out of Pittsburgh (before he was working his way out of Oakland). In the two most recent games without Brown, Roethlisberger has been an abysmal 6 of 22 with two picks and a 22.0 passer rating on throws of 10-plus air yards -- worst among the 23 qualifying QBs during that span, per Pro Football Focus. Compare that with the five games leading up to Brown's disappearing act last year, when Big Ben completed 52.1 percent of his intermediate and deep passes, with a 6:2 TD-to-INT ratio and a 107.2 passer rating. Not saying the Steelers made a mistake moving on from the receiver, but they've clearly yet to figure out how to manufacture anywhere near the same level of production without him.

13
5
Derek Carr
Las Vegas Raiders · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 10 | Blair: 15 | Filice: 15 | Parr: 14

2019 stats: 1 game | 84.6 pct | 259 pass yds | 10.0 ypa | 1 pass TD | 0 INT

Bhanpuri: I've been blaring theCarr horn for quite some time now, so I was particularly satisfied to see the sixth-year pro in complete command of the Raiders' offense Monday night. He was accurate, decisive and confident in his 2019 debut against one of the league's most gifted defensive minds in Broncos coach Vic Fangio. Carr tied for the third-fastest time to throw in Week 1 (2.33 seconds), per Next Gen Stats, which, combined with solid performances up front, helped neutralize Denver's fierce pass rush. If Oakland's offensive linemen can continue to hold up their end of the bargain (4 QB pressures, 0 sacks, per NGS), No. 4's got the goods to dice up defenses like it's 2016.

14
3
Baker Mayfield
Cleveland Browns · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 14 | Blair: 12 | Filice: 13 | Parr: 16

2019 stats: 1 game | 65.8 pct | 285 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 1 pass TD | 3 INT

Bhanpuri: Mayfield was having a highly productive afternoon (22-for-29 passing for 258 yards and a TD) at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday ... until the final 15 minutes. Three awful interceptions later, including one returned for a touchdown, and a nine-point deficit at the start of the quarter ended with the Browns losing by 30. Although No. 6 held the ball too long on the second-quarter safety, the play call was actually the most frustrating part of that sequence. Play action from your own 1-yard line, with three of the four receivers running deep routes and Chris Hubbard left one-on-one against Cameron Wake? How did that play not work?

15
1
Kirk Cousins
Minnesota Vikings · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 15 | Blair: 18 | Filice: 16 | Parr: 11

2019 stats: 1 game | 80.0 pct | 98 pass yds | 9.8 ypa | 1 pass TD | 0 INT | 4 rush yds | 1 rush TD

Bhanpuri: Tough to evaluate a QB's performance when he had more kneel-downs (2) than dropbacks (0) in the fourth quarter of a game. Mike Zimmer's ultimate football fantasy played out in front of his very eyes in the season opener, as the Vikings ran the ball 38 times while Cousins attempted just 10 passes in the team's 28-12 win over the Falcons. Minnesota's QB1 did make the most of his opportunities, however, hitting Adam Thielen in stride with a perfectly placed dart for the Vikings' first touchdown of the game, and then dropping a 31-yard dime right into Stefon Diggs' hands late in the third quarter to help set up the team's final score of the day. Cousins didn't do anything to warrant a drop in the rankings. Then again, he didn't get a chance to do much at all on Sunday. Something tells me he'll live with both outcomes.

16
3
Cam Newton
Carolina Panthers · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 16 | Blair: 14 | Filice: 14 | Parr: 17

2019 stats: 1 game | 65.8 pct | 239 pass yds | 6.3 ypa | 0 pass TD | 1 INT

Bhanpuri: That Superman doesn't have to barrel into defenders to move the chains and carry the offense anymore -- now that Christian McCaffrey has assumed those responsibilities -- has to serve as a breath of fresh air for Panthers fans who no longer have to hold their collective breath with each snap. That said, three rushing attempts for -2 yards from one of the most dangerous mobile quarterbacks the game has ever known feels more like regression than evolution. Newton showed solid anticipation and velocity on comeback routes Sunday, but missed some layups and noticeably took only one shot of 20 yards or more the entire game. Whether it's because No. 1's shoulder isn't quite right or simply a result of Norv Turner's system (or both), if the Panthers stick to this script, then their pass catchers (looking at you, D.J. Moore) will need to rack up more YAC than they did in Week 1, when they ranked 29th in the NFL in Next Gen Stats' YAC above expectation metric.

POST-TNF UPDATE: Cam's scattershot, stationary play in Thursday's loss to the Buccaneers (he completed 25 of 51 throws for 333 yards, zero touchdowns and a 70.1 passer rating) did nothing to allay questions about his hardiness. In fact, this kind of showing -- on a national, prime-time stage, no less -- only amplified them. A fall into the bottom half of next week's rankings awaits.

17
4
Jared Goff
Los Angeles Rams · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 17 | Blair: 13 | Filice: 17 | Parr: 15

2019 stats: 1 game | 59.0 pct | 186 pass yds | 4.8 ypa | 1 pass TD | 1 INT

Bhanpuri: Don't let the Rams' 30 points on Sunday fool you: Goff did not play well. The former first overall pick was inconsistent the entire afternoon, repeatedly missing both reads and throws and struggling altogether with balls downfield. Goff posted the worst passer rating (18.8) on passes of 10-plus air yards among qualifying QBs in Game 1, an issue that has plagued the young QB since last postseason and which my colleague David Carr dug into earlier this week. With an NFC championship rematch on tap in Week 2, Goff will need to be at his best ( or get a little lucky) for the Rams to have a chance at a repeat.

18
2
Matthew Stafford
Detroit Lions · QB

_ Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 19 | Blair: 17 | Filice: 18 | Parr: 19_

2019 stats: 1 game | 60.0 pct | 385 pass yds | 8.6 ypa | 3 pass TD | 0 INT | 22 rush yds | 0 rush TD

Blair:The good: posting the highest Week 1 yardage total (385) and the fifth-best Week 1 passer rating (110.0) of your career while establishing productive connections with new additions Danny Amendola (seven catches for 104 yards and a score) and T.J. Hockenson (six catches for 131 yards and a score). The bad: failing to keep Arizona off the field long enough in the fourth quarter to prevent the Cardinals from making up an 18-point deficit and forcing overtime.The awkward: breaking in your relationship with your new offensive coordinator by having to answer questions about your extremely televised annoyance at the timeout he called that might have cost you a win.

19
5
Andy Dalton
Cincinnati Bengals · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 18 | Blair: 19 | Filice: 19 | Parr: 20

2019 stats: 1 game | 68.6 pct | 418 pass yds | 8.2 ypa | 2 pass TD | 0 INT

Blair: Dalton and the Bengals couldn't mount a final push to upset the Seahawksin Seattle, but the 31-year-old QB looked rejuvenated by an attack that saw three Cincinnati players top 60 receiving yards in the same game for the first time since Week 4 of the 2017 season. I wanted to rank him higher on my personal list, but we've seen Dalton get out to fast starts before, only to ultimately crumble. Consider that Dalton has posted a first-half passer rating of 90-plus in four previous seasons, but he's only topped 88 in the second half once in his career. If he continues to roll in Zac Taylor's offense, well ... I don't want to actually say "Dalton-aissance," but, you know. I'll be thinking it.

20
7
Marcus Mariota
Tennessee Titans · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 20 | Blair: 21 | Filice: 22 | Parr: 18

2019 stats: 1 game | 58.3 pct | 248 pass yds | 10.3 ypa | 3 pass TD | 0 INT | 24 rush yds | 0 rush TD

Blair: Facing questions about his status as a franchise quarterback coming into the season, Mariota surely eased concerns in Tennessee with his performance in Cleveland. The Browns gifted the Titans the upper hand via a flood of penalties and turnovers, but don't skimp on credit for Mariota, who took full advantage of the opportunities that came his way, pushing what had been a close contest into laugher territory by capitalizing on mistakes made by Cleveland. Mariota's day could be summed up by this fact: In his last three consecutive pass attempts, he completed three passes for 93 yards and three touchdowns, the last two set up by Baker Mayfield interceptions. (Yes, the first was a 75-yard catch-and-run by Derrick Henry, but still.)

21
Sam Darnold
New York Jets · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 24 | Blair: 20 | Filice: 21 | Parr: 23

2019 stats: 1 game | 68.3 pct | 175 pass yds | 4.3 ypa | 1 pass TD | 0 INT

Blair: Mono has nothing to do with Darnold's quarterback play, but it will unfortunately keep him from the field for "Monday Night Football" in Week 2 and perhaps longer. Before we bid a temporary farewell to the second-year pro, let's revisit the less-than-stellar start to his season. (That might seem harsh, but Darnold should be sleeping and drinking lots of fluids, not reading the QB Index.) There are a number of potential culprits for his Week 1 performance, from a Buffalo defense that sacked him four times to Darnold's self-professed inability to "get in a rhythm" to a general lack of offensive cohesion. Adam Gase said he felt "a lot better" about Darnold after watching film of the Jetsloss to the Bills. That was before we learned that Darnold was feeling a lot worse.

22
1
Kyler Murray
Arizona Cardinals · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 21 | Blair: 24 | Filice: 20 | Parr: 24

2019 stats: 1 game | 53.7 pct | 308 pass yds | 5.7 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1 INT | 13 rush yds | 0 rush TD

Blair: It's good that the world was forced to wait until Murray played at least 60 minutes(-plus!) of football before anyone could render a final judgment on his NFL future. Murray's first-half performance against the Lions (6 of 16 for 41 yards, 0 TDs and an ugly pick, plus multiple batted balls) was among the worst by an NFL quarterback in Week 1 since 2010; in that span, only Nathan Peterman, who compiled a first-half passer rating of 8.2, did worse than Murray's passer rating of 19.8. Things seemed to start to come together for him in the third quarter, when he had success attacking the middle of the field and put together the first real scoring drive of his career. The offensive blitz he marshaled in the final six minutes or so of regulation, connecting on a pair of touchdown tosses and a two-point conversion, provided a tantalizing view of what could be in store.

23
3
Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco 49ers · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 23 | Blair: 23 | Filice: 23 | Parr: 21

2019 stats: 1 game | 66.7 pct | 166 pass yds | 6.1 ypa | 1 pass TD | 1 INT

Blair: Jimmy G was off-target on multiple throws, and it appeared that Bucs corner Vernon Hargreaves easily read the pass to Tevin Coleman that turned into a pick-six in the second quarter. Garoppolo's final total of 166 passing yards also marked a new low in his career as a starter. Still, the Niners got a win, and there were positives to take away: rolling out to his left and hitting George Kittle on the move for a 19-yard gain early in the first quarter, tossing a strike to Coleman in stride for a 31-yard pickup in the second and, of course, that arcing, perfectly placed and timed 39-yard touchdown to Richie James.

24
5
Jacoby Brissett
Indianapolis Colts · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 22 | Blair: 22 | Filice: 24 | Parr: 25

2019 stats: 1 game | 77.8 pct | 190 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 2 pass TD | 0 INT

Blair: The lack of an established track record as the regular starter is probably the main thing holding Brissett down at this point. Otherwise, he played a crisp, zippy game in his first time out as The Answer in Indy, looking decisive and accurate in the Week 1 loss to the Chargers, while the Colts' O-line preserved a mostly clean pocket -- according to Next Gen Stats, Brissett attempted just two passes under pressure, though he was sacked twice. His completion percentage was a career best for a game that he started, and most importantly, he gave the Colts a chance to win.

25
3
Mitchell Trubisky
Chicago Bears · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 27 | Blair: 27 | Filice: 27 | Parr: 22

2019 stats: 1 game | 57.8 pct | 228 pass yds | 5.1 ypa | 0 pass TD | 1 INT | 11 rush yds | 0 rush TD

Filice: Trailing by seven points with two minutes left in the game, Trubisky threw an unseemly red-zone pick to his former teammate, Adrian Amos. Fortunately, Trubisky's current teammates picked him up, forcing a three-and-out to give the quarterback one last chance at heroics. Lining up at his own 14-yard line with 1:33 left and one timeout, Trubisky opened the drive with a 2-yard checkdown pass to his running back. Then he airmailed a couple of receivers over the middle before taking a sack on fourth down. Ballgame. If there's a clutch gene, Mitch's was recessive on this night.

26
2
Joe Flacco
Denver Broncos · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 26 | Blair: 26 | Filice: 26 | Parr: 26

2019 stats: 1 game | 67.7 pct | 268 pass yds | 8.6 ypa | 1 pass TD | 0 INT

Filice: Flacco can still sling it when he wants to -- SEE: the 53-yard laser to Emmanuel Sanders -- but the 34-year-old's checkdown impulse won't endear him to Broncos fans anytime soon. Neither will his propensity for taking sacks that you can't take.

27
4
Case Keenum
Washington Redskins · QB

_ Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 25 | Blair: 29 | Filice: 25 | Parr: 27_

2019 stats: 1 game | 68.2 pct | 380 pass yds | 8.6 ypa | 3 pass TD | 0 INT

Filice: At approximately 1:56 p.m. ET on Sunday, Keenum reared back and unloaded a resplendent rainbow of a throw that hit rookie wideout Terry McLaurin in stride for a 69-yard touchdown. This was the first truly shocking moment of the 2019 NFL season, as the Redskins had stormed Philly and jumped out to a 17-0 lead on the enviably deep NFC East favorites. Of course, you all know how this movie ended: Carson Wentz and Co. went on a 24-0 run in the second half and the home team prevailed, 32-27. And yes, for every 'Skins fan who doesn't carry the Keenum surname, Case represents an annoying impediment to the dawning of the Dwayne Haskins era. But let's give the 31-year-old some shine. After all, that deep ball wasn't his only highlight -- Keenum shredded the Eagles for a career-high 380 yards and three touchdowns. Hail to the journeyman!

28
2
Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 28 | Blair: 25 | Filice: 28 | Parr: 28

2019 stats: 1 game | 64.9 pct | 254 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 1 pass TD | 2 INT | 38 rush yds | 1 rush TD

Filice: A lightning rod since the 2018 pre-draft period, Allen provided something for everyone in Week 1. Over the first three quarters against the Jets, he threw two picks, lost two fumbles and posted a 44.1 passer rating, digging the Bills a 16-0 hole in the process. This brought great joy to Allen detractors, bolstering claims that the former No. 7 overall pick essentially offers unrefined tools for unsophisticated fools. But in the fourth quarter, Allen's bazooka arm started hitting its targets (8-for-10, 102 yards, 1 TD, 142.5 passer ratings), his legs produced a scramble score and the Bills wound up stunning the Jets17-16. Allen acolytes, have your last laugh. (For now.)

29
1
Eli Manning
New York Giants · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 29 | Blair: 28 | Filice: 29 | Parr: 29

2019 stats: 1 game | 68.2 pct | 306 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 1 pass TD | 0 INT

Filice: Big Blue's 8-25 since the start of the 2017 season, and Eli's caught plenty of (deserved) flak for the proud franchise's descent into irrelevance. But don't blame the 38-year-old quarterback for New York's fifth straight loss to Dallas. With Odell Beckham Jr. in Cleveland, Golden Tate on suspension and Sterling Shepard suffering a concussion in Sunday's game, Manning wasn't working with the most imposing group of receivers. Unsurprisingly, he had the highest percentage of tight-window throws (45.5, per Next Gen Stats) of any quarterback in Week 1. Yet he still ended up with solid production. Maybe Pat Shurmur should help out his quarterback a little bit by, you know, utilizing his best player?

30
5
Jameis Winston
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 31 | Blair: 31 | Filice: 30 | Parr: 30

2019 stats: 1 game | 55.6 pct | 194 pass yds | 5.4 ypa | 1 pass TD | 3 INT | 13 rush yds | 0 rush TD

Filice: The former Heisman winner threw 28 interceptions during his 27 games at Florida State. Since entering the NFL as the No. 1 overall pick in 2015, he's committed a league-high 61 INTs in 57 games. In Sunday's loss to San Francisco, Jameis connected with three different 49ers -- two of whom notched pick-sixes -- to counter his one touchdown strike to a Buccaneer. Silver lining: Winston's two fumbles in the game were recovered by the good guys, keeping him one lost fumble shy of Kirk Cousins for the NFL lead since '15.

POST-TNF UPDATE: Winston's efficient, turnover-free Thursday night (16 of 25 for 208 yards, one touchdown and a passer rating of 103.4) was a pleasant surprise, especially coming four days after his three-interception (and two-pick-six) opener. Yeah, he still had a stray throw here and there -- Luke Kuechly's lone blemish on an active night was mangling a highly pickable ball -- but the overall performance in Tampa Bay's win over Carolina should send Jameis back into the 20s next week.

31
Gardner Minshew
Jacksonville Jaguars · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 30 | Blair: 30 | Filice: 32 | Parr: 31

2019 stats: 1 game | 88.0 pct | 275 pass yds | 11.0 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1 INT

Filice: Minshew took college football by storm last year after grad-transferring from East Carolina to Washington State. Sporting a delightful mustache and a low-tech headband, the Mississippi native deftly executed Mike Leach's Air Raid offense while guiding the 11-2 Cougs to the most wins in school history, finishing fifth in Heisman voting and cementing himself as a cult hero of the Saturday game. On Sunday, the sixth-round draft pick was pressed into service early by Nick Foles' broken collarbone. He proceeded to complete his first 13 passes and finished the day with a juicy stat line: 22 of 25 for 275 yards and two touchdowns (against one pick). So who am I -- the only QB watcher in this exercise placing Minshew dead last on his personal rankings -- to play the killjoy role? Just a small man apparently stuck on small sample size.

32
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Miami Dolphins · QB

Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 32 | Blair: 32 | Filice: 31 | Parr: 32

2019 stats: 1 game | 48.3 pct | 185 pass yds | 6.4 ypa | 1 pass TD | 1 INT

Filice:The good: On Sunday, Ryan Fitzpatrick became the first NFL quarterback to throw a touchdown pass for eight different teams. The bad: He also became the first NFL quarterback to throw an interception for eight different teams. The ugly: Fitzpatrick still looked superior to Josh Rosen, who took four dropbacks in mop-up duty, recording a pick, a sack and a batted pass. Stay strong, Fin fans.

The Air Index delivered by FedEx ranks NFL quarterback performances all season long. What is the possibility reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes gets knocked out of the No. 1 spot in next week's ranking? Check out the FedEx Air NFL Players of the Week and cast your vote.

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