With Week 9 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 10.
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. With the season well underway, the rankings now rely more heavily on 2019 production, as opposed to previous performance. That said, old opinions die hard.
NOTE: Up/down arrows reflect movement from the Week 9 QB Index. Rankings reflect each quarterback's standing heading into Week 10 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.
Check out the FedEx Air NFL Players of the Week and cast your vote.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 1 | Blair: 1 | Filice: 1 | Parr: 1
2019 stats: 9 games | 68.3 pct | 2,505 pass yds | 8.5 ypa | 22 pass TD | 1 INT | 203 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Parr: Wilson laughs at anyone who dares to threaten his spot on the QB Index throne! A week after sharing the seat with Aaron Rodgers, Wilson rightfully is alone at the top following his latest work of football art. His performance Sunday against the Bucs wasn't a beauty from start to finish, as the paintbrush went askew for stretches, especially early on, when Seattle fell behind, 21-7. Wilson had some overthrows, failing to connect with Tyler Lockett on a potential TD pass early in the second quarter. He more than made up for it, though, matching a career-high with five TD passes, including the game-winner in overtime. His work downfield was particularly impressive, as he went 4 of 6 for 131 yards and 2 TDs on deep passes, per Next Gen Stats. In six of the last eight instances of a QB leading the NFL in both passing TD and passer rating (outright), that QB won NFL MVP that season. Why am I telling you this? Well, Wilson leads the NFL in pass TDs (22) and passer rating (118.2) heading into his first meeting of the year with the vastly improved 49ers defense, which is the league's stingiest. Get ya popcorn ready.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 2 | Blair: 3 | Filice: 3 | Parr: 4
2019 stats: 8 games | 64.3 pct | 1,813 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 12 pass TD | 5 INT | 637 rush yds | 5 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Parr: Get out of Lamar Jackson's way, Bill Belichick! The Ravens QB threw The Hoodie in the drawer on Sunday night, dancing all over his doubters while continuing his assault on the record books. After a fast start, Baltimore's offense screeched to a halt at one point in the second quarter, failing to gain more than 15 yards on four straight drives heading into halftime. Jackson came back to lead two second-half gut punches -- a pair of 14-play drives that lasted 8:09 and 9:35, respectively, and culminated in TDs. How's this for separating yourself from the competition: Jackson had 3 total TDs (1 pass, 2 rush) and 0 giveaways against New England. All other QBs have 3 total TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) and 20 giveaways vs. the Patriots this season. In fact, Jackson had one of his most efficient performances as a passer against a Pats defense that had been devouring opponents all season long, completing 17 of 23 throws (73.9 percent) for 163 yards and a TD. Up next: Another date with a Bengals defense that he gashed for a season-high 152 yards rushing a month ago.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 3 | Blair: 5 | Filice: 2 | Parr: 2
2019 stats: 7 games | 65.1 pct | 2,180 pass yds | 9.0 ypa | 15 pass TD | 1 INT | 82 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Parr: We don't know who will be starting at QB for the Chiefs on Sunday as of this writing, but the fact that Mahomes returned to full-participant status in practice for the first time on Wednesday is a good enough excuse for us to get the reigning MVP in the QB Index again. Welcome back, Pat! (Sorry, Matt Moore. You've been tremendous.) The initial belief was that Mahomes would miss at least three games after dislocating his kneecap (ouch) in Week 7 vs. the Broncos, but, of course, he's even better than everyone else when it comes to recovering from injury and will beat that timetable by a game if he plays against the Titans on Sunday. We haven't forgotten about Mahomes' greatness during his two-week absence. He's slotted at No. 2 in our rankings, right where he left off before exiting the win over Denver after that ill-fated second-quarter dive up the middle that had every Chiefs fan holding their breath. Only Russell Wilson has a higher passer rating than Kansas City's QB1 this season. And this could be the first time since Week 1 that Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins are all active at the same time. I know I said sorry to Matt Moore, but we really should be apologizing to the Tennessee secondary, which just lost Malcolm Butler, for what it's about to encounter.
UPDATE:_Chiefs__ coach Andy Reid announced on Friday that Mahomes __will start on Sunday_.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 4 | Blair: 2 | Filice: 5 | Parr: 3
2019 stats: 9 games | 70.2 pct | 2,432 pass yds | 8.1 ypa | 18 pass TD | 5 INT | 279 rush yds | 5 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Parr: A relatively quiet start turned into something beautiful for the Texans in London on Sunday. Houston could only muster a field goal in the first quarter, but even with an eye at less than 100 percent after being kicked in the face a week prior, Watson ended up with only four more incompletions (6) than TD passes (2) in a 26-3 rout of the Jaguars. He continues to make a routine of forcing jaws to drop, this time throwing a pass while being tackled by Yannick Ngakoue -- resulting in a 17-yard completion to Duke Johnson -- and flipping the ball behind his body to Carlos Hyde despite having two Jacksonville defenders draped all over him. By the end of the game, Watson become the first player in NFL history with 18-plus pass TDs and 5-plus rush TDs through the first nine games of a season. Enjoy the bye this weekend, Deshaun. You've earned it.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 5 | Blair: 4 | Filice: 4 | Parr: 5
2019 stats: 9 games | 65.4 pct | 2,485 pass yds | 7.8 ypa | 17 pass TD | 2 INT | 102 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Parr: There isn't a search party in the world that could have found the Packers' offense on Sunday. It was absent from the playing field, buried miles below the surface under an avalanche of a billion pre-snap penalties that led to third-and-long after third-and-long and constant pressure from the Chargers' pass rush. Green Bay gained 50 or fewer first-half yards in a Rodgers start for the first time in a decade. Almost five minutes into the fourth quarter, he was 11 of 19 for 61 yards and nary a score. Yes, theAaron Rodgers. The same guy who had been lighting the league on fire for most of October. He was not as sharp as usual (an understatement), but yeah, it's hard to get much going when you're being bombarded by Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. That humble pie must taste horrible.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 6 | Blair: 6 | Filice: 6 | Parr: 6
2019 stats: 3 games | 75.8 pct | 781 pass yds | 8.6 ypa | 5 pass TD | 3 INT | 0 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Parr: Brees sits directly behind some of the league's leading candidates in an MVP race he might have been in the the thick of, had he not suffered the thumb injury that cost him five-plus games. There wasn't anything flashy about it, but he was his usual accurate, efficient self last time out -- a 31-9 win over the Cardinals -- and spent his weekend off pumping up the players at his alma mater. Purdue needed a touchdown in the final minutes to beat Nebraska, but I'm guessing it won't be that close when the Saints host the Falcons on Sunday. Yes, Brees has a date with one of the league's worst defenses. I expect much slicing and dicing of the Falcons' secondary to commence after the ball is kicked off in New Orleans. The Dolphins and Buccaneers (the Saints' Week 11 opponent) are the only teams that allow more points per game than Atlanta (31.2) and only the Cardinals have allowed a higher passer rating this season (117.6). This is a nice stretch for Brees to get his rhythm back, although maybe he never lost it.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 7 | Blair: 7 | Filice: 7 | Parr: 7
2019 stats: 8 games | 64.3 pct | 2,499 pass yds | 8.6 ypa | 19 pass TD | 5 INT | 66 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 3 fumbles lost
Parr: It was a deflating end to what started so strong for Stafford and the Lions in Oakland. Detroit's QB1 was dropping dimes on a bad Raiders secondary early on before the offense hit a mid-game lull. He still had a chance to tie or take the lead late in the fourth quarter, but he couldn't get the ball to the receivers that had dominated for much of the day -- Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay -- on the team's last set of downs, settling for a pass that fell incomplete to Logan Thomas in the end zone on his final throw of the afternoon. Now, despite the sour taste left from that conclusion, Stafford still ranks in the league's top seven in the major passing categories. In fact, no QB averages more passing yards per game than Stafford's 312.4. He has 340-plus pass yards and 3-plus TD passes in three consecutive games, tying the longest such streak he's ever had. I'm sure Stafford would trade some production for another win or two, but the 31-year-old is having a career year in his 11th NFL season.
UPDATE:_ NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning that Stafford would be inactive against the Bears as he deals with back and hip injuries._
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 10 | Blair: 8 | Filice: 10 | Parr: 8
2019 stats: 8 games | 69.6 pct | 2,380 pass yds | 8.7 ypa | 15 pass TD | 8 INT | 175 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Parr: Things could not have started much worse for Dak on Monday night, as he tossed a pass right into the hands of Giants safety Antoine Bethea on the first play from scrimmage. It did get better from there -- he threw three TD passes in a 37-18 Dallas win and finished with a passer rating above 100 for the second straight week. However, it was concerning to see Prescott struggle to connect on downfield throws against one of the worst pass defenses in the league. He overthrew too many deep targets and had to settle for underneath throws (several of which turned into long gains, thanks to the poor coverage/tackling of the G-Men). You'll take the W, though, on a night when bad luck runs onto the field and scampers around the end zone while engendering fears about eons of bad luck. And Prescott still ranks in the top five in completion percentage, pass yards per game and total TDs (pass and rush) in 2019.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 8 | Blair: 9 | Filice: 9 | Parr: 10
2019 stats: 8 games | 71.2 pct | 1,984 pass yds | 7.9 ypa | 13 pass TD | 4 INT | 27 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 3 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Remember when the biggest hot take regarding the Raiders this offseason -- well, before all the Antonio Brown nonsense -- was that they needed to move on from Carr and draft a quarterback with the fourth overall pick? Yeah, that hasn't aged particularly well. The Raiders franchise QB, with the help of rookie running back Josh Jacobs, has kept Oakland's offense on schedule in spite of what seems to be routine reshuffling at the wideout position and injuries along the O-line. His confidence in and mastery of Jon Gruden's system becomes more apparent each week:
Weeks 1-4: 93-129 (72.1%), 222 ypg, 6.9 ypa, 6 TD, 3 INT, 8 sacks, 96.7 rating
Weeks 5-9: 85-121 (70.2%), 274 ypg, 9.1 ypa, 7 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack, 114.2 rating
The sixth-year pro has been historically accurate through his first nine weeks, but he's taken his play to a whole new level over his last four games; I mean, he's averaging 2.2 more yards per attempt! I know, I know, he doesn't throw downfield, though. May want to check your alternative facts. Just last week, he went 9-of-12 passing for 179 yards and a TD against Detroit on intermediate and deep throws. Not impressed? Don't worry, I've got more. Carr leads all quarterbacks this season in passer rating on passes of 10-plus air yards (132.4), per Next Gen Stats, and has a higher completion percentage above expectation on those attempts (+9.9%) than Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson (both at +7.6%). Carr has been chewing up defenses on the reg for weeks now. Somebody please get this man a toothpick.
POST-TNF UPDATE: Carr snapped his streak of games with 280-plus passing yards, multiple touchdowns and a 100-plus passer rating at three, but that's OK, because when it counted, he was on, going 5-for-7 with 53 yards on a crisp 10-play, 75-yard drive that gave the Raiders the lead for good in their win over the Chargers. Given that none of his previous three opponents ranks better than 21st against the pass, it's encouraging that Carr acquitted himself well against the Bolts, whose passing defense ranked fifth coming into the night. With the Bengals (ranked 22nd against the pass) and Jets (24th) up next, it wouldn't be a surprise if Carr were to continue turning heads -- and rising up these rankings.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 9 | Blair: 12 | Filice: 8 | Parr: 11
2019 stats: 9 games | 64.8 pct | 2,536 pass yds | 7.1 ypa | 14 pass TD | 5 INT | 3 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Bhanpuri: Another week, another drop in the rankings for the future Hall of Famer. Brady, a long way from the No. 2 spot he held in Week 4, is dangerously close to slipping out of the top 10 entirely for the first time this year. As I wrote last week, Brady's steady fall has been more the result of excellent quarterbacking by the players ahead of him than a clear sign of the 42-year-old regressing. That said, Brady certainly hasn't been doing himself any favors of late. One of his biggest issues has been throwing under pressure, something we saw him struggle with repeatedly on Sunday night. In fact, since Week 6, no quarterback in the NFL has a lower passer rating on pressured throws than Brady's 21.2 (min. 10 attempts, per Next Gen Stats). No question the GOAT can't and won't stand for such an ignominious honor. Fortunately, he has the bye to get himself right (and to get rookie wideout N'Keal Harry up to speed) before one of the biggest revenge games in recent Patriots history. A trademark TB12 takedown of the Eagles in Philly sounds on brand, doesn't it?
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 16 | Blair: 11 | Filice: 11 | Parr: 9
2019 stats: 9 games | 62.7 pct | 2,060 pass yds | 6.8 ypa | 15 pass TD | 4 INT | 144 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Have the Eagles transformed one of the more exciting players of the last few years into a glorified game manager? For much of the year, Wentz has taken a backseat to the Eagles' rushing attack, already throwing for less than 200 yards four times -- the same number he totaled during the 2017 and '18 seasons combined (24 games). After starting the season with a scorching 10:2 TD-to-turnover ratio, Wentz has cooled significantly in the last five weeks, reaching the end zone just six times while tallying four giveaways. Of course, quality QB play is not just about stats, as we saw on Sunday. With just under 9 minutes to play and the Bears down by 5, Wentz led a backbreaking 16-play field-goal drive that ate 8:14 (!) off the clock and secured the W. Having watched that NFC clash at a Chicago bar surrounded by life-long Bears fans, I can tell you first-hand how painful each one of his multiple clutch first-down conversions felt to the local crowd. ("Guys, I'm so sad right now," is a direct quote uttered 15 minutes after the loss.) So while the Eagles QB1's less-is-more approach has yielded mixed results thus far, he's still more than capable of crushing opposing fans' hearts, and I guess that's a good thing if you're a Philly supporter. But the reason I ranked Wentz as low as I did is because I think several other signal-callers (the entire 2016 Patriots QB room, for starters) are managing games better than the former No. 2 overall pick right now.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 11 | Blair: 10 | Filice: 13 | Parr: 14
2019 stats: 8 games | 70.8 pct | 1,806 pass yds | 8.0 ypa | 13 pass TD | 7 INT | 32 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Every week, a 49ers-backing buddy of mine messages me, baffled by where we've ranked his team's QB1, and every week, I have to remind him that the tape don't lie. While Garoppolo put some fine plays on film through the Niners' first seven games, his highs were often canceled out by the lows -- missed throws, awful turnovers and bad decisions. But last Thursday night, Jimmy G was nearly flawless. In prime time, on a short week, against a division opponent, Garoppolo turned in the best game of his career. He was exceptionally accurate -- hitting his receivers in stride or protecting them by placing the ball away from defenders -- and cruelly efficient in pressure situations, going 12 of 14 for 159 yards and three touchdowns on third down. The anticipation he showed on a 22-yard completion to Emmanuel Sanders was out of the Steve Young-to-Jerry Rice catalog -- not something you expected from a QB-WR combo that had been teammates for just nine days. Garoppolo also repeatedly helped the 49ers work through their own mistakes, like on their third TD drive of the first half, when they managed to put seven on the board after overcoming both a holding penalty that negated a rushing score and a wide-open drop in the end zone by Deebo Samuel. Lesser teams don't have the grit or the confidence to weather even a couple of these errors in a game, and yet, San Francisco continues to make the best of bad situations, week in and week out. As good as he was, though, the Niners' QB1 is still stuck on the wrong side of the top 10 for at least another seven days. I should have a fun text coming my way.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 12 | Blair: 15 | Filice: 12 | Parr: 13
2019 stats: 9 games | 67.0 pct | 2,609 pass yds | 7.8 ypa | 12 pass TD | 7 INT | 24 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Rivers' return to the top 10 will likely be an arduous journey, but the veteran has proven he's at his best when his detractors count him out. Case in point: Sunday's must-win matchup against the 7-1 Green Bay Packers. Bolstered by the Chargers' best rushing attack since Week 2, the 37-year-old Rivers force fed the Packers secondary humble pie for 60 minutes, finishing with a +9.1 completion percentage above expectation (second highest of the week, per Next Gen Stats). The one knock on the Chargers' offense from Sunday is that it was just 2 of 5 on red-zone opportunities, settling for three field goals on its first three trips within Green Bay's 20. And yet, the Bolts still won by 15 points. With a huge AFC West bout up next on Thursday Night Football, Rivers will have a chance to not only beat a division rival in prime time but expedite his ascension back to where he began, belongs.
POST-TNF UPDATE: We're going to have to wait at least another week for the turnaround after an uneven night against Oakland. Rivers' first two possessions ended in picks, including a pick-six for the first touchdown of the game, and his night ended with Karl Joseph's interception of a fourth-down heave from Rivers' own 30 with less than 30 seconds to play. If not for a defensive penalty that wiped out yet another Rivers pick in the second quarter, Rivers might have posted four picks in one game for just the third time in his career. Against Oakland, he was pressured at a rate of 41.7 percent, his highest mark in any game this season, and completed just two of 10 attempts while under pressure, while recording all three of his picks, five sacks and a passer rating of 8.7, according to Next Gen Stats.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 13 | Blair: 14 | Filice: 14 | Parr: 12
2019 stats: 9 games | 68.8 pct | 2,217 pass yds | 8.8 ypa | 16 pass TD | 3 INT | 44 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: If you're a Vikings fan and you believe in bad omens, seeing three straight Cousins incompletions -- on poorly thrown balls -- to start the opening series of a game is like watching a black cat run loose in your home stadium when you're beating your division rival. Might as well turn the TV off and bury your head in the snow. Without a dominant run game to lean on, like he's had all year, the Vikings signal-caller had one of his least efficient performances of the season. He was uncharacteristically average on play-action (7 of 13 for 65 yards, per PFF) and led six three-and-out drives, tying his unit with Mitchell Trubisky's for the most in Week 9. ... Yet another sign that something was seriously awry for Minnesota. Now, not everything was doom and gloom for Cousins and Co. on Sunday. After all, when the Vikings did get the run game going, they were able to string together three 10-plus-play scoring drives. And despite losing Adam Thielen to a hamstring injury early in the contest, the veteran passer still connected on three scoring strikes. But he also slid a full yard short on a third-and-6 scramble that forced one of the Vikings' eight punts on the day. Clearly, Cousins wasn't paying attention to all the signs out there -- most notably the down and distance marker -- otherwise, he might've taken an extra step before giving himself up.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 14 | Blair: 13 | Filice: 15 | Parr: 15
2019 stats: 7 games | 70.9 pct | 2,170 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 15 pass TD | 8 INT | 64 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Ryan was arguably the hottest quarterback in the league heading into Week 7, when a fluky interception tarnished his stat line and an ankle injury snapped his 154 consecutive starts streak -- a run that began during Barack Obama's first year in the White House. Fresh off the bye and back on the practice field, Ryan will need to recapture his pre-injury form if the Falcons hope to stand a chance against the NFC South-leading Saints on Sunday. Crazy to think that Atlanta, the only NFL team that hasn't played a division game yet this year, could sweep the group and still not make the playoffs. But let's not get bogged down in win-loss records this week, and instead, enjoy watching two of the best QB-WR tandems in the league right now go head-to-head in the first of two matchups this month.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 18 | Blair: 17 | Filice: 15 | Parr: 15
2019 stats: 9 games | 64.2 pct | 2,229 pass yds | 7.1 ypa | 9 pass TD | 4 INT | 313 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Unlike the 49ers team Murray played last Thursday, his Cardinals squad simply isn't good enough to overcome self-inflicted errors (drops, miscommunications, penalties) and 30-minute vanishing acts against quality opponents. As has been the case in several games this year, Thursday night was a tale of two halves for Murray, who was completely bottled up in the early going (3.5 yards per throw and zero rushing yards). If not for some inspired play by newcomer Kenyan Drake, Arizona's offense would likely have been shut out going into the break. However, the Cardinals QB did find his voice in the second half, as the team played up-tempo out of the gate to wear out holes in the Niners' zone scheme and exhaust their opponents' celebrated pass rush. Some snazzy play-calling, like a perfectly timed screen to Drake against a corner blitz, and more running lanes for the speedy signal-caller helped Arizona's offense hum as it outscored San Francisco 18-7 in the final two quarters. On the season, Murray is now averaging a full yard more per throw (7.6 to 6.5) and has three times as many TD passes (7 to 2) in the second half of games than in the first. It's fitting, then, that one of the most up-and-down QBs in the NFL would finish just about middle of the road on this list.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 15 | Blair: 17 | Filice: 18 | Parr: 18
2019 stats: 8 games | 64.8 pct | 1,649 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 14 pass TD | 3 INT | 110 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 3 fumbles lost
Blair: There's not a lot to report on Brissett, who threw five passes against Pittsburgh before exiting with a sprained MCL, aside from the possibility that he'll miss Sunday's matchup with the Dolphins or be otherwise limited. However, at this point, the injury isn't keeping him out of practice. So, presuming he'll see the field if healthy, I'll use this space to highlight an illuminating tidbit from NFL Research's weekly stats package. Did you know that the man who was supposed to spend 2019 watching Andrew Luck from the bench is posting a better passer rating (99.7) and TD-to-INT ratio (14:3) than any Colts quarterback since Peyton Manning? Those stats might not mean as much as I want them to, but in a world of chaos (football-oriented and otherwise), we must not let the competent-to-great quarterback play of Jacoby Brissett go unnoticed.
UPDATE: The Colts announced on Saturday that Brissett is out for Sunday.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 19 | Blair: 16 | Filice: 19 | Parr: 17
2019 stats: 1 game | 62.5 pct | 75 pass yds | 9.4 ypa | 1 pass TD | 0 INT | 0 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Blair: Two months ago -- only nine weeks! -- everyone was looking forward to seeing what Foles could do as The Man in the Jaguars' offense. Then he broke his clavicle in Week 1, giving Gardner Minshew a chance to steal everyone's hearts. Now, news of Foles' forthcoming return to the field is accompanied by doubt over the decision to bench Foles' former backup and paeansto the end of a mini-era. The Jags, who have their Week 10 bye to re-acclimate to life with Foles under center, are in a tough spot in third place in the AFC South. But as much as I hate to see Minshew disappear from the scene, it makes sense to roll with a relatively battle-tested veteran -- who, after all, was the centerpiece of Jacksonville's offseason plan -- rather than let a rookie work through growing pains down the stretch of a season that was supposed to mark the team's return to relevance.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 17 | Blair: 22 | Filice: 17 | Parr: 19
2019 stats: 8 games | 61.1 pct | 2,367 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 11 pass TD | 7 INT | 16 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 4 fumbles lost
Blair: Let Jared Goff stand as a living reminder that, yes, even after three full seasons in the NFL, quarterbacks can change. The 25-year-old has already whipped through a dizzying array of career transitions, transforming from a hyped No. 1 overall draft pick to a rookie bust to the on-field manifestation of his coach's genius to a legitimately good player on a Super Bowl team. Now, coming out of the Rams' Week 9 bye, he's throwing the ball more than he ever has before in his career, but with less efficiency (7.5 yards per attempt, down from 8.4, with a passer rating of 86.8, down from 101.1) than he managed in 2018. Where does he go from here? His future hasn't been written yet. But it helps that he's cut down on the turnovers that plagued him earlier this season, throwing zero picks in his last three games after notching seven in his first five.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 20 | Blair: 19 | Filice: 23 | Parr: 23**
2019 stats:* 8 games | 60.9 pct | 1,653 pass yds | 6.8 ypa | 10 pass TD | 7 INT | 247 rush yds | 4 rush TD | 3 fumbles lost*
Blair:** I know Josh Allen came to Buffalo as a cannon-armed, athletic prospect poised to become a potential superstar with some refining, but what if, at least for now, Buffalo basically just needs him to be a bigger, taller version of Tyrod Taylor? Allen attempted a season-low 20 passes in Sunday's win, while rookie running back Devin Singletary and the Bills' defense stomped on Washington. Here's something interesting: Allen's numbers in Buffalo's six wins this season (65.7 percent completion rate, 221.8 yards per game, 7.4 yards per throw, 8:4 TD-to-INT ratio, 93.0 passer rating) aren't that different from Taylor's numbers in his eight wins for Buffalo in 2017 (65.3 percent completion rate, 207.9 yards per game, 7.6 yards per throw, 10:1 TD-to-INT ratio, 101.5 passer rating), give or take a couple of picks. In that 2017 campaign, when Buffalo last reached the playoffs, Taylor threw just 28 times per game; Allen, meanwhile, is averaging 30 throws per game this season. One major differentiator between the two players is ball security, with Allen logging nearly 2 turnovers per game in his first five games of 2019. But he's cleaned things up recently, recording a Taylor-esque zero picks and one fumble lost since Week 7.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 21 | Blair: 21 | Filice: 19 | Parr: 24
2019 stats: 8 games | 59.3 pct | 2,407 pass yds | 7.8 ypa | 16 pass TD | 12 INT | 99 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 4 fumbles lost
Blair:Lighting up the Seahawks, who rank 28th against the pass, does not mean what it once did, but keeping up with Russell Wilson, one of the hottest quarterbacks in the game right now, is a _definite_ accomplishment for Winston. Winston set the tone early, firing decisive strikes to Mike Evans for 17 and 21 yards on his first two throws of the day, and he proceeded to finish with 335 yards and two scores while matching his season low in sacks (two). (He ranks first in the NFL with 77 completions of 10-plus air yards -- of course, he also has a league-leading seven picks on such throws.) He avoided throwing a pick for just the third time this season, though he got a bit lucky when an end-zone throw that probably could have been picked was tipped to Breshad Perriman for a score instead. And, of course, he relinquished a fumble that set Seattle up for a score in a game that would go into overtime. Still, he finished with a passer rating of 100-plus for the first time since Week 5. If we're entering another period of Relatively Good Jameis Winston Football after a rough two-game stretch, this was a hell of a way to kick it off.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 22 | Blair: 24 | Filice: 21 | Parr: 21
2019 stats: 5 games | 71.8 pct | 980 pass yds | 8.4 ypa | 6 pass TD | 4 INT | 46 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Blair: If the bar is being more effective than Marcus Mariota, then Tannehill is continuing to clear it. That's not necessarily going to win games for Tennessee on a reliable basis, though. After a strong two first starts, Tannehill was unable to overcome a morass of sacks, penalties, turnovers and missed kicks that kept the Titans scoreless through halftime of Sunday's loss to Carolina. Tennessee finally put together a touchdown drive to kick off the third quarter -- but on that drive, Tannehill didn't attempt a single pass, ceding ball-moving duties to running back Derrick Henry. At one point in the fourth quarter, Tannehill seemed to build some momentum, completing four consecutive passes, including three of 11-plus yards, before promptly coughing up a pick to Tre Boston on which Tannehill appeared to be off-target. Whether or not Tannehill becomes a more permanent fixture under center in Nashville or elsewhere in the near future should not be determined by this game, but it probably helped take some of the luster off his current gig as the shiny new QB in town.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 23 | Blair: 20 | Filice: 24 | Parr: 22
2019 stats: 6 games | 60.7 pct | 1,291 pass yds | 6.8 ypa | 9 pass TD | 4 INT | 2 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 4 fumbles lost
Blair: Allen was OK against the Titans, struggling initially before completing a couple of nice throws (like a 32-yard shot to Curtis Samuel late in the first quarter, or another 32-yard bomb to D.J. Moore to the Tennessee 1 in the third quarter) while letting the offense be driven largely by the yards- and points-producing force that is Christian McCaffrey. The big news for the quarterback came off the field this week, when we learned that Cam Newton will be placed on injured reserve. Allen has not exactly dazzled the past two weeks, but he also faced the NFL's best passing defense in Week 8 (San Francisco) and did get a win for Carolina this past Sunday. The Panthers' quarterback situation remains cloudy beyond the end of this season, but for now, Allen will have plenty of time to show team brass exactly what he can do over the course of nearly a full season.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 26 | Blair: 23 | Filice: 25 | Parr: 20
2019 stats: 8 games | 58.7 pct | 1,963 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 7 pass TD | 12 INT | 75 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Blair:Sunday's loss to the Broncos was far from Mayfield's worst statistical performance of 2019; he didn't throw a pick for the first time all year and became just the fifth quarterback to post a passer rating of 90-plus against Denver's fourth-ranked pass defense. But it felt like one of the biggest let-downs of the season, because so much momentum seemed to die on Mayfield's right arm. Each of Cleveland's first two drives ended on a pair of Mayfield incompletions, including two straight throws on the first possession that he seemed to force to a tightly covered Jarvis Landry rather than seeking more attractive targets elsewhere, and he finished 4 of 9 with a passer rating of 55.8 on third and fourth downs. (After completing 60.4 percent of third- and fourth-down throws in 2018, with a 91.1 passer rating, Mayfield's across-the-season numbers in '19 are down to 52 percent and 57.1, respectively). It's easy to say Mayfield should target Odell Beckham more, but, well, based on the way Beckham turned a couple of tough catches into gains of 27 and 39 yards, Mayfield should target Odell Beckham_ more._ I know Beckham is tied for the team lead in targets with Landry (67), and I know Beckham doesn't have to get the ball every time to have an impact on the offense, but it was tough to see him streak toward the end zone without drawing a pass from Mayfield on the failed fourth-down play that decided a 5-point defeat.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 24 | Blair: 26 | Filice: 22 | Parr: 25
2019 stats: 7 games | 61.1 pct | 1,195 pass yds | 6.8 ypa | 8 pass TD | 7 INT | 51 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Filice: Fitzpatrick's first four starts of the season were rough. Granted, he wasn't exactly playing with a star-studded supporting cast, and three of those games came against some of the very best pass defenses in the league this year (New England, Buffalo and Minkah Fitzpatrick-infused Pittsburgh), but the raw numbers were pretty Fitztragic: 58 percent completions, 186.5 yards per game, 4:7 TD-to-INT and a 63.2 passer rating. On Sunday, though, the bearded barnstormer rediscovered some Fitzmagic, lifting Miami from the ranks of the beatens by completing 24 of 36 passes (66.7) for 288 yards and three touchdowns -- with nary a pick and a sparkling 118.7 passer rating. Now, the killjoy points out that Fitzpatrick's big day came against the cratering Jets. The romantic lets the 36-year-old ultra-journeyman have a moment in the sun.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 25 | Blair: 25 | Filice: 26 | Parr: 26
2019 stats: 8 games | 62.6 pct | 1,676 pass yds | 6.5 ypa | 11 pass TD | 8 INT | 188 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 8 fumbles lost
Filice: Eight games into his NFL career, Jones has thrown eight interceptions and lost eight fumbles. That's not the kind of symmetry anyone's looking for. Then again, Eli Manning threw eight picks in his first eight pro games, too, so maybe this is all part of Big Blue's painstaking plan to replicate the two-time Super Bowl champion. They throw the same. They look the same. They act the same. If Danny Dimes starts changing the language settings on innocent iPhones, the NFL must perform an ethics investigation of the Giants for potential human cloning.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 27 | Blair: 27 | Filice: 27 | Parr: 29
2019 stats: 5 games | 63.2 pct | 1,077 pass yds | 6.2 ypa | 6 pass TD | 9 INT | 0 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Filice: Mired in a mono-abbreviated sophomore slump, Darnold received the ultimate panacea for the struggling quarterback in 2019: a game against Miami. Through the first eight weeks of the season, NFL Media Research had opposing quarterbacks posting a 120.2 passer rating against the winless Dolphins. (As a point of reference, the man currently topping this list, Russell Wilson -- he of the 22:1 TD-to-INT ratio -- leads the league with a 118.2 passer rating.) So, did Darnold take advantage of this quarterback-friendly foe? Not exactly. I mean, it started off well: On the opening drive of the game, Darnold led the Jets on an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, completing six of his eight passes for 69 yards and the score. After that? Well, for the second straight week, Darnold's opening drive marked the day's peak. New York's offense settled for three field goals the rest of the way, allowing the Fins to notch their first win of the season. Slump bottom?
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 28 | Blair: 28 | Filice: 29 | Parr: 27
2019 stats: 1 game | 60.0 pct | 193 pass yds | 9.7 ypa | 2 pass TD | 0 INT | 13 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Filice: This past Sunday, Allen -- playing for his third NFL team in his fourth professional season -- saw his first regular-season action. Starting in place of the injured Joe Flacco, the quarterback formerly known for his pre-combine hand-size-enhancement efforts guided Denver to a win over the Browns by completing 12 of 20 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns. This debut effort, which spit out a dazzling 125.6 passer rating, deserves praise, especially considering Allen was unanimously ranked dead last on this list one week ago. But before anyone pronounces that John Elway's eternal search for a franchise QB is over, let's take a closer look at that stat line. Half of those yards and both of those touchdowns came on a pair of plays where Allen's pass catchers did yeoman's work. First, there was the 21-yard touchdown to Courtland Sutton, where the second-year wideout straight Mossed Denzel Ward on a poorly located throw. And then there was the crossing route to Noah Fant that the rookie tight end took 75 yards to the house after breaking three tackles. So, pump the brakes on sculpting Allen's bronze bust.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 29 | Blair: 29 | Filice: 28 | Parr: 28
2019 stats: 6 games | 66.1 pct | 1,088 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 10 pass TD | 4 INT | 24 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Filice: A quick summation of Rudolph's quarterbacking style this past Sunday: His leading pass catcher, RB Jaylen Samuels, caught 13 balls for 73 yards, while his WR1, JuJu Smith-Schuster, finished with three catches for 16 yards. But seeing how the Steelerswon the game, reaching .500 for the first time this season and remaining in the thick of the AFC playoff race, it's safe to assume Mike Tomlin's down with the checkdown.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 32 | Blair: 30 | Filice: 31 | Parr: 30
2019 stats: 3 games | 61.4 pct | 284 pass yds | 6.5 ypa | 0 pass TD | 4 INT | 37 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Filice: With Case Keenum working through the concussion protocol, Washington was forced to give the raw 22-year-old his first career start last week. The Redskins did what they typically do this season, losing by multiple scores. But considering how poorly the No. 15 overall pick had performed in his two previous relief efforts (SEE: 4 INTs, 34.5 passer rating) and the hazardous conditions in play Sunday (a rookie going up against the Bills' stout defense ... in Buffalo ... with the wind WHIPPING), Haskins' ho-hum, turnover-free outing has to be seen as a positive step for Washington's hopeful franchise quarterback. The numbers -- 15 of 22 for 144 yards with zero TDs -- certainly don't pop off the page. But Haskins flashed the ball placement and arm strength that made him a first-round pick in April, connecting with eight different receivers over the course of the day. Long story short: The rook didn't fall on his face, and now he's in line for a second start after this week's bye against a far less imposing opponent: the 1-7 Jets.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 30 | Blair: 31 | Filice: 32 | Parr: 31
2019 stats: 7 games | 63.0 pct | 1,217 pass yds | 5.6 ypa | 5 pass TD | 3 INT | 46 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Filice: Fresh off the bleakest game in an increasingly grim Year 3, Trubisky wants to black out all Bears-bemoaning TV commentary. But wait a second, Mitch! This week offers ample opportunity to change the talking heads' tune, with Detroit coming to town. When the Lions hit Soldier Field last year -- in Trubisky's only 2018 game against Detroit, thanks to a shoulder injury that sidelined him on Thanksgiving -- the former No. 2 overall pick absolutely shredded Matt Patricia's defense, completing 76.7 percent of his passes for a career-high 355 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-22 Bears win. Will Detroit's D be as accommodating this time around? Well, the Lions have allowed 275-plus yards and two-plus passing touchdowns in each of the past four games. And while Trubisky has struggled all season under pressure -- possessing a 42.4 passer rating when the pocket gets muddy, per Next Gen Stats -- Detroit has the lowest pressure rate (19 percent of dropbacks) in the NFL. So you might want to refrain from reprogramming Halas Hall's entertainment options, Mr. Biscuit. Next week's background noise could be kind!
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 31 | Blair: 32 | Filice: 30 | Parr: 32
2019 stats: N/A
Filice: A fourth-round pick back in April, Finley has yet to take a regular-season snap. In order to get even a rough idea of how the Bengals' freshly minted starter fits into this here league, well, you gotta go back to a place many football fans actively avoid ... The preseason. So, yes, dear reader, get that grain of salt ready, because I'm about to tell you a few things that stood out while Game Passing his three August outings, during which he posted the following figures: 47 of 64 (73.4) for 414 yards (6.5 ypa), with three touchdowns, one interception and a 99.3 passer rating. True to the scouting report, Finley's arm strength is nothing to write home about, but he routinely displays solid accuracy. While he isn't a threat to significantly punish a defense with his legs, he's plenty athletic enough to navigate and -- when necessary -- exit the pocket. Actually, that's his most noticeable trait: pocket mobility, and an innate sense to feel and avoid pressure. This is key for Sunday's game against Baltimore, given the state of Cincy's offensive line (nightmarish) and the preferred approach of Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale (blitzkrieg).
The Air Index delivered by FedEx ranks NFL quarterback performances all season long. What's the possibility Tom Brady falls out of the top 10 next week?