With Week 2 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 3.
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 two weeks, with insufficient 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 2 QB Index. Rankings reflect each quarterback's standing heading into Week 3 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.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 1 | Blair: 1 | Filice: 1 | Parr: 1
2019 stats: 2 games | 71.4 pct | 821 pass yds | 10.7 ypa | 7 pass TD | 0 INT
Filice: Yep, this is where we discuss that second quarter -- those 15 game minutes when Mahomes incinerated the Black Hole with a cluster bomb of downfield shots, allowing K.C. to turn a two-score deficit into a three-score win. Now, if you're a person who reads a weekly ranking of NFL quarterbacks, you're already familiar with the basic stats: 278 pass yards, 4 TD, 0 INT. But it's how Mahomes got to those second-quarter figures that really drove this thrill ride. According to Next Gen Stats, on passes of 20-plus air yards -- i.e. deep balls -- Mahomes was 5 of 6 for 195 yards and, yes, those four TDs. This was a midgame fireworks show. The crazy thing: Mahomes' most breathtaking throw of the quarter -- a third-and-10, on-the-move laser whipped across his body and the field (don't try this at home, kids) -- was erased by a holding penalty. The crazier thing: That wasn't even Mahomes' most absurd penalty-nullified toss of the day. In the third quarter, the guy launched a ball 54 yards off his back foot, hitting Mecole Hardman in stride for a 72-yard score. The fun police wiped it out with another holding penalty, but it happened. It was real and spectacular.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 2 | Blair: 2 | Filice: 2 | Parr: 2
2019 stats: 2 games | 68.8 pct | 605 pass yds | 9.5 ypa | 5 pass TD | 0 INT | 1 rush TD
Filice: The greatest strength of the Brady/Belichick Patriots is their ability to continually reinvent themselves, seamlessly integrating new cogs into their league-wrecking machine on an annual basis. Brady's career complement of pass-catching weapons is as extensive and diverse as his hairstyles. Over Brady's previous 17 seasons as New England's starter (not counting the injury-eradicated 2008 campaign), 12 different pass catchers have led the Patriots in receiving touchdowns: Troy Brown, Christian Fauria, David Givens, David Patten, Daniel Graham, Deion Branch, Reche Caldwell, Randy Moss, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Martellus Bennett and James White. That's an assorted 12-pack, to say the least. Could New England's latest receiver experiment -- Antonio Brown, a perennial Pro Bowler who's suddenly as tempestuous as he is talented -- make it a baker's dozen by the end of this season? He notched his first touchdown catch in his second quarter as a Patriot, becoming the 72nd(!) player to catch a scoring strike from Brady (an NFL record, obvs).
UPDATE: Antonio Brown's first touchdown catch in a Patriots uniform was also his last, as New England released the receiver on Friday.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 3 | Blair: 3 | Filice: 3 | Parr: 4
2019 stats: 2 games | 78.2 pct | 495 pass yds | 9.0 ypa | 5 pass TD | 0 INT | 30 rush yds
Filice: Throwing for 300 yards, four touchdowns and zero picks in Seattle's win at Pittsburgh, Wilson took his efficiency to new heights by completing a career-best 82.86 percent of his passes (29 of 35). And he did so with rare swiftness, to boot. As one of the game's true improv impresarios, Russ typically holds onto the ball for an eternity, cooking up unimaginable scramble-drill masterpieces that thrill fans and kill defensive coordinators. But on Sunday, the Seahawks signal-caller played hot potato, averaging just 1.89 seconds time to throw. Is that fast? Um, yeah -- it's the quickest figure by any quarterback with 30-plus attempts since 2016, per Next Gen Stats.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 4 | Blair: 4 | Filice: 4 | Parr: 3
2019 stats: 2 games | 62.5 pct | 412 pass yds | 6.4 ypa | 3 pass TD | 0 INT
Filice: How are Rodgers and head coach/play-caller Matt LaFleur getting along in their first season together? Well, if Sunday's any indication, these newlyweds are still getting used to married life. The first three drives were pure bliss, with Green Bay scoring three touchdowns as Rodgers completed 10 of his first 11 throws for 141 yards and a pair of scoring strikes. But then, over the afternoon's final 11 Packer drives, Green Bay scored zero points as Rodgers accumulated just 68 yards on 12-of-23 throwing. And the highly scrutinized cohabitants had their first fight. Rodgers downplayed the sideline spat with LaFleur in the postgame: "I can't say it was, you know, we were yelling how much we love each other, but we definitely weren't MFing each other or anything -- it was talking about the look there and, you know, getting on the same page." Don't go to bed angry, you two.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 5 | Blair: 9 | Filice: 6 | Parr: 5
2019 stats: 2 games | 65.7 pct | 626 pass yds | 8.9 ypa | 3 pass TD | 2 INT
Filice: So, what was Rivers thinking on that YOLO throw with just over a minute remaining? Trailing by three points, the Bolts faced a third-and-19 at the Lions' 28-yard line. Instead of playing it safe -- knowing he already had L.A. in position for a game-tying, 45-yard field goal attempt -- Rivers threw caution to the wind by throwing the ball into double-coverage. Darius "Big Play" Slay, who'd had a tough time containing Keenan Allen up to that point, lived up to his nickname by boxing out the Pro Bowl receiver and effectively ending the game with a pick. In the postgame presser, Rivers tried to explain the head-scratching throw: "Slay's back was to me, so I thought maybe interference or incomplete and then let's go kick. I certainly didn't think interception, or I wouldn't have thrown it. But good corners in this league, they find the ball." Yeah, no. What were you really thinking, Phil? That your punter-turned-emergency-kicker (thanks to Michael Badgley's lingering groin issue) had already missed field-goal attempts of 39 and 41 yards earlier in the half, and you were trying to avoid yet another kicking calamity for this eternally foot-challenged football team? The unspoken truth shall set you free!
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 9 | Blair: 5 | Filice: 5 | Parr: 7
2019 stats: 2 games | 64.6 pct | 544 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 4 pass TD | 2 INT | 1 rush TD
Filice: Wentz's second outing of the 2019 campaign ran the gamut. This roller-coaster ride in Atlanta had everything, good and bad: from back-foot beauties and fadeaway laser strikes for six to unthinkably bad chucks that begot Desmond Trufant picks. Wentz showcased Houdini escapability, but also took a number of hits no vaudevillian stunt performer could survive. Simply put, it was an uneven performance that ended in a loss to the Falcons. For a good portion of the second half, though, Wentz showcased the special abilities that had him squarely in the 2017 MVP conversation before a torn ACL ended his season in Week 14. ( The third-down conversion with Vic Beasley draped on his back springs to mind.) But if Wentz hopes to make it through a full season for the first time since his rookie year, can the quarterback continue to play with such reckless abandon? Stay tuned!
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 6 | Blair: 8 | Filice: 7 | Parr: 6
2019 stats: 2 games | 82.3 pct | 674 pass yds | 10.9 ypa | 7 pass TD | 1 INT | 81 rush yds
Filice: Dak has thrust himself into the insanely early MVP discussion that no one's really having (but it makes for good narrative framing) by racking up the video game numbers you see above in a pair of divisional wins. And he deserves great praise, with seven touchdown passes against just 12 incompletions. But in a ranking of individuals playing a team game, it's fair to point out that Prescott's surrounding cast would be the envy of just about any other player on this list. Brick-wall offensive line? Check: Prescott has the lowest percent of dropbacks under pressure (9.5) of any qualifying quarterback, per Next Gen Stats. Top-notch weaponry? Check: Ezekiel Elliott has led the league in rushing yards per game during each of his three NFL seasons, while Amari Cooper boasts three Pro Bowl nods at age 25. Hyped play-caller? Check: My colleague Marc Sessler, among many others, is already talking about 30-year-old Kellen Moore as the next wunderkind head-coaching candidate. Now, the injury to emerging WR2 stud Michael Gallup is indeed a hit to Dak's top-heavy receiving corps, but I think he can manage.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 7 | Blair: 7 | Filice: 8 | Parr: 8
2019 stats: 2 games | 71.9 pct | 596 pass yds | 10.5 ypa | 7 pass TD | 0 INT | 126 rush yds
Filice: If Week 1 served as a referendum on everyone who questioned Jackson's arm, Week 2 provided a gold star for everyone who championed his legs. While he posted fine numbers through the air (24 of 37 for 272 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions) -- and delivered a majestic, dropped-from-the-heavens dime to a streaking Hollywood Brown on the game's biggest third down -- Jackson really flummoxed the Cardinals' defense on the ground, with 120 yards rushing on just 16 carries. That yardage total wasn't fattened up with a full-field scamper, either. Jackson's longest rush of the day went for 19 yards. He continually gashed Arizona with chain-moving jaunts. And while Jackson did take a few hits in the center of the field, when he got outside the numbers, the 6-foot-2, 212-pounder showed a healthy nose for the sideline. This is encouraging.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 8 | Blair: 6 | Filice: 9 | Parr: 9
2019 stats: 2 games | 61.0 pct | 427 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 3 pass TD | 1 INT | 45 rush yds | 2 rush TD
Parr: The Jaguars held Watson and the Texans out of the end zone for three quarters on Sunday. Houston might not have punched the ball in at all if not for Gardner Minshew's fourth-quarter fumble deep in Jacksonville territory. Watson, who has been sacked an NFL-record four or more times in eight straight games, is actually performing better when facing pressure this season than he did in 2018, but Bill O'Brien can't expect to keep his QB healthy when he's taking this many hits.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 10 | Blair: 10 | Filice: 10 | Parr: 10
2019 stats: 2 games | 67.4 pct | 624 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 5 pass TD | 5 INT | 27 rush yds
Parr: Aside from the players occupying the top two spots in our rankings, Ryan is the only QB we're unanimous on. But we're all feeling a little confused by his uncharacteristically sloppy start to the season. He moves down only one spot after a three-pick game because, in part, he also played hero ball for the game-winning score Sunday night against the Eagles, checking into a screen to Julio Jones, who was sprung for a 54-yard sprint to the end zone.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 11 | Blair: 11 | Filice: 12 | Parr: 12
2019 stats: 2 games | 62.7 pct | 469 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1 INT | 1 rush TD
Parr: That Goff's knocking on the door of the top 10 without a spectacular start this season tells you this ranking is more a reflection of his performance prior to 2019. He's thrown one TD pass or fewer in five straight starts, including the playoffs, which is his longest such streak since the end of his disastrous rookie season and beginning of his sensational sophomore season. The good news? His Week 2 was better than his Week 1, and Cooper Kupp is back.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 13 | Blair: 12 | Filice: 11 | Parr: 11
2019 stats: 2 games | 60.3 pct | 610 pass yds | 8.4 ypa | 2 pass TD | 4 INT
Parr: Only three quarterbacks -- Kirk Cousins, Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick -- have a lower DVOA than Mayfield through two games. So, that's not great. His move up the board is mainly a result of two guys who were ranked ahead of him last week ( Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger) coming off the board due to injuries. Former Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas, an NFL Network analyst, called Mayfield's performance against the Jets on Monday night "unsettling," which isn't the kind of thing you want to hear about your quarterback. "It seems defenses are trying to do a lot more disguising," Thomas said. "A couple of times last night, Baker was confused on whether it was man or zone." Uh-oh.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 14 | Blair: 13 | Filice: 13 | Parr: 13
2019 stats: 2 games | 65.3 pct | 630 pass yds | 8.4 ypa | 5 pass TD | 2 INT | 35 rush yds
Parr: Stafford is a top-10 QB in both DVOA and QBR. Yes, the sample size is small, but he still deserved a bump this week after leading a comeback win over the Chargers. He tossed a couple picks that probably made Lions fans want to throw something at their TVs. Bad Stafford isn't gone. Neither is Good Stafford -- the one who threw dimes and darts to Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones on Sunday. There's more good than bad.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 12 | Blair: 17 | Filice: 15 | Parr: 14
2019 stats: 2 games | 70.3 pct | 457 pass yds | 7.1 ypa | 2 pass TD | 2 INT
Parr: Carr started off decently against Kansas City -- although a couple drops on the opening drive didn't help him -- before the Raiders unraveled in the final three quarters. He had 59 yards, zero TDs and two INTs in the second half against a Chiefs defense that had struggled to stop sixth-round pick Gardner Minshew in his first career NFL game a week earlier. Carr's stellar Week 1 and play prior to this season (he'll always have 2016!) keeps him from a significant fall down the board.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 15 | Blair: 16 | Filice: 14 | Parr: 16
2019 stats: 2 games | 57.4 pct | 657 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1 INT
Parr: Murray's still looking for his first NFL win and didn't score a TD against the Ravens in Week 2, but, clearly, we feel good about the direction he's trending in. The first overall pick is the second QB since at least 1950 to throw for 300-plus yards in each of his first two career outings and he played a cleaner game against Baltimore than he did against the Lions in the season opener. Now he could use a little more help when it comes to his targets getting separation. He ranks 32nd in percentage of attempts to open or wide-open receivers, according to Pro Football Focus.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 17 | Blair: 15 | Filice: 16 | Parr: 15
2019 stats: 2 games | 67.3 pct | 462 pass yds | 8.9 ypa | 4 pass TD | 2 INT
Parr: Are we witnessing the beginning of the Jimmy G ascent the 49ers have long been waiting for? Garoppolo did have an ugly pick early vs. the Bengals on Sunday, but he bounced back to have his best game as a Niner. The key to his good start? It might be the combination of a strong running game with Kyle Shanahan's play-calling. Garoppolo has a perfect passer rating on play-action passes (15 of 19 for 280 yards, 3:0 TD-to-INT ratio and a whopping 14.7 yards per attempt, per Pro Football Focus).
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 18 | Blair: 14 | Filice: 17 | Parr: 21
2019 stats: 2 games | 65.6 pct | 729 pass yds | 7.8 ypa | 4 pass TD | 1 INT
Bhanpuri: Dalton has carried this new-look Bengals offense through the first two weeks of the season, with the passing game accounting for 91 percent of the team's first downs and 92 percent of the team's yards from scrimmage. Despite a running game averaging a league-worst 1.79 yards per rush and a suspect O-line (flagged for six holding penalties in Week 2), Dalton leads the NFL in passing yards (262) and touchdowns (3) and ranks sixth in passer rating (116.9) when under pressure, per PFF. That level of production feels unsustainable for a guy who's already taken nine sacks this season and who still makes this type of decision too regularly.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 19 | Blair: 20 | Filice: 18 | Parr: 20
2019 stats: 2 games | 56.2 pct | 572 pass yds | 6.4 ypa | 0 pass TD | 1 INT
Bhanpuri: You wonder whether Newton heard the criticism about his reluctance (or inability) to throw deep in Week 1, because the veteran QB attempted seven passes of 20-plus air yards against the Bucs on Thursday, according to Next Gen Stats. Too bad the increased volume did little to assuage concerns about his right shoulder, as the veteran passer connected on just two of those attempts, including one he significantly underthrew to Curtis Samuel that, had it been a better ball, likely would've gone for a touchdown instead of just a long completion. While the former MVP's velocity popped on intermediate routes Thursday night, when his throwing motion could remain more compact, his accuracy and effectiveness gave way to the Bucs' relentless pressure (2 of 14 for 21 yards under duress, per Pro Football Focus). Perhaps even more problematic: His -2 rushing yards and two fumbles this season. Newton might not be long for this ranking after aggravating a foot injury against Tampa Bay that has cast doubt on his Week 3 availability.
UPDATE: Cam Newton has been ruled out of Sunday's game at Arizona, so Kyle Allen will make his second NFL start. The second-year passer showed promise in a Week 17 start last season at New Orleans.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 20 | Blair: 19 | Filice: 21 | Parr: 17
2019 stats: 2 games | 69.1 pct | 336 pass yds | 6.1 ypa | 5 pass TD | 1 INT | 34 rush yds
Bhanpuri: Brissett showcased impressive escapability on multiple occasions against the Titans, maneuvering skillfully out of the grasp of opposing rushers to limit drive-killing losses. Although the Colts remain a run-first entity, the fourth-year pro made enough plays -- including converting a fourth-and-inches on the Colts' own 35 with just over two minutes left -- to help Indy overcome two missed PATs from struggling future Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri. The Colts QB still has plenty to work on ahead of his 20th career start -- throwing with more anticipation, not telegraphing passes, reducing unforced errors (two false start penalties on third-and-short) -- but his three-TD day certainly helps mask some of the uncertainty he showed Sunday.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 16 | Blair: 21 | Filice: 24 | Parr: 18
2019 stats: 2 games | 63.5 pct | 402 pass yds | 7.7 ypa | 4 pass TD | 0 INT | 56 rush yds
Bhanpuri: Mariota is having the best start to a season since his rookie year, when he completed 65 percent of his passes for 466 yards and 6 TDs with no picks through his first two games. He's still not the most polished passer, missing throws he shouldn't in Year 5, but he offsets some of that by generating yards with his legs when plays break down. Derrick Henry's emergence has clearly helped the former No. 2 overall pick, who currently boasts the third-highest passer rating (149.3) and second-highest yards per attempt (13.9) on play-action this season, per PFF. Perhaps a regression is imminent, but I'm hopeful the Titans QB will sustain his quality level of play going forward, especially with left tackle Taylor Lewan set to return from suspension in the coming weeks.
POST-TNF UPDATE: About that imminent regression ... Mariota was inaccurate and under constant pressure (nine sacks!) in Thursday night's loss at Jacksonville. Without a productive ground game to lean on, the Titans QB completed just 44 percent of his passes and generated zero points through the first three quarters against the Jags. His fourth-quarter production was a mirage, much like his passer rating through the first two games. Not a reassuring outing for the contract-year passer.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 21 | Blair: 22 | Filice: 19 | Parr: 19
2019 stats: 2 games | 52.4 pct | 328 pass yds | 7.8 ypa | 2 pass TD | 2 INT | 21 rush yds | 1 rush TD
Bhanpuri: Before Cousins could even throw that soul-crushing interception on first-and-goal in the fourth quarter of a one-score game against a division rival, he had managed to fumble on back-to-back plays (losing one) in the first quarter, tried to force a pass between four Packers defenders that led to a pick in the second quarter and then misfired on multiple makeable throws over the next 25 minutes. The subpar showing from the Vikings' $84 million man brought his career record to 9-20-1 against teams above .500. There's no question Cousins is a capable passer with a history of production; unfortunately, that history also includes a series of suspect performances in clutch situations. A stat that will please many Vikings fans (just kidding, look away now!): Over 77 NFL games, Cousins has 11 game-winning drives and eight fourth-quarter comebacks, with a .473 career winning percentage. The man he replaced as Minnesota's QB1, Case Keenum, has 10 and six, respectively, with a .464 win percentage in 18(!) fewer games. Buyer's remorse, anyone?
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 22 | Blair: 18 | Filice: 20 | Parr: 22
2019 stats: 2 games | 64.2 pct | 507 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 2 pass TD | 2 INT | 59 rush yds | 2 rush TD
Bhanpuri: Nothing quite like a quarterback delivering a punishing stiff arm that knocks a 255-pound linebacker flat on his face. Allen produced a number of wow moments on Sunday, including this scramble and laser throw that I must've replayed at least five times on NFL Game Pass. On the very next play, however, the Bills QB way overshot a wide-open John Brown downfield for an easy score. That inconsistency from one play to the next remains Allen's biggest problem. Still, that stiff arm ... is it too late to get on the Josh Allen bandwagon?
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 25 | Blair: 23 | Filice: 22 | Parr: 23
2019 stats: 2 games | 59.0 pct | 402 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 2 pass TD | 3 INT | 22 rush yds
Bhanpuri: The Bucs passer rebounded from a tumultuous 2019 debut to earn the first "TNF" win of his five-year career. He was far more efficient in Week 2, increasing his yards per attempt to 8.3 from 5.9 and, most importantly, committing zero turnovers. He was also noticeably more effective under pressure -- something he'll have to sustain playing behind this questionable group of blockers. If Winston can stack productive, giveaway-free performances and continue to build on his budding relationship with receiver Chris Godwin (without neglecting Mike Evans), the Bucs passer could be the catalyst that helps a flawed team compete in a suddenly flawed division.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 24 | Blair: 24 | Filice: 23 | Parr: 24
2019 stats: 2 games | 69.1 pct | 560 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1 INT
Bhanpuri: The Bears' pass rush harassed Flacco for much of the afternoon, pressuring him on a league-high 15 pass attempts despite the Broncos QB posting the quickest time to throw (2.67 seconds) among the 18 QBs with at least five attempts under pressure in Week 2, per Next Gen Stats. And still, the 34-year-old acquitted himself well, completing eight of those passes for 88 yards while showing good movement in the pocket. (For context, Rodgers went 1 of 4 for 5 yards on pressured throws against the Bears in Week 1.) Flacco consistently displayed great anticipation on comeback and out routes, and when able to step up in the pocket, was decisive in pushing the ball downfield. The veteran made up for a fourth-quarter red-zone interception by converting two fourth downs and then connecting with Emmanuel Sanders on an incredible pitch and catch (and subsequent two-point try) to give the Broncos a last-second lead. A wild finish in favor of the Bears shouldn't obfuscate the fact that Flacco is playing solid football.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 23 | Blair: 25 | Filice: 25 | Parr: 25
2019 stats: 2 games | 69.1 pct | 601 pass yds | 7.4 ypa | 5 pass TD | 0 INT
Blair: The ex- Vikings hero and Broncos free-agent bust seems to be finding his level somewhere below team-carrying star and significantly above acceptably warm body. In 2018, Keenum logged zero games with 220-plus passing yards, more than one passing TD and zero interceptions, but he's already done that twice in 2019 (though he almost had a pick on at least one throw against Dallas). On Sunday, Keenum made some nice throws, hitting Terry McLaurin on a pair of deep strikes and standing tall in the pocket to find Trey Quinn on fourth-and-7 in the third quarter, and he kept the score respectable. But he didn't receive much run support, and Dallas' defense played well.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 26 | Blair: 26 | Filice: 26 | Parr: 29
2019 stats: 2 games | 77.6 pct | 488 pass yds | 8.4 ypa | 3 pass TD | 1 INT | 62 rush yds
Blair: Minshew took his lumps against Houston, including four sacks and three fumbles, one of which was recovered by Houston at the Jaguars' 11-yard line, setting up the Texans' winning touchdown. But he hung tough, keeping Jacksonville in the game with some impressive throws, like a 31-yard pass to Chris Conley down the right sideline on third-and-9 to spark a scoring drive after Houston went up 13-3 in the fourth and a 12-yard dart to Conley to keep the next drive alive, again on third-and-9. He also made plays with his legs, scrambling for 18 yards on fourth-and-10 with less than a minute left to set up his 4-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Chark. If the Jags had converted their two-point attempt, they would've won. Through two weeks, the rookie's completion rate (77.6%) and passer rating (111.8) are both the highest ever of any Jacksonville player to attempt 50-plus passes in a season. One problem: Minshew out-rushed supposed bell-cow back Leonard Fournette on Sunday, 56-47.
POST-TNF UPDATE: Minshew's efficient and productive first half, in which he threw for two scores on 13-of-18 passing showed he is in fact at least " one step above the average dude." On the night, he released the ball quickly and deliberately, and while he left some plays out on the field, he didn't take a single sack or turn the ball over. Not bad at all for his first NFL win. And now, through three games of action, the sixth-round rookie owns some impressive numbers: 73.9 completion percentage, 5:1 TD-to-INT ratio and a 110.6 passer rating.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 28 | Blair: 27 | Filice: 28 | Parr: 26
2019 stats: 2 games | 58.3 pct | 348 pass yds | 4.8 ypa | 0 pass TD | 1 INT
Blair: Trubisky ranked near the bottom of the league in Week 2 among starters who played their entire games in attempts (27, third-least), completions (16, third-least) and passing yards (120, least). He missed badly on numerous throws against Denver, and on several incompletions seemed to be falling away from the play when he released the ball. He's also one of just six quarterbacks since 2010 to log less than 5 yards per attempt as the starter for Weeks 1 and 2. The 25-yarder that set up Eddy Pineiro's demon-exorcising, game-winning field goal was Trubisky's saving grace on the day. The challenge facing Matt Nagy is to turn Trubisky into an asset again, or at least keep the 25-year-old former first-rounder from swallowing Chicago's season whole.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 27 | Blair: 29 | Filice: 27 | Parr: 27
2019 stats: 2 games | 62.9 pct | 556 pass yds | 6.2 ypa | 2 pass TD | 2 INT
Blair: In his last start for the foreseeable future, Manning completed less than 50 percent of his passes in the first half, culminating in a batted ball that landed in the arms of Bills DE Trent Murphy on Buffalo's 28-yard line with 53 seconds left. By then, the Bills were up 21-7. Manning rebounded some in the second half, but couldn't catch Buffalo. It didn't help that he went 2 for 9 on the Giants' two drives after the Bills secured a 28-14 lead, with his fourth-from-last pass on the day being an overthrown deep ball that was picked off by Jordan Poyer. No one will be able to say the Giants didn't give Manning enough string at the end. History will surely remember him well as an affable presence who brought the Giants two Super Bowl rings. But this is not the QB Lifetime Legacy Index. Next up: Daniel Jones.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 29 | Blair: 30 | Filice: 29 | Parr: 30
2019 stats: 1 game | 63.2 pct | 112 pass yds | 5.9 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1 INT
Blair: There were reasons to be encouraged about Rudolph's play in relief of Ben Roethlisberger, who is out for the season with an elbow injury. Like, say, the fact that Rudolph calmly waited for Vance McDonald to open up on his first touchdown pass of the day, an 8-yarder with 11:23 left in the game, despite there being a combined 657 pounds of Seahawks linemen ( Quinton Jefferson and Bryan Mone) directly in his face. And he kept the Steelers in the game until the end. Rudolph is one of just three quarterbacks since 2010 to enter as a backup in his first career game and throw two touchdown passes, joining Gardner Minshew (who accomplished that in Week 1) and Blake Bortles.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 31 | Blair: 28 | Filice: 32 | Parr: 28
2019 stats: 1 game | 56.7 pct | 165 pass yds | 5.5 ypa | 0 pass TD | 0 INT
Blair: Bridgewater never really set the world on fire during his first stint as a starter, before a knee injury essentially brought his Vikings career to a premature end, and he seemed to struggle to get much going in his first 2019 appearance in relief of Drew Brees, who will miss time with a thumb injury that required surgery. Sean Payton should get the benefit of the doubt here, given a full week to prepare for Bridgewater as the starter, before any definite proclamations are made about the former first-round pick. But then, who knows? The nation might get a bigger Week 3 helping of Taysom Hill than anyone would have predicted.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 30 | Blair: 32 | Filice: 30 | Parr: 32
2019 stats: 2 games | 50.0 pct | 274 pass yds | 5.5 ypa | 1 pass TD | 4 INT
Blair: It's hard to blame Fitzpatrick for the quality of the roster around him. And yet, it's impossible to overlook the pair of pick-sixes against the Patriots on Sunday. And the fact that he finished with just seven more completions (11) than sacks (four). Fitzpatrick became the first starting quarterback of 2019 to attempt 20-plus passes and finish with less than 90 passing yards in a game, something that's happened just 29 times since 2010. You could ask if his struggles have more to do with his being a 37-year-old who hasn't won more than three games since 2015, or if they can be blamed on the general trajectory of the Dolphins organization. But then, how much does it matter?
UPDATE: NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that Miami will start Josh Rosen against the Cowboys on Sunday, so check back here next week to see where the Dolphins' new QB1 ranks.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 32 | Blair: 31 | Filice: 31 | Parr: 31
2019 stats: 1 game | 80.0 pct | 198 pass yds | 7.9 ypa | 0 pass TD | 0 INT
Blair: Falk looked OK after Trevor Siemian's injury (and Sam Darnold's case of mono) thrust him into action against the Browns on Monday, completing 20 of 25 passes for 198 yards. If Falk can come out of his first career start -- against the Patriots -- with a yardage total in the mid-200s and, say, no more than two picks, that would count as a definite win. But not as much as getting Sam Darnold back in action by Week 5.
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