With Week 4 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 5.
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 (looking at you, Matt Ryan) die hard.
NOTE: Up/down arrows reflect movement from . Rankings reflect each quarterback's standing heading into Week 5 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.
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Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 1 | Blair: 1 | Filice: 1 | Parr: 1
2019 stats: 4 games | 67.9 pct | 1,510 pass yds | 9.7 ypa | 10 pass TD | 0 INT | 64 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Bhanpuri: The runaway leader in the MVP race through Q1 was uncharacteristically inaccurate in Detroit, struggling to connect on sidearm, touch and bullet passes. Mahomes even had trouble with intermediate and deep balls -- his bread and butter -- going 8 of 21 for 179 yards and no touchdowns, per Next Gen Stats. I know what you're thinking: That's actually not that bad. Well, it is for Patrick Lavon Mahomes II, who put up 700 yards and seven touchdowns on passes of 10-plus air yards through the first three weeks of the season. The 24-year-old had one of his worst, most disjointed games as a professional on Sunday and still threw for 315 yards, had zero giveaways and led a game-winning drive.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 2 | Blair: 2 | Filice: 2 | Parr: 2
2019 stats: 4 games | 72.9 pct | 1,141 pass yds | 8.6 ypa | 8 pass TD | 0 INT | 88 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Bhanpuri: The Seahawks passer's stellar stat line (78.6% passing, 240 yards, 8.6 y/a, 1 TD, 114.3 passer rating) from Sunday's comfortable win over the Cardinals doesn't quite capture just how superb he's been in four starts this year. His efficiency has reached new heights, and I continue to marvel at his incredible touch and accuracy -- like on this 28-yard pass to Tyler Lockett, which he fit perfectly between bracketed zone defenders down field. So many QBs have sailed similar throws right into the safety's waiting hands. However, that stat line above does leave out three questionable plays -- two fumbles that Seattle recovered, one near-pick in the end zone -- that could've otherwise affected Wilson's ranking. But, hey, sometimes things bounce your way. And sometimes they don't. Right now, the ball is bouncing whichever direction Wilson wants.
POST-TNF UPDATE: The metaphorical caroms continued to favor Wilson in a 30-29 win over the Rams. He put together another top-notch outing, completing 74 percent of his passes with four TDs and a passer rating of 151.8. Yes, he was ultimately bailed out by a missed Greg Zuerlein kick after failing to convert a first down with less than 2 minutes left that could have ended the game. But with numbers like that, it will be tough to dislodge Wilson from the No. 2 spot next week.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 4 | Blair: 3 | Filice: 3 | Parr: 3
2019 stats: 4 games | 62.1 pct | 1,061 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 7 pass TD | 1 INT | -3 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Tom Brady was bad on Sunday. Not a sentence I'm used to -- or will ever get used to -- typing. Harassed throughout the afternoon by the Bills' fierce pass rush and stifling secondary, Brady finished 1 of 12 for 7 yards on pressured dropbacks, per Pro Football Focus, and posted his worst passer rating in a game (45.9) since 2006, when he dropped a 34.0 against Peyton Manning's Colts. His 3.8 yards per attempt against Buffalo was also his worst since 2006, when he threw 25 passes for 78 yards (3.1) in a 21-0 loss to Joey Harrington's Dolphins. The future Hall of Famer struggled so mightily at New Era Field that his 23.6 rating (5 of 26 for 38 yards and an INT) when targeting pass catchers with 3 yards or less of separation ranked fourth-worst on the day -- just ahead of Dwayne Haskins (19.8), Kyler Murray (14.9) and his opponent, Josh Allen (0.5), according to Next Gen Stats. So I guess what I'm ultimately trying to say is the GOAT is about to throw for 12 touchdowns in Week 5. Good luck, Washington.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 5 | Blair: 5 | Filice: 4 | Parr: 4
2019 stats: 4 games | 60.7 pct | 963 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 9 pass TD | 2 INT | 54 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Doug Pederson's game plan for the Packers defense on Thursday night was a thing of beauty -- with the Eagles using a perfect mix of run and pass to dissect Green Bay's vaunted unit. Sure, the ground game put up the fifth-best rushing total of the week, but don't let that cloud a clear and certain truth: Carson Wentz is back to playing at an elite level. The former No. 2 overall pick led the Eagles on four straight touchdown drives and capitalized on all four of the team's red-zone opportunities (4-for-6 passing for 42 yards and 3 TDs). Production in the red area, especially in goal-to-go situations, is just so important. Too soon? What's impressed me most about the Eagles' QB1 so far this year has been his ability to limit turnovers. His 10:2 offensive touchdown-to-giveaway ratio through the first four games is by far the best of his career.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 6 | Blair: 4 | Filice: 5 | Parr: 5
2019 stats: 4 games | 62.3 pct | 1,069 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 6 pass TD | 1 INT | 53 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Red-zone miscues aside, Rodgers had his best game of 2019 on Thursday. He was exceptional on the Packers' opening possession and twice orchestrated 10-plus play drives in the final quarter to give Green Bay a real shot to tie or take the lead. There's no question he's missed throws during the first four games that he's hit routinely (even on a hobbled knee) over the course of his Hall of Fame career, including potential scoring strikes. But like this pass to Geronimo Allison from Thursday -- what has to be one of the ugliest completions in Rodgers' 15 NFL seasons -- the Packers QB's play through four games isn't as pretty or precise as we've grown to expect ... though it's definitely still good enough to get the job done.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 3 | Blair: 6 | Filice: 6 | Parr: 6
2019 stats: 4 games | 69.2 pct | 1,254 pass yds | 8.6 ypa | 7 pass TD | 2 INT | 27 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Bhanpuri: I'm higher on Rivers than my fellow QB rankers because I'm right and they're wrong. Or maybe it's the other way around? ... In any case, the Chargers passer has stacked quality start on quality start so far this season. Don't get me going on that Week 2 Lions game (too late), in which the Bolts had two TDs called back because of holding penalties, fumbled at Detroit's 1-yard line, missed two field goals and had five drops before Rivers' desperation heave at the end of the game was picked off. The eight-time Pro Bowler has the fourth-highest completion percentage above expectation (+4%, min. 100 attempts) this season, per NGS, meaning he's making plays even when they aren't there (and not just against Miami). For comparison, Wentz, who as I already wrote is having a dynamite start to the 2019 campaign, ranks 23rd of 24 qualifying QBs (-4%). If the biggest knock on the Chargers signal-caller right now is that he targets his RBs too often (*cough* Austin Ekeler *cough*), I can live with that. Especially when those throws translate to 24-of-25 passing, 3 TDs, 0 picks and 10.8 yards per attempt.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 8 | Blair: 8 | Filice: 7 | Parr: 7
2019 stats: 4 games | 72.4 pct | 1,143 pass yds | 9.0 ypa | 9 pass TD | 3 INT | 95 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Prescott's passer rating has declined steadily each week, with Sunday's 73.2 mark less than half of the perfect score he registered against the Giants to kick off the season. Where the Cowboys QB had been consistently enjoying open throwing lanes and a well-below-average pressure rate from Weeks 1 to 3, against the Saints' defense Sunday night he learned what life was like without a functional running game and simple pitch-and-catch completions. Prescott had the fifth-lowest percentage of open attempts (when his targeted pass catcher had 3-plus yards of separation) and the second-lowest percentage of wide open passes (5-plus yards) of the week, according to Next Gen Stats, while having the eighth-highest pressure percentage. So not only were Cam Jordan and Co. regularly getting in Dak's face, but when he could cock back to throw, Marshon Lattimore's crew was sticking hip-to-hip with Dallas' pass catchers. Still, Prescott found a way to tie for the fourth-highest completion percentage above expectation of the week (+7.2%). The fourth-year pro can reignite cooling contract speculation -- and jump-start his ascension up this list -- by showing out against the Packers' third-ranked pass defense.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 7 | Blair: 7 | Filice: 10 | Parr: 8
2019 stats: 4 games | 65.1 pct | 938 pass yds | 7.4 ypa | 6 pass TD | 1 INT | 75 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Bhanpuri: Watson didn't respond well to his brief stint in the top five, logging one of the most disappointing performances in his young career against Carolina in Week 4. The big-armed QB couldn't connect on intermediate or deep routes all game, with Panthers defenders consistently contesting balls, and, in many cases, Watson simply missing his receivers. He went 2 of 10 for 24 yards on passes of 10-plus air yards, including 0 for 5 on passes of 20-plus, per NGS. Unimaginable for a guy who had been 19 of 38 for 495 yards with a 5:1 TD-to-INT ratio on those throws in the Texans' three previous games. The Pro Bowler was asked in his postgame press conference why he thought he struggled throwing deep, replying candidly with an incredibly informative explanation of how the Panthers defended him and what he did poorly. With an answer that honest and self-aware, I'm convinced Watson will be back to playing winning football -- and ranking among the elite -- in no time.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 9 | Blair: 9 | Filice: 9 | Parr: 9
2019 stats: 4 games | 62.4 pct | 1,122 pass yds | 8.0 ypa | 9 pass TD | 2 INT | 54 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Blair: While the youngsters dazzle and the olds above him grab headlines, Stafford the Middle Aged just goes about his business, steadily rising up these rankings. He helped put Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on the ropes Sunday, making plenty of big throws -- like a 33-yard laser to Marvin Jones late in the first quarter, or this VERY tight-window touchdown toss to Kenny Golladay in the third. Speaking of, intrepid fellow Indexer Ali Bhanpuri pointed out that Stafford completed six of his 11 tight-window throws against the Chiefs for 110 yards, a score, and a passer rating of 119.5, per Next Gen Stats. Overlook Matthew Stafford at your peril.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 10 | Blair: 11 | Filice: 8 | Parr: 10
2019 stats: 4 games | 64.9 pct | 1,110 pass yds | 8.3 ypa | 10 pass TD | 2 INT | 238 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Blair: In Weeks 1 and 2, Jackson posted the third-highest yards-per-attempt mark among QBs with 40-plus pass attempts (10.5), with a 7:0 TD-to-INT ratio and 145.2 passer rating. Over the past two weeks, he ranks 20th in yards per attempt (6.7), with a 3:2 TD-to-INT ratio and a passer rating of 81.8. On Sunday, Jackson was kept enough in check that he couldn't keep pace with the Browns' offense. At least one mistake -- a fourth-down throw in which Mark Andrews went one way and the ball went another -- serves as a reminder that Jackson is not yet a finished product. That said, I'm not fleeing the bandwagon after two off games against stiffer competition.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 13 | Blair: 10 | Filice: 11 | Parr: 11
2019 stats: 4 games | 59.0 pct | 1,147 pass yds | 8.3 ypa | 4 pass TD | 6 INT | 0 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Blair: Running back Nick Chubb shouldered a lot of the offensive load in Cleveland's win over the Ravens, but that's not really a bad thing. Mayfield might not have been a bomb-throwing star on Sunday, but he hit his targets quickly and accurately and picked up chunk plays, finally looking comfortable and in-rhythm for the first time all season. Anyone seeking tangible proof that Mayfield is still the same player who set a rookie record for TD passes in 2018 will find solace in his Week 4 tape. The next three weeks (Niners, Seahawks, Patriots) are daunting, but this was a positive -- and important -- step forward.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 11 | Blair: 13 | Filice: 12 | Parr: 12
2019 stats: 4 games | 70.5 pct | 1,325 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 8 pass TD | 6 INT | 48 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Blair: I'm far from giving up on Ryan, but in the meantime, he continues to descend down these ranks, with his decline furthered by an ugly loss to the Titans. On a positive note, Ryan, who is carrying a ghastly pick rate of 3.4 percent, didn't throw an interception for the first time all season (though he did lose a fumble). On a less positive note, he didn't find the end zone, either, failing to throw a touchdown pass in a game for just the third time since 2015. These are by no means Ryan's worst numbers to start a season, but it would sure be encouraging to see him string together a couple quality efforts.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 12 | Blair: 12 | Filice: 13 | Parr: 14
2019 stats: 4 games | 72.1 pct | 888 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 6 pass TD | 3 INT | 19 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Blair: So Carr didn't finish the victory over Indy with exciting numbers. You want excitement? Check out the two well-placed balls he threw on an 18-yard touchdown pass to Foster Moreau and a 19-yard score to Tyrell Williams. OK, so maybe excitement was a strong word. Maybe excitement isn't the point! Maybe it's about tossing multiple touchdown passes in consecutive games for just the third time since the beginning of the 2017 season.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 14 | Blair: 14 | Filice: 14 | Parr: 13
2019 stats: 3 games | 69.0 pct | 739 pass yds | 8.8 ypa | 5 pass TD | 4 INT | 9 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Blair: The Week 4 bye marked the first week of the 2019 season in which Garoppolo did not turn the ball over. Of his five interceptions this season, it's worth noting that two were the result of tipped passes, which is to say that we shouldn't be too hard on him for his jarring turnover total, given that he's probably still rounding into shape after tearing his ACL last season. All things considered, Garoppolo has played well. Will he keep it up in the national spotlight on Monday? (Somewhat incredibly, given how much fevered talk has centered on Jimmy G over the past five years, the "Monday Night Football" clash with Cleveland will be just the second prime-time start of Garoppolo's career.)
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 18 | Blair: 15 | Filice: 15 | Parr: 17
2019 stats: 4 games | 64.2 pct | 1,254 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 6 pass TD | 6 INT | 12 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 3 fumbles lost
Blair: Goff threw for 517 yards in the loss to the Bucs on Sunday, tied for the eighth-highest single-game total in NFL history. But something tells me he probably won't cherish the memory for a while. His three picks -- the first two of which helped Tampa jump to a 21-0 lead -- or the strip-sack that was returned for a game-sealing touchdown will probably loom larger. You have to think Sean McVay will get Goff straightened out, but at this point, Goff's interception rate (3.5%) is higher than it was in his disastrous 0-7 run as a rookie in the memory-holed pre-McVay era.
POST-TNF UPDATE: Well, Goff cut down on the turnovers -- his only pick of the night had more to do with luck and an outstanding effort by the Seahawks' Tedric Thompson than anything else. And he was able to put the Rams in field-goal position on their final possession, with the highlight being a 28-yard strike to Gerald Everett that moved them to the Seattle 30. But he was unable to get much closer, missing his next two throws before being forced to make up the distance lost by a third-down delay-of-game penalty with a short toss to Everett, and Greg Zuerlein's missed field-goal try left Goff with his second two-game losing streak under McVay. His QB Index fate next week likely lies in the hands of the QBs around him.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 16 | Blair: 17 | Filice: 17 | Parr: 15
2019 stats: 4 games | 62.6 pct | 1,167 pass yds | 8.4 ypa | 9 pass TD | 5 INT | 24 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Blair: Don't look now, but for the first time in his NFL career, Winston has topped 300 passing yards and posted a passer rating of plus-100 in back-to-back games. We've been trained for the other shoe to drop with him, but when you're doing things like connecting on 67-yard touchdown passes and scoring 50-plus against the Los Angeles Rams, well, it's easy to think he might finally have turned a corner as an NFL quarterback.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 15 | Blair: 16 | Filice: 18 | Parr: 19
2019 stats: 4 games | 65.2 pct | 911 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 10 pass TD | 2 INT | 57 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Filice: Despite missing the quad-compromised T.Y. Hilton -- who's not only Indy's top pass catcher but also one of the league's preeminent deep threats -- Brissett aired it out in Sunday's 31-24 loss to Oakland, setting a career high with 46 pass attempts and taking far more downfield shots than usual. The results? Decidedly mixed. While the Andrew Luck replacement tossed three touchdown passes -- putting him in a three-way tie with Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson for the league-leading total of 10 -- he barely cracked 50 percent completions and rarely even came close to connecting on those long balls. And then there was the game-sealing pick-six, when Brissett stared down his intended target from snap to throw, never seeing safety Erik Harris lurking underneath the route. On Tuesday, Chris Ballard rightfully praised Brissett for his unflinching demeanor, but a flinch actually would've served him well on that ill-fated toss.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 17 | Blair: 20 | Filice: 16 | Parr: 18
2019 stats: 4 games | 69.4 pct | 905 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 7 pass TD | 1 INT | 82 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Filice: OK, people, is it Minshew Mania or Minshew Madness? Minshew Magic? The underground T-shirt market needs to know! Whatever it is, it's quite thrilling. Sunday's 'Shew Show reached peak levels during a 10-minute, third-quarter drive that saw the sixth-round pick pull off not one but two astonishing escape acts: 1) ducking through a sack on third-and-14 before rolling out, directing traffic and eventually finding Keelan Cole for a first down; and 2) dancing around a perforated pocket on third-and-5 and dodging three Bronco pass rushers before lofting a TD pass to Ryquell Armstead. This was pure, unadulterated Minshew. The only thing missing from both plays? D.J. Chark being on the receiving end. Minshew's fellow 23-year-old has played an enormous role in the plucky quarterback's unanticipated star turn, transforming himself from rookie afterthought to sophomore sensation out wide. And now Chark's rocking a prosthetic mustache at media availability. No one can deny the allure of the Jock Strap King!
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 20 | Blair: 19 | Filice: 19 | Parr: 16
2019 stats: 3 games | 69.0 pct | 578 pass yds | 8.1 ypa | 3 pass TD | 2 INT | 66 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 3 fumbles lost
Filice: Third down's the money down, and in his first two NFL starts, Mr. Dimes is cashing in. During New York's Week 3 win at Tampa Bay, Jones completed 5 of 9 third-down passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. In Sunday's victory over Washington, he connected on 9 of 10 passes for 106 yards. All in all, Jones boasts a 73.7 completion percentage and a 120.3 passer rating in this crucial aspect of quarterbacking.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 19 | Blair: 18 | Filice: 21 | Parr: 21
2019 stats: 4 games | 62.2 pct | 933 pass yds | 7.8 ypa | 7 pass TD | 0 INT | 112 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Filice: One enormous question hangs over the Titans' entire operation in 2019: Does Marcus Mariota have what it takes to be a franchise quarterback? With the former No. 2 overall pick playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, it's a question that must be answered before season's end. But let me reframe this all-important debate topic a bit: Does Marcus Mariota have what it takes to be this franchise's franchise quarterback? Well, when it's presented that way ... Yes! Yes, a thousand times over!! Mariota's erratic week-to-week play couldn't be more Titan. He's the perfect embodiment of this up-and-down outfit that routinely alternates between statement-making blowouts and prime-time no-shows. Is Mariota good? Maybe -- he currently boasts career-best marks in yards per attempt (7.8) and passer rating (106.2), without a single giveaway to his name in 2019. Is Mariota not good? Maybe -- the QB's statistics belie his actual performance, which was so uninspiring in Weeks 2 and 3 that Mike Vrabel had to tamp down discussion of a QB change to Ryan Tannehill. Marcus Mariota is the Titans. The Titans are Marcus Mariota.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 21 | Blair: 24 | Filice: 22 | Parr: 20
2019 stats: 4 games | 66.2 pct | 1,076 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 5 pass TD | 3 INT | 5 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost
Filice: Lost in the Minshew Mania discussed above: Flacco's surgical scoring drive late in the fourth quarter to give the Broncos a 24-23 lead. The 34-year-old quarterback, who's not nearly as responsible for Denver's 0-4 start as you think, completed all five of his passes for 80 yards and the go-ahead touchdown. It was a brilliant two-minute drill. Unfortunately, it started a minute too early, giving Minshew enough time to perform his magic and give Jacksonville the 26-24 win. And this was actually the second time on this afternoon where Flacco exited the Mile High stage too early. In the final minute of the first half, he threw his worst pass of the day, airmailing a crossing route and connecting with Jags safety Ronnie Harrison, whose deft return skills set up Jacksonville for a field goal just before the break. Three free points matter in a two-point loss.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 21 | Blair: 21 | Filice: 23 | Parr: 22
2019 stats: 2 games | 71.7 pct | 493 pass yds | 8.2 ypa | 4 pass TD | 0 INT | -1 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 4 fumbles lost
Filice: After throwing four touchdown passes and posting a nearly perfect quarterback rating at Arizona in his first fill-in start for the injured Cam Newton, Allen came back to earth this past Sunday in Houston. But Carolina still came away with the same highly coveted prize: a road win. And Allen, who regrettably lost three fumbles on strip-sacks, still displayed enticing qualities when he wasn't coughing the ball up to the Texans. Through two starts, the 2018 undrafted free-agent signee boasts some mind-bending passer ratings in high-leverage situations: 141.0 on throws of 10-plus air yards, 121.3 against the blitz and 119.8 under pressure. Too much statistical noise for your liking? Well, basically, Allen's torching opponents downfield and punishing coordinators who come after him. Dangerous combo.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 24 | Blair: 22 | Filice: 20 | Parr: 23
2019 stats: 4 games | 62.7 pct | 1,071 pass yds | 6.3 ypa | 4 pass TD | 4 INT | 113 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Filice: Four games into his NFL career, Murray has been sacked a league-high 20 times. As pointed out by my scouting-savvy colleague Daniel Jeremiah, that's two more sacks than Murray took over 14 games last season at Oklahoma. Lazy takes point the finger at Arizona's much-maligned offensive line -- you know, the unit that almost got Josh Rosen killed last season? But actually, Murray has faced the fourth-lowest pressure rate among qualified quarterbacks, per Next Gen Stats. He has not been facing heat every single dropback. So, what gives? Well, as is to be expected from a rookie, Murray's been slow with the trigger. At least some of his indecisiveness can be attributed to Arizona's receiving corps struggling to consistently gain separation. This is quite foreign to Murray, who spent last year in Norman, where Lincoln Riley routinely schemes receivers wide open in his Heisman-friendly offense.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 23 | Blair: 23 | Filice: 24 | Parr: 23
2019 stats: 4 games | 60.3 pct | 903 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 3 pass TD | 6 INT | 131 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Filice: Everyone knows Allen has one of the biggest arms in the NFL. But don't mistake cannon power for downfield prowess. In fact, Allen has been one of the worst deep-ball throwers since he entered the NFL last season. As a rookie in 2018, he ranked 41st on throws of 20-plus yards with a 62.9 passer rating, per Pro Football Focus. And in Sunday's 16-10 loss to New England, Allen's deep-ball attempts deep-sixed the Bills. Buffalo's highly erratic QB1 heaved nine throws of 20-plus yards against the Pats, completing one to his own team and three to the opposition -- good for a nice, round 0.0 passer rating in this area.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 26 | Blair: 26 | Filice: 24 | Parr: 28
2019 stats: 4 games | 64.6 pct | 735 pass yds | 7.4 ypa | 3 pass TD | 2 INT | 37 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost
Parr: Is this rock bottom? Cousins was bad (again) in the loss to the Bears and after receiver Adam Thielen called him out for it, Cousins was the one who apologized. That's cold. His coach wasn't impressed. When Cousins wasn't overthrowing balls to Thielen on Sunday, he was getting sacked or taking the short completions the Chicago defense was giving him. This doesn't look like a confident quarterback or an offense that believes in him right now. The 84 Million Dollar Man has the fewest completions, pass attempts and pass TDs among the 24 QBs who have started four games in 2019.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 25 | Blair: 25 | Filice: 27 | Parr: 27
2019 stats: 4 games | 61.4 pct | 1,150 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 5 pass TD | 4 INT | 11 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 3 fumbles lost
Parr: Unhappy early Halloween! It's a horror show in Cincy. Dalton was flung to the ground on what felt like every other play against the Steelers -- who racked up eight sacks and 12 QB hits -- on Monday night. Dalton had two turnovers -- and should have had three, but Pittsburgh corner Joe Haden couldn't hold onto a first quarter pass that landed right in his arms. The Bengals' offensive line is atrocious, so like a lot of QBs ranked in the bottom tier, the results aren't a completely fair reflection of Dalton's ability. There's not a whole lot he can do right now.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 29 | Blair: 27 | Filice: 26 | Parr: 26
2019 stats: 3 games | 67.6 pct | 515 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 6 pass TD | 2 INT | 19 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Parr: Rudolph is coming off a fine game that is really hard to get excited about. He didn't turn the ball over against a bad Bengals team, but he's not been able to complete many passes that he pushes more than a few yards past the line of scrimmage. He had 23.4 air yards on his first 18 completions combined (for context, his TD pass to Diontae Johnson traveled 29.7 air yards) vs. Cincinnati and averaged 3.2 air yards per attempt overall (one of the lowest single-game averages we've seen in recent years).
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 30 | Blair: 28 | Filice: 29 | Parr: 25
2019 stats: 3 games | 67.8 pct | 535 pass yds | 6.1 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1 INT | 25 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Parr: Bridgewater is one of the league's great stories right now. I'm suspicious of anyone who doesn't respect him for what he's come back from, leading a contending team to victories (he handed the Seahawks and the Cowboys their first losses of the season in consecutive weeks) after people wondered if he'd ever play again in the wake of his horrific injury a few years ago. We just can't justify moving him up in the QB Index, given the limitations to his game right now. His 5.5 air yards per attempt are the lowest in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats. Against Dallas on Sunday night, he dinked and dunked just enough (and his one pick should have been a catch by Ted Ginn).
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 27 | Blair: 29 | Filice: 28 | Parr: 29
2019 stats: 4 games | 51.2 pct | 482 pass yds | 5.7 ypa | 1 pass TD | 3 INT | 13 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Parr: For the second week in a row, Rosen played a really nice first half of football. In fact, his first two quarters against the Chargers would have been even better if not for a couple drops by his receivers. But then the second half happened, and he was probably wishing he had a hot tub time machine that could take him back to the first half. Anyway, his 70.8 percent completion rate in the game was a career best and his 34-yard TD pass to DeVante Parker -- Rosen's first throw for a score in 2019 -- was a beaut. There are things to build off of, although it's hard to imagine a breakthrough, given his supporting cast.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 28 | Blair: 30 | Filice: 30 | Parr: 30
2019 stats: 1 game | 73.3 pct | 195 pass yds | 6.5 ypa | 1 pass TD | 0 INT | 4 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Parr: The wily veteran gave the Bears' offense a lift after the disappointing Mitchell Trubisky suffered a left shoulder injury early on Sunday that is expected to keep him out of Chicago's game across the pond. Daniel's not going to confuse anyone for some Patrick Mahomes-like world-beater, but he's unlikely to make throws that get you beat, which is more than you can say for the 2019 version of Trubisky. Daniel's actually been significantly better on throws of 10 or more air yards when he's stepped in for Trubisky since the start of last season, per Next Gen Stats. No, the ceiling isn't high, but he's showing again why he's such a valuable backup.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 31 | Blair: 31 | Filice: 31 | Parr: 31
2019 stats: 2 games | 68.1 pct | 296 pass yds | 6.3 ypa | 0 pass TD | 1 INT | 0 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Parr: Falk gets at least one more week in the QB Index with Sam Darnold still recovering from mononucleosis, and HEY, LOOK! Yes, Luke is moving on up the board even though the Jets had a bye last week. Dwayne Haskins' ice-cold baptism by fire and Falk's solid NFL debut in Week 2 keep him out of the cellar. If not for the respectable two quarters and change against Cleveland, we'd just be left to talk about things like this: The Jets have more points from their defense and special teams (20) than their offense (13) this season.
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 32 | Blair: 32 | Filice: 32 | Parr: 32
2019 stats: 1 game | 52.9 pct | 107 pass yds | 6.3 ypa | 0 pass TD | 3 INT | 23 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Parr: Why is Haskins included here this week after playing just 32 snaps in his NFL debut? Well, if he was good enough for Washington to trot him out last Sunday, he's good enough for us to rank him ... last, unfortunately. Things started out OK for the 15th overall pick of this year's draft. He completed his first couple passes, but that was about as good as it would get. He was playing for a team without its top wide receiver, tight end and left tackle in a game where the rushing attack was nearly non-existent on a day where he wasn't as prepared as possible (since he wasn't getting first-team reps in practice) so the nightmarish afternoon certainly isn't all on him. Going 2 of 6 for 20 yards and three INTs on your passes of 10-plus air yards will land you at the bottom of most lists, though. We'd like to some better decisions from the rookie next time.
The Air Index delivered by FedEx ranks NFL quarterback performances all season long. What is the possibility Baker Mayfield cracks the top 10 in next week's ranking?
