Leave it to Matthew Stafford to buck the trend of a league-wide scoring collapse.
While most teams saw their scoring totals decline (and I’m looking at you, Chicago), the Los Angeles Rams and Stafford had an incredible bounce-back week against the New York Giants. His four touchdown passes Monday night put him sixth on two all-time lists: career passing TDs and games with at least four passing TDs. Stafford is already back to the guy that we thought he’d be.
He’s not the only one. (Looking at you, Patrick Mahomes.)
So let’s get into it. Welcome back to the QB Stock Market.
This isn’t your typical QB rankings. I’m focused on monitoring the fluctuations of starters’ performances throughout the season. No one — not even Josh Allen — is safe at the top. No one — not even Cooper Rush — is stuck at the bottom. There is room for quick ascent — and rapid decline. One question holds most important: What have you done for your team lately?
Previous: Offseason | Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2
Previous ranking: 30 ↓
Previous ranking: 22 ↓
Is there any chance of the Steelers benching Aaron Rodgers in his final season? (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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Here’s what I can say for Cam Ward in Week 2 versus the Eagles: He didn’t make any egregious mistakes.
That’s progress. It’s what you want from Ward in these circumstances.
Granted, he made plenty of mistakes, with a long list of off-target passes, but he didn’t commit any turnovers. In a game like Sunday’s, which was a one-possession contest for all 60 minutes, that’s a big deal for a young QB.
It’s a sign of maturity. He understood that a turnover would effectively ruin the Titans’ chances.
Ward found several open receivers in the Eagles’ secondary, and I’m 99% sure that he went so far as to complete a no-look pass. His third-quarter scoring drive, which concluded with his rushing touchdown, was one of the more complete series that I’ve seen him play, especially given that it came against the Eagles’ defense. Maybe they’re not all-world, like last year. But they’re still stellar.
Alas, this is still Ward we’re talking about, too. He will regularly surprise you with a throw that’s completely off target. He did that when missing receiver Elic Ayomanor in the end zone during the first quarter. It should’ve been an easy touchdown. Ward’s throw was, frankly, awful. Some might say this is catchable. But it was a fastball behind the receiver — that’s about as hard as an “on target” ball can get.
Ward’s game remains uneven — perhaps even jagged — in his second year. There’s so much talent to shape into an elite quarterback. But there’s so, so, so much work for him and the Titans’ coaching staff to undergo together.
Previous ranking: 19 ↓
Previous ranking: 21 ↓
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Previous ranking: 16 ↓
Last year, it was easy enough to make sense of Justin Herbert’s play, because he was holding up the whole offense — basically on his own. Even as it crumbled around him.
We’re seeing more of that this year. But it also seems like Herbert is buckling under the pressure. And it’s almost hard not to blame the guy after seeing the abomination of an offense he’s running. Here are some of the miscues.
- The Chargers fumbled the ball six times in this game, miraculously losing just one.
- Herbert threw two interceptions. One was flagrantly his fault in the fourth quarter, floating the ball to where a Raiders defender easily made the play. The other was a cartoonish play, in which tight end David Njoku almost caught the ball, only to fall and send the ball flying into the air for an easy pick.
- The Chargers allowed 17 pressures, good (or bad) for 54.8% of Herbert’s dropbacks.
- And in one case, it legitimately looked like a Chargers receiver broke up a pass for his teammate. It was the type of play we grew accustomed to seeing last year, but thought — finally — we would not see this year.
Worst of all, I didn’t see Herbert look resilient or decided within the adversity this week. I noticed him develop pissed off and, on that final choose, I can’t assist however surprise if there weren’t hints of resignation with that second interception on the finish of the sport.
It makes some sense. Like the remainder of us, Herbert had been led to consider this 12 months can be completely different for L.A. However the Chargers proceed to Charger.
It’s now simply Week 3. But it surely’s laborious to consider Herbert and Co. can flip this round. They journey to Buffalo after which Seattle. In Week 5, they host the Broncos earlier than travelling to Kansas Metropolis. After which it’s an “away” sport towards the Rams.
I don’t see the Chargers successful any of the video games.
Earlier rating: 18 ↓
Earlier rating: 17 ↓
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Did Bo Nix and new offensive coordinator Davis Webb unlock one thing within the fourth quarter towards the Jaguars? (Photograph by Justin Edmonds/Getty Photos)
Earlier rating: 15 ↓
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Tyler Shough refused to take detrimental performs towards the Ravens. And never within the silly ways in which plagued him in Week 1, the place that refusal made dangerous performs worse. No, Shough threw away the ball. He scrambled for 1 yard when he appeared useless to rights within the pocket. Heck, he salvaged a yard or two when the rushers acquired him for sacks. And he checked right down to his working backs and tight ends when there was nothing out there downfield.
However that downplays how effectively he dealt with the offense — notably on third down.
On that cash down, he was 9 of 10 for 131 yards. And despite the fact that he completed with seven QB pressures and two sacks on third downs — dealing with a 46.2% blitz price — he managed a completion price of +19.7%. He additionally tried a 30% tight-window price on third down.
That’s legit.
Better of all, he saved his eyes open for large performs. And he discovered them early and sometimes, together with this chunk play to breakout receiver Devaughn Vele.
That is the model of Shough that impressed me a lot throughout his rookie season. He has an understated competence and toughness. And this 12 months, quite than utilizing his instruments to hold round (as he did towards the Lions), I wished to see him elevate to the purpose the place we anticipate the Saints to win shut video games. That’s precisely what he demonstrated in Week 2.
Earlier rating: 11 ↓
Welp, it appears Jordan Love goes to be mired in offensive dysfunction for the foreseeable future. That’s going to muck up his manufacturing — and, this week, it actually mucked up his movie.
Final week, we noticed Love rise above his circumstances to generate spectacular manufacturing. We didn’t see the identical factor In Week 2. It’s kind of a miracle he pulled the Packers out of their nosedive for the win. He remained affected person, even when the offense was largely falling aside round him.
Alongside the best way to a comeback win, he demonstrated some guile. Right here’s an incredible instance (under) the place Love recognized a nook blitz coming in extra time, and he made the Jets pay. He did the laborious work earlier than the snap. He took a one-step drop and floated the ball to area, the place Matthew Golden managed a pleasant catch-and-run on the staff’s final move of the sport.
That is what Love advised me about within the offseason when it comes to beating the blitz with his football IQ. It’s a brand new and essential a part of his toolbox.
Finally, I got here away extra anxious for Love on this win than I used to be in Inexperienced Bay’s Week 1 loss. The offense appeared really dangerous towards the Jets. A few of that was a credit score to their protection, which is pluckier than I anticipated given all of the personnel turnover (from free company and the draft).
However for the Packers, it’s abundantly clear that this isn’t going to be the season the place coach Matt LaFleur can let Love cook dinner, as he playfully promised this preseason. No, they simply should do what they will to maintain Love from getting burned.
Earlier rating: 14 ↑
Earlier rating: 13 ↑
Tom Brady’s LFG Participant of the Recreation: Cowboys’ Dak Prescott 🏆 Week 2
Earlier rating: 10 ↑
Bryce Younger is second within the NFL in passing yards and first in passing touchdowns. He has accomplished 63% of his passes — with only one interception.
Now, I’m not a lot for counting stats as a pure measurement of a QB’s high quality of play. However my goodness, did anybody see this coming? He has been prolific, making an attempt to stay with the Bears within the Week 1 shootout after which completely blowing out the Falcons in Week 2.
He has been downright surgical.
In case you’re rolling your eyes at these counting stats, let’s have a look at two superior stats. His EPA per dropback is .24, seventh within the NFL. And his completion share over anticipated is seventh-best at +8%. He’s solely needed to run the ball 3 times, however he’s gotten a landing and a primary down, rounding out a 66% success price. (Sure, small pattern measurement — after all.)
However he’s not a dink-and-dunk service provider. He’s pushing the ball downfield with cautious ball placement. It has been quietly exceptional.
Now … can he do it towards a really elite protection? That continues to be to be seen.
However Younger is maturing into some of the environment friendly pocket passers within the league — and this extends into final season when he dueled with Matthew Stafford within the playoffs. Younger can use his mobility, however he actually hasn’t needed to this 12 months. He’s in the identical class as Mayfield and Brock Purdy. The knock on these guys is that they’re usually solely nearly as good as their supporting solid. Which isn’t completely true. However they’re all the identical sort. And it’s one that nearly all the time will get underrated. That’s actually true of Younger, whom no one expects will maintain this up.
What if he does? He has the Browns, the Lions, the Eagles and the Bucs within the coming weeks. This may very well be a memorable and shocking begin for the younger QB.
It’s uncommon to see a corporation stick to a man who appeared like Younger appeared in 2024. And get him to the place the Panthers have Younger enjoying in 2026. He won’t ever earn the title of “elite.” However he’s beginning to earn respect across the league.
Earlier rating: 12 ↑
I feel I owe Mahomes an apology.
I didn’t suppose he may do that.
I didn’t suppose, simply 9 months faraway from an ACL harm, he can be serving to the Chiefs appear to be a bona fide top-10 offense. However that’s what he’s executed, with Kansas Metropolis reigniting its passing assault. It began with the run sport and Kenneth Walker III. However that explosiveness has trickled into each ingredient of the offense, which is incrementally testing defensive limits downfield.
Now, to be clear, Week 1 was a low-risk game plan. It was secure. It was conservative. However Week 2? The Chiefs let Mahomes cook dinner.
It culminated in a handful of downfield throws towards the Colts.
You need clutch? Have a look at what Mahomes did to transform a third-and-12 in extra time, threading the ball in between defenders to assist receiver Tyquan Thornton make a simple conversion for 30 yard.
You need arm expertise? Have a look at what Mahomes did on third-and-11 within the third quarter: hitting Thornton on a 45-yard bomb that had pinpoint precision.
One of many throws I preferred most got here within the second quarter. He threw a wonderfully timed in-crossing path to Rashee Rice. The throw’s velocity was extraordinarily spectacular. And Mahomes did it whereas climbing the pocket away from a rusher, which didn’t affect his skill to ship the ball on time.
That appears like a wholesome Mahomes, even with 12 pressures on his dropbacks.
Now, the Colts stink. That’s vital context. I’ve been saying for months that I anticipate them to complete on the backside of the league. Besides, Mahomes was making throws — on the transfer and from mucky pockets — that he had no enterprise making.
He’s again. He’s actually again.
