Henry McKenna
NFL reporter
You can perceive why Jim Harbaugh was shocked after the Chargers beat the Bengals. He was actually leaping and screaming with pleasure after the sport within the locker room.
It shouldn’t be attainable to depart the AFC with out it a superhuman at QB.
That’s what the Chargers have in Justin Herbert.
Now, was Joe Burrow the higher quarterback within the matchup? YES. But his staff’s incompetence neutralized Burrow’s MVP efforts, whereas the Chargers did the whole lot they might to set Herbert up for fulfillment. And that is why LA is a official contender within the AFC: due to Harbaugh and due to Herbert.
Welcome again to QB Stock Market, the place we weight the newest performances with an significance of 30%, whereas making use of 70% to the remainder of 2024. One query issues above all others: what have you ever performed on your staff currently?
Previous weeks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo payments (⬆️ 1)
Allen simply wants one Super Bowl.
He’s a very nice quarterback and not using a championship. It’s a paradox.
Since Week 1 of 2023, Allen has been a greater QB than Mahomes. I maintain going forwards and backwards on who the most effective QB on the planet is Right now – it is a rotation between Lamar Jackson and Allen. One of them will win the MVP.
But that is virtually a moot level. Most importantly: This period of quarterbacks shall be outlined by what number of Super Bowls they take away from Mahomes. And to this point, Allen is nearly as good as anybody at beating Mahomes… within the common season. Allen is 4-1 towards Mahomes from Weeks 1 by 17, however is 1-3 within the postseason. Now, that is not good. But he is a lot better than Lamar, who’s 1-5 towards Mahomes total.
It’s time, Josh. Forget the MVP. Focus on the postseason. Get rid of that He hasn’t gained a Super Bowl asterisk. There is greatness on this staff and this quarterback. It’s time they realized this.
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Crows (⬇️ 1)
3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (↔)
4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (⬆️ 1)
5. Jalen hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (⬇️ 1)
6. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (⬆️ 3)
7. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (⬆️ 1)
8. Yours Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (⬆️7)
9. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (⬆️2)
10. Jayden Daniels, Washington commanders (⬇️4)
11. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (⬇️4)
Mahomes has been enjoying with hearth so lengthy we thought he would by no means get burned.
But it lastly occurred.
Has he grow to be a little bit boastful?
Probably so.
The Chiefs have achieved victories regardless of Mahomes’ uneven season. KC has, in a way, strengthened Mahomes’ overly aggressive choice making as a result of the protection and particular groups saved the QB from himself. But with Allen on the opposite finish, Mahomes could not get away along with his careless play.
It might not be mentioned a lot, however that first interception was the Chiefs’ greatest mistake of the sport. They could not overcome it. Mahomes threw the ball within the air whereas being tackled on the opening drive of the sport and the Bills caught it. Allen then did poorly, with a landing on the subsequent drive. Everyone will fixate on the Bills QB’s beautiful fourth-down conversion, which was the decisive second to seal the sport. But Mahomes could not pull off his heroics within the fourth quarter as a result of he let the Bills construct a lead that even he could not overcome.
Of course it is not over.
During the postgame handshake, Mahomes advised Allen, “We’ll do it once more, honey.” And then within the locker room after the sport, the Chiefs gamers mentioned to one another, “Remember this sense.”
When? In the postseason, in fact. When these two groups will play once more.
Watch out, Buffalo: Mahomes will not behave subsequent time.
12. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (⬆️ 5)
13. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (⬇️ 3)
14. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (⬆️2)
15. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans (⬇️ 3)
16. BoNix, Denver Broncos (⬆️ 6)
In Week 8, when Nix performed the Panthers, I wished to see the rookie uncork it. I wished to see him create and exploit the downfield seams towards a good protection. Most of all, I wished to see a wave of progress. And I did not see a lot of it, which was a disappointment given how dangerous that protection was and is.
Well, it took three extra weeks, however I noticed all of that towards the Falcons. I’m not saying we noticed shades of Drew Brees. But I’m not Not saying this.
It helped that Atlanta struggled to generate strain. Nix had loads of clear pockets. It helped that Atlanta’s protection allowed the third-most passing touchdowns, seventh-most passing yards and highest completion share within the NFL. Make no mistake: This protection is actually dangerous. But Nix made positive everybody knew. There was one near-perfect throw, a 33-yard strike between 4 defenders to receiver Devaughn Vele.
Nix’s progress has been incremental. But he lives the cliché of bettering 1% each time he takes the sphere. And that might make him a reasonably harmful pocket passer as he beneficial properties extra expertise. Because Nix is processing shortly and decisively. If that sort of participant begins to find that he has”the answers to the test,” as Tom Brady as soon as mentioned, he might be completely unstoppable in the suitable system.
17. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (⬆️ 1)
18. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (⬇️ 5)
19. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (↔)
20. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (⬇️ 6)
I believe Kirk Cousins is getting worse.
It occurred in the course of the Falcons’ loss to the Broncos. It occurred this season. In explicit, he struggled with strain on Sunday. His -1.84 EPA per drop beneath strain in Week 11 was the bottom mark of any QB in a recreation this season, in accordance with Next Gen Stats.
We have not thought a lot about Michael Penix since Week 1. But the outbreak was so dangerous this week that Penix took the sphere. And given the Falcons’ 6-5 document and Cousins’ 11 turnovers on the yr, I sincerely surprise if Atlanta might move on their rookie within the coming weeks. Just to see if there’s extra juice to squeeze out of this crime.
Cousins has had some sensible performances this season. And this made it tough to contemplate changing it with Penix. And there weren’t many completely terrible performances. But towards the Broncos, Cousins was the worst model of himself.
21. Derek Carr, Saints of New Orleans (↔)
22. Drake May, New England Patriots (⬇️ 2)
23. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts (new)
His first shot of the sport reminded him what he might do. Why Indy selected him.
With a rusher coming instantly at Richardson from contained in the pocket, the Colts QB threw a ball downfield to Josh Downs, who made a 31-yard diving reception. Huge play and Indy was out and working.
This was one of the crucial full and spectacular video games of Richardson’s profession.
There had been flaws, in fact. That first throw to Downs, if it had landed extra, might have been a landing. On his second shot of the sport — Richardson was rolling left subsequent to Kylen Granson — he struggled to show his hips to finish the move and air the ball. There is proof that Richardson nonetheless lacks pocket presence and situational consciousness. But that is what we count on from him at this level in his improvement.
With Richardson, it may be a curler coaster. Definitely for now and doubtless ceaselessly. (This is Josh Allen’s seventh season, and he is simply beginning to keep away from the colossal errors that shut down an offense.) But I wish to see Indy commit deeply to working with Richardson, just like the Bills did with Allen. The Colts are anticipated to signal Zach Ertz and/or Mike Gesicki this offseason. Or perhaps they should draft a good conclusion. But they should proceed giving him nice targets to offer the ball to, like Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce.
This was not a career-changing efficiency for Richardson. But it was extra of a gaming expertise. And on Sunday he made many extra optimistic performs than damaging ones. This is a step ahead.
24. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans (⬇️ 1)
25. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (↔)
26. James Winston, Cleveland Browns (↔)
27. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (↔)
28. Aaron Rodgers, New York jet (⬇️4)
I believe three issues are true.
1) If the Jets offensive line performed higher, Rodgers would look higher.
2) He is now not the identical man after his Achilles tendon harm. (And one might argue that it wasn’t the identical man Before the intense harm.)
3) Even if the Jets gave him a greater offensive line and waited for him to get well extra totally, I’m unsure he is a adequate quarterback to justify the whole lot the Jets gave him – and may proceed giving him 2025.
The Jets had been justified in giving Rodgers an opportunity earlier than the harm. And they had been justified in committing to him this yr.
But now? Another yr looks as if a waste.
With the firing of Joe Douglas on Tuesday, the Jets are searching for a brand new coach and common supervisor. They cannot get slowed down in making these hires primarily based on what Rodgers desires. It’s a tricky tablet to swallow, having invested all this money and time for simply two forgettable years of Rodgers. But if the roster is — as proprietor Woody Johnson has mentioned — one of the crucial gifted Jets groups ever, then this is likely one of the most disappointing Jets groups ever. It’s a profound superlative for the league’s most disappointing franchise.
Bringing him again is not sensible. It’s time to chop your losses. The Rodgers period was yet one more sunk value (in an period of sunk prices) for Johnson. Bring ahead no matter comes subsequent.
29. Gardner Minshew, Raiders of Las Vegas (⬆️ 1)
30. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys (⬆️ 1)
31. MacJones, The Jacksonville Jaguars (⬇️ 3)
32. Daniel Jones, Giants of New York (↔)
Before becoming a member of FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years protecting the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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