Rachel Wold
The 2017 NFL season at the halfway mark has been anything but predictable, especially when it comes to the quarterback position. Some of the league’s younger quarterbacks are thriving while veteran signal callers are regressing before our eyes.
In the surprising category, a second-year quarterback has skillfully led his team to a league-best 7-1 record. Meanwhile, there are still two NFL franchises that have yet to scour up one win. We have also witnessed quarterbacks get benched, traded and injured. The injuries in particular are devastating, leaving some very raw backups to assume starting roles.
As the second half of the NFL season gets underway, it is time to check in and see where each team’s quarterback stands in ranking.
32. DeShone Kizer, Cleveland Browns
It would have been a nice change of pace to kick off this list with a team other than the Browns. But as history repeats, the quarterback situation in Cleveland is a dumpster fire. Kizer has been benched as many times as he has thrown a touchdown, which equates to three. Through seven games, those three touchdowns compliment 11 interceptions. He has also lost two fumbles and has a current quarterback rating of 51.1.
31. Drew Stanton, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are not having the best of luck when it comes to injuries. Stanton took over as the starter when Carson Palmer broke his arm in Week 7. In a small sampling of efforts, Stanton completed 5-of-14 passes for 66 yards and an interception. Stanton has been with the Cardinals since 2014, having played in 22 games while starting nine. His numbers are not good. He sports a 66.2 quarterback rating and has nine touchdowns compared to 11 picks. The forecast for the rest of the season looks grim at best considering the Cardinals were already struggling with Palmer on the field.
30. Brett Hundley, Green Bay Packers
Due to another unfortunate quarterback loss, Hundley replaced Aaron Rodgers in Week 6 and what we have witnessed thus far has not been fabulous. Hundley is averaging just 81.3 passing yards per game after completing 52.5 percent of his passes. Then, there are the four interceptions compared to one passing touchdown. Fortunately, Hundley showcases some speed on foot and has tallied 44 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in his two games. With a quarterback rating of just 40.5, the ceiling for Hundley to improve his high.
29. Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears
We would like to see Trubisky higher in this ranking, but two touchdowns compared to four total turnovers in four games prohibits us from rating him any better. The first-round rookie took over as starter in Week 5. Throughout four games, Trubisky has completed just 47.5 percent of his passes for a total of 512 yards. That comes along with 110 rushing yards. To Trubisky’s credit, he does not exactly possess a dazzling cast of pass-catchers. Thanks to a Bears strong run game, Trubisky has been able to keep his head above water.
28. C.J. Beathard, San Francisco 49ers
For the foreseeable future, Beathard will remain the starter. Even after the 49ers traded for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Beathard replaced an ineffective Brian Hoyer back in Week 6. There is definitely a ton of room for Beathard to improve which is why he sits so low on this list. The rookie is completing an average of just 52.7 percent of his passes and has thrown only two touchdowns versus three interceptions. He has also lost two fumbles. These numbers are unarguably bad as the winless 49ers head into the second half of the season.
27. Tom Savage, Houston Texans
It is completely disheartening to have to rank Savage here after news broke that rookie Deshaun Watson tore his ACL and will be out for the rest of the season. But, the reality is, Savage looks to be the starter in Week 9. Savage started in just one game in Week 1 this year when he completed just seven passes for 62 yards and threw an interception. He was then replaced by Watson. If there is anything positive to focus on here, Savage performed quite well in the preseason. He completed 75 percent of his passes and achieved a 102.3 quarterback rating. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins at the time, endorsed Savage as the starter.
26. Trevor Siemian, Denver Broncos
Siemian kicked off the season strong and the Broncos won three of their first four games. During those three wins, Siemian passed for seven touchdowns and threw only two picks. Unfortunately, this is ancient history and Siemian’s performances as of late have been too ghastly to watch. Since returning from his bye, Siemian has thrown for only two touchdowns compared to six interceptions and the Broncos have lost three games in a row. As such, the Broncos decided to bench Siemian in Week 9 and assign Brock Osweiler the start. Though, Osweiler is hardly considered a future lock taking into consideration his terrible play with the Houston Texans last year.
25. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Swimming near the bottom of the barrel of 2017 quarterbacks, Flacco is really performing sub par. About the only positive thing we can point out is Flacco is completing 64 percent of his passes. But, he is averaging a meager 161.2 passing yards per game, which is 34th in the league. Flacco often times appears uncomfortable with almost a deer in the headlights look on his face. It is scary to think he has only thrown six touchdowns which is less than his eight interceptions on record. His 72.3 quarterback rating is the worst of his 10-year career. Fortunately for Flacco, the Ravens aggressive defense helps make up for poor quarterback play on offense.
24. Jay Cutler, Miami Dolphins
The Cutler experiment in Miami has been a volatile one thus far in 2017. Currently, Cutler is on the mend from some cracked ribs and should return to action soon. During his six games under center, Cutler has earned a 78.8 quarterback rating and has passed for seven touchdowns versus five interceptions. Worse, is Cutler is averaging just 165.8 passing yards per contest. Once Cutler gets back on the field, he must improve on these numbers. The team simply cannot trust backup Matt Moore who led a scoreless game in Cutler’s absence in Week 8.
23. Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts had no choice but to insert Brissett into the lineup after Scott Tolzien failed to deliver in Week 1. Brissett is trying, but, he is currently running an uphill race. The former New England Patriots backup quarterback is completing 60.4 percent of his passes and is averaging just 205.2 yards per game. Brissett is struggling to score, having passed for just five touchdowns compared to four interceptions. The talents of wide receiver T.Y. Hilton are wasting away at this point. But, Brissett has the whole second half of the year to launch his career to the next level. The Colts have officially placed quarterback Andrew Luck on IR.
22. Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
Mariota had very high expectations entering the 2017 season. Some people were even talking top-five fantasy quarterback material. This has not exactly happened. Mariota dealt with an injury which is not his fault. But throughout six games, Mariota has passed for only four touchdowns. This matches his four interceptions. Thankfully, Mariota has added three scores on foot. His current quarterback rating of 83.1 pales to last year’s 95.6 rating. Mariota’s 216.8 average yards in passing per game rank him at 24th in this category. There is certainly room to improve. Fortunately, the race to win the AFC South is completely open.
21. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Let’s take a struggling quarterback and eliminate his No. 1 receiver. Newton now enters the second half of the season without Kelvin Benjamin to help. But prior to Benjamin’s departure, Newton’s numbers have not been good. His quarterback rating stands at 79.1 and his 230.1 passing yards per game ranks him at No. 18. In the simply bad category, Newton has 10 passing touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions. The only saving grace is Newton ranks No. 2 among quarterbacks in rushing. He is averaging 31.9 yards per game and has scored three times on the ground. However, Newton needs to beef up his passing game.
20. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
The elephant in the room stat that positions Dalton within the bottom half of this list is his ugly eight interceptions compared to just 11 touchdowns. For a quarterback that houses A.J. Green on the roster, Dalton should have more touchdowns on record. To date, Dalton is completing 63.3 percent of his passes, but is averaging just 229 passing yards per game. This ranks him 21st in that category. We would like to think the lack of Bengals passing touchdowns comes due to a stout run game, but Cincinnati has only scored once on the ground. There are no excuses. Dalton needs to step up his performance.
19. Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars drafted running back Leonard Fournette so Bortles would not have to attempt so many passes and to help cut down on his mistakes. But, this change of game plan has not done much for Bortles’ growth. The fourth-year quarterback is completing only 58.7 percent of his passes. Plus, Bortles has thrown five interceptions in 196 attempts. This equates to a 2.6 interception rate which exactly matches his 2016 interception rate. Bortles can thank his stifling Jaguars defense for having the team in first place. He’s not a major part of it.
18. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are riding first place in the AFC North, but Big Ben has not made this look easy at times. There is an obvious regression taking place and we must point out Roethlisberger’s 10 passing touchdowns do not look very pretty compared to his nine interceptions. Roethlisberger’s current 82.7 quarterback rating is his second-lowest of his 14-year career. The 61.1 percent of completed passes is his lowest since 2007. Roethlisberger is surrounded by some of the most-talented players on offense in the league. We would like to think Big Ben can better take advantage as the second half of the season plays out.
17. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
Goff is a quarterback who can take advantage of a run-heavy attack. But if the offense is forced to switch gears and rely on its passing game, Goff has been completing only 59.9 percent of his passes. That’s not great. Despite progression from last season, Goff has still only thrown nine touchdowns. The good news here is that the Rams are 5-2 heading into Week 9.
16. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
Carr is not exactly exceeding expectations this season. Instead, he is averaging 236.3 passing yards per game which ranks him 16th in this category. He missed one game to due injury and has passed for 12 touchdowns compared to six interceptions in seven contests. His current quarterback rating is 90.9 has to improve in order for the Raiders to get it together after a 3-5 start to the season.
15. Eli Manning, New York Giants
It is always easy to dish on Manning. But the fact is he is completing a career-high 64.2 percent of his passes so far this season. This is notable considering Manning practically lost his whole wide receiving cast this year. He is keeping afloat and has maintained an 86.1 quarterback rating. Manning’s touchdown to interception ratio is 10-to-5 and the scoring side may improve with the return of Sterling Shepard. To date, Manning ranks 22nd in passing yards per game, averaging 228.6. Things could be worse, all considering.
14. Case Keenum, Minnesota Vikings
Keenum is doing an excellent job manning his first-place Vikings. But a scoring machine Keenum is not. Throughout seven contests, Keenum has managed just seven passing touchdowns. Plus, he has three games on the books where he failed to score at all. The Vikings are a run-heavy offense. And that helps Keenum a great deal. But overall, Keenum could stand to improve on his 88.8 quarterback rating and his 6.9 yards per pass. Luckily, Keenum has some great receiving weapons. With a possible returns of Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater looming, Keenum needs to prove he is worthy of keeping his starting job.
13. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Falcons fans are likely disappointed to see Ryan so far down in the rankings. But, a glaring six interceptions compared to a meager nine passing touchdowns is what tanks Ryan’s value. Ryan’s Falcons led the league’s top-scoring offense last year. He is still surrounded with the same talent, so there should be no excuses for Ryan’s lack of touchdowns. A quarterback with Julio Jones as a receiver should be well into the double-digit scoring range by this point. The silver lining here is Ryan is completing 65.9 percent of his passes.
12. Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Winston ranks seventh overall in passing yards per game, averaging 264.7. But turnovers (eight total), take some value away here. On the season, Winston has managed just 10 passing touchdowns, which a little troublesome considering the talent he has at wide receiver and tight end. He is completing 61.8 percent of his passes which is slightly better than last year’s 60.8 percent. There is definitely room for Winston to improve on his 88.3 quarterback rating as the second half of the season unfolds.
11. Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills
On a run-heavy team, Taylor currently averages just 191.9 passing yards per game and has scored only eight times through the air. The positive is Taylor has thrown only two interceptions and is completing 63.8 percent of his passes. Also spiking Taylor up the rankings is the fact he is averaging 25 rushing yards per game. This ranks him fifth among the league’s mobile passers. We are intrigued to see if Taylor steps up his passing game with the addition of wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. He should serve as a red-zone target for Taylor and his 5-2 Bills.
10. Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers
Rivers ranks 12th in passing yards and is averaging 253.5 per game. But, he is struggling at times to connect with his receivers and is completing just 60.5 percent of his passes. His 13 passing touchdowns tie for seventh-best in the league. However, this stat is a bit muddied by the six picks Rivers has thrown. There is definitely room for growth, and fortunately, Rivers is surrounded by talent across the board on offense.
9. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
We are not seeing as many fourth-quarter heroics as we witnessed last year from Stafford. But, the 29-year-old quarterback is still passing for 264.4 yards on average per game which ranks him eighth among the league’s quarterbacks. To his credit, Stafford is keeping his interceptions low. He’s thrown four picks compared to 12 touchdowns. He also boasts a solid 89.6 passer rating.
8. Josh McCown, New York Jets
McCown is certainly not a name anyone would have envisioned within the top 10 at the beginning of September. Instead, he has proved the critics wrong and is completing an impressive 70.5 percent of his passes so far. McCown should be commended for this stat taking into consideration the Jets receiving roster featured a cast nobody barely recognized at the start of the year. McCown has remained healthy — knock on wood — and has passed for 12 touchdowns as well as rushing for two. His seven interceptions is where he falls short. We will see if McCown and his Jets can crawl out of last place as the rest of the year plays out.
7. Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
After a lot of offseason drama regarding Cousins future in Washington, he still remains one of the best passers in the league. Cousins has earned a 103.3 quarterback rating and his completing a stout 67.9 percent of his passes. He does not exactly have a name brand cast of pass-catchers, but Cousins has managed to throw for 13 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions. Mobile at times, Cousins has also scored once on the ground. Cousins orchestrating more wins than losses would help boost Washington up the ranks of the NFC East. But the team’s lack of success is not on him.
6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott was magnificent as a rookie and he is proving that he is still the real deal at the season’s halfway point. Calm under pressure, Prescott’s quarterback rating is 96.6 and he is completing 62.8 percent of his passes. The sophomore quarterback has also passed for 14 touchdowns and has only thrown four picks. Prescott also has three rushing touchdowns, which ties a few other quarterbacks atop the league. In rushing, Prescott is averaging 24 yards per game. This might increase once the team starts playing without running back Ezekiel Elliott. With or without Elliott, Prescott should continue playing at a high level.
5. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Wilson tends to start out a little sluggish at the beginning of the year, only to push things into overdrive right about the midseason point. Wilson is averaging 286.9 per game. This ranks him second in the NFL. He has also passed for 15 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions, while completing 63.6 percent of his passes. Meanwhile, Wilson also leads the Seahawks in rushing with 194 yards and one touchdown on record. Those yards rank him No. 4 among this year’s mobile quarterbacks. The Wilson train is flying full steam ahead as the Seahawks reside at 5-2 in the NFC West.
4. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
As the second-oldest active quarterback in the NFL, Brees is still performing strong and his Saints are enjoying first place in the NFC South. The future Hall of Famer is completing a league-best 70.6 percent of his passes so far on the season. He sports a 101.7 quarterback rating as a result. Brees is maintaining a nice tempo with his running backs, but still passing for 278.7 yards on average per game. Though, we would like to see an uptick in his passing touchdowns from a middling 11 thus far. Though, he’s also just thrown four picks in nearly 250 pass attempts. Not too bad.
3. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
It is only appropriate that we rank the quarterback with the with an NFL-best 7-1 record high up on our list. Wentz has evolved tremendously in his sophomore season and ties Deshaun Watson with 19 passing touchdowns. The second-year quarterback has accomplished this while only getting intercepted five times in 264 passing attempts. His current quarterback rating is 101.6. Wentz has also excelled as a mobile playmaker and his 203 rushing yards rank him No. 3 among the league’s quarterbacks. There is little to suggest that Wentz has hit his plateau. He should continue with his exceptional level of play as the season plays out.
2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Tom Terrific currently leads the league with 317.6 passing yards per game. He is the only quarterback at this point averaging 300-plus passing yards per contest. Brady has also thrown 16 touchdowns versus only two interceptions. His quarterback rating is the second-best in the NFL at 106.5. This is all not too shabby considering Brady is playing without Julian Edelman and never quite has a healthy crew of pass-catchers on hand. But, dealing with adversity and turning it into success is why Brady is in a class above the rest.
Honorable Mention: Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
Watson’s brilliant rookie season was cut abruptly short after he tore his ACL in practice prior to Week 9. But, we must touch on Watson’s stunning accomplishments throughout seven games. Watson can claim bragging rights for 19 passing touchdowns, which ties Wentz for a league high. The young quarterback was also electric on his feet and averaged a league-best 38.4 rushing yards per game on top of two rushing touchdowns. Watson will close his season with an impressive quarterback rating of 103 which would have been higher had he not thrown eight interceptions. Overall, we would have ranked Watson No. 4 on this list. We wish Watson the best for a speedy recovery.
Honorable Mention: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Another unfortunate injury calls for us to recognize the stellar work of Rodgers. The future Hall of Fame quarterback ended his season with an overall quarterback rating of 103.2. Rodgers averaged 272.4 passing yards per contest over the six complete games he played. Along the way, Rodgers threw for 13 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Possessing mobile skills, Rodgers kept up with the best of them and rushed for an average of 4.6 yards on 18 attempts. Before his injury, Rodgers led his Packers to a 4-1 record. He would have ranked No. 3 on this list as a result of his expert accomplishments. Rodgers also has our best wishes as he recovers from a broken clavicle.
1. Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
We have finally arrived at our No. 1 quarterback. Smith, for his superior play, has earned a league-high 115.4 quarterback rating. The checkdown king has improved drastically in his deep passing game and is averaging 8.4 yards per pass. This also represents a league-best. Smith also sports the highest passer rating when it comes to plays 20-plus yards down the field. As for touchdowns, Smith has passed for 16 compared to ZERO interceptions. Mobile as well, Smith ranks seventh in quarterback rushing yards with 154 on the books, including one rushing touchdown. Smith’s Chiefs (6-2) own first place in the AFC West. And without a doubt, he is No. 1 in our book.
