There were some terrible NFL quarterback performances during Sunday’s Week 3 action. That included second-year Chicago Bears signal caller Justin Fields failing to complete double-digit passes for the third consecutive game to open the 2022 season.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston also struggled with mistakes in his team’s loss to the Carolina Panthers, throwing two more interceptions. Meanwhile, Jimmy Garoppolo was downright atrocious for the San Francisco 49ers in his starting debut for the season. These are among the five worst NFL quarterback performances from Sunday’s Week 3 action.
Related: NFL offensive rankings
Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints
Fresh off a three-interception performance in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Winston was back to making mistake after mistake against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The former No.1 pick threw two more picks and put the ball on the turf another two times. While one of the picks was a Hail Mary to conclude the game, Winston’s struggles have been real.
- Jameis Winston stats (2022): 63% completion, 858 yards, 4 TD, 5 INT, 3 fumbles, 79.6 QB rating
We can’t blame New Orleans’ lack of skill-position talent for these struggles, either. The team added Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry to the mix. It also picked up former Ohio State star Chris Olave in the first-round of the 2022 NFL Draft and returned record-breaking pass-catcher Michael Thomas after he missed the entire 2021 campaign. Simply put, this is on Winston regardless of whether he keeps the starting job.
Related: NFL quarterback rankings for 2022
Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders
We have to be fair here. Wentz found himself sacked nine times and hit a total of 17 times against a ridiculous Philadelphia Eagles defense during Week 3 of the NFL season. He just didn’t have time to throw the ball. That’s what makes it so difficult to have Wentz on this list following Sunday’s action.
“Any time there’s a number like that, that is not the O-line. That is not on the O-line. I got to be better,” Wentz said about taking nine sacks.
When the veteran quarterback did have some time, he missed open receivers. Wentz completed 25-of-43 passes with 153 net passing yards while losing a fumble. This represented Wentz’s first real struggles as the Commanders’ starting quarterback after throwing seven touchdowns against three interceptions in the first two games of the NFL season.
Related: 5 worst NFL quarterback performances from Week 2
Joe Flacco, New York Jets
Despite last week’s four-touchdown performance in a comeback win over the Cleveland, having Joe Flacco throw the ball 40-plus times is not ideal. Playing from behind against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, that’s exactly the situation Flacco found himself in. The end result was not great.
What was Flacco thinking here? Throwing it late and down the middle into triple coverage is not ideal. It was one of two interceptions Flacco had as he attempted 52 pass attempts. He also lost two fumbles in a disastrous all-around performance en route to New York losing by the score of 27-12. The good news for Robert Saleh’s squad? Starter Zach Wilson is expected to return for Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Related: 5 worst NFL quarterback performances of Week 1
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
It’s amazing how the Chicago Bears have found a way to start 2-1 with their quarterback looking the part of an amateur. Sunday’s 23-20 win over the Houston Texans added another layer to this. Fields completed 8-of-17 passes for 106 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. The former Ohio State star also fumbled the ball two times, proving himself to be unworthy of a starting role in the NFL. He’s been absolutely brutal through the first three games of the season.
- Justin Fields stats (2022): 51% completion, 297 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT, 50.0 QB rating
“Straight up, I played likeー I want to say the ‘a’ word, but I won’t, so I’ll say I just played like trash. Played terrible, and really just gotta be better.”
Chicago Bears’ Justin Fields on Week 3 performance
You think? Just how bad has the Bears’ passing attack been through the first two games of the season? Fields has 235 net passing yards. Talk about setting an NFL offense back a century. And in reality, there’s not much confidence in a turn around.
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
Making his first start of the season in injured quarterback Trey Lance’s stead, Garoppolo started out hot against the Denver Broncos. He completed 8-of-10 to open things up, including a touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk. From there, it will all downhill for Jimmy Garoppolo.
The veteran quarterback completed just 10-of-19 passes with an interception and a lost fumble to close things out. In a game that saw San Francisco’s elite defense hold Russell Wilson and Co. in check for the most part, it was the 49ers’ offense that held this team back in a big way. And once star left tackle Trent Williams went down to injury, pressure in Garoppolo’s face made for disaster through the air. That included taking a safety after stepping out in the end zone in what end up being a one-point loss. We’re not sure where Jimmy GQ goes from here.