NFL QB Index, Week 6: Joe Burrow No. 2; Jayden Daniels knocking on door of top five

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NOTE: Up/down arrows illustrate movement from the Week 5 QB Index.

Rank

Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens · Year 7

We saw how the Ravens can beat you on the ground in their dominant win over Buffalo. Now we’ve seen how, with Jackson leading the charge, they can beat you through the air, too. Jackson hit them short, intermediate and deep, flinging the ball with ease in a fireworks-filled divisional showdown with the Bengals along the Ohio River. He ran on occasion, gaining 55 yards on 12 carries, but this game was all about Jackson’s ability to throw — and to evade the rush. Every time I watch the Ravens, I marvel over how difficult Jackson is to bring down. Sam Hubbard learned the hard way on a fourth-quarter play, when he failed at multiple chances to sack Jackson and was left to watch him toss an incredibly unlikely touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely. That was the leading highlight on a spectacular day.

Rank

Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals · Year 5

Burrow’s meeting with Jackson’s Ravens felt like a 12-round heavyweight title bout. Burrow was sharp and largely composed, making only one mistake: a fourth-quarter interception that afforded the Ravens a chance to tie the game and send it to overtime. But Burrow had already earned plenty of goodwill with his earlier heroics, including his rainbow touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase just before halftime and a similarly high-arcing toss to Andrei Iosivas to set up another score. Like in most Bengals games this season, Cincinnati needed all 392 of Burrow’s passing yards (and his five passing touchdowns) to have a chance to win. He once again did more than his part, and despite their 1-4 record, he’s playing some of the best football of his career.

Rank

Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs · Year 8

Stat-sheet scanners might claim Mahomes is having a bad year, but the tape tells a different story. Consider the situation: Mahomes has lost two of his top receivers, forcing him to work with a bunch of secondary (at best) options outside of Travis Kelce — yet, he still found a way to throw for 331 yards on Monday night. He also made his usual Mahomes magic, extending plays before finding open targets. Even when he missed on a few occasions (including in the red zone), he had the fortitude to keep pushing, going back to JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 50-yard completion right after Smith-Schuster dropped a would-be touchdown, resulting in an interception that unfairly went under Mahomes’ name. The quarterback’s scramble for a first down on third-and-9 effectively ended New Orleans’ hopes of a comeback and capped an impressive night. Mahomes is making plays that don’t quite show up in the box score but have kept the Chiefs undefeated.

Rank

Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills · Year 7

The final passing line for Allen from the Week 5 loss to Houston — 9 for 30 — is indeed shocking. The tape, however, wasn’t all that unique. After they came back from a 20-3 deficit, the Bills essentially drifted away from their strength and moved too close to the kind of play that plagued them in the final weeks of the Ken Dorsey era in 2023. Let’s not gloss over Allen’s uncharacteristic inaccuracy; he missed a wide-open Mack Hollins early in the first quarter and didn’t complete a pass to the veteran offseason addition until the fourth time he targeted him. He also didn’t get much help from the rest of his teammates, who struggled to catch on-target passes at times. Allen took his usual risks, underthrowing Dalton Kincaid down the seam and attempting a hero throw that was nearly intercepted just before halftime. In fact, that was how I defined his day: Allen was stuck playing hero ball for far too long. We can debate Buffalo’s strategy inside the final minute, but two of his three throws weren’t bad decisions. The Bills just didn’t execute. I can confidently guarantee we won’t see another 9 for 30 day from Allen for quite some time.

Rank

C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans · Year 2

If any game has defined the Texans through five weeks, it was their Week 5 win over Buffalo. Stroud was spectacular early, launching a few beauties through (and over) coverage, connecting with Nico Collins for a majestic 67-yard touchdown and helping build a 17-3 lead going into the break. But he also made some rare mistakes, like when he threw a pass toward Stefon Diggs into coverage for an easy interception and was flagged for intentional grounding on a play that knocked the Texans out of field-goal range in the fourth quarter. Then there was his fumble late in the fourth that led to a game-tying field goal for the Bills. Luckily, Stroud did a great job of operating a frantic final-minute drive to set up Ka’imi Fairbairn‘s game-winning kick, saving himself from having to answer for those few miscues.

Rank

Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders · Rookie

Daniels is cruising toward the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and might even enter the NFL MVP conversation before long. For the first time in his career, he was held to a sub-70 percent completion rate, and it didn’t hurt Washington one bit. Daniels is operating Kliff Kingsbury’s offense masterfully, using his legs and talented arm to propel the Commanders to new heights. After a bumpy start, he dominated Cleveland’s defense, launching a beautiful strike to Dyami Brown for a decisive touchdown before halftime. He finished with 238 passing yards and led the team in rushing; his only miscue was an interception thrown in the red zone. Otherwise, he was fantastic, per usual.

Rank

Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys · Year 9

The win over the Steelers had everything you’ve come to expect from Prescott: great throws, play extension, key completions in huge spots and brutal interceptions. Prescott’s first pick seemed to result from some sort of miscommunication with CeeDee Lamb. The second was on a totally unnecessary shot taken in the fourth quarter of a game the Cowboys had a chance to put away with a methodical scoring drive. But Prescott came through in the clutch, leading a 15-play, 70-yard possession that expertly drained the remaining clock and ended with a courageous touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert with the game on the line. You’ll take the bad with the good, I guess. It’s certainly better than some of the performances lesser quarterbacks produce on a weekly basis.

Rank

Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks · Year 12

The Seahawks had one of the most explosive passing offenses in the NFL through the first four weeks, but in Week 5, things changed. With New York’s front four causing havoc, everything seemed especially difficult for Seattle — but not because of Smith. He still threw for 284 yards and a touchdown against the Giants, and he likely would have led a game-winning drive late had Jaxon Smith-Njigba not dropped an on-target pass on third down. Just before that possession, Smith had led a 14-play, 95-yard scoring drive that ended in a touchdown pass to Smith-Njigba to give the Seahawks hope. This time around, his teammates failed him.

THURSDAY NIGHT UPDATE: It was another week in which Seattle’s nonexistent run game forced the quarterback to throw a ton of passes. Smith tried his best, completing 30 of his 52 attempts for 312 yards and a touchdown, nearly leading the Seahawks back from the brink. But Geno’s two interceptions — including a costly fourth-quarter pick — proved to be too much to overcome in a 12-point loss to San Francisco.

Rank

Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Year 7

Mayfield is in the perfect situation in this offense, which suits his skillset remarkably well. The Bucs started their Week 5 game with four straight scoring drives (three touchdowns, one field goal), and Mayfield’s connection with Mike Evans is as strong as ever. Mayfield’s second touchdown pass was perfectly placed outside coverage to an open Evans, but the first scoring toss was the most impressive. Mayfield rolled right on a play-action boot and flowed toward the sideline with the rest of the offense while keeping his eyes on the inside of the field, where he found Evans, who had snuck through the coverage from the backside for a wide-open score. With his ability to open his hips toward his left and deliver on a cross-body throw, Mayfield’s effort on that play strongly resembled what we’ve seen from another star quarterback: Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. Mayfield continues to operate at an incredibly high level. The loss wasn’t on the quarterback, who has elevated the offense on a near-weekly basis.

Rank

Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers · Year 3

First, the good from the Week 5 loss to Arizona: Purdy finally rekindled his connection with Brandon Aiyuk, hooking up with the receiver six times for 115 yards in the first half. Purdy also engineered a number of lengthy drives that suggested the 49ers were going to cruise to victory — but he struggled to finish them off with touchdowns. Neither of his interceptions were entirely his fault: one was deflected at the line of scrimmage, while the other was the product of Jalen Thompson hitting him as he threw. Having said that, Purdy wasn’t as sharp as he usually is, which underscores the odd place the 49ers are in through five weeks. The loss wasn’t on him, but a 19-of-35 final line doesn’t track with his usual performances, either.

THURSDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Purdy put together another nice performance on the prime-time stage, dancing around the pocket early while keeping his eyes downfield, ultimately completing 18 of his 28 passes for 255 yards (a robust 9.1 yards per attempt). Sharp throws to George Kittle on third down produced two of his three touchdown passes on a fine night for the quarterback in a 36-24 win over the rival Seahawks.

Rank

Jared Goff

Detroit Lions · Year 9

Goff picked a great time to post a perfect game, entering the bye on the heels of an 18-for-18 showing that gave the Lions a boost heading into their week off. We know what needs to be true for him to succeed: Detroit must have a threatening run game, protect him and allow him to cook, which he did in Week 4. It hasn’t been the smoothest ride for Goff so far this season, but because the most recent results tend to matter the most, Goff is likely feeling good going into their Week 6 meeting with Dallas.

Rank

Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals · Year 6

It sure helps when the running game starts to work for the Cardinals. Murray got things going with an electric read option that he knew was good for a touchdown when he was still 45 yards away from paydirt. He then settled into similar struggles that have plagued the Cardinals in recent weeks through the rest of the first half (including a rare Nick Bosa interception of a screen pass attempt). Murray and the Cardinals recovered, though, and when given a chance to win the game, Murray heaved a desperate throw off his back foot on fourth down, finding Marvin Harrison Jr. for a clutch completion to keep the drive alive. Murray was sharp in the second half against the 49ers, powering a balanced comeback effort that included some key throws but didn’t require him to play hero alone. That’s when the Cardinals and Murray are truly at their best.

Rank

Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams · Year 16

Stafford is fighting an uphill battle with the Rams’ current situation, but he’s managing to help them stay competitive with his generally sharp passing and experienced handling of the job. That doesn’t mean it’s without blemish, though. The interception he threw on a deep attempt toward Tutu Atwell never really had a chance (even if it made some sense when he loaded up to fire), and the Rams’ struggles in the red zone early cost them against the Packers. He still played well, leading a touchdown drive late in the fourth, and nearly had them in position to potentially take the lead when the Rams’ shorthanded reality ruined their hopes. Stafford took a tough sack on that final drive, and with the rush bearing down on him, he left his throw to Colby Parkinson a bit too wide, resulting in an incompletion and turnover on downs. The going will remain difficult without Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp and a significant portion of the offensive line, but Stafford deserves credit for still trying to throw them to victory.

Rank

Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons · Year 13

After a few weeks of up-and-down performances in the passing game, Cousins stepped up to the challenge last Thursday night, carrying the load in a three-level passing attack that saw him complete 42 of 58 throws. He started quickly, feasting on a Tampa Bay defense that was surprisingly susceptible over the middle of the field. He threw a perfectly placed touchdown pass to Darnell Mooney and ended on a high note, engineering an improbable nine-play, 46-yard drive to set up a game-tying field goal to send the contest to overtime. With the momentum on his side, Cousins kept letting it fly in the face of pressure before taking a quick drop, firing a pass to KhaDarel Hodge on a hitch, and watching Hodge do the rest of the work for a 45-yard walk-off touchdown. Cousins appears to be throwing more with his arm than using his plant leg to drive the ball, but he has adjusted well, putting his full effort into every throw to get the ball to his target on time. It resulted in a 500-yard night for the veteran, and yet another last-second, heart-stopping win for the 3-2 Falcons.

Rank

Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings · Year 7

For the first time in 2024, Darnold looked more like the previous version of himself that we knew all too well prior to this season. After taking a 10-point lead via a Will Reichard field goal, Darnold had a chance to lead a long drive to ice the game against the Jets. Instead, he attempted the same throw down the seam to Jordan Addison that he’d hit Jalen Nailor on for a huge completion in a win over San Francisco. This time around, it was picked off and appeared on the surface like an unnecessary risk. He finished without a touchdown pass, fumbled away possession and found much of the going to be rather difficult, proving even a darling like Darnold is human. I’m interested to see if he bounces back after the bye, or if it’s the start of an undesirable regression.

Rank

Joe Flacco

Indianapolis Colts · Year 17

If you thought 2023 was a fluke, boy, were you wrong. On a day when the Colts were expected to operate a largely one-dimensional offense with Jonathan Taylor inactive, Flacco proved he can still sling it, throwing for 359 yards and using his arm to throw the Colts back into a game that seemed all but lost in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. His heroics were truly awesome, as he hooked up with Alec Pierce for two big completions (including one touchdown) in the final five minutes and capped a day that required the 39-year-old to attempt 44 passes, stand tall in a pocket that seemed to constantly collapse around him and find a way to keep the Colts in the game. It’s clear he loves Josh Downs, who finished with nine catches for 69 yards, but it’s even more obvious that Flacco can still get the job done at a remarkable rate. His touchdown pass to Mo Alie-Cox was the stuff of greatness, throwing away from a defender to a place where only his former basketball-playing teammate could leap up to grab it. He made great plays all day, including a two-snap sequence in which he threw out of a sack for a positive gain, then scrambled for a first down. Flacco even tossed an early touchdown pass under pressure on fourth-and-goal to Michael Pittman Jr. The only missing detail from his great performance: a win. The Colts don’t come close to sniffing a victory in Week 5 without the veteran, that’s for sure.

Rank

Jordan Love

Green Bay Packers · Year 5

Love hasn’t been incredibly consistent since returning from an MCL sprain, but the highlights sure are spectacular. His early deep pass to Jayden Reed in a win over the Rams should be a candidate for both throw and catch of the year. His pick-six, which Love threw out of desperation, was one of the worst throws you’ll see. He’s been a mixed bag in the last two weeks, which is largely reflected in his passing line. But if there’s any time to work out the kinks, it’s in the first half of the regular season.

Rank

Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles · Year 5

I’m concerned about where the Eagles’ offense is headed. When Saquon Barkley isn’t thriving, far too much is being asked of Hurts. He’s holding the ball for quite a long time, especially in the last two games, when he’s played largely without his top two receiving options. Perhaps the expected Week 6 return of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith will give Hurts the relief he needs, but he hasn’t been able to do much to push Philadelphia forward without his best mates.

Rank

Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets · Year 20

Rodgers is being asked to create too much for the personnel with which he’s working, and even when he tries to put his Hall of Fame brushstrokes on a game, his teammates aren’t holding up their end of the deal. Sure, Rodgers attempts some nearly impossible throws, like in Week 5 when he tried to squeeze a pass through a window that was about the size of a fist to Allen Lazard, but it’s clear he’d benefit from another talented pass-catcher (Davante Adams, anyone?). He nearly led the Jets to a comeback win against the Vikings, but he also got caught in a bad spot on Andrew Van Ginkel‘s 63-yard pick-six, sailed a pass over Lazard for an INT and made a throw to Mike Williams that didn’t have much of a chance of being completed in the final minute. Everything seems difficult for him right now, especially with the Jets’ running game proving to be nonexistent. He’ll have a new play-caller in Week 6, and the QB could definitely use some help (outside of Garrett Wilson).

Rank

Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints · Year 11

Carr looked downright uncomfortable on Monday night, appearing sped up by Steve Spagnuolo’s defense for significant stretches of the prime-time affair in Kansas City. He did have some bright moments, like when he connected with Rashid Shaheed for a 43-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field, but struggled mightily when hunting for big plays, completing just 2 of 9 passes of 15-plus air yards for 64 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His pick was intended to land out of bounds, but ended up killing the Saints’ first drive of the night, and while he was effective inside 15 air yards (16 of 17 for 101 yards and one touchdown) and did well statistically when pressured (9 of 14, 101 yards, two touchdowns and one interception), the explosive Saints offense we saw in the first two weeks is missing. Worse yet, Carr suffered an oblique injury late in the game, which is expected to sideline him for multiple weeks. Rookie Spencer Rattler is getting the start for the Saints this week.

Rank

Justin Fields

Pittsburgh Steelers · Year 4

Fields wasn’t at his best against the Cowboys, throwing for just 131 yards, but he did toss a couple of touchdown passes and led a truly impressive scoring drive that appeared to position the Steelers for another thrilling win. Outside of that, he left plenty to be desired. Fields fired at least three turnover-worthy passes, but lucked out because Cowboys defenders dropped the would-be interceptions. On a wet night in Pittsburgh, his accuracy was lacking, but he still did a good job of operating Pittsburgh’s low-ceiling offense. It’s a shame the Steelers didn’t turn their takeaways into more points, something that could be blamed on Fields. Wise observers know it was about much more than the quarterback, though.

Rank

Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars · Year 4

Lawrence looked much more comfortable operating the offense in Week 5, only occasionally appearing frantic in the pocket. He could have thrown his 85-yard touchdown pass to Brian Thomas Jr. in his sleep — that’s how wide open Thomas was on his slot fade. Lawrence did throw an interception into double coverage, but when asked to deliver, he came through, firing an absolute rocket into the back corner of the end zone that required tight end Brenton Strange to leap into the air to haul it in. Lawrence closed the game with a clutch showing we haven’t seen from him in quite some time, doing a great job of sensing pressure and finding Christian Kirk for a key first down that set up Jacksonville’s game-winning field goal. He owes Tank Bigsby a steak dinner for his contributions, but for the first time in 2024, Lawrence was finally good enough to push the Jaguars over the top for a victory.

Rank

Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers · Year 5

Prior to the Chargers’ Week 5 bye, Herbert was dealing with a difficult situation. He had lost both of his starting offensive tackles to injury, exposing the QB to more pressure and contact while dealing with an ankle injury that has hindered his mobility. Herbert looked better in Week 4, and hopefully the bye will bring him to a better place health-wise, but we haven’t seen him unleash passes consistently over four quarters yet this season.

Rank

Daniel Jones

New York Giants · Year 6

Jones is quietly settling into a rather productive, composed version of himself after five weeks. Last week’s win over the Seahawks was one of the best performances of Jones’ career. He led a couple of surprisingly explosive touchdown drives, including a four-play, 77-yard sprint that saw him connect with Darius Slayton on a perfect throw down the sideline for a gain of 41. Three plays later, Jones found Slayton again for a 30-yard touchdown, his second scoring toss of the day. Jones finally appears comfortable, navigating the pocket effectively and using his physical talents to his advantage. It helps when the Giants run the ball well, too, but this is not a case of Jones just writing his name on the class project and turning it in. He definitely did his part.

Rank

Caleb Williams

Chicago Bears · Rookie

The Bears’ rout of the Panthers was another very encouraging day for Williams, who is now enjoying the benefit of a strong running game, improved pass blocking and the blossoming of passing concepts that are producing scoring opportunities in Shane Waldron’s offense. This is allowing Williams to show off his talent. He has a rocket for an arm that results in some jaw-dropping passes, and his ability to keep plays alive results in some of the most thrilling extended plays in the NFL. My only gripe with Williams is that he seems to freeze at times when going through his progressions before unleashing a throw. His feet become almost stationary, which will cause problems against better pass rushes. Luckily, it doesn’t happen too often, and when he has to escape pressure, he’s among the best in the NFL. He’s becoming a fun watch after proving to be a painful one in his first few games.

Rank

Andy Dalton

Carolina Panthers · Year 14

Dalton’s resurgence was probably short-lived. We could have guessed this, considering his age and track record, but after an impressive first start, Dalton has fallen back to earth and isn’t impressing anyone. It didn’t come as a surprise against a Bears defense that has been incredibly opportunistic, but the results were even worse than expected. His interception came on a throw that never made sense, a deep pass over the middle of the field that made for an easy pick for Kevin Byard. Dalton finished with 136 passing yards, which felt right for such an uneven performance. It didn’t help that the Panthers lost two fumbles, but Dalton is no longer the same source of hope he was just a few weeks ago. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Dave Canales turn back to Bryce Young before long.

Rank

Bo Nix

Denver Broncos · Rookie

In some weeks, Nix has looked overmatched. In others, he’s operated Sean Payton’s offense effectively enough to help the Broncos win. We saw the latter in Week 5, with Nix really settling in during the second half of Denver’s win, completing 9 of his final 11 passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns, including a pretty connection with Josh Reynolds to seal the victory. Nix is not anywhere near the same company as Jayden Daniels as it pertains to rookies through five weeks, but he’s won three straight starts — he’s the first rookie QB in Broncos history to do so. He can thank his team’s stingy defense for its help as he figures out how to play within himself and capitalize on opportunities when they appear.

Rank

Gardner Minshew

Las Vegas Raiders · Year 6

Antonio Pierce ran out of patience with Minshew in Las Vegas’ loss to Denver, benching the veteran in favor of second-year passer Aidan O’Connell following Minshew’s second interception of the day. I’m probably in the minority on this, but I’m not sure benching Minshew was the right move. He made two really bad decisions against the Broncos, but we knew Minshew’s ceiling entering 2024, and he’s largely hovered near it, save for the turnovers. His pick-six thrown to Pat Surtain II was ugly, yes, but I saw what Minshew was trying to do (toss it to Brock Bowers). The problem was he sailed the pass right over his tight end’s head. The second pick was just a bad decision. Minshew decided to throw a jump ball to 5-foot-9 Tre Tucker in a one-on-one situation and placed it in the wrong spot. While Minshew isn’t playing well enough to keep his job, I’m not sure O’Connell — who will start in Week 6 — will be any better. At 2-3, though, Pierce was running out of reasons to justify keeping Minshew in the lineup.

Rank

Will Levis

Tennessee Titans · Year 2

Levis’ last showing was brief, and it wasn’t great before he departed with a shoulder injury. Mason Rudolph‘s success that night — which was more about protecting possession and keeping the offense afloat than it was about big-time stats — didn’t help Levis’ case, either. Levis is gritty as hell and won’t back down from a challenge, but he needs to channel that constructively instead of allowing it to drive too many risks, which have often gone in the opposition’s favor. He has time to get back on track, but the pressure is starting to mount.

Rank

Jacoby Brissett

New England Patriots · Year 9

I initially wrote the clock was ticking on Brissett’s time in this offense, but before I could even submit this week’s QB Index file, he’d already been benched in favor of rookie Drake Maye. The outcome was inevitable, but not Brissett’s fault alone. He got crushed on a weekly basis and was forced to operate under constant pressure again in Week 5. He’s tough as nails, standing in the pocket to deliver when he knows he’s going to get hit, but the overall product was so lacking, it was tough to see the Patriots sticking with him for much longer. He nearly threw a game-winning touchdown pass against the Dolphins, but it sailed enough to force Ja’Lynn Polk to leap for it, and he landed with a foot out of bounds. The results just aren’t good enough to continue with the same formula, so it makes sense for the Patriots to turn to Maye, even if there aren’t many (if any) signs the product will improve.

Rank

Tyler Huntley

Miami Dolphins · Year 5

Week 5 was marginally better than Week 4 for Huntley. He was decent at times and completed some sharp passes, but he also missed on a handful of attempts. He completed 18 of 31 passes for 194 yards and an interception on a throw that was easily picked off by Christian Gonzalez. It seems like that’s pretty much what Miami fans can expect from Huntley, who is getting more comfortable within the offense but clearly isn’t a long-term answer for the Dolphins.

Rank

Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns · Year 8

Head coach Kevin Stefanski’s decision to continue with Watson as the QB1 defies logic considering just how bad the Browns offense is with Watson at the controls. Five weeks of pressure have reduced Watson to a quarterback who pulls his eyes down to the rush as soon as he senses heat, ignoring open targets and panicking, often resulting in sacks. He’s not fast enough anymore to escape the pocket consistently and doesn’t seem interested in using his legs until he has no other options. He’s processing so slowly that there’s no reason to believe he’ll improve any time soon. The Browns’ defense played well enough to give them a chance to compete early on against the Commanders, but with Watson running the offense, they were doomed. He’s no longer a starting-caliber quarterback, and until the Browns decide to make a change, they’re going to continue to struggle mightily. It’s time to bench him, plain and simple.