NFL QB Index, Week 3: C.J. Stroud vaults Josh Allen; Kyler Murray soars

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NOTE: Up/down arrows illustrate movement from the Week 2 QB Index.

Rank

Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs · Year 8

Mahomes put together a classic performance in Week 1 but fell short of the mark in Week 2, throwing two interceptions, including a really unsightly one over the middle to Akeem Davis-Gaither, and finishing with just 151 passing yards. He got the job done — thanks in part to a pass interference penalty on fourth-and-16 — but this ugly win certainly won’t be one that Mahomes is happy to remember otherwise. It seemed as if every time he started to get on track, a positive play would be wiped out by a penalty. Rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia failed to protect him adequately, leaving Mahomes under frequent duress, which hindered his ability to make magic. In this rivalry, the Bengals tend to magnify the Chiefs’ problems, and Sunday was no different. The lone highlight to take home — a 44-yard touchdown strike to Rashee Rice — was pretty, but Mahomes and Co. will need more of that going forward.

Rank

Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens · Year 7

Jackson cannot run as often as he did in Week 1 if the Ravens hope to have him for all 17 games this season. Likely with this in mind, Baltimore didn’t run Jackson nearly as much Sunday, and for three quarters, the Ravens’ strategy seemed to be working, even after an on-target pass to Rashod Bateman landed in the arms of Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane. Ultimately, though, Baltimore’s conservative approach allowed Las Vegas to climb back into the game. It also felt as if the Ravens weren’t taking full advantage of their offensive capabilities with a talent like Jackson at quarterback, instead leaving him to be hunted by Maxx Crosby for most of the afternoon. Jackson wasn’t as sharp as he could’ve been — he finished with a completion percentage over expected of -4.1 percent, per Next Gen Stats — but in the end, I don’t pin this loss on him.

Rank

C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans · Year 2

Chicago’s defense was always going to present a challenge to Stroud, but as he’s done with challenges for most of his career, he handled it well on Sunday. Stroud completed 14 of his first 19 passes for 173 yards. That stretch included a well-balanced drive in which he leaned on rookie tight end Cade Stover and familiar target Nico Collins, who capped the possession by hauling in a sharp throw over the middle and taking it the remaining 13 yards for the game’s first touchdown. Houston only reached the end zone once in this game, but Stroud’s 260 passing yards — accounting for all but 50 of Houston’s total offensive yardage — told the story of his impact in this relatively low-scoring affair. The same was true of his gorgeous pass to Stefon Diggs along the sideline on third-and-10, which preserved a drive that ended in a Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal. Stroud is a stud, and even if the numbers this season aren’t yet gaudy, he continues to ascend.

Rank

Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills · Year 7

Statistically, Allen didn’t dominate against the Dolphins, but he didn’t need to, thanks to the Bills’ opportunistic defense. He did show off some of the ability that makes him a special talent. On third-and-12 from Miami’s 34, Allen rolled out of the pocket toward the right sideline and threw a perfect pass on the inside shoulder of running back Ty Johnson for a first down at Miami’s 1-yard line. One play later, James Cook walked into the end zone for a 17-7 lead. Allen finished with just 139 passing yards on 13 completions, but considering he was playing with an injured left hand, he’d done plenty by the time the game ended, even if it wasn’t entirely spectacular.

Rank

Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys · Year 9

A quick scan of the box score lists two interceptions next to Prescott’s name, but only one was his fault (the first was an on-target pass thrown to a receiver who fell down at the worst possible time). And frankly, Prescott’s second interception was inconsequential, considering it came amid a blowout loss. Prescott did his best to fight against the tidal wave that is the Saints’ offense, but it’s tough to keep up with such an efficient machine. This defeat isn’t on him, but it would’ve been nice if he’d found a way to go toe-to-toe with Derek Carr.

Rank

Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Year 7

Mayfield didn’t light up the Lions, but he sure did capitalize — and create — in key moments, producing a couple of scrambling highlights, leading two touchdown drives and converting often enough to help the Buccaneers stay in the game. It’s rare that Mayfield leads his team in rushing yards, but he did so Sunday, and while the numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet, Mayfield showed why he’s been able to rejuvenate his career with the Buccaneers by playing winning football in a tough environment.

Rank

Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals · Year 6

I wrote it last week, and hopefully after you saw Murray put on a show in Week 2, you’ll agree with me: These Cardinals are fun to watch. It all starts with Murray, a squirrelly scrambler who pulls off incredible feats while avoiding rushers, often running in circles and darting around with cat-like quickness to buy himself time before finding targets downfield. His touchdown pass to Elijah Higgins was a masterpiece and a perfect example of how Murray’s rare talents can produce positive outcomes for Arizona. He also appeared to go out of his way to build rapport with rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., connecting twice on touchdowns and force-feeding another ball to the wideout along the sideline, effectively testing Harrison’s ability to win a jump ball, with positive results. The Murray-Harrison partnership is only just getting off the ground, and I can’t wait to see how high the duo can climb. That alone makes the Cardinals worth watching on a weekly basis.

Rank

Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints · Year 11

Carr is enjoying an incredible resurgence through two weeks, letting passes fly with no fear and reaping the rewards for his efforts. His majestic touchdown pass to Rashid Shaheed was gorgeous. He placed the ball perfectly behind Dallas’ safeties for a 70-yard score, and because New Orleans’ running game is working so well, the passing element has become exponentially easier for Carr and Co. Take one look at Alvin Kamara‘s 57-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass and try to debate this fact with me. The Saints’ offense is humming with Carr behind the wheel.

Rank

Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks · Year 12

A fully developed Smith is a sight to see in some weeks. The Week 2 win over the Patriots was a great example, as Smith let it fly all over the field, evading rushers, extending plays and firing off-platform passes with relative ease. He racked up 327 yards in the process. He only hit on one of his most ambitious throws — a 56-yard touchdown pass to DK Metcalf — but he was excellent throughout, powering a Seahawks offense that needed him to keep it afloat. This was a fantastic performance for Smith, who deserves a lot of the credit for Seattle finding a way to improve to 2-0.

Rank

Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals · Year 5

Burrow looked much better in Week 2 than he did in Week 1, which was a welcome sign for Bengals fans who were worried their quarterback might still be dealing with issues related to the wrist injury he suffered last season. He threw a couple of short touchdown passes to Andrei Iosivas to finish off drives and played with attitude in Arrowhead Stadium, where the crowd certainly isn’t friendly to him. Burrow generally did enough, but his fourth quarter fumble cost the Bengals dearly. When it came time to try to ice a victory later in the quarter, Burrow and the Bengals crumbled under the pressure of a third-down blitz dialed up by Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Burrow admitted afterward this was one of the most frustrating days of his football career, and it wasn’t difficult to see why. He played his heart out, ran into a ton of resistance and still put his team in position to win, only to lose in the final seconds to the Chiefs once again. The good news is the Bengals are not as lost offensively as most believed after Week 1. They should be just fine.

Rank

Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers · Year 3

For the first time in quite a while, I watched a defense fluster Purdy in Week 2. The Vikings turned up the pressure, blitzing at a rate of 45.5 percent, and as the rushers moved into Purdy’s personal space, he struggled to remain composed. He still threw for 300-plus yards, but the missed opportunities — including a turnover on downs in a goal-to-go situation, an interception and a fumble — were the result of Brian Flores’ defense creating chaos. In the end, the 49ers couldn’t overcome it, a rare sight for a Kyle Shanahan-led team — and a feather in Minnesota’s cap. Purdy is also off to a slow start with Brandon Aiyuk, who made a minimal impact for a second straight week. I’m not at all concerned over the long term; it was just an unusual outing for a 49ers team (and quarterback) that is usually very steady.

Rank

Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams · Year 16

The situation around Stafford has suddenly become dire. He lost Puka Nacua in Week 1, then saw Cooper Kupp exit with an ankle injury in Week 2, leaving him with a thin receiving corps while playing behind an even thinner offensive line, which only ramps up my anxiety. Stafford hasn’t lost anything when it comes to processing, awareness, arm talent and improvisation, but I fear what might lie ahead for him because of the Rams’ injuries. They can help themselves by not digging a 21-0 hole, like they did in Week 2, and forcing a one-dimensional approach for the rest of the game, but it won’t be that simple. I won’t be surprised if Stafford finds a way to make it work. I just hope the Rams can keep him healthy.

Rank

Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles · Year 5

There are two sides to the coin that was the Eagles’ Week 2 outing. First, Hurts remains a magician when it comes to creating out of structure. His two scrambles on a second-quarter touchdown drive were both thrilling and incredibly impressive, especially because of the toughness and quick thinking required to pull them off. Hurts made a few high-level throws in the game, too, but the Eagles are asking a bit too much of him, especially when they have Saquon Barkley at their disposal. We all know how the game ended, but that’s not what I’m focusing on. I’m more worried that the Eagles’ offense still looks as disjointed as it did during the team’s collapse in 2023. If they iron things out, Hurts should take off. He certainly did enough to deserve a win Monday night, even if those hopes ended with an interception thrown out of desperation.

Rank

Jared Goff

Detroit Lions · Year 9

Tampa Bay deserves credit for putting together an excellent game plan against Goff, who fought through a tumultuous day that included a strangely pass-heavy approach from offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Goff managed to throw for over 300 yards. The downside, though, was the bad moments — two interceptions thrown in the middle of the field. Detroit played with its food for too long before asking Goff to fill the hero role in the final minutes. Generally speaking, he produced, but the uneven day didn’t fit what we expect from this team.

Rank

Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings · Year 7

I feel my outlook on Darnold with the Vikings changing rather rapidly. The main reason: He looks like he’s matured, almost as if he’s graduated from NFL hopeful to a veteran who knows better than to worry about an extra rusher on any given down. Darnold is handling the job with composure we’ve never seen from him in the NFL, and he has largely avoided the catastrophic mistakes that were too prevalent earlier in his career. He put this (and his courage) on full display on one key third down in the fourth quarter of Minnesota’s win over San Francisco, in which he stood in a pocket that was crumbling in his face and fired a rocket down the seam between three 49ers defenders to Jalen Nailor for a crucial conversion. In that moment, I yelped, because I hadn’t seen Darnold do that since he was playing at USC. That’s growth, folks. That’s the type of performance that can steady a team, and Darnold has certainly done so in his first two starts.

Rank

Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons · Year 13

Through six quarters, Cousins didn’t look very confident. The Falcons couldn’t finish drives and their quarterback wasn’t elevating the offense. Things started to turn in the second half against the Eagles when Cousins found Darnell Mooney over the middle for a 41-yard touchdown. Then he led a wild, 70-yard drive in six plays, firing rockets down the sideline to move the Falcons deep into Eagles territory before connecting with Drake London for a go-ahead TD. Cousins seemed relieved afterward while admitting he’s still not as sharp as he’d like to be, but for the first time this season, we all saw a glimpse of this partnership’s potential.

Rank

Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets · Year 20

Rodgers doesn’t quite look entirely comfortable just yet, but he took some important steps forward in his second start of 2024. He shined most when targeting receivers in one-on-one situations, delivering a handful of beautiful passes to Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, and he clearly has a favorite (Wilson) on third down. He gets the ball out very quickly, but when he doesn’t, he needs better protection to truly blossom in this offense. Hopefully the Jets figure that out in the long run. They cleared an important initial checkpoint in Week 2 by earning a hard-fought win on the road.

THURSDAY NIGHT UPDATE: In his third game in 2024, Rodgers fully settled into Nathaniel Hackett’s offense, completing 27 of 35 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns in a dominant win over the Patriots.

Rank

Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins · Year 5

As we all know, Tagovailoa’s rough Week 2 ended in unfortunate fashion when he suffered a concussion during a collision with Bills safety Damar Hamlin at the end of a third-down scramble in the third quarter. He was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least the next four games. Prior to the injury, Tagovailoa threw three interceptions, including a throwaway attempt that was instead returned for a touchdown by Buffalo’s Ja’Marcus Ingram. Tagovailoa placed some passes properly in the contest, but he struggled to finish off drives.

Rank

Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers · Year 5

The Chargers’ passing game still hasn’t taken off, but Herbert made some wild plays out of structure in Week 2 and threw a dime to Quentin Johnston for his first of two touchdown passes. Herbert thrived amid the chaos and even took a designed run to set up his second passing score to Johnston. He showed off his excellent ability to keep his eyes downfield while extending plays and consistently delivered on-target passes while under duress. The final numbers don’t suggest Herbert did a whole lot, but he did more than enough in an otherwise run-heavy showing for the physical Chargers.

Rank

Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars · Year 4

Week 2 was a bad time for the Browns’ defense to rediscover its identity, at least from Lawrence’s perspective. He paid for Cleveland’s resurgence, reaching halftime with a total of 16 passing yards. A deep throw to Brian Thomas Jr. woke up the offense late in the third quarter, but the same issues that have plagued the Jaguars crept back in. Cleveland pinned Jacksonville inside its own 5-yard line and Lawrence was sacked for a safety. With a consistent rain soaking the events in Jacksonville and a ferocious Browns defense hunting him all afternoon, Lawrence was fighting an uphill battle from the beginning. His handful of misses didn’t help, but it would be tough for most quarterbacks to succeed in such circumstances.

Rank

Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders · Rookie

Daniels largely picked up where he left off in Week 1, operating Kliff Kingsbury’s offense efficiently by completing nearly 80 percent of his passes and accounting for 270 of the Commanders’ 425 total yards against the Giants. The only problem: Washington failed to find the end zone. No matter for the Commanders, of course, as new kicker Austin Seibert converted all seven of his field goal attempts to account for the 21 points Washington scored, opportunities he wouldn’t have received had Daniels not consistently kept the offense moving. The Commanders will need an answer for their red-zone struggles before long — and Daniels will need to learn how to avoid contact more frequently, for his own sake — but he didn’t make any major mistakes and continued to look very capable of leading an NFL offense in his second career start.

Rank

Gardner Minshew

Las Vegas Raiders · Year 6

Minshew showed the ability to persevere in Week 2. He threw a truly horrid interception in the second quarter and the Raiders seemed destined for an 0-2 start, but they collectively got up off the mat, brushed themselves off and mounted an incredible comeback to top the Ravens. Minshew was dialed in for the fourth quarter, throwing nine completions on 13 attempts for 126 yards and a touchdown while relying heavily on primary targets Davante Adams and Brock Bowers. By the time the final bell rang out, Minshew had reason to be incredibly proud of the victory. There’s no guarantee he’ll replicate the performance, but it sure was enjoyable to watch.

Rank

Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts · Year 2

A wildly unpredictable Sunday spent with a strong-armed-but-inconsistent quarterback is now the Anthony Richardson Experience. Richardson’s footwork is still sloppy and contributes to some of his misses. The first of his three interceptions against the Packers in Week 2 sailed over the intended target. He made another bad decision later, releasing a throw directly into coverage. His touchdown pass to Alec Pierce was an example of a mobile quarterback declining to run in favor of targeting an open receiver with an accurate toss, but he’s not able to do that on a consistent basis yet. Richardson needs to clean it up to avoid the crushing mistakes, especially in winnable games like the one Indy lost last Sunday.

Rank

Jacoby Brissett

New England Patriots · Year 9

Yes, the Patriots lost, but Brissett performed admirably in Week 2, pacing the passing game while his backfield teammates, Antonio Gibson and Rhamondre Stevenson, powered a rushing attack that accounted for more than 50 percent of New England’s offensive output. The Patriots’ first scoring drive was a thing of beauty, with Brissett repeatedly finding Hunter Henry before capping it off by firing a pass to Ja’Lynn Polk for a score. The running game carried the day, but Brissett delivered when asked to do so, and once again avoided making crushing mistakes. He’s providing as much as the Patriots could fairly expect from him entering 2024.

THURSDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Brissett felt the full weight of New York’s pass rush, which registered 13 pressures (for a 56.5% pressure rate) against him, victimizing the Patriots’ leaky offensive line in the process. Brissett and the Patriots converted just two of 11 third-down attempts and appeared overmatched throughout the night in the loss.

Rank

Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns · Year 8

Seeing as it couldn’t get much worse for Watson than his Week 1 outing, the bar was pretty low entering Week 2. Watson easily cleared it, showing he can handle the speed of the game and the responsibilities of a starting quarterback. He’s still struggling to connect with Amari Cooper (who has dropped two on-target passes in two weeks), but he did start to build a rapport with Jerry Jeudy, moving the chains on a couple of key third downs. Watson also led an impressive opening drive that ended in a 1-yard touchdown run and had the Browns in position to put away the game with a methodical drive that unraveled only after a few teammates committed a string of penalties. Overall, Watson managed the game well, was much more accurate and looked competent. That’s a win for the Browns.

Rank

Justin Fields

Pittsburgh Steelers · Year 4

Statistically, Fields’ Week 2 showing was easy to overlook. But the tape suggests we may be headed toward a quarterback controversy before long in Pittsburgh. Fields only accounted for 144 scrimmage yards, but he started to find his stride in the passing game and showed off the arm talent that once powered him to success at Ohio State on a 51-yard pass to George Pickens fired on the run, which didn’t end up counting due to a holding penalty. The Steelers play an ugly brand of football, but it’s been a winning brand through two weeks, and Fields once again didn’t hurt them. If he settles into his role as a passer, watch out.

Rank

Will Levis

Tennessee Titans · Year 2

Titans coach Brian Callahan would likely agree with this statement: Levis has a little too much Tampa Bay Jameis Winston in him at this point. His first-half turnover stands as a prime example of this, which understandably elicited a strong reaction from Callahan. On the bright side, Levis can definitely handle the speed of the game and isn’t afraid to rely on his whip-like throws to deliver passes under pressure. He also isn’t afraid to take off to make positive gains out of bad situations. Levis just needs to avoid the big mistakes and learn how to finish key drives to take the next few steps forward.

Rank

Daniel Jones

New York Giants · Year 6

Lost amid a sea of uncertainty, Jones found himself a raft Sunday. It came in the form of Malik Nabers. One look at the rookie’s target share tells you the story for Jones, who threw in Nabers’ direction on 64.2 percent of his 28 attempts, hooking up with the No. 6 overall pick 10 times for 127 yards and a touchdown, essentially carrying the entire passing game for the day. Jones looked more comfortable, confident and decisive, and found himself being used as an occasional ground threat via designed runs, finishing with 32 yards on five carries. He didn’t finish the job, but that wasn’t his fault. Nabers dropped a fourth-down pass the Giants attempted because they were missing their kicker in a close game. It wasn’t a complete turnaround from Jones’ nightmarish Week 1 outing, but it was a step in the right direction.

Rank

Malik Willis

Green Bay Packers · Year 3

I’ll admit I didn’t expect much from Willis in this unexpected start. I’ll also say this: Willis didn’t need to do much in order for the Packers to win, thanks to Matt LaFleur’s expert-level game plan, which leaned heavily on a creative run game and only asked Willis to convert when absolutely necessary. Willis was decisive when passing, firing bullets outside the numbers to open targets, and made a few plays with his legs. Most importantly, he never compromised the Packers’ chances, which is all you can ask of a quarterback with limited experience.

Rank

Caleb Williams

Chicago Bears · Rookie

Williams does not look like a typical overwhelmed rookie, which is pretty remarkable considering how his offensive line has struggled to protect him. That became painfully obvious in the second half, in which Houston relentlessly pressured Williams. But before the wheels fell off for the Bears, Williams did a good job of finding targets on time and helping Chicago’s offense keep moving on its only touchdown drive of the night. Watching Williams over the course of four quarters tends to be an experience akin to riding a roller coaster that provides breathtaking views, frightening drops and plenty of twists and turns along the way. He’s excellent when it comes to extending plays and attempting to create, but he’s also learning the difference between what worked for him at USC and what it will take for him to succeed in the NFL. That explains the two interceptions he threw in the second half of the game, which clearly became an exasperating endeavor for everyone involved. If the Bears can protect Williams better, though, I expect him to settle in and produce.

Rank

Bo Nix

Denver Broncos · Rookie

There were some things to like from Denver’s offense with Nix at the controls in Week 2, but the issues overshadowed them. Look no further than a three-play sequence in which a 1-yard run play was sandwiched between Nix finding Josh Reynolds for a 49-yard gain and throwing an ugly interception in the end zone to erase Denver’s scoring chance. He seemed more comfortable, but still fires off-target passes at random, usually in situations in which opposing defenses have sped up his process. It’s clear he’s finding his footing, but it’s not yet a major cause for concern. Just give him time.

Rank

Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers · Year 2

Well, the Young era is on hiatus, if not over altogether in Carolina. The Panthers benched Young on Monday after yet another showing that was lacking both confidence and results. He threw another interception on a pass forced into coverage, rarely looked comfortable and appeared frantic when attempting to extend plays. Carolina kept the entire passing game short, and even then, Young still struggled mightily. The tape doesn’t lie, and it’s easy to see why coach Dave Canales is turning to Andy Dalton after starting 0-2. We’ll wait to see if we ever get a chance to watch Young lead the Carolina offense again.

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