The value of the quarterback position is no secret. It is evident by simply examining the teams that consistently compete late into the winter.
That said, due to the high level of talent at the position, the week-over-week production can sometimes surprise.
Here is a look at the best and worst from Week 2, keeping in mind that the NFL season is still very young.
Best QB Performances From Week 2
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
Nobody is handing out MVP awards after two weeks, but if such an exercise were to take place, Derek Carr would be at the top of most ballots.
He completed 82.6% of his passes against the Panthers in Week 1 with three scores, a performance that impressed but was dismissed by most due to the competition. How did he respond? He went into Jerry’s World and turned his 11 completions into 243 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
AK. 57 yards. TO THE CRIB.
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/cIVhBJC2BU
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 15, 2024
Carr may not be the game-breaking talent we often see win at the highest level in this league, but he has a nice set of skill players supporting him and has been among the more efficient deep ball throwers for quite some time now.
The Saints will be tested over the next three weeks (Eagles, Falcons, and Chiefs) — will Carr continue to put up video game numbers?
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith has the Seahawks sitting at 2-0 and has completed 51 of 69 passes up to this point. He was asked not to lose the game in Week 1 against the Broncos, but he took on a much more valuable role in New England.
MORE: NFL Power Rankings Week 3
Smith completed all four of his passes while leading a game-tying drive near the end of regulation, and he completed his first three passes of overtime to put Seattle in a position to win.
Smith saw his numbers decline across the board last season after a strong 2022 campaign, but he seems to have righted the ship for 2024 and will have to continue to play well for this team to push for a playoff berth this season, especially if Kenneth Walker III is at less than full strength.
Worst QB Performances From Week 2
Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts entered the season projected to be a 4.5-point underdog in Lambeau, but with Jordan Love being ruled out, that line shifted by 7.5 points, putting Indy in a position to make a statement with a nice road win.
It didn’t happen.
Despite nice production from the ground game (Jonathan Taylor ran for 103 yards on 12 carries), Anthony Richardson was never able to find a rhythm, finishing Sunday 17-for-34 for 204 yards, one TD, and three INTs.
Games for the Green Bay Packers in which the team had 0 offensive snaps when trailing:
Aaron Rodgers: 1
Malik Willis: 1— Kyle Soppe (@KyleSoppePFN) September 15, 2024
Richardson connected on a few bombs in the Week 1 loss against the Texans, and that helped mask a day that featured plenty of misfires. That wasn’t the case on Sunday, as his longest completion was just 30 yards, and both of his interceptions, prior to the Hail Mary that ended the game, came in Green Bay territory.
MORE: Biggest Disappointments From Week 2 of 2024 NFL Season
In terms of professional reps, Richardson is essentially still a rookie,, and that means we are going to see peaks and valleys. For two weeks, every pass seems to be one or the other — a dangerous way to live over the course of a 60-minute football game.
The Colts will look to earn their first victory of the season next week when they host the Bears.
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Just because it was expected doesn’t make it an acceptable performance.
The Panthers didn’t have a drive last longer than three plays until their final possession of the first half, an ultra-inspiring five-play, 13-yard drive that resulted in a punt.
Bryce Young finished a Week 2 loss to the Chargers 18-for-26 for 84 yards with an interception and no touchdowns.
Bryce Young today:
18/26, 84 passing yards
0 TD/1 INT
57.2 passer ratingpic.twitter.com/CrvpA6Ayhx https://t.co/MZ2FSgphfA— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 15, 2024
The completion percentage jumped up from 43.3% in Week 1 in New Orleans to 69.2%, but the completions did next to zero damage. A 3.2 yards per pass mark reads more like a below-average rushing day than a professional YPA mark.
MORE: Biggest Surprises From Week 2 of 2024 NFL Season
The hope was that Diontae Johnson’s addition to a Dave Canales system would inspire growth from the former top overall pick, but we haven’t seen anything close to that through two weeks.
The Panthers get a pair of below-average defenses over the next two weeks (Raiders and Bengals), but until we see growth from Young, projecting that growth is an overly aggressive approach.