The NFL is finally back, and the most painfully long offseason in sports is finally over. Friday night’s game in Brazil meant that the Sunday slate was a game short in Week 1, but there was no shortage of drama.
Passing offenses can be rusty in the opening week or two of the season, due to the lack of preseason reps afforded to starters. Nevertheless, we saw some impressive displays over the weekend, including the Thursday and Friday night games. But which quarterback’s performance ranks best of all heading into Monday Night Football?
Which Quarterback Shone Brightest on the Opening Weekend of the 2025 NFL Season?
Many quarterbacks shone in Week 1, from Justin Herbert’s slaying of the Kansas City Chiefs to Jalen Hurts’ rushing masterclass against the Dallas Cowboys on opening night. Now in Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers rolled back the years to throw four touchdowns against the Jets, but it was his opposite number who topped all quarterbacks in PFSN’s QBi metric.
The QBi metric considers a quarterback’s passing and rushing performance, based on both volume and consistency. It also heavily factors in clean-pocket performance, designed run efficiency, and a player’s performance in clutch situations.
Justin Fields achieved an 86.4 PFSN QBi score, good enough for a B grade. His 0.54 EPA per dropback, 266 total yards, and three touchdowns saw him finish with the seventh-highest single-game score from a Jets quarterback since 2000.
The highest-graded Week 1 NFL QB heading into MNF:
✈️ Justin Fields – 86.4 PFSN QBi score
Fields finished with 266 total yards and three TDs, with a +0.54 EPA per dropback. 🎯
It is the 7th-highest single-game performance by a Jets QB since 2000. pic.twitter.com/Gi4mQ8clOY
— PFSN (@PFSN365) September 8, 2025
Fields looked calm in the pocket and used his legs well to avoid pressure before taking off when necessary. His throwing ability had been doubted before the season, but he shone in that area too, most notably on a 33-yard touchdown pass to WR Garrett Wilson.
A Just Fields to Garrett Wilson touchdown? The memories 🥺 pic.twitter.com/H8ZiwrMufc
— Lettermen Row (@LettermenRow) September 7, 2025
However, that connection ultimately fell short on a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter, allowing the Steelers to win the game courtesy of a 60-yard field goal. While not enough to seal a win, the performance will have sparked some belief in the Jets’ offense for the year ahead. They hope to achieve their first winning season since 2015 and their first playoff appearance since 2010.
Who Are the Top 5 QBs Heading Into Monday Night Football?
Fields holds the top spot after 15 total league games, but four other quarterbacks also achieved B grades for their performances in Week 1. Daniel Jones and Jordan Love also achieved the highest grade of the week, while Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen predictably joined them after their epic battle on Sunday Night Football.
In order, Fields managed the highest QBi score (86.4), followed by Jackson (86.0) and Jones (84.9), with Love and Allen both scoring 83.9.
Week 2 NFL Power Rankings: Packers, Chargers Among Biggest Winners, Dolphins Collapse
Jalen Hurts surprisingly missed out on the top five, finishing with a B- grade along with Justin Herbert and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy. Aaron Rodgers was also surprisingly low, scoring a C+ along with five other quarterbacks.
Allen and Jackson were the top two quarterbacks in QBi last season, which will surprise no one. The two MVP candidates finished with season-long scores of 96.3 (Allen) and 95.0 (Jackson), and were the only two quarterbacks to achieve A grades in 2024.
