The NFL is a fluid game. The margins are so thin, and given the importance of the quarterback position, a strong performance from that individual often dictates outcomes.
You can go anywhere for a subjective analysis of which signal-callers played well. Many websites have their NFL talent breaking down the film to highlight what went wrong in certain instances.
That’s all great, but if we want consistency from our QBs, shouldn’t our grading of them be consistent?
What Is PFN’s Quarterback Grading Process?
With that in mind, we’ve created a formula for assigning a letter grade to every quarterback’s performance.
Is it perfect? No. Nothing is. We’re molding stats that include success rates when pressured, third-down conversion rate, and pocket production. The added wrinkle in this PFN Insight is quantifying “clutch.”
We can argue all day about what goes into that. We’ve got timeliness-based stats that take into account both the score and the situation.
Obviously, not every game will give a quarterback the opportunity to thrive (or fail) in such spots, which is why some of the weekly grades may look a little goofy. That’s the cost of doing business.
These grades are a culmination of ranks. That is, they are graded against one another. That is done to give us the definitive rankings that we desire.
In school, multiple students can ace a test, but football includes plenty of gray areas. By grading all signal-callers against one another, we will get a distinct list.
Now, because we’re in the grading business, plenty of players will fall into the same grade range. The way we’re listing these players is in the order of their numerical grades. For example, the first player listed with a “C” grade earned a higher mark than the last player in that tier, but they were close enough to fall into the same bucket.
Week 3 QB Grades
1) Josh Allen (vs. JAX): A (95)
Allen would walk away with NFL MVP honors if the season ended today. After taking it relatively easy in Buffalo’s Week 2 win against the Dolphins, Allen was in total control as the Bills moved to 3-0 with a victory against the Jaguars on “Monday Night Football.”
Allen completed 23 of 30 attempts at 8.8 yards per clip while throwing for four touchdowns and no interceptions, easily ranking first in QBR (98.3) in Week 3. Although Allen was pressured 11 times on MNF, he didn’t take a single sack.
Don’t look now, but he hasn’t thrown a pick this year, either. If Allen can keep removing negative plays from his output while retaining his explosive ability, the Bills might be unstoppable.
2) Jayden Daniels (vs. CIN): A (94)
Daniels was everything the Commanders could have hoped for in Washington’s Week 3 upset win over the Bengals. The No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft set a new single-game rookie record by completing 91.3% of his passes on Monday night in the Commanders’ 38-33 victory.
How Daniels thrived against Cincinnati was just as telling as his overall production. After settling for passes at or near the line of scrimmage over the first two weeks of the season, Daniels went vertical on MNF.
The reigning Heisman winner connected on three passes of at least 25 yards, including a de facto game-winning 27-yard TD to Terry McLaurin. Daniels ranked fifth in air yards per attempt (9.7) in Week 3.
3) Lamar Jackson (vs. DAL): A- (90)
Jackson guided the Ravens to a much-needed win in Week 3, moving to 1-2 after taking down the Cowboys in a 28-25 victory. Jackson only attempted 15 passes on Sunday but completed 12 at 12.1 yards per clip.
He also added 14 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown as Baltimore steamrolled Dallas on the ground. His 12 designed rushes were the most among quarterbacks in Week 3, while his six rushing first downs were tied for first.
4) Joe Burrow (vs. WAS): A- (85)
The Bengals moved to 0-3 after dropping Monday’s night game to the Commanders, but Burrow hardly deserves any blame. Both offenses were humming, as neither Cincinnati nor Washington turned the ball over or punted in their Week 3 shootout.
This was Burrow’s best-ever performance during a loss. By passing success rate, it was the fourth-best of his career and his top performance since 2022. Burrow kept letting it rip in Week 3, shaking off any concerns about his 2023 wrist injury.
5) Aaron Rodgers (vs. NE): B+ (81)
Week 3 gave us the Rodgers we all remember.
The 40-year-old connected on a variety of incredibly accurate throws despite facing New England’s talented secondary. Rodgers completed 27 of 35 attempts for 281 yards and two touchdowns in the Jets’ 24-3 victory on Thursday night.
His 0.45 EPA per dropback was his best mark since Week 15 of the 2021 season … when Rodgers was still a Packer. He went seven-of-nine for 106 yards when pressured, generating more EPA on such throws than any other quarterback in Week 3.
6) Andy Dalton (vs. LV): B+ (80)
Dalton was outstanding against the Raiders in Week 3, instantly proving Panthers head coach and offensive play-caller Dave Canales correct for benching former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.
Carolina’s offensive line gave Dalton plenty of time to work, and the 36-year-old proceeded to carve up Las Vegas’ defense for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Going 68 yards on four plays on the Panthers’ final first-half drive boosted his grade. The Raiders couldn’t slow the Red Rifle, even when there was no question that the pass was coming
7) Malik Willis (vs. TEN): B (73)
Willis beat the Titans in a Week 3 revenge game while continuing his excellent play when given time. For the season, he’s 23-of-30 for 279 yards and a pair of touchdowns when not pressured.
Willis has been coached well in Green Bay. When a throw wasn’t there, he instantly took off instead of waiting around to be sacked. Willis added 73 rushing yards and a touchdown on six carries as part of the Packers’ varied run game.
Even if Willis never becomes a long-term starter, he’s bought himself a career as a viable NFL backup.
8) Brock Purdy (vs. LAR): B- (72)
Purdy balled out on Sunday despite being pressured at the NFL’s fourth-highest rate. While he may have missed a potential deep shot to Brandon Aiyuk at one point, Purdy still posted 11.3 air yards per attempt, second-highest among all quarterbacks in Week 3.
He finished sixth with an 86.3 QBR this week. Purdy’s QBR means his team should have been expected to win that game 86.3% of the time, but the 49ers couldn’t hold on against the NFC West-rival Rams.
9) Matthew Stafford (vs. SF): B- (72)
Stafford is the definition of NFL inertia.
Down his top two receivers in Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp and missing two of his five starting offensive linemen, Stafford still averaged 8.8 yards per attempt while guiding the Rams to a last-second comeback over the 49ers.
10) Derek Carr (vs. PHI): B- (66)
Carr was pressured on 44.4% of his dropbacks in the Saints’ Week 3 loss to the Eagles. He’d been pressured on just 19% of his dropbacks in Weeks 1 and 2, and the additional chaos clearly affected him.
When pressured on Sunday, Carr completed just three of 12 attempts for 11 yards with an interception. He was sacked once, while his 16.7% success rate on those throws ranked 27th in Week 3.
11) Jared Goff (vs. ARZ): C+ (64)
Few NFL quarterbacks like play action as much as Goff. He’s used a play fake on 30.2% of his dropbacks this season, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL.
Over the first two weeks of the season, the Lions QB ranked third in explosive pass rate and seventh in EPA per dropback when using run action.
In Week 3, Goff was still effective with play action on a down-to-down basis, finishing with a 76.9% success rate on run fakes (NFL average: 46.4%). But he couldn’t get vertical off of play action on Sunday, ranking just 16th in EPA per dropback and 26th in explosive pass rate on those throws.
12) Dak Prescott (vs. BAL): C+ (64)
The Cowboys can’t run the ball whatsoever, so Prescott has been forced to do everything himself.
He dropped back 55 times against the Ravens on Sunday, the second most among QBs in Week 3. But that didn’t stop Dak from chucking the ball down the field. In Week 3, he became the first quarterback since Matthew Stafford in 2012 to drop back 55+ times and still manage at least a 24% explosive pass play rate.
13) Sam Darnold (vs. HOU): C+ (62)
Through three weeks, Darnold ranks eighth in EPA per dropback (0.06). He’s been great from a clean pocket, ranking second in EPA per dropback (0.55) when not pressured while completing 77.4% of his passes at 9.9 yards per attempt. But Darnold also has a perfect passer rating and leads the NFL in completion rate over expectation (+29.1%) when blitzed.
Vikings head coach and offensive play-caller Kevin O’Connell is pushing all the right buttons to get the most out of Darnold’s elite physical talent. Darnold’s three play-action touchdown passes led the league. He’s third in EPA per dropback on play-action throws, behind only Allen and Purdy.
14) Justin Herbert (vs. PIT): C (58)
Herbert came into Week 3 hampered by a high-ankle sprain, then aggravated the injury during the Chargers’ 20-10 loss to the Steelers. He completed 12 of 18 attempts for 125 yards and one touchdown before departing.
Herbert needs rest in order to heal, and Los Angeles seems unlikely to put him back out there with starting tackles Rashawn Slater (pectoral) and Joe Alt (ankle) set to miss time. Offseason trade acquisition Taylor Heinicke took over for Herbert on Sunday and appears likely to start against the Chiefs in Week 4.
15) Daniel Jones (vs. CLE): C (58)
Jones began the season with a D grade in PFN’s system but has rebounded with Cs or better in each of the last two weeks. He finished 24 of 34 for 236 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in the Giants’ Week 3 victory over the Browns.
Perhaps most importantly, Jones knows who to target in the passing game. First-round rookie Malik Nabers leads the NFL with a 37.8% team target share through three weeks. He’s tied for first with three receiving TDs and ranks second in receptions, fourth in receiving first downs, and fifth in yards.
16) Justin Fields (vs. LAC): C (56)
Fields and the Steelers moved to 3-0 on Sunday after he threw for 245 yards and one touchdown while running for another in Pittsburgh’s 20-10 win against the Chargers. He avoided mistakes for the third straight week. Fields took just two sacks, while his lone interception came on a tipped pass.
Fields’ skill set, combined with Pittsburgh’s elite defense (which has allowed 10 or fewer points in every game this season), represents a winning formula and might be the idealized version of how head coach Mike Tomlin and first-year OC Arthur Smith want to play.
17) Bo Nix (vs. TB): C (54)
Nix’s mobility is more than functional. Denver’s offense could add another dimension if Sean Payton can weaponize Nix’s legs. The No. 12 overall pick averaged 5.2 yards per carry and scored a touchdown on the ground in the Broncos’ Week 3 win over the Buccaneers.
But Nix was also solid inside the pocket (22-of-30 for 202 yards) on Sunday. When the game was within one score, Nix averaged 14 yards per attempt.
18) Gardner Minshew II (vs. CAR): C (49)
Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce pulled Minshew for Las Vegas’ final drive in a stunning Week 3 loss to the Panthers. But Minshew will retain his starting job over second-year QB Aidan O’Connell heading into Week 4.
The Raiders seem likely to spend all season trying to determine whether Minshew or O’Connell can become a long-term option — but we probably already know the answer.
19) Kirk Cousins (vs. KC): C (47)
The Chiefs blitzed Cousins on 41.9% of his dropbacks on Sunday night. It was a new challenge for Cousins and Atlanta’s offensive line, which didn’t face a blitz above 20% in either of its first two games.
Things didn’t go well. Cousins averaged just 4.4 yards per attempt and ranked 23rd in EPA per dropback when blitzed in Week 3. When Kansas City didn’t bring extra rushers, Cousins put up 10.8 YPA and ranked sixth in EPA per dropback.
20) Geno Smith: (vs. MIA): C (46)
Seattle’s offensive line is a defined weakness and ranks 31st in pass-block win rate in 2024. However, Smith’s 7.2% sack rate ranks just 16th in the NFL, largely because he’s a master at evading pressure within the pocket. Pro Football Focus’ charting suggests Smith hasn’t been responsible for any of the 36 pressures that have come his way.
Monday night’s upcoming showdown against the Lions should give us a stronger sense of whether Smith and the Seahawks’ offense can keep pace with the NFL’s best units.
21) Jalen Hurts: (vs. NO): C- (44)
In Week 3, Hurts was down WR A.J. Brown (hamstring) and lost fellow pass catcher DeVonta Smith to a concussion at the start of the fourth quarter. But he still managed a gritty win against the previously undefeated Saints by leaning on RB Saquon Barkley and TE Dallas Goedert.
Hurts made plenty of errors on Sunday, including a first-quarter red-zone interception and a sack-fumble on Philadelphia’s next series. On the plus side, he finished third in completion rate over expectation (+9.5%) in Week 3.
22) Will Levis (vs. GB): C- (41)
The Titans had to watch the quarterback they gave away — Willis — dominate them in Week 3 while their incumbent QB — Levis — continued to make self-inflicted errors.
Levis has turned the ball over eight times in 2023, more than any other quarterback. On Sunday, he lost a fumble and threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown in Tennessee’s 30-14 loss.
Levis isn’t getting much help from his offensive line. He took eight sacks this week, while the Titans are dead last in PFN’s Offensive Line Rankings. Head coach Brian Callahan said that the rest of the Titans’ offense has to be better around Levis, but how long will Callahan give his second-year QB before turning to Mason Rudolph?
23) Kyler Murray (vs. DET): C- (41)
Murray’s 96 “A” grade against the Rams in Week 2 remains the best mark in PFN’s system this season.
But Week 3 was a struggle for the former No. 1 overall pick. After ranking seventh in explosive pass play rate (15.8%) through the first two weeks of the year, Murray completed a pass of 16+ yards on just 8.7% of his attempts on Sunday, 27th in the league.
24) Patrick Mahomes (vs. ATL): C- (39)
The Chiefs aren’t pushing the ball downfield; 37% of Mahomes’ throws have been at or behind the line of scrimmage, the NFL’s third-highest rate through three weeks.
However, Kansas City’s underneath strategy has benefitted WR Rashee Rice, who leads the league with 23 receptions and 3.39 yards per route run. While he’s only averaging 5.21 air yards per route, Rice makes up for his lack of depth by averaging 7.8 yards after the catch, fourth-best among wideouts.
25) Caleb Williams (vs. IND): D+ (33)
Chicago was facing the Colts, which allowed the Texans to run for 213 yards in Week 1 before letting the Packers go for 261 in Week 2. But Bears OC Shane Waldron asked Williams to drop back 56 times, the most of any quarterback in Week 3.
The No. 1 overall pick passed for 363 yards, but Chicago’s offensive attack never got into a rhythm in a 21-16 loss. The Bears’ subpar offensive line and play-calling make it challenging to evaluate Williams’ performance through three weeks.
26) C.J. Stroud (vs. MIN): D (28)
Facing Brian Flores’ Vikings defense isn’t fun for any quarterback — even the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. Minnesota repeatedly battered Stroud in Week 3, holding him to the second-lowest EPA per dropback (-0.31) of his career.
Stroud couldn’t get anything going when the Texans entered Viking territory on Sunday. He posted just a 55.6% completion rate on Minnesota’s side of the 50 after connecting on 75% of those attempts in Weeks 1 and 2.
27) Baker Mayfield (vs. DEN): D (27)
Mayfield’s Week 1 performance against the Commanders is tied for the second-best QB game of the season by PFN’s grades. But the Bucs passer has struggled since, and Week 3 represented one of the worst stat lines of Mayfield’s career.
Mayfield posted -0.52 EPA per dropback against the Broncos on Sunday. He was less productive in just two games, 25+ point losses in 2019 and 2020 when Mayfield was still a member of the Browns.
28) Deshaun Watson (vs. NYG): D (27)
It seems like only a matter of time until the Browns turn their offense over to QB2 Jameis Winston.
Watson threw two touchdowns against the Giants on Sunday but otherwise looked dreadful. He took eight sacks in Week 3 and has been taken down an NFL-leading 126 times this season.
Four of the five worst QBs by EPA per play in 2024 are rookies or second-year players. The other is Watson, who’s started 68 career games.
29) Trevor Lawrence (vs. BUF): D- (23)
Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense have effectively collapsed after one good season-opening half against the Dolphins in Week 1. Since then, Lawrence has completed fewer than 50% of his passes and been sacked 10 times.
Monday’s loss to the Bills was another poor performance from Lawrence, who averaged only 4.7 yards per attempt in a 47-10 defeat. Something has to change in Jacksonville. Lawrence, the NFL’s second-highest-paid QB, isn’t going anywhere, which puts the spotlight on head coach Doug Pederson.
30) Skylar Thompson (vs. SEA): D- (20)
Thompson didn’t make it all the way through the Dolphins’ 24-3 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday. Making his first start since the 2022-23 playoffs, Thompson failed to move Miami’s offense past Seattle’s 35-yard line on any of his nine drives before leaving with a third-quarter rib injury.
Backup Tim Boyle had a little more success but was playing against soft coverages. Practice-squadder Tyler Huntley remains a candidate to see playing time with Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) on IR.
31) Anthony Richardson (vs. CHI): D- (20)
After starting the 2024 campaign with a 77 grade in a loss to the Texans, Richardson has earned nearly failing marks in each of the last two weeks.
He completed just 10 of 20 passes for 167 yards against the Bears on Sunday. Richardson consistently sailed throws in the Colts’ Week 3 win, missing on what should have been routine completions. Who is the only quarterback with a higher off-target rate than Richarson this season? Bryce Young, whom the Panthers already benched.
32) Jacoby Brissett (vs. NYJ): D- (18)
There may never be a perfect time for the Patriots to insert No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye this season. New England faces the 49ers, Dolphins, Texans, and Jets’ defenses over the next five weeks. Given how poorly the Pats’ offensive line is performing, it might be malpractice to put Maye under center.
Still, Brissett hasn’t given head coach Jerod Mayo many reasons to keep him in the starting lineup. The veteran signal-caller failed to pass for 100 yards against the Jets on TNF while taking five sacks. Maye eventually came in to finish a blowout loss, completing four of eight attempts for 22 yards while absorbing three sacks.