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    Week 5 QB Rankings: Grading the Performances of Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, and Others

    Which quarterbacks had the best performances in Week 5, and who struggled? Using PFN Insight's QB+ metric, we examine the results from this week.

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    We are now through the first weeks of the 2024 NFL season, and things are starting to shake out in terms of which teams and players are performing well or not. Even so, we still see plenty of week-to-week variation, especially in the play of the quarterbacks around the league.

    Using the PFN Insights QB+ metric, we graded all 29 QBs who took the field in Week 5 and put their results into the context of this season and the last five seasons.

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    What Is PFN’s Quarterback Grading Process?

    We’ve created a formula for assigning a score and 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 QB+ metric 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.

    Not every game will allow a quarterback 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.

    This week, we are slightly changing the way we produce the grades. In previous weeks, our rankings were based on grading players against one another from that week. Going forward, players will be graded based on historical data back through the 2019 season.

    That does mean we may end up with a week where all quarterbacks fall in a very small range of grades. We may have a week where 10+ QBs get an A, and we may have weeks where none do.

    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 score than the last player in that tier, but they were close enough to fall into the same bucket.

    All data referenced below is courtesy of TruMedia unless otherwise stated.

    Week 5 QB Grades

    1) Joe Burrow, CIN (vs. BAL): A- (86)

    Joe Burrow’s performances in 2024 have improved week over week, and that continued into Week 5, where he posted his highest QB+ score of the season. His play in Week 5 was the fourth-highest QB+ score of the season and the highest of any QB in a loss, which demonstrates just how unlucky he was to be on the losing side in this one.

    Burrow was excellent across the board, finishing in the top three in every metric we look for other than passing from a clean pocket, where he still managed to finish fifth. He particularly excelled in the clutch, posting positive EPA outputs across the board and finishing with the second-highest cumulative EPA this season in clutch situations.

    Burrow was also incredible on third down, converting 72.7% of the time. That is the highest conversion percentage on third downs this season. With a score over 85, there is not much room left for Burrow to improve further across the rest of the season. However, if he can hold this level, he should not find himself on the losing side too many times.

    2) Baker Mayfield, TB (at ATL): B (73)

    Incredibly, our two best quarterbacks in Week 5 were both on the losing side. When you look at the box score from last Thursday, it appears that Kirk Cousins had the better night, but Baker Mayfield was excellent in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ loss. Mayfield’s performance in Week 5 was the 14th-best performance by QB+ this season.

    Mayfield’s numbers split quite intriguingly. He was actually a below-average quarterback in our database when under pressure, on third downs, and in terms of net yards per attempt (nYPA). However, he was fantastic at throwing out of a clean pocket, posting the seventh-best result of the season so far.

    Mayfield’s EPA output in the final two minutes of the first half was not just the highest of the season; it was the highest return in terms of EPA in the final two minutes of any game since the start of 2019. That number is largely based on the situation, as Mayfield only threw one pass in that period of play, a four-yard touchdown to Sterling Shepard.

    3) Caleb Williams, CHI (vs. CAR): B (73)

    The progression we are seeing from Caleb Williams in his rookie season is fantastic. He struggled out of the gate but has improved week-over-week. Williams’ performance in Week 5 was by far his best of the season. He set season (and career) high numbers in nYPA as well as passing in a clean pocket and clutch situations.

    The biggest caveat for Williams in this performance is that he faced one of the worst, if not the worst, defenses in the NFL in the Carolina Panthers. The positive news is that his opponent in Week 6 is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have not been much better. Therefore, we could see another improvement from Williams this week. The key will be whether he can then sustain these performances against better defenses as the season goes on.

    4) Lamar Jackson, BAL (at CIN): B- (71)

    Lamar Jackson has continued to be excellent in the last three weeks, helping the Baltimore Ravens to a 3-2 record. This was his worst performance by QB+ in that period, but it was still comfortably better than his performances in the first two weeks of the season.

    Jackson was excellent when throwing out of a clean pocket, posting the third-best number of the week. He was also good under pressure relative to the field, finishing fourth in Week 5. However, in a wider context, Jackson’s performance under pressure was only marginally above average when compared to our database going back to the start of 2019.

    The biggest change in Jackson’s game in the last three weeks compared to the first two weeks has been when throwing from a clean pocket. He has consistently been above the 80th percentile in our database over the last three weeks, having been merely average in those situations to open the season.

    5) Kirk Cousins, ATL (vs. TB): B- (71)

    It will not be a surprise to know that Cousins’ Thursday Night Football performance was his best as the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons. He set the franchise record for passing yards and threw four touchdowns. It was not necessarily all positive, as he also threw an interception. Additionally, his final stat line benefitted hugely from a monstrous 238 yards after the catch.

    Cousins was a top-10 quarterback in almost all of our metrics this week, which resulted in a top-five finish for the Falcons’ signal-caller. When compared to our database, he was in the 77th percentile when it came to passing out of a clean pocket and was above average when throwing under pressure and in terms of nYPA.

    The exciting thing for Cousins and the Falcons is that there is still plenty of room for him to improve on his electric performance. If that improvement continues and is sustained, Atlanta could be a real force in the NFC throughout the rest of the season.

    6) Trevor Lawrence, JAX (vs. IND): B- (70)

    After some mediocre performances in recent weeks, Trevor Lawrence finally flashed some glimpses of the quarterback that the Jacksonville Jaguars need him to be. Week 5 was by far his best performance in terms of passing from a clean pocket, converting on third downs, and nYPA. Lawrence also posted a positive EPA in clutch situations for the first time this season.

    Lawrence and the Jaguars will be delighted to have their first win in 2024, but there is still plenty of reason to be concerned. He was still a below-average quarterback when pressured, and this performance came against a defense that is below average in terms of EPA per game.

    We will get a good idea of whether this performance is a sign of things changing for Lawrence or just a product of a good matchup in Week 6. Lawrence and the Jaguars face a Bears defense that is fourth this year in terms of EPA, they and will do so in London. If he can back up last week’s performance with another good game, then maybe we can start believing this is a real shift for Lawrence.

    7) Joe Flacco, IND (at JAX): B- (70)

    In many ways, Week 5 could not have gone much worse for the Indianapolis Colts. Joe Flacco playing great in a spot-starter role only shines a spotlight on the fact that Anthony Richardson has yet to prove anything. Had that performance from Flacco come in a win, there would have been some solace. But Indianapolis also lost this game, so now it has a headache and nothing to show for it.

    Flacco was a top-five QB in three of our metrics this week, including two clutch situations. He also finished as the sixth-best quarterback when passing from a clean pocket. Those numbers match, or best, anything we have seen from Richardson this year. In Flacco’s two outings this season, he has returned a better QB+ than the Colts’ second-year starter.

    We should add that Flacco faced one of the worst defenses in the league in Week 6. The Jaguars’ defense is 31st in EPA per game, so the matchup could not have been much easier for him. Additionally, his outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers came when the team had prepared all week for Richardson, giving him somewhat of an advantage in that scenario.

    There should not be a quarterback controversy here because while Flacco might be the better option in the short term, Richardson is Indianapolis’s long-term answer. Only one of these quarterbacks has the upside in the next 5-10 years to take this team to a Super Bowl, and it is not Flacco.

    8) C.J. Stroud, HOU (vs. BUF): B- (67)

    The Houston Texans are 4-1, and it does not feel like they have played particularly well to get there. That is both exciting and terrifying for Houston because it could mean the best is yet to come, or it could scream regression is on the way. How you read into that will largely depend on what type of person you are.

    Stroud finished the week as a top-10 quarterback, but when you look at the individual components in the context of the database, he was largely just above average more so than anything else. The one place he struggled was in clutch situations, posting his worst performance of the season with a negative EPA in all three situations.

    In the context of his short NFL career, this was Stroud’s eighth-best performance. The fact we are looking at that as a little bit of a disappointment indicates just how good this kid can be when he gets it right. If Stroud can get things clicking the way he has done at times in his NFL career, this Texans team could be a legitimate contender in the AFC.

    9) Jayden Daniels, WAS (vs. CLE): B- (66)

    Jayden Daniels is having a fantastic rookie season. It has not always been perfect in terms of passing, and that was the case again in Week 5. However, he produced a superb rushing performance, which means Washington still scored 30 points despite just an average passing performance by his standards.

    The fact that a B- feels disappointing for Daniels is a testament to what he has done over the last two weeks. He struggled in Week 5 when throwing from a clean pocket, posting his worst number of the season. However, this was still a solid performance from the rookie, and it demonstrates just why he is so dangerous. Even if Daniels has an off-week passing, he can hurt opposing defenses with his legs.

    10) Patrick Mahomes, KC (vs. NO): B- (66)

    Week 5 was somewhat of a bounce-back game for Mahomes after a very mediocre set of results in the previous three weeks. He stood out this week in clutch situations. His EPA when the game was still in the balance in the fourth quarter was the third-best number since the start of 2019.

    The NFL should be terrified that the Chiefs are 5-0 while Mahomes is playing as a league-average option by QB+. His performance in 2024 has shown a similar trend to that of 2023. Last year, Mahomes recorded a QB+ above 70 in just 25% of his games, and he has yet to do so this year. There is plenty of time for him to improve this season, and that is a scary thought.

    11) Daniel Jones, NYG (at SEA): C+ (64)

    Trying to figure out Daniel Jones has become extremely challenging, both in 2024 and in his career as a whole. Week 5 against the Seahawks saw Jones produce his fourth-best performance ever from a clean pocket and largely kept his numbers from being average or below this week.

    Jones struggles in clutch situations and posted below-average numbers when under pressure, converting third downs, and in terms of nYPA. This game was in the upper third of Jones’ career performance by QB+, and that is very telling as to the ceiling of both Jones and the Giants.

    12) Brock Purdy, SF (vs. ARI): C+ (61)

    Brock Purdy’s second-worst performance of the season by QB+ and eighth-worst performance of his career occurred in Week 5 of the 2024 season. The fact that he still produced an above-average performance compared to the league tells you where Purdy has set the bar in his relatively short NFL career.

    The only thing he was above average in was converting on third downs, as he posted his worst number of the season in passing from a clean pocket and nYPA. Both of those were also the third-lowest numbers of his career. Purdy was still solid under pressure, ranking eighth in Week 5, so the wheels are not coming off or anything like that.

    The narrative around the San Francisco 49ers is naturally negative at 2-3 following another fourth-quarter collapse. However, they could easily be 4-1, and no one would think twice. Yes, Purdy has taken a small step back so far in 2024, but we know the level he is capable of playing at when he is at his best.

    13) Dak Prescott, DAL (at PIT): C+ (60)

    The week-over-week progress we had been seeing from Dak Prescott stalled in Week 5, but the situation on Sunday Night Football makes that understandable. The game was delayed by over an hour and kicked off after 9:30 p.m. ET. The weather was also still less than ideal, so judging Prescott too harshly would be a mistake.

    The biggest areas of concern are his struggles in clutch situations and when throwing under pressure. Sure, he stepped up late in the game, but he was poor heading into the half, including a very costly interception in the end zone. Additionally, his -0.7 EPA per dropback when under pressure was the sixth-worst this week.

    Of course, the delay and the weather are factors. Prescott had been improving nicely week-over-week before this game and faced a very good defense in less-than-ideal circumstances. We need to see him get back on track against a league-average Detroit Lions defense.

    14) Bo Nix, DEN (vs. LV): C (57)

    The Denver Broncos are riding the roller coaster of starting a rookie quarterback who could have perhaps benefitted from some more time to learn the NFL game before starting. The positive side is that Nix’s Week 5 QB+ was right around league average and a considerable improvement on his Week 4 performance.

    Focusing on the positives, Nix had his best game of the year in terms of passing from a clean pocket and nYPA. He was also close to his best in clutch situations and passing when pressured. Unfortunately, both of those were still below league average in our database, and he was in the bottom 10 in EPA per dropback when under pressure.

    The biggest sustained weakness in his short career has come on third downs, where he has only topped a 30% conversion rate once. The other concern is that this performance was merely adequate against a league-average defense, which Andy Dalton shredded two weeks prior. To be just league average in that situation is not overly promising.

    15) Justin Fields, PIT (vs. DAL): C (56)

    We must give Justin Fields the same benefit of the doubt we gave to Prescott regarding the delay and the weather conditions in Week 5. The difference is that Prescott produced his third-best performance of the season in that scenario, while Fields produced his worst and took a big step back from last week.

    Fields struggled when passing under pressure, converting on third downs, and in terms of nYPA. He posted a positive EPA in clutch situations, but his performance was still below-average overall when we look back across the last five and a bit years. The positive is that he was good when throwing from a clean pocket, which has been a strength in the last month.

    16) Jordan Love, GB (at LAR): C (56)

    We have yet to see Jordan Love get fully comfortable in 2024, with all three of his QB+ outputs being below his career average entering this season. However, there is a potential reason for that which makes sense.

    In Week 1, he dealt with a trip to Brazil and all that that entailed, and the last two weeks have come as he recovered from a knee injury. For a relatively young player in terms of career experience, that is a lot to have to handle. It has not always resulted in the prettiest decision-making so far this season.

    The lone positive has come from his passing in a clean pocket in the last two weeks. The problem is that a lot of the rest of it has not been very good. He has yet to top 33.33% in terms of third-down conversion rate, and his nYPA has been average or just below. Love has also been below average in clutch situations while posting a negative EPA per dropback when under pressure in the last two weeks.

    You can view this either way for Love because the Packers are 3-2 despite his struggles. Malik Willis leading them to a 2-0 record has bought him some time, but that window is going to start running out. If his performances pick up, the Packers are a serious threat in the NFC, but if he keeps struggling, they are also a regression candidate.

    17) Geno Smith, SEA (vs. NYG): C (55)

    This week, Geno Smith produced his worst QB+ of the season, just barely below his Week 3 performance against the Miami Dolphins. The positive spin is that he turned around and produced his best QB+ of the season in Week 4. The negative side of things is that we have now seen his two worst performances in the last three weeks.

    The root of his problems in Week 5 was a -0.7 EPA per dropback when under pressure and a 27.3% conversion rate on third downs. He also produced his worst nYPA number of the season at 5.8, and despite a positive EPA in clutch situations, he was still below average in our database.

    Smith’s range of outcomes this year has been fairly narrow, and his performance has been somewhat irrelevant to the Seahawks’ results. His best and worst QB+ performances have both led to losses, while the middle three all resulted in wins. Smith has been viewed as a game-manager QB at times, and his numbers so far in 2024 have largely lived up to that.

    18) Gardner Minshew, LV (at DEN): C (55)

    Gardner Minshew’s benching in Week 5 while ranking just below average in QB+ may seem odd, but this performance, combined with his struggles in Week 4, helped Antonio Pierce make the decision. His awful pick-six at the goal line was one of the more bizarre decisions and throws that we have seen this year.

    Minshew’s number here is a little deceiving because it is heavily influenced by one big play under pressure, which resulted in a league-leading EPA per dropback under pressure in Week 5. Drop that number to even an EPA of zero from 1.5, and his score would have fallen below 50 for a second consecutive week.

    Minshew was poor in every other aspect of the game this week. His performance from a clean pocket was woeful, he was not good in clutch situations, and he was below average on third downs and nYPA. The number here is a little tricky and is where one-game sample sizes can get a little funky in any metric.

    19) Aidan O’Connell, LV (at DEN): C (54)

    It is hard to judge Aidan O’Connell too much in a relatively short outing. He was solid when it came to converting on third downs (60%) but was below average or worse in every other context. He was particularly bad at passing out of a clean pocket and when it comes to nYPA.

    It is probably no coincidence that two of the worst weeks for Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterbacks have come when Davante Adams is out. Unfortunately, that is unlikely to get better any time soon. Even if Adams plays in Week 6, he could well be on a different team shortly after that.

    20) Derek Carr, NO (at KC): C (53)

    Derek Carr’s performances are trending in the wrong direction. We talked about how Burrow has been getting better each week, but Carr is going in the other direction. After posting grades of B+ and A- with scores above 78.5 in the first two weeks, he has seen his grades and scores drop in each of the subsequent weeks.

    It is hard to pinpoint one concern because every one of the metrics we use to analyze a quarterback for QB+ has fallen in recent weeks. His EPA under pressure has gone from being considerably above average in the first two weeks to just below average in the last three weeks. In the last two weeks, we have also seen him struggle to make plays from a clean pocket.

    Carr looks set to miss time in the next week or two, and that timing might be welcome as opposing defenses appear to have figured this passing offense out a little. However, it would be a surprise if Jake Haener was a consistent upgrade in any absence for Carr.

    21) Matthew Stafford, LAR (vs. GB): C (51)

    Week 5 was Matthew Stafford’s second-worst performance of the season, and you only need one guess to know which was worse (Week 2 vs. Arizona). He remains a good quarterback when throwing from a clean pocket, consistently above average in those situations, but he has struggled under pressure this season.

    Struggling under pressure is not a new problem for Stafford, so we should not suddenly expect a massive improvement going forward. His third-down conversion percentage being below 30% in the last three weeks is a red flag, but the Los Angeles Rams will hope to get Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back quickly after the bye.

    Unsurprisingly, Stafford should benefit from getting back his best two receivers. Last year with Nacua, we saw him consistently perform above this level, so bringing one or both back should be a significant upgrade.

    22) Jacoby Brissett, NE (vs. MIA): C (49)

    We should hardly be shocked that Jacoby Brissett has consistently been in the lower echelons of these rankings in 2024. Entering this season, he had a QB+ below 60 in 21 of his 32 qualifying games, and now he has done it in five straight games to open this season.

    The only thing that Brissett has been above average in this year is passing from a clean pocket, and even that deserted him in Week 5. There is nothing positive to point to here and the rumblings have started that it might be time for Drake Maye. If so, then Brissett should not be viewed as a failure in 2024 because he has done almost exactly what we expected him to.

    The supporting cast around Brissett has certainly not helped, and he is not a quarterback that will elevate a below-average set of pass catchers. If Brissett’s time as a starter in New England is done, then history will not point to it kindly, but this is exactly what most of us expected out of a bridge quarterback.

    23) Josh Allen, BUF (at HOU): C (48)

    Josh Allen’s last two weeks have been a major red flag. Having been graded as a B- or better in each of the first three weeks, he has been graded a C for each of the last two. The major concerns come in the way of his nYPA and third-down conversion rate plummeting in those last two names. He has also posted a negative EPA in clutch situations in each of the last two weeks.

    Performances like this are not completely uncommon from Allen, and we can point to the game against the Denver Broncos last year as an example. However, he only has eight showings since 2019 with a QB+ below 50, and two of those have come in the last two weeks. His worst pair of performances last year were in Weeks 6 and 7, but those both had a QB+ just below 60 as opposed to below 50.

    At this stage, we are not sounding any major alarm over Allen, but he is surrounded by arguably the weakest pass-catching talent of his career. That should not be an excuse for a quarterback as highly thought of as he is, and performances this poorly in consecutive games is a bad look.

    24) Tyler Huntley, MIA (at NE): C (47)

    It is too early to judge Tyler Huntley too harshly, given that he has only been with the team for a couple of weeks at this point. The positive spin on this performance is that he at least improved a little from his first start. Most of that improvement came when under pressure and in terms of nYPA.

    There is room for Huntley to play better, and if he gets the time, we should see improvements. In his career, Huntley has posted just six QB+ scores below 50, and two of those were this season in tough circumstances. However, his ceiling in terms of QB+ has been just over 60 so we should not expect him to be leading these rankings any time soon.

    The Dolphins would settle for him being consistently above average. That would allow the fantastic playmakers around him to help drag this team into being competitive. Maybe the bye week can be the start of that.

    25) Andy Dalton, CAR (at CHI): C (45)

    Andy Dalton flew onto the scene in Week 3 and predictably has regressed since then. The biggest regression has come in his passing from a clean pocket, which has gone from being above the 80th percentile to league average. Week 3 was also his season-high throwing under pressure, nYPA, and in clutch situations.

    This week was Dalton’s worst performance in all of the metrics we look for. He was below average in most of those metrics and posted just a 20% third-down conversion rate. He was also below the 30th percentile in nYPA. The Bears’ defense was the toughest he has faced so far this season, so it is not a surprise to see his QB+ fall off considerably.

    26) Kyler Murray, ARI (at SF): C (45)

    As we discussed with Daniels, QB+ does not heavily weigh a quarterback’s rushing performance, and that is a major part of Murray’s final stat line in Week 5. However, his performance as a passer is a concern, as is the fact that his numbers have fallen off in each of the last three weeks.

    Murray was particularly bad in Week 5 when throwing from a clean pocket. He was below average on those snaps for the first time this season. Additionally, he was close to historically bad when it came to his performance in clutch situations. Murray posted the second-lowest EPA in the final two minutes of the first half since the start of the 2019 season.

    Murray has been prone to odd games like this throughout his career, but we are talking about less than 10% of his career games before 2024 with a QB+ below 50. We have now seen it twice in the last two weeks — and Week 3 was only just above that. Murray very well may be playing some of the worst football of his career, despite the win.

    27) Aaron Rodgers, NYJ (vs. MIN): C (44)

    The conversation over the last two weeks has revolved around Aaron Rodgers’ injuries, which have coincided with his worst two performances of the season. These two weeks have also been in the bottom five when it comes to Rodgers’ QB+ scores since 2019. The question is whether age or injury is the problem.

    A lot has been made of Rodgers’ struggles under pressure, and he has not been good by any means, but the bigger issues in the last two weeks have been throwing from a clean pocket and his nYPA.  Rodgers has also really struggled to convert on third downs, and some of that is just limited mobility that comes with age and injuries.

    The Jets need him to bounce back in Week 6. Ironically, they turned down a bye week after their London trip and could be regretting it right now.

    28) Sam Darnold, MIN (vs. NYJ): C (44)

    Week 5 was Sam Darnold’s worst performance of the season by a considerable margin. He has not been good under pressure all season, but in London, he also struggled mightily when throwing from a clean pocket. That manifested in season-lows for third-down conversion rate, nYPA, and EPA in clutch situations.

    What happened on Sunday was by no means ideal, but it was also not a complete disaster. The Vikings escaped with a win, and if that is Darnold’s worst performance this year, the team will generally be happy. We did not expect Darnold to be an elite QB, so anything in the 60-70 region in terms of QB+ will be very welcomed by the Minnesota faithful.

    29) Deshaun Watson, CLE (at WAS): C- (40)

    Questions are rightly being asked about Deshaun Watson’s future as the starting quarterback in Cleveland. His Week 5 performance was the fifth-worst we have seen all season and his second-worst of the year. He has yet to post a QB+ over 50 in 2024, having had just four games with a QB+ below 50 since 2019.

    When you look at his numbers this season, the third-down conversion rate is particularly troublesome. He has yet to have a success rate above 27.3% on third downs this season. In Week 5, Watson struggled against pressure, posting a -1.3 EPA per dropback, which was the worst in the league by a massive 0.5-point gap.

    There is not much to be positive about Watson’s numbers this season. If this trend continues, it would be a surprise to see him remain the starter all season. Things need to turn around quickly before the Browns’ season slips into the unrecoverable region.

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