NFL quarterback rankings, Week 17: Aaron Rodgers is the MVP
18. player. 55. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. Pittsburgh Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger
2020 stats: 3,804 yards | 65.6 completion % | 33 TDs | 10 INTs | 6.3 YPA | 60.1 QBR
Last Week: 19
Roethlisberger finally awoke from his slumber in the second half on Sunday, helping the Steelers overcome a 24-7 deficit with a couple touchdown passes of 20+ air yards. His overall play has been poor over the past month, but was this a revival or a reprieve? We shall see.
Scouting Report. Minnesota Vikings. 60. Pick Analysis. QB. Kirk Cousins. 17. player
2020 stats: 3,860 yards | 67.4 completion % | 32 TDs | 13 INTs | 8.1 YPA | 62.9 QBR
Last Week: 17
Cousins was irate with the defense through Minnesota’s humbling Christmas defeat, and perhaps it was a year’s worth of frustration boiling over. Cousins was average this season, but he’s being paid to perform like a star. In reality, he’s a decent player with way too much variance in his game.
QB. Cleveland Browns. 16. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 53. Baker Mayfield. player
2020 stats: 3,367 yards | 62.7 completion % | 25 TDs | 8 INTs | 7.3 YPA | 71.1 QBR
Last Week: 14
The apologists will say Mayfield deserves a reprieve because the Browns didn’t have many receivers due to COVID. None of that in this space. Cleveland needed Mayfield to play well in a must-win against the one-win Jets. He failed to do so. Get the job done.
50. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player. 15. QB. Detroit Lions. Matthew Stafford
2020 stats: 3,791 yards | 64.2 completion % | 23 TDs | 9 INTs | 7.6 YPA | 67.7 QBR
Last Week: 12
Normally, I’d sub Chase Daniel in since Stafford is hurt, but this is the final NFL quarterback rankings of the season, and it should be noted Stafford has played through a litany of injuries, with no help, and put together a very nice year. He deserves better.
44. Pick Analysis. QB. Atlanta Falcons. Matt Ryan. 14. Scouting Report. player
2020 stats: 4,316 yards | 64.9 completion % | 24 TDs | 11 INTs | 7.4 YPA | 66.1 QBR
Last Week: 15
Ryan was excellent against Kansas City, despite being without Julio Jones again. He had struggled for November and the early portion of November, but did enough to beat the Buccaneers and Chiefs, only to be let down by his supporting cast.
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Philip Rivers. 13. QB. Indianapolis Colts. player. 46
2020 stats: 4,005 yards | 68.3 completion % | 23 TDs | 10 INTs | 7.7 YPA | 64.3 QBR
Last Week: 11
Rivers deserves to be in the top half of the league. He’s largely played well, but his second-half performance (among many other Colts) could keep them from the playoffs. The Colts blew a 24-7 lead in Pittsburgh, and Rivers did little to help amidst his sea of short passes.
player. 12. Pick Analysis. QB. New Orleans Saints. Drew Brees. 15. Scouting Report
2020 stats: 2,741 yards | 70.7 completion % | 21 TDs | 6 INTs | 7.7 YPA | 76.1 QBR
Last Week: 10
Brees looks somewhat cooked. It’s a weird thing to say after a guy’s team hangs 52 points in a win, but Brees was struggling to drive the ball and threw a litany of passes that either should’ve been, or were intercepted. If he plays like this in January, the Saints will be finished off quickly.
Pick Analysis. Arizona Cardinals. 11. player. 32. Scouting Report. QB. Kyler Murray
2020 stats: 3,844 yards | 67.1 completion % | 26 TDs | 12 INTs | 7.1 YPA | 69.1 QBR
Last Week: 9
Murray had to play better against the 49ers. Yes, San Francisco has a tough defense, but Arizona has ample weapons and Murray did virtually nothing in a must-win game. Going for 247 passing yards on 50 attempts with only three completions of 10+ air yards isn’t getting it done. Not even close.
QB. 10. player. 26. Pick Analysis. Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson. Scouting Report
2020 stats: 2,644 yards | 64.8 completion % | 23 TDs | 8 INTs | 7.4 YPA | 72.6 QBR
Last Week: 13
Jackson may never be prolific throwing the ball in this offense, but his legs make him a top-10 player. He’s now rushed for 908 yards and eight touchdowns to accompany 23 scores through the air. If nothing else, he’s the most unique quarterback in the game.
Scouting Report. Las Vegas Raiders. 28. player. Pick Analysis. QB. Derek Carr. 9
2020 stats: 3,732 yards | 67.6 completion % | 25 TDs | 7 INTs | 7.8 YPA | 71.5 QBR
Last Week: NA
The Raiders are deservedly the butt of every joke right now, but Carr was phenomenal against the Dolphins despite not being 100 percent. He threw for 336 yards on 9.9 yards per attempt with a touchdown. It’s not his fault the defense is a sieve.
QB. Ryan Tannehill. player. 35. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Tennessee Titans. 8
2020 stats: 3,603 yards | 65.4 completion % | 32 TDs | 7 INTs | 7.9 YPA | 78.1 QBR
Last Week: 6
Tannehill drops for the first time in weeks, and it’s because when the Titans were forced to abandon the run game, he looked lost against a bad defense. Throwing for 121 yards with two interceptions and on 11-of-24 passing is a brutal day in a big spot.