{"id":7943,"date":"2024-12-24T12:29:18","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T12:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=7943"},"modified":"2024-12-24T12:29:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T12:29:20","slug":"2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-17","title":{"rendered":"2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 17: Why Not Historic Rookie Jayden Daniels for MVP?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/a.-football\">NFL<\/a> has a quarterback star on the rise in rookie <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/a.-football\/player\/jayden-daniels-118200\">Jayden Daniels<\/a>, who has already spent several weeks at the top spot of these rankings this season before he had a little slump. But he led the Week 16 headlines that included a big win for Lamar Jackson against Pittsburgh, a concussion for Jalen Hurts, Drake Maye outplaying Josh Allen in Buffalo, and the first NFL start for Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But while the MVP race is still being billed as Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson, it would be nice if people really considered the concept of value and gave some thought to Jayden Daniels for the award. No one expected Washington to be this good while teams like the Bills and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/a.-football\/team\/baltimore-ravens-6655\">Ravens<\/a> have been in the playoffs almost every year since 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parsing through the stats of quarterbacks who have more help around them on teams used to winning seems like a silly way to judge the most valuable player when there\u2019s a rookie who is elevating the sorriest franchise in the NFL in the salary cap era to a 10-win season, a ridiculously efficient offense despite a lack of star power, and someone that has delivered several iconic moments already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just some food for thought as we move into Christmas week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each Wednesday at <a href=\"https:\/\/365scores.onelink.me\/Jiou\/ENASO\">365Scores<\/a>, we are going to rank all 32 NFL quarterbacks from top to bottom. The methodology is to start with our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-mahomes-tier\">preseason quarterback rankings<\/a> from July, which was based on a mixture of career value and emphasis on recent play. <strong>Then each week, we will adjust the rankings to account for the latest game to get a sense of which quarterbacks are performing the best in the 2024 season. Injured starters will be replaced.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Note: Many statistical references will be made to data from Next Gen Stats (NGS).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#1-lamar-jackson-baltimore-ravens\">1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#2-josh-allen-buffalo-bills\">2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#3-patrick-mahomes-kansas-city-chiefs\">3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#4-jayden-daniels-washington-commanders\">4. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#5-jared-goff-detroit-lions\">5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#6-sam-darnold-minnesota-vikings\">6. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#7-jordan-love-green-bay-packers\">7. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#8-joe-burrow-cincinnati-bengals\">8. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#9-justin-herbert-los-angeles-chargers\">9. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#10-baker-mayfield-tampa-bay-buccaneers\">10. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#11-jalen-hurts-philadelphia-eagles\">11. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#12-russell-wilson-pittsburgh-steelers\">12. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#13-matthew-stafford-los-angeles-rams\">13. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#14-c-j-stroud-houston-texans\">14. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#15-kyler-murray-arizona-cardinals\">15. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#16-tua-tagovailoa-miami-dolphins\">16. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#17-brock-purdy-san-francisco-49-ers\">17. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#18-aaron-rodgers-new-york-jets\">18. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#19-geno-smith-seattle-seahawks\">19. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#20-bo-nix-denver-broncos\">20. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#21-bryce-young-carolina-panthers\">21. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#22-drake-maye-new-england-patriots\">22. Drake Maye, New England Patriots<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#23-caleb-williams-chicago-bears\">23. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#24-cooper-rush-dallas-cowboys\">24. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#25-michael-penix-atlanta-falcons\">25. Michael Penix, Atlanta Falcons<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#26-anthony-richardson-indianapolis-colts\">26. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#27-aidan-o-connell-las-vegas-raiders\">27. Aidan O\u2019Connell, Las Vegas Raiders<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#28-mason-rudolph-tennessee-titans\">28. Mason Rudolph, Tennessee Titans<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#29-mac-jones-jacksonville-jaguars\">29. Mac Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#30-dorian-thompson-robinson-cleveland-browns\">30. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Cleveland Browns<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#31-spencer-rattler-new-orleans-saints\">31. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#32-drew-lock-new-york-giants\">32. Drew Lock, New York Giants<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-lamar-jackson-baltimore-ravens\"><strong>1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 2 (+1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the first time in his career, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/a.-football\/player\/lamar-jackson-63413\">Lamar Jackson<\/a> played well and got a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. It almost had to happen as he might not get a better setup for it with the Steelers not having George Pickens on offense, the defense losing a couple of starting corners, and T.J. Watt wasn\u2019t 100% healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But while Jackson threw for 207 yards and 3 touchdowns, there were just enough miscues that would make the Ravens hope they don\u2019t have to see this team again in the playoffs. Jackson fumbled on a strip-sack early in the game, but unlike in past matchups where the Steelers pounced on loose balls, Baltimore recovered as it recovered all three of the early fumbles in this game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then in the fourth quarter, Derrick Henry broke a huge run and put the Ravens in position to go up double digits with a 24-17 lead. But Jackson threw a terrible red-zone pick, which thankfully didn\u2019t matter since Russell Wilson threw a pick-six on the ensuing drive to put the Ravens up 31-17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But between flirting with multiple turnovers again, leaning heavily on Henry\u2019s rushing (162 yards), and getting contained as a runner himself (25 yards without kneeldowns) again, the Steelers remain one of Jackson\u2019s biggest roadblocks to a Super Bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ravens should feel good about getting over the hump of not beating this team recently with Jackson, but a rematch could be one of the most interesting playoff games this year given Baltimore\u2019s historic struggles on offense and Pittsburgh\u2019s historic struggles on defense in the postseason since 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Something will have to give should it come to that, but first, the Ravens have a shot to win in Houston and possibly inch closer to the AFC North title if the Steelers lose the early game to Kansas City on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-josh-allen-buffalo-bills\"><strong>2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 1 (-1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I just talked about Lamar Jackson in the context of the Pittsburgh narrative more than the MVP award, and I\u2019d prefer to not dwell too much on that this week for Josh Allen too. Let\u2019s just say the obvious: He didn\u2019t have a good game and was outplayed at home by rookie Drake Maye, who wants to be the next Allen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the Bills still won the game because James Cook is having a great year with long touchdown runs, and the defense bailed out the offense with a touchdown return in the fourth quarter as Buffalo\u2019s 30-point streak was snapped at eight games. Buffalo\u2019s offense only had 17 points in this game, and Allen was 16-of-29 for 154 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception on a deep ball in the end zone where any short gain could have allowed the Bills to try a field goal while they trailed 14-7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Allen\u2019s 28.7 QBR was the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/qbr\/_\/view\/weekly\/week\/16\">third lowest this week<\/a> and the lowest in a win. It\u2019s an off game, and those can happen even during MVP seasons. But Allen\u2019s odds did cut in half from about -900 to -450, and we\u2019ll see just how much the Bills want to play things out here. If the Chiefs secure the No. 1 seed on Wednesday, the Bills might not have much incentive to go full throttle these last two games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Did Allen do enough for MVP? I\u2019m not sure as the season isn\u2019t over. But a game like this against the Patriots certainly does him no favors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GettyImages-1672233834-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\" Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills\" class=\"wp-image-7965\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> (Photo by Kevin Sabitus\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-patrick-mahomes-kansas-city-chiefs\"><strong>3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 3 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I wrote about Patrick Mahomes\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/mahomes-brady-loat-part-4\">high-ankle sprain last week<\/a>, I legitimately thought it could be a concern with two games coming up on a short week against pass rushes like the Texans and Steelers. Well, it only took one drive for Mahomes to brush off those concerns after he scrambled for 12 yards on a third-and-13, then finished the drive with this 15-yard touchdown run:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Patrick Mahomes gets a rushing touchdown with a sprained ankle. Because of course he does. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5fbxIvJEB2\">pic.twitter.com\/5fbxIvJEB2<\/a><\/p>&mdash; lindsey ok (@lindseyyok) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lindseyyok\/status\/1870534560238436453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 21, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So much for that. Remember when Mahomes started this season with 8 touchdowns and 9 interceptions? He\u2019s thrown 15 touchdowns to 2 interceptions since. In fact, the Chiefs have gone five straight games without a turnover, their longest streak in the Mahomes era. The defense is also starting to get takeaways, so all the turnover regression is going Kansas City\u2019s way with two shots to win one game to clinch the No. 1 seed here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mahomes played very well against Houston, and he has a new weapon after Hollywood Brown made his season debut and looked good. With Xavier Worthy starting to get the trust (read: more targets) of Mahomes and Joe Thuney doing a solid job at left tackle, this offense is picking things up at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The deep balls still aren\u2019t connecting, but when you can string together long drives the way the Chiefs have all year long, you have a chance to win every game, which Kansas City has almost done this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-jayden-daniels-washington-commanders\"><strong>4. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 5 (+1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jayden Daniels has already engineered some signature moments in his rookie season, but Sunday was the best yet after he threw five touchdown passes against a top-ranked Philadelphia defense in a comeback win that ended the Eagles\u2019 10-game winning streak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He did this despite his offense turning it over five times, including three lost fumbles by his skill players, and Daniels was able to make up for a late pick by leading a touchdown march and throwing the game-winner to Jamison Crowder with 0:06 left in a 36-33 stunner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This angle of Jayden Daniels game-winning TD to Jamison Crowder is just beautiful. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Commanders?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Commanders<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0US4gmSpZ7\">pic.twitter.com\/0US4gmSpZ7<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MarkBullockNFL\/status\/1871155200091947402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 23, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Only Cam Newton ever had the kind of numbers Daniels had in this game as a runner and passer. In fact, Daniels now leads the Commanders in rushing yards this season. He\u2019ll be a lock for Offensive Rookie of the Year and deserves MVP votes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Cam Newton vs. 2015 Giants: 5 TD passes, 340 passing yards, 100 rushing yards<br><br>Jayden Daniels vs. 2024 Eagles: 5 TD passes, 258 passing yards, 81 rushing yards<br><br>Only 2 games in NFL history where a QB threw 5 TDs while having at least 215 passing &amp; 70 rushing yards.<\/p>&mdash; Scott Kacsmar (@ScottKacsmar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ScottKacsmar\/status\/1871113750968684644?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 23, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/qbr\/_\/view\/weekly\/week\/16\">Daniels\u2019 95.8 QBR<\/a> led all quarterbacks in Week 16. At 10-5, the Commanders have a chance to finish 11-6 or 12-5. This franchise hasn\u2019t won 11 games in a season since 1991, the only NFL team that can say that. Daniels is elevating this team to levels no one expected this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daniels joins Kurt Warner and Patrick Mahomes as the only quarterbacks to score at least 18 points in each of their first 15 NFL starts. Warner and Mahomes weren\u2019t true rookies during the seasons they won MVP as first-time starters. But even if Daniels doesn\u2019t win a Super Bowl or MVP as a rookie, he\u2019s on a great path to competing for those accolades on an annual basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-jared-goff-detroit-lions\"><strong>5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 4 (-1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Lions were basically toying with the Bears in a game that wasn\u2019t nearly as tough as their Thanksgiving win at home. How do I know that? Just look at this fake \u201cstumbling\u201d touchdown pass that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson dialed up in the third quarter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Did Goff hit &#39;em with the fake stumble?!<br><br>?: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/DETvsCHI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#DETvsCHI<\/a> on FOX<br>?: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/waVpO909ge\">https:\/\/t.co\/waVpO909ge<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6xDqZ9BFzV\">pic.twitter.com\/6xDqZ9BFzV<\/a><\/p>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFL\/status\/1870921618937299013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 22, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But Goff had another strong game after the loss to Buffalo last week. All things are leading up to that Week 18 showdown with the Vikings, but we\u2019ll see if the Lions can maybe clinch that top seed sooner if the Vikings slip up against Green Bay first. As for Goff, he has a chance to light up the 49ers in prime time in a rematch of the 2023 NFC Championship Game next Monday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-sam-darnold-minnesota-vikings\"><strong>6. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 6 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coming into 2024, Sam Darnold had three fourth-quarter comebacks and five game-winning dives in his career. Through Week 16, he\u2019s doubled those numbers in Minnesota with three comebacks and his fifth-game winning drive in Seattle, which came on a great 39-yard touchdown throw to Justin Jefferson in the final minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What more does Darnold need to do to prove himself this year? If the Vikings win next week against Green Bay, that means Week 18 in Detroit should be for the No. 1 seed, a great early playoff test for him in the biggest game of his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Darnold keeps passing these weekly tests, and I think you have to give him a shot at pulling off a 2011 Eli Manning\/2012 Joe Flacco\/2017 Nick Foles type of playoff run this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-jordan-love-green-bay-packers\"><strong>7. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 7 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The numbers for Jordan Love won\u2019t wow you from Monday night. He was 16-of-28 for 182 yards and a touchdown. But he did all his damage early with the Packers scoring three straight touchdowns to take a 21-0 lead, which was plenty to beat the Saints in what became the first shutout (34-0) of the 2024 NFL season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now we\u2019ll see if Love can avenge his loss at home to Minnesota in the rematch next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8-joe-burrow-cincinnati-bengals\"><strong>8. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 8 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Burrow had a hot start, but the Bengals were stuck on 17 points for almost the entire second half before getting some late touchdown opportunities to extend Burrow\u2019s streak of games with three touchdown passes. The first one didn\u2019t go well with a play-action attempt from the 1-yard line that led to a strip-sack fumble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in getting the ball back, Burrow saw Myles Garrett jump offsides, threw up the deep ball for Ja\u2019Marr Chase on the free play, and they connected for another score this year. The Bengals (7-8) now have to get a must-win game at home against Denver if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive for the final week of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"9-justin-herbert-los-angeles-chargers\"><strong>9. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 11 (+2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One thing we hadn\u2019t seen yet from the Chargers this year, their first under Jim Harbaugh, was a fourth-quarter comeback win. Justin Herbert had nine of them in 2021-22, but he only had one in the last two seasons after the defense usually gave away his others he put the team in position for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Herbert delivered in an exciting win against Denver last Thursday night. He overcame a 24-13 deficit and put the team ahead with multiple touchdowns in the fourth quarter to secure a ninth win and a winning season. With two easier games left, the Chargers could very well finish 11-6 and the No. 6 seed or better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"10-baker-mayfield-tampa-bay-buccaneers\"><strong>10. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 9 (-1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Baker Mayfield had a wild game in Dallas, an improving defense, but I would put more blame on his skill players not doing more to attack and protect the ball as they let the Cowboys make way too many plays on them. There was an interception snatched from the receiver in the end zone in the fourth quarter, then to end things, this insane escape by Baker followed by a game-ending fumble by Rachaad White even after it looked like he secured the ball:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">THIS SEQUENCE IS INSANE<br><br>Baker Mayfield fights for his life, improvises to get it to Rachaad White in the most unique way.<br><br>White makes a play and gains a few yards before LOSING IT. Cowboys take over. DaRon Bland on the recovery. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PHUondV5sq\">pic.twitter.com\/PHUondV5sq<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AryePulliNFL\/status\/1871052452067205304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 23, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Not sure I\u2019ve ever seen an ending like that. But it\u2019s a bad loss for the Buccaneers (8-7), who lost control of their destiny in the NFC South race. They\u2019ll need Atlanta to lose a game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"11-jalen-hurts-philadelphia-eagles\"><strong>11. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 10 (-1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/a.-football\/player\/jalen-hurts-93277\">Jalen Hurts<\/a> left Sunday\u2019s game in Washington with a concussion after a scramble didn\u2019t go well. He wasn\u2019t knocked out or anything, but you could tell he was just a little off when he got up, and that was enough to send him out of the game and not return. He\u2019s in the concussion protocol, so we\u2019ll see if the Eagles have to play a game without him or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You definitely don\u2019t want to see Kenny Pickett starting games if you\u2019re the Eagles. His pocket presence is poor and he locks onto receivers because he doesn\u2019t read the field well. But Hurts should be back for the playoffs. It\u2019s just a matter of losing out on the No. 1 seed with this latest loss that really stings for the Eagles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GettyImages-1458342694-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\" Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles\" class=\"wp-image-7966\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Mitchell Leff\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"12-russell-wilson-pittsburgh-steelers\"><strong>12. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 12 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How strange is the NFL? Russell Wilson had his worst game of the season at home against the Ravens with George Pickens, and he still won that game with six field goals. He was on the road Saturday in Baltimore, he didn\u2019t have Pickens, and he played a better game but still had a horrible red zone turnover and a pick-six that largely cost the Steelers the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 34-17 final covers up how close this game was, but between Wilson getting greedy on a fumbled scramble and the pick-six proving to be the dagger in the fourth quarter, you have to put the game on him offensively. He didn\u2019t deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the good news is the Ravens and Steelers could end up meeting for a third time in the wild card round, and regardless of venue, Wilson shouldn\u2019t feel too bad about that matchup as he knows this team can beat the Ravens. He just has to be better with turnovers, and he should have Pickens back soon, if not by Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"13-matthew-stafford-los-angeles-rams\"><strong>13. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 13 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthew Stafford has passed for just 270 yards combined in the last two games, but the Rams came back to win them both in the fourth quarter. It used to be that 270 yards was something he\u2019d hit by the third quarter in his old Detroit days, but Stafford is enjoying the benefits of a defense and riding the running game with Kyren Williams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, you could blame the rain for the San Francisco game having low passing output, but I\u2019m less sure why the Rams barely threw the ball against the Jets. They\u2019ll have home games with the Cardinals and Seahawks to close this season out and hopefully win a division title, but Stafford will also have to play better in those games than he has these last few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"14-c-j-stroud-houston-texans\"><strong>14. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 14 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve been waiting since May to see how C.J. Stroud would handle his first start against the Chiefs in Arrowhead as potentially the next big AFC rival for Kansas City. He didn\u2019t get the win, and the two interceptions were disappointing, but there were encouraging signs for Stroud too in handling those blitzes from Steve Spagnuolo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He threw a great touchdown pass to Tank Dell, who unfortunately tore his ACL and dislocated his knee, a very serious injury that could even cost him the 2025 season for the Texans. Dell already had a season-ending injury as a rookie last year, and you could see just how distraught his friend Stroud was over the freak accident play as friendly fire took Dell\u2019s knee out in the end zone after such a good catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s going to be a tough road ahead for Stroud, who has to face the Ravens this Wednesday, and he\u2019s already loss Stefon Diggs earlier this season. The Texans just don\u2019t have enough weapons to truly hang with these contenders in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"15-kyler-murray-arizona-cardinals\"><strong>15. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 15 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arizona has been eliminated from the playoffs, marking the fifth time in six years that Kyler Murray will not be in the postseason for Arizona. This year, Arizona is 2-7 when Murray averages under 7.0 yards per pass and 5-1 when he\u2019s above 7.5 yards per attempt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sunday was another disappointing game in Carolina, one of the worst pass defenses in the league, and it didn\u2019t help that James Conner left injured. But Murray forced overtime with 10 straight points before he was unable to finish the job in the extra session and the Panthers won on a touchdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This offense has too many good weapons to not be more consistent than they were this season with Murray starting every game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"16-tua-tagovailoa-miami-dolphins\"><strong>16. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 17 (+1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tua Tagovailoa did not put his name in the record books with a ninth-straight game with over 70% completions as he was 22-of-34 (64.7%) against the 49ers. But he led his team to a win and keeps their playoff hopes alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He is still leading the league with a 72.9% completion percentage, but he will probably come up short of breaking Drew Brees\u2019 single-season record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"17-brock-purdy-san-francisco-49-ers\"><strong>17. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 16 (-1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 49ers were eliminated from the playoffs before Sunday\u2019s kickoff in Miami, but it was still another disappointing loss and game for Brock Purdy, who threw for 313 yards but failed to score more than 17 points for the fourth time in the last five games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Purdy was intercepted under pressure late in a 22-17 game before the Dolphins put things away with a long touchdown run. Purdy\u2019s interception rate this season is 2.4%, which is almost identical to what it was in 2022 (2.4%) and 2023 (2.5%). But some of the picks have been more costly in big moments this year, including this week\u2019s pick and the one last week in a 9-6 game against the Rams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"18-aaron-rodgers-new-york-jets\"><strong>18. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank: <\/strong>18 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This game was a lot more offensive than the 19-9 score suggests. The Jets only had the ball four times in the first three quarters, and they turned the ball over on downs twice. That\u2019s not good. Neither is the special teams, which contributed another missed field goal and a muffed punt in the final two minutes of yet another blown-lead loss for the Jets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the strip-sack of Rodgers in the fourth quarter was huge and led to the Rams\u2019 game-winning touchdown. Rodgers had no problem holding the ball in this game, but he got a little greedy there and paid for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"19-geno-smith-seattle-seahawks\"><strong>19. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 19 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Good on Geno Smith for toughing it out and playing on a knee injury to still throw for 314 yards and 3 touchdowns in a back-and-forth game with a very good Minnesota defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But interceptions have been an issue this year, and Smith had two more in this game to give him 15 for the season. Only Kirk Cousins (benched with 16) has more. Smith\u2019s last pick in the fourth quarter came with the Seahawks needing a field goal in the 27-24 loss. Their odds of winning the NFC West have really taken a nosedive over the last two weeks with losses to simply better teams in the Packers and Vikings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"20-bo-nix-denver-broncos\"><strong>20. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 20 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bo Nix was directing the offense well early, but the success dried up in the second half as he couldn\u2019t stretch the field and relied on a lot of very short throws. The Chargers came back to take the lead after trailing by double digits early, and Nix wasn\u2019t accurate enough to respond to avoid a sweep at the hands of Jim Harbaugh\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now we\u2019ll see if Nix can win a huge road game in Cincinnati before we start talking about the Broncos being in real danger of missing the playoffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"21-bryce-young-carolina-panthers\"><strong>21. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 21 (0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bryce Young did a very solid job of managing the game on a day where the Panthers were playing with the lead and got a huge game out of Chuba Hubbard on the ground. Young threw two touchdown passes for only the second time in a game this year, and his 107.5 passer rating was his highest of the season and second-highest game in his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His 80.1 QBR was also the fourth best among quarterbacks this week thanks to Young rushing for a career-high 68 yards and a touchdown. He never rushed for more than 41 yards in a game before Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GettyImages-2183098821-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers\" class=\"wp-image-7967\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Matt Kelley\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"22-drake-maye-new-england-patriots\"><strong>22. Drake Maye, New England Patriots<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 24 (+2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drake Maye\u2019s first game against Josh Allen and the Bills did not end in a win, but it was never supposed to given the Patriots were 14.5-point underdogs and it was barely 14 degrees at kickoff. But they were also up 14-0, and that\u2019s about the last \u201c14\u201d reference I can think to make here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Allen\u2019s playing style and career is clearly a blueprint for Maye to follow, and the truth is he outplayed him in this game. The running backs were a different story though as Rhamondre Stevenson was involved in two fumble plays, including this lateral from Maye that hit him right in the hands and was not caught, leading to a huge defensive touchdown for Buffalo in the fourth quarter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Rhamondre Stevenson came into the game tied for the most fumbles among RBs, already lost a fumble today\u2026 and this won\u2019t count again him, but it should. Brutal. <br> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WTbwSIz5sM\">pic.twitter.com\/WTbwSIz5sM<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Nick Veronica (@NickVeronica) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NickVeronica\/status\/1870981808994812077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 22, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But it\u2019s throws like this that have you excited for Maye\u2019s future if the Patriots can build a better roster around him:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Unreal for a rookie to make this play <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sRN6HhDicD\">pic.twitter.com\/sRN6HhDicD<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oQcLeknOSA\">https:\/\/t.co\/oQcLeknOSA<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Drake Maye Lover (@drakemayeloverr) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/drakemayeloverr\/status\/1870975223740465590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 22, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"23-caleb-williams-chicago-bears\"><strong>23. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 25 (+2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Games like Sunday are why I continue to see potential where people see only problems with Caleb Williams. It\u2019s gotten downright comical and historic how the Bears keep losing games despite Williams not contributing any interceptions to it as you\u2019d expect from any quarterback on a 9-game losing streak, but especially true for a rookie behind a shaky line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bears have lost nine games in a row without throwing an interception \u2013 the previous NFL record was just five games by the 1994 Oilers, 2018-19 Jets, and 2021-22 Broncos. Pretty crazy stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sunday\u2019s issues were rookie wideout Rome Odunze putting the ball on the ground for a couple of early fumbles as the Lions built a 20-0 lead. No second-half heroics to make it close this time as the Bears fell 34-17, but Williams still threw for 334 yards and only took two sacks. He also led the Bears with 34 rushing yards, so there\u2019s really not much help coming to him from any angle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s something here to work with for the next coaching staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"24-cooper-rush-dallas-cowboys\"><strong>24. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 26 (+2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mike McCarthy doesn\u2019t get enough credit for preparing his backup quarterbacks to start given the job he\u2019s done going back to Green Bay with Matt Flynn. Cooper Rush is now 9-4 as a starter in Dallas since 2020, and thanks to some good play designs to CeeDee Lamb, he averaged a season-high 8.3 yards per attempt against the Buccaneers in an upset win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Had it not been for that blocked punt blunder against the Bengals, Rush might have the Cowboys on a 5-game winning streak if you can believe it. He\u2019ll be in the NFL for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"25-michael-penix-atlanta-falcons\"><strong>25. Michael Penix, Atlanta Falcons<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: N\/A (Kirk Cousins was No. 23)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rookie Michael Penix was the last significant member of the 2024 quarterback class to get his first start, but he got to enjoy an easy 34-7 win at home against the Giants, who helped him out with two interceptions returned for touchdowns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of interceptions, let the record show that the first pick of Penix\u2019s career was 100% on Kyle Pitts, who bobbled the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Juggled tipped and picked ?<br><br>Kyle Pitts somehow lost this one<br><br>(via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@NFL<\/a>)<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Baizmd7MWY\">pic.twitter.com\/Baizmd7MWY<\/a><\/p>&mdash; B\/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brgridiron\/status\/1870913938923340031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 22, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>My one criticism of Penix on this play is that he threw it to the open field without any timeouts left in the half, so it would have been very tight to get the spike off and save the field goal attempt if Pitts made the catch. That wasn\u2019t going to be a touchdown, so that was a risky decision for a weak reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it was his first start and he should get better. He was fine in this game, and we\u2019ll see him get a much tougher test right away when he\u2019s facing Jayden Daniels and the Commanders this Sunday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"26-anthony-richardson-indianapolis-colts\"><strong>26. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 28 (+2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a difficult game to judge Anthony Richardson since he only threw 11 passes. But when they had to get him to throw late in the game to avoid blowing a 38-7 lead, he threw a strike on third down. He also rushed for 70 yards in the game and mostly avoided negative plays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I still don\u2019t think this is a sustainable formula for winning in the pros, but the Colts found a way to get it done with him against the Titans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"27-aidan-o-connell-las-vegas-raiders\"><strong>27. Aidan O\u2019Connell, Las Vegas Raiders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: N\/A (Desmond Ridder was No. 29)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look, the Raiders need a new quarterback in a bad way in 2025, but I am at least willing to admit Aidan O\u2019Connell is probably the best option they have this season. He nearly beat the Chiefs, and now he\u2019s notched a win over Jacksonville to end this brutal 10-game losing streak for the Raiders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>O\u2019Connell didn\u2019t light up the scoreboard, but he led a go-ahead touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter and the defense held on. The Raiders have some nice weapons and even veteran back Ameer Abdullah has looked great catching the ball these last few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the Raiders must upgrade this position for 2025. You can\u2019t compete in a division with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Bo Nix if your top option is AOC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"28-mason-rudolph-tennessee-titans\"><strong>28. Mason Rudolph, Tennessee Titans<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: N\/A (Will Levis was No. 32)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Can the Titans ever play a normal game again? When they played the Colts in Week 6, that was a 20-17 game, a normal game. In the last month, they\u2019re beating Houston despite taking a million sacks and throwing a pick-six, they\u2019re down 28-0 in the blink of an eye in Washington, they blow a 10-6 game at home to Jacksonville, and they were involved in a game with 10 turnovers against the Bengals last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Benching Will Levis for Mason Rudolph made sense, and Rudolph is the better option. But watching him throw a few picks and fall behind 38-7 behind a horrible run defense sure felt like Levis all over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But something weird happened. Rudolph started stringing together touchdown drives, and before you knew it, this was a 38-30 game with a few minutes left and the defense forcing the Colts into a third-and-long. They might actually pull off a 31-point comeback on the road behind Rudolph in time for Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alas, the defense couldn\u2019t get Rudolph the ball back until seconds remained, and he threw an interception that was so charitable that it felt like he had a pregame agreement with the defender to gift him one. But a 38-7 comeback would have been insane for this team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"29-mac-jones-jacksonville-jaguars\"><strong>29. Mac Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: 27 (-2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At least we know the Jaguars have a stud No. 1 wideout for next year in Brian Thomas Jr. Mac Jones found him for a 62-yard touchdown, and some of Thomas\u2019 best plays this year have been in the last month with Jones throwing the ball instead of Trevor Lawrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But when asked to score again, Jones couldn\u2019t come through and ended up dumping the ball off way short of the sticks on fourth-and-ballgame as the Jaguars lost a 19-14 game that was winnable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"30-dorian-thompson-robinson-cleveland-browns\"><strong>30. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Cleveland Browns<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: N\/A (Jameis Winston was No. 22)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We were robbed of a prime matchup for Jameis Winston to take advantage of in Cincinnati. Instead, we were forced into a half of \u201cDTR\u201d producing 0 net passing yards on eight pass plays while also running the ball 5 times for 10 yards. That\u2019s 10 yards on 13 plays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He picked things up in the second half, but a couple of picks in the fourth quarter denied any chance of a competitive finish as the Browns fell 24-6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"31-spencer-rattler-new-orleans-saints\"><strong>31. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: N\/A (Jake Haener was No. 31)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s just be honest. Spencer Rattler had little chance to succeed in Green Bay given the Saints were playing without Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Taysom Hill, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Rashid Shaheed, and just about anyone else you can name on this offense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it was the first shutout (34-0) of the 2024 NFL season, and that\u2019s not good. The Saints had nine drives and finished them with four punts, two turnovers, two failed fourth downs, and the end of the half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, why even bother bringing Derek Carr back for the last two games? It\u2019s a wrap here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"32-drew-lock-new-york-giants\"><strong>32. Drew Lock, New York Giants<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Week 16 rank<\/strong>: N\/A (Tommy DeVito was No. 32)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, you can\u2019t say Drew Lock is better than Daniel Jones. Lock threw a pair of pick-sixes in Atlanta and lost a fumble, so if you consider the net scoring from the offense in this 34-7 loss, that means they had minus-7 net points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is there another character the Giants can start at quarterback to end the season? We\u2019ve already gone through Vanilla Vick, Tommy Cutlets, and Drew Lock can\u2019t figure out if he wants to audition for American Idol or <em>8 Mile: The Series<\/em>. Not one franchise quarterback in the mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the Giants (2-13) are on track to have the No. 1 pick in the draft. Just not sure if coach Brian Daboll is going to be around for the next quarterback era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-16\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 16: Bewitched, Benched, and Bewildered<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-15\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 15: The MVP Odds Improve for Josh Allen After Wild Upset Loss<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-14\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 14: The Amusing Role Reversal for Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson in MVP Race<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-13\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 13: Enough Near Comebacks to Make Joe Burrow Blush on His Bye<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-12\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 12: Josh Allen Regains Top Spot After Epic Run to Beat the Chiefs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-11\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 11: It\u2019s a Game of Inches in the Tough AFC North<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-10\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 10: Patrick Mahomes Is Still No. 1 in the Clutch<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-9\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 9: Colts Right to Bench Anthony Richardson and Jayden Daniels for MVP<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-8\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 8: The Return of Russell Wilson and the Curious Case of Patrick Mahomes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-7\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 7: Big Receiver Help Coming for Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-6\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 6: Rookies Heating Up as Josh Allen Struggled in Houston<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-5\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 5: Are Jayden Daniels and Sam Darnold Really This Great?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-4\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 4: Josh Allen\u2019s MVP Push, the Grand Return of Andy Dalton, and Jayden Daniels\u2019 Amazing Start<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-3\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 3: NFC Is Crushing the AFC So Far<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-week-2\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings Week 2: Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen Still on Top<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/2024-nfl-quarterback-rankings-mahomes-tier\">2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings: How Patrick Mahomes Became His Own Tier<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The NFL has a quarterback star on the rise in rookie Jayden Daniels, who has already spent several weeks at the top spot of these rankings this season before he had a little slump. But he led the Week 16 headlines that included a big win for Lamar Jackson against Pittsburgh, a concussion for Jalen &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":7964,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[353,360,439,483,453,981,1421,1942,343,942,344,2989,1037,47,350,345,975,1742],"class_list":["post-7943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl","tag-baker-mayfield","tag-caleb-williams","tag-chiefs","tag-drake-maye","tag-falcons","tag-geno-smith","tag-jared-goff","tag-jayden-daniels","tag-josh-allen","tag-kyler-murray","tag-lamar-jackson","tag-michael-penix","tag-mvp","tag-nfl","tag-ravens","tag-russell-wilson","tag-steelers","tag-week-16"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7943"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7943\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}