Grading Every Quarterback Performance From Week 11

Week 11 is in the books. Quarterback performances were pretty top heavy in this week of the NFL. A few signal callers logged eye-popping numbers, but most had average days overall. This makes sense, as there were plenty of backup quarterbacks either starting or entering the game to replace a fallen starter. Regardless, there’s a lot to unpack from week 11, so let’s dive right in.

Drake Maye: A-

Drake Maye’s MVP caliber sophomore year continued in a typical slog of a Thursday night game. Maye started off red hot, completing all of his first eleven pass attempts, his career longest streak to start a game. The second year QB’s streak did wither away afterwards, as he threw a few would-be picks and some errant throws, but his numbers could’ve been better as well if Mack Hollins held onto a 50 yard dime. Overall, Maye threw for over 250 yards, didn’t record a turnover, and most importantly led his team to the primetime win while fans in Foxborough made sure to let their pick for MVP be known. 

Justin Fields: C

The one thing that Justin Fields was doing effectively so far through this season was avoiding turnovers. Unfortunately, he had a costly fumble in the fourth quarter which led to the Patriots extending their lead to 13. Heading into this game, the Jets offense was already handicapped without their star receiver Garret Wilson. Additionally, despite the fact that their initial touchdown drive, which consisted of 14 plays and 72 yards had nine of its plays be on the ground, for some reason the Jets shied away from running the ball, putting Fields in a tricky situation. You could make some excuses for him, but time and time again it’s shown that the fifth year vet struggles to do anything more than the bare minimum in the air.

Marcus Mariota: B-

With Jayden Daniels out due to a dislocated elbow, the Commanders looked to Marcus Mariota to man the ship in his absence. Mariota wasn’t terrible by any means, he completed 20 of his 30 passes for 213 yards and rushed for an extra 49. He spread the ball around, completing long passes to Chris Moore and Jacoby Jones whilst still feeding his playmakers. Although his interception in overtime led to the loss, he did enough to win the game in regulation. Had Matt Gay hit either of his two missed kicks, Washington would be leaving Spain with a win.

Tua Tagovailoa: B

There’s not much to say regarding Tagovailoa’s performance against Washington. With RB DeVon Achane averaging 5.7 yards a pop on 21 carries for 120 yards, Tagavailoa’s job was relegated to that of a game manager. He did well in that role, completing 70% of his passes for 171 yards to a group of just five receivers. While the lack of touchdowns may be disheartening, the nullification of his turnovers for the game was encouraging. This is especially true considering that he was under heavy duress throughout the match, as Washington’s D-line got to him three times. It was a gutsy win for Tagavailoa, and his role as an effective game manager should not be understated.

Jordan Love: A-

Don’t let the box score fool you, Love was fairing very well against the Giants. That 54.2 completion percentage you see doesn’t account for the six dropped passes Packers receivers had on the day. Those drops are equivalent to 92 lost yards (not accounting for YAC), and had they been caught, his completion percentage would look much different. Despite the drops, he was still able to throw for 174 and two touchdowns, leading his team to yet another victory in a close game. Furthermore, Love did a good job moving around the pocket and making tough throws, as New York’s fearsome defensive front only recorded two sacks against him, one of which was due to Love giving himself up on third down.

Jameis Winston: B-

The G-men had their first taste of the Jameis Winston experience on Sunday. Winston was anointed the starter by interim HC Mike Kafka days before the game. The former Seminole played well overall against the Packers defense, which ranks fifth in the league in total yards allowed. His end of game interception did lead to the loss, but he was part of the reason why the game was so close to begin with. 201 yards and a rushing touchdown along with a couple of long scoring drives kept Green Bay on their toes.

Davis Mills: B+

“Every time Mills step in the huddle, it’s always calm.” Said Nico Collins, Houston’s star wide receiver, about Davis Mills. Mills strapped up for his second start on Sunday while CJ Stroud recuperates from a concussion. After a hard earned comeback win against Jacksonville, Mills found himself on the win column once more against another divisional opponent. Collins’ comments about his calmness hold true when looking at his play. While he’ll never be a franchise player at signal caller, he’s keeping Houston’s playoff hopes alive. 274 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions is the kind of statline that you want out of your backup QB. Cap that off with a game-winning nine-play, 48-yard drive, Houston is in good hands while Stroud heals up. 

Cam Ward: B-

Ward’s situation went from bad to worse when his top receiver Calvin Ridley left the game after suffering a season ending injury. Against the league’s best defense with one of the worst supporting casts in the game, Ward didn’t do all too bad. Yes, the lost fumble in the fourth quarter was costly, and it is part of a concerning trend with Ward (six fumbles lost in ten games), and he did miss a couple throws downfield. However, he was able to overcome the odds on his last drive of the game. The first overall pick went 95 yards down the field and scored the game tying touchdown. It would have been a big win for the rookie, but he and his team are still searching for that ever elusive second win. 

Bryce Young: A 

It seems like every time the world gives up on Bryce Young, he reels everyone back in. That’s exactly what Carolina’s third year man did. Young had his best performance as a pro in Atlanta against a very effective defense. His 448 yards surpassed Cam Newton’s franchise record for most passing yards in a game, and his three touchdowns rallied the Panthers to the win. All this was done with a lingering ankle injury. It’s hard to overstate how important of a rebound this was for Young and Carolina. 

Michael Penix Jr: B+

Michael Penix Jr’s performance was cut short by an unfortunate left knee injury. Much like the signal caller he was up against, Penix appeared to be having a bounce back game. After having issues with accuracy against Indianapolis in Germany, he completed 13 of 16 passes for 175 yards while on the field. Had Penix stayed in the game, it’s not too far-fetched to believe he would lead his squad to a win. 

Kirk Cousins: D

Kirk Cousins, the 45 million dollar man, played in the game in relief of Penix, and it looked rough out there. There comes a point for vet QBs where it’s clear their arm just doesn’t have the strength it used to. For Cousins, who is in his age 37 season, this seemed to be the case. Previously, Cousins started in Week 8 against the Dolphins with Penix sidelined due to a bone bruise. He completed 21 of 31 pass attempts for 173 yards. Against the Panthers, those numbers took a nosedive. Six completions on 14 attempts was the statline that Cousins logged, a far cry from last week, and a contributor to the heartbreaking loss.

Caleb Williams: B-

Another case where the box score doesn’t tell the whole story. Sure, Williams had a couple of throws downfield that you’d like for him to connect on, but he didn’t put the ball in harm’s way either. Minnesota sent a blitz his way about two-thirds of plays, which is a statistical anomaly even by the Vikings’ standards. The former Trojan was able to display his sack avoiding prowess, and threw for 193 yards against a terrifying Brian Flores defense. Him completing just half of his pass attempts isn’t the preferred outcome, but no turnovers and a win is pretty good nonetheless. 

JJ McCarthy: C-

Boos rained down in U.S. Bank Stadium when JJ McCarthy missed Justin Jefferson on an easy out-route. And honestly, can you blame them? The Vikings’ biggest issue so far this season has been whoever’s under center, and against Chicago it was no different. McCarthy posted the same completion percentage as Williams, only difference being he faced pressure at a far lesser rate. Of course, you could point to Jordan Addison dropping the ball or Justin Jefferson tripping on a deep shot, but the common sight wasn’t the receivers letting McCarty down, but vice versa. Furthermore, this grade would be much lower if it were not for his last drive. McCarthy’s 85 yard march to the endzone was capped of with a great throw to Addison, but in no world does it overshadow the rest of his performance.

Trevor Lawrence: B-

It was a typical day for Trevor Lawrence in terms of passing. He’d have runs of good plays strung together, only to shut his brain off and make a terrible mistake. In this game though, his job was mostly to hand the ball off to Jacksonville’s trio of runners, who combined for 192 yards on the ground. Lawrence found his new teammate Jakobi Meyers 5 times for 64 yards, and converted on a couple of crucial third and long situations. 

Justin Herbert: C-

Herbert’s top two protectors are out for the season, both of whom are elite starters at tackle. With the Jaguars having two top defensive ends on their roster, there were signs that Herbert’s body was going to be put through the wringer. However, even during the rare occasion where the blocking up front was good, he missed some throws he shouldn’t have. In particular, his lone interception was due to an ugly overthrow, and it was one that ended up being the final nail in the coffin for LA.

Josh Allen: A+

How do you redeem yourself after making one of the dumbest mistakes you can as a QB? Throw for and rush for three touchdowns. Allen did his best impression of an NBA player passing the ball from his chest and threw the rock straight to the defender. After that turnover turned into points for the Bucs, he took over. He established his dominance over Tampa Bay’s defense, logging 317 yards through the air with three TDs and an extra 40 yards and three TDs on the ground. Allen willed his team to victory, and answered almost every Bucs scoring drive with one of his own.

Baker Mayfield: C+

Mayfield did his absolute best to rally his team to a gritty win. It was a shootout for most of the match, and with how well Josh Allen was playing, the margin of error was little. The Bucs offense took the lead 5 times, but ultimately for naught. Mayfield’s fumble in the fourth quarter was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Additionally, he also threw a pick on his own 32 yard line which led to one of Allen’s passing touchdowns. 

Aaron Rodgers: B

Unc bowl 2.0 unfortunately came to a halt due to Rodgers leaving the game with an Achilles injury. The future hall of famer fared well last time against Cincinnati’s defense, but missed his shot at getting the win. This time he did enough, despite the limited time he saw the field, to give the Yinzers in the stands a good time. Through the first half Rodgers maintained command of the offense and scored ten points. He connected on 9 of his 15 attempts and scored a touchdown. 

Mason Rudolph: B

Rudolph entered the game with the lead, his job was to keep the boat steady and not make any mistakes. He did just that, and logged a similar stat-line to that of Rodgers. He threw for 127 yards and a touchdown, led his offense to score 24 points, and most importantly secured the win.

Jacoby Brissett: C-

Big news from this competition, Jacoby Brissett broke the record for most completions in a game with 47. While this will be a fun trivia question in a couple of years, it’s ultimately just empty calories. Brissett’s two touchdowns came in garbage time during the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach. At the same time, his two interceptions were at points in the game where there was still a bit of hope for Arizona to mount a comeback. The stat-line and the big numbers may be nice to look at, but the product on the field just wasn’t enough.

Brock Purdy: A-

In his first game back since throwing two picks against Jacksonville in week 4, Brock Purdy showed how valuable he is to Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Mac Jones did well during Purdy’s absence, but San Francisco’s attack was on another level in this match. Three touchdowns through the air along with 200 yards via 19 completions on 26 attempts is all you need to know. He and Christian McCaffrey were dominant against their divisional opponents, and the game felt over by the end of the first half.

Matthew Stafford: B

Against Seattle’s high powered defense, Stafford recorded a season low in total passing yards for the game. He threw a touchdown in the first and last quarters each, but wasn’t able to get into a consistent rhythm on the day. Following that aforementioned first quarter touchdown drive that was ten plays long, the Rams offense didn’t have a drive longer than four plays for the rest of the game. Regardless, against a vicious defense, Stafford held his own and didn’t hurt his team, leading to perhaps the biggest win for a team so far this year.

Sam Darnold: D-

Darnold’s streak of stinkers against the Rams continued this Sunday. Two of his only 4 losses as a Viking last year came against Sean McVay’s squad, and another was added to that list. Those 4 interceptions you see on the box score are enough to know how bad the game went for the vet. Every time it felt as if there was a spark for the Seahawks offense, the drive ended in a back breaking interception. It’s a game for Darnold to forget, and hopefully he’ll return to how he played in the previous ten games. 

Patrick Mahomes: C-

KC’s most recent loss ultimately falls upon the shoulders of their golden boy, Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes’ accuracy issues when throwing deep continued on Sunday. On one drive alone, he overthrew his men three times, one of which would likely have gone for a touchdown had he connected with Xavier Worthy. Granted, Denver’s defense and pass rush in particular have been one of the best in recent memory. Add on the unideal offensive line Kansas City’s signal caller is working with, you could excuse his bad game. However, the expectations for Mahomes are high, and the mistakes he made in this game are not a one time thing. With there being legitimate concerns that the Chiefs might miss the playoffs, it’s time for Mahomes to step up.

Bo Nix: A-

Thursday night was rough for Bo Nix. He looked like a liability on the field against the Raiders, and ended his outing with just 150 yards on 28 pass attempts and 2 interceptions. With the Chiefs rolling into town, it was crucial for Nix to rebound in order to reach win number nine. Nix showed poise in the pocket, and converted multiple third and longs. An important thing to note is that his confidence in his playmakers never wavered. Despite Tez Johnson having two drops early, Nix trusted Johnson to haul in a difficult pass on a critical down during the final game winning drive. The Broncos are firmly in the lead for the AFC West, and Bo Nix is one of the reasons why. 

Lamar Jackson: C+

For what it’s worth, Cleveland is never an easy out for the Ravens. This is exemplified considering how the Browns defense (and Myles Garret in particular) has been playing recently. As such, maybe the 193 yards isn’t so bad, especially considering how one of his two picks wasn’t his fault. Still though, Jackson wasn’t his regular self on Sunday, not in the air nor on the ground. It’s worrying to wonder how this game would’ve gone had the rushing attack not been as effective, or if Cleveland had any competence at QB.

Dillon Gabriel: C

Prior to his concussion, Gabriel was his typical self. He kept things safe, and avoided making any risk plays. This does somewhat stymie the offense, as his inability to push the ball down the field can hinder any long term success. Gabriel wasn’t able to finish the game though, so no one knows how the rest of his outing would go. 

Shedeur Sanders: D-

The long awaited start for Shedeur Sanders came after Gabriel exited the match. Needless to say, it wasn’t the best debut ever. Sanders only completed 25% of his passes, all while missing badly on a pass and logging his first career interception. It’s true that the protection up front wasn’t perfect, and the fact that he didn’t have many reps with the 1s did hinder him. However, he showed some of the same issues he had in college, and will look to next week for the rebound.

Jalen Hurts: B-

Philadelphia’s offense continues to stagnate. Jalen Hurts scored the only touchdown in an otherwise disappointing showing against Detroit. He completed just 50% of his passes for only 135 yards and ran for an extra 35. You hope for more from Philly’s high powered offense, but Hurts’ efforts were enough to put his squad in the win column. 

Jared Goff: C- 

Five bat-downs in one game don’t happen out of nowhere. That was the case during Sunday night, Jared Goff saw five of his passes swatted down by defensive linemen. This was due to what Eagles players said was Goff’s particular arm angle when throwing. Along with that, Goff didn’t do much to put the Lions in a winnable scenario. Sure, the 255 yards he threw look good at first, but it’s important to consider that most of that yardage came thanks to the speed of Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs. The consistent pressure put on Goff by Dan Campbell’s continuous decision to go for it on fourth down didn’t help, but more is expected out of Goff.

Dak Prescott: A

Dak’s elite season continues. Coming off a bye week, Prescott’s first two drives ended in three plays, allowing Las Vegas to end the first quarter with a 6-3 lead. Once the second period started, Prescott was unleashed. He threw three touchdowns, all to different receivers, and dissected the Raiders defense. He capped off a 7 minute 12 play 80 yard drive with another touchdown, this time to Ryan Flournoy. From there on out, it was smooth sailing for Dallas as they throttled the Raiders.

Geno Smith: C-

Vegas’ downward spiral is showing no signs of stopping. Interestingly enough, they put a lot of pressure on Geno Smith in the first half. They only ran the ball three times, while at the same time trying to do some damage through the air with 32 passes. If you’re a Raiders fan, chances are you’ve already been taking a spin at the mock draft simulators. With how Smith and the team as a whole have been performing, there’s no blaming you.