Grading Every Quarterback Performance From Week 12

Two thirds of the season have officially concluded. Not a lot of great quarterback play was broadcasted this week. Although, that does make the performances which broke the mold shine much brighter. Perhaps next week will be kinder to signal callers across the league, but until then, let’s grade those that did suit up for week 12.

Josh Allen: C-

Demeco Ryans’ squad had the Buffalo offense in a blender for what felt like all four quarters. Josh Allen was on the run the entire day against Houston’s ferocious defensive line. Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter and Co. brought Allen to the ground a career-high eight times under the Thursday night lights. Furthermore, Buffalo’s star had just his ninth career game without throwing or passing a touchdown. Fans in Buffalo will be the first to tell you that the play calling wasn’t the best, and that receivers didn’t get any separation. Regardless, more is expected out of Allen, and his disappointing display led to his first ever TNF loss.

Davis Mills: B-

In what might be his last game this season as starter, Mills got the job done yet again. After starting the quarter being 1 of 8 for ten yards, Mills brought his yardage up to 153 and two TDs. He didn’t do anything spectacular, and did miss some throws. However, he gave Houston what they needed, a calming presence at signal caller. Most importantly, he avoided turnovers, and if Stroud is back, he’ll end his run as starter 3-0.

Patrick Mahomes: B+

Inconsistencies with Kansas City’s offensive operation continued on Sunday. During the first half, Mahomes had a few errant throws and found it difficult to get into a rythm. Additionally, he threw a pick to Laiatu Latu (who granted, made a great play) near his own goal-line. Nonetheless, when it was time to don his cape and lead the team to victory, he stepped up. On a critical 4th and 3, he found Rashee Rice to move the sticks in spite of pressure. Furthermore, during overtime on 3rd and 7, he hit Xavier Worthy to reach field goal range on a play which ended up being the dagger.

Daniel Jones: C

In contrast with Mahomes, Daniel Jones struggled to lead his team when it mattered most. It feels as if Pittsburgh showed the blueprint for how to stymie Jones and Indy’s attack. Stop Jonathan Taylor. Of course, that’s a lot easier said than done, but the Chiefs succeeded. They held Taylor to 58 yards on 16 carries. The majority of Daniel Jones’ 181 yards came and his two touchdowns came in the first two quarters. Afterwards, particularly in the fourth quarter, it was continuous three and outs for the Colts.

Cam Ward: B+

It was looking grim for Cam Ward entering this match. The Seahawks D is one of the best the game has to offer, and Ward’s supporting cast is among the worst. Regardless, Ward’s poise and unflinching attitude shined in this game. While under duress he made some great throws, and showed the flashes you want out of your first overall pick. Ultimately, his team came short of the win at the end, but he was the only reason why they were in it in the first place.

Sam Darnold: A-

Darnold regained some much needed confidence this game after a four interception showing last week. He led his team to 30 points and was mostly on points against Tennessee. He completed 16 of his 26 pass attempts for 244 yards and threw ltwo touchdowns. In particular, the 63 yard TD to Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be played on the highlight reels.

JJ McCarthy: D-

At one point in the broadcast booth, Joe Davis and Greg Olsen said that this was the worst half of football they had seen a team play. McCarthy was a big part of the reason why. The Vikings initially started the game by keeping the ball away from McCarthy’s hands. They mostly ran the rock until Miles Price’s costly fumble necessitated a more pass heavy approach. The former wolverine struggled to do any damage in the air, and logged two interceptions along with just 87 passing yards.

Jordan love: B

Love did not stretch the field this week and he had no need to do so. Green Bay played old school ground and pound football, even with Josh Jacobs out for the game. Emanuel Wilson carried the ball 28 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns. As such, Love was a solid 14 on 21 attempts for 139 yards and played his role as game manager perfectly.

Lamar Jackson: C+

For everyone watching, it’s clear that Lamar Jackson isn’t at 100%. His explosiveness hasn’t showed up yet on the field, and it feels like we need a bit more time to see him return to form. Regardless, Lamar had an uneventful game against the Jets defense. He completed 56% of his 23 attempts for just 153 yards. He missed some throws and potential runs that the defense gave him, but you have to wonder how much that injury is affecting him.

Tyrod Taylor: C

In his first start after the benching of Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor did what was expected. He’s a player that won’t give your offense a high ceiling, but will rarely put the ball in harm’s way. Of course, the Jets offense is handicapped without star WR Garret Wilson. As such, it makes sense why New York’s attack wasn’t able to do much. Taylor’s one interception came in during the final drive of the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach. Overall, a mediocre performance but not something unexpected.

Jameis Winston: A-

Winston had the Lions on the ropes for all four quarters and an additional overtime period. He exploded against Detroit with 366 yards and 2 touchdowns. He showed off some talents at WR as well, and scored miraculously on a 33 yard trick play receiving touchdown. Furthermore, he almost won the game for the G-men. After he led a 14-play, 86-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock, interim HC Mike Kafka elected to go for it on fourth down instead of kicking the field goal to force the Lions to score a touchdown. After the Giants failed to convert, Detroit was able to tie the game to force overtime, where they ultimately won the game.

Jared Goff: B+

Goff’s lone interception was a tipped ball that should have been caught. Other than that, it was a pretty solid outing for him. Sure, he did leave some yardage on the field, but Detroit’s offense sputtered the whole day. If it weren’t for the incredible game Jahmyr Gibbs had, it’s likely the Lions would be in a precarious situation. As for Goff, he did enough the win the game, and rebounded after last week’s disappointing performance.

Caleb Williams: B-

Initially, it was rough for the second year man out of USC. Williams was continuously overthrowing his guys and missing open receivers. Add on to that, he had a fumble caused by TJ Watt near his own endzone which turned into a touchdown. He did find a better rhythm in the second half, and saw a good portion of his 239 yards come there. At the end of the day, a decent showing from Williams, but could’ve been much better.

Mason Rudolph: C-

Sunday jogged Yinzer nation’s memory that Mason Rudolph is in fact nothing more than a quality back up. Rudolph suited up for the black and gold after Aaron Rodgers was declared out for the game. He failed to provide a spark for the Steelers passing attack, and played almost too conservatively. When he did let it rip it didn’t look pretty. When he tried to connect with DK Metcalf on a deep shot, he underthrew his man which resulted in a pick. It was a let-down for Rudolph, and he couldn’t do anything more than the bare minimum against Chicago.

Joe Flacco: D+

It seems like Joe Flacco’s magic ran out this game. The Bengals entered this matchup without superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and later lost Tee Higgins. Regardless, Flacco wasn’t able to rally the troops to the win. He threw for just 183 yards on 37 attempts and threw one of the most telegraphed passes you’ll see, which ended up being a pick six.

Drake Maye: B

New England’s young signal caller started by completing only three of his first seven passes. That also includes an out of character overthrow which lead to a pick six. Afterwards though, Maye went right back on track. He led a 70 yard drive which was capped off with a 28 yard touchdown pass to TE Hunter Henry. His day continued on that good note, as he ended the game with 294 yards off of 22 completions on 35 pass attempts. The resiliency displayed by him is important to acknowledge, as this game could’ve gone out of hand quickly.

Geno Smith: D

Smith’s nightmare season continued against Cleveland, as he was sacked a total of ten times against Myles Garret and Co. He totaled 285 yards and an additional passing touchdown against the Browns’ stellar defense. Though it is noteworthy that, most of that yardage came much later in the game, when the defense was playing much softer. Throughout the first three quarters, Smith and the offense floundered. Other than the touchdown and a field goal, their drives amounted to eight punts, two turnovers on downs and a fumble.

Shedeur Sanders: C

The fifth round pick flashed some of his talent on a beautiful deep shot to Isaiah Bond for 52 yards. Other than that, it was a quiet day for Sanders, and he struggled to do much in the air. He had 209 yards off of 11 completions, but 66 of those came thanks to a great effort Dylan Sampson. Additionally, he threw an interception which was intended for Jerry Jeudy. Still, he did enough to get the win, and didn’t hold on to the ball too long like he did last week.

Jacoby Brissett: B

Brissett continues to be a stable but ultimately limiting man under center for the Cardinals. You could say he did enough to get the win, and maybe they would have if Chad Ryland didn’t miss a chip shot field goal. His 317 yards do show that he was able to find his receivers and put them in good situations. Considering the fact that he was constantly under pressure and that the run game wasn’t working, he did well overall.

Trevor Lawrence: C+

It’s easy to look at the three interceptions and extra fumble Lawrence committed and say he had a terrible game. Do not be mistaken, Lawrence didn’t have the greatest of outings. However, two, maybe even three of his turnovers can have the blame attributed away from him. The hit that caused the fumble in the first quarter was from his blindside, and the ball immediately landed in the hands of Walter Nolen. The interception in the endzone intended for Jakobi Meyers was tipped at the line by Calais Campbell. Lastly, the interception made by Budda Baker was more so a great play by him. Granted, Lawrence left more to be desired, but he played his best when it was needed, and led his squad to an (albeit unnecessarily close) win.

Kirk Cousins: B

The 37 year old Cousins proved why he’s still capable of being an effective backup. While at times it was clear his ability to escape pressure wasn’t there, he still did what’s expected out of a veteran second stringer. He had plenty of on-target throws, a beautiful deep shot to Darnell Mooney for the score, and generally showed much more confidence. Furthermore, his lone interception wasn’t even his fault, as it bounced off the hands of Kyle Pitts into Justin Reid’s bread basket.

Tyler Shough: C+

Having to throw the ball 40 times because you can’t get anything going in the run game is never a recipe for success. That is especially true for a young quarterback like Tyler Shough. Kellen Moore’s squad looked dysfunctional all day, especially in the red zone (which extrapolated their kicking woes). Despite that, Shough put up a decent statline. His interception was inconsequential, but the botched handoff to Kamara did prove costly. Not the best performance, but not the worst either.

Jalen Hurts: B+

A tale of two halves. Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia’s passing game started off red hot versus their division rivals. Hurts’ first three drives saw him go 13-for-17 for 157 yards with a touchdown through the air and two more on the ground. Though when the time came to put the nail in the Cowboys’ coffin, the offense sputtered. After a disappointing few drives, Hurts led his team to a field goal attempt, which would have made the comeback harder. However, Jake Elliot missed the 56 yarder. Following a fumble and a punt, the Cowboys finalized their roaring win. Hurts did his best to win the game, and with the structural issues surrounding the offense, you have to wonder how much blame can be put on him.

Dak Prescott: A

Prescott put on a show when the Cowboys were down by a country mile. It would be easy to give up in that moment, but Prescott’s resilience is something to appreciate. His playmaking during the final drive of the first half in particular proved to be important, as it helped switched momentum to Dallas’ favor. Despite some drives in the second half not ending like you’d hope they would, he still rallied his team. He scored an additional touchdown through the air and one on the ground. Additionally, he dissected Philadelphia’s elite defense on the last drive of the match for Brandon Aubrey to kick the game winner. The Cowboys are somehow still afloat this season, and a big part of the reason why is Dak Prescott.

Baker Mayfield: D

Sunday night was one to forget for Baker Mayfield. He played one half against the Rams and their young defense. In that half, he managed to complete just 9 of his 19 passes for 41 yards. He was also picked off two times by members of LA’s secondary (one of which was on a Hail Mary pass). The Rams had him and the Buccaneers attack in the doghouse from the jump.

Matthew Stafford: A

In the midst of the MVP race heating up, Matthew Stafford shined again in primetime. Marking his eighth game in a row without an interception, Stafford ended his outing with 273 yards and three touchdowns. He started the match off a perfect 12 for 12, and despite not continuing that stretch of perfection, he did very well. That initial drive was capped off beautifully with a no-look touchdown pass to TE Colby Parkinson. Stafford’s been playing the best ball of his career, and there’s no sign of him stopping.

Bryce Young: C-

With his squad having a chance to take a lead in the division, Bryce Young faltered. His decision making in and out of the pocket was questionable at times, particularly during the first interception in the endzone. That pick proved to be game altering, as six points there may have changed the outcome of this match. Additionally, he threw another interception in the fourth quarter, which hit Carolina’s chances at a win hard. Other than a dime to Tetairoa McMillan for a touchdown, Young had a rough outing this week.

Brock Purdy: C-

The discourse surrounding Purdy immediately took a turn following this game. Questions regarding his legitimacy as a starter may be too much, but it is fair to call him out on a bad day. Three interceptions isn’t ever a good sign. Two of those picks came to be due to him pressing too hard, one of them though is more so a great play on the ball by Jaycee Horn. The 49ers decided to get more conservative with the ball in the second half, ultimately for the best