Week 15 Quarterback Grades

We are just a few weeks away from the start of the NFL playoffs. This week, we saw this year’s first two teams to clinch their playoff spots, Denver and LA. Now, they’re setting their eyes on locking up the top seed in their respective conferences. Those two squads benefited from great performances of their QBs, and other teams’ playoff hopes will come down to how their signal-callers do in these final few weeks. Let’s take a look at those signal-callers, and see how well they faired in this week of the NFL.

Kirk Cousins: A

On the other end of Kyle Pitts’ career best performance was a vintage Kirk Cousins game. He targeted Pitts 12 times, ending fantasy seasons by connecting with him 11 times for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Cousins was clutch throughout the match, particularly when he converted a 3rd and 28. He had no margin for error after being down two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and proceeded to play his best ball of the year. Other than the comeback, he also overcame a franchise-record 19 penalties, multiple of which erased some great plays.

Baker Mayfield: C+

In his second game in a row with a completion percentage lower than 60, Mayfield crumbled in high stakes situations. While he did put up 271 yards and two touchdowns to put the Bucs in the lead, he couldn’t set the seal on the win. Additionally, a lot of that yardage came from Mike Evans consistently making great catches. Other than the fourth quarter pick he threw, Mayfield also missed a wide-open Emeka Egbuka on a crucial down. Had he connected with Egbuka, the Buccaneers would likely be able to run out the clock and end the game.

Joe Burrow: D

“I think this is one of the worst games I’ve played,” Burrow said following his first time being shut out since 2018 against Alabama. The Bengals saw the minimal chances of their playoff hopes dissipate after Allohi Gillman ran back a Burrow interception for a score. Burrow and the offense failed to get into any rhythm, and his two interceptions killed all momentum. With the comments Burrow’s been making regarding not having fun, vibes are low in Cincinnati.

Lamar Jackson: B

It was a crucial match for the Ravens to keep their playoff hopes alive. Jackson still hasn’t returned to form, but he did enough to earn the divisional win. His eight completed passes were key in putting points on the board. The two-time MVP’s numbers did look pedestrian, but they would likely be better had Zay Flowers not dropped a ball straight into a defender’s hands.

Jalen Hurts: A-

Marking the shortest game since 1993, Philadelphia and Jalen Hurts snapped their losing streak. The Raiders defense was no match against the Eagles, as Hurts completed 12 of his 15 pass attempts and scored 3 touchdowns. He had the role of a game manager this time around, and worked well within the pocket.

Kenny Pickett: C-

The Raiders passing attack and Kenny Pickett did see some success initially, completing 10 of his 17 attempts for 56 yards. However, on critical third downs, he wasn’t able to move the chains. His protection up-front faltered against Philadelphia’s defensive line, forcing Pickett to favor the checkdown. The goose egg unfortunately isn’t much of a shocker, considering how dysfunctional Vegas’ offense has been all year.

Jacoby Brissett: C+

It was the same story as always for Brissett and the Cardinals offense. Sure, they were up against a quality football team with the best defense in the league. However Brissett and the offense still feel lifeless. Once again, most of Brissett’s production came in garbage time, rendering his high numbers meaningless. He was also picked off once, which led to touchdown that was the final nail in the coffin.

CJ Stroud: A

In a stress-free win for the Texans, Stroud had no need to run for his life. As such, Houston’s signal-caller went 22 of 29 for 260 yards, 3 TDs with no INTs. He found his receivers, made some great throws, and lead the offense to scoring 40 points. If the Texans’ offensive line is able to keep up this pass protection, Houston can light it up come playoff time.

Patrick Mahomes: C

Kansas City’s season from hell basically came to a close on Sunday when Mahomes tore his ACL. It was during the final drive of the match, and to this point he was having another disappointing game. Before he left, he completed only 16 of his 28 pass attempts and had one of his throws picked off. He had accuracy issues, but suffered from some receiver errors as well. Hopefully for Chiefs kingdom, Mahomes will return to his MVP self when he heals up.

Justin Herbert: B

Herbert continues to drag his team to victory, and this was another gritty performance by him. Of course, the defense played a huge part in the win, but Herbert was the only reason the offense had any success. His throw to Oronde Gadsden after escaping pressure was one of a few clutch plays very few QBs could make, and his touchdown to Keandre Lambert-Smith was no different.

Drake Maye: B-

The MVP chants were loud for Maye, but the second-year QB struggled to get much done in the second half. His two rushing touchdowns put New England up by 21 points early, and it looked like the Patriots would be at the top of the AFC East once more. However, Maye and the offense faltered afterwards, with an interception to Tre’Davious White being particularly damaging. He did show toughness, particularly on the long TreVeyon Henderson touchdown run, where he ran the length of the field to make a key block.

Josh Allen: A+

Allen put his name into the MVP conversations following this game. You can argue that Buffalo’s franchise QB has been the biggest x-factor for any team in the AFC, and he proved it this match. He and James Cook put the team on their backs, and proceeded to complete four straight touchdown drives in the second half. Allen was clutch, effective and under control, giving the Bills a chance at the division.

Trevor Lawrence: A+

The prince who was promised had one of his best games as a pro versus New York. Granted, the Jets defense has been a shell of itself this season. Regardless, the throws that Lawrence was making were perfect. Additionally, besides a 45 yard sprint by Travis Etienne, he benefited from little to no YAC, instead putting the ball right where it needed to be. He led the Jags to a dominant performance, and has his team on the path to win the division.

Brady Cook: D

For Brady Cook, the cards weren’t exactly in his favor. Against a red-hot Jaguars defense that is second in the league in turnovers, the Jets threw him to the wolves. He started off well, taking what the defense gave him and even scored a touchdown. Afterwards, it was downhill from there. He threw two picks, and showed why he was a UDFA.

Jaxson Dart: C

It was a tale of two halves for Dart. In the first two quarters, the rookie looked indecisive and unsure when throwing the ball. That first half concluded with an interception to Mike Sanristil, that can be attributed to Jalin Hyatt running a bad route. In the second half he did stabilize, and made some good throws overall. The 45 yard pass to Theo Johnson and the touchdown pass to Tyrone Tracy were both great flashes of Dart’s skills. Overall though, not his best game.

Marcus Mariota: C+

While he didn’t light up the stat-sheet, Mariota continued to be a stable presence at signal-caller in place of Jayden Daniels. He managed the game throughout, and minimized negative plays other than a fumble. His connection with Terry McLaurin that lead to a score was key for Washington, and it helped them get a nice win in an otherwise lost season.

Caleb Williams: A

A few drops and a slip by Olamide Zaccheaus caused Williams’ numbers to trickle, but the stats don’t reflect just how on-point he was. Williams and the offense had one of their best days of the season. He was in command of the attack, and took the easy checkdowns while also making some eye-popping throws. The touchdown to DJ Moore in particular was outstanding, and a throw very few men can make.

Shedeur Sanders: D+

Jerry Jeudy dropping a perfect pass into the bread basket of a defender certainly makes Sanders’ performance look worse. However, he was struggling in this match to begin with. Other than some flash plays, Sanders couldn’t get anything going. The constant pressure got to him, and Cleveland’s offense as a whole failed to do anything of significance in this game.

Tyler Shough: A

After heading to the medical tent late in the match, Shough quickly reemerged, and led his team to the win. He commanded the offense to back-to-back scoring drives to tie the match. Of his 272 yards, his best plays came in the fourth quarter in order to finish the comeback. What makes this all the more impressive is that he did this despite being under pressure all day. The Panthers sacked him five times, and he remained poised.

Bryce Young: B

Carolina’s collapse doesn’t fall exclusively upon the shoulders of Young, but he could have done a better job late in the game. Although, you could debate that he did enough to get the win, and the defense should have stood its ground. Regardless, he made some great throws, and the touchdown pass to Jalen Coker stood out in particular. Had Tetairoa McMillan secured his dropped touchdown pass in the first half, maybe it would be a different story.

Matthew Stafford: A

After throwing an interception to Aidan Hutchinson, Stafford turned the heat up. His final stat-line of 368 and two touchdowns reflect the day he had against his former team. In the third quarter alone, he and the Rams offense put up 17 points and never looked back. The MVP candidate continued to make dazzling throws, and is on the cusp of locking up the first seed.

Jared Goff: B+

Goff and Detroit’s offense were humming to start the game. He put up 221 yards and threw three touchdown passes in just the first half. Amon-Ra St. Brown in particular did some damage, logging nine catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters. The Rams defense did make some adjustments in the second half though. They nullified not just St. Brown, but the run game as well. While Goff’s second half wasn’t as explosive as his first, he still gave his team a fighting chance.

Sam Darnold: B

It’s hard to say what’s caused the recent skid the Hawks offense has been going through. Despite the struggles, Darnold played well enough to secure a W. He didn’t throw any touchdown passes, but he didn’t put the ball in harm’s way either. He moved his team forward, and thanks to the leg of Jason Myers, he can celebrate a victory.

Philip Rivers: C

The fact that Philip Rivers is on this list should tell you what kind of NFL season it has been so far. Perhaps the funniest thing is the fact that he didn’t look too bad out there. Putting a 44 year old against the ferocious Seahawks D could have been a disaster, but Rivers nearly completed the upset. The gameplan for him was clear, simple checkdowns and short throws. He mostly executed, and even threw his first touchdown pass since 2020.

Bo Nix: A+

For a player who can be as hot and cold as Nix, he delivered a spectacular performance. Against one of the league’s top defenses, Nix lit it up. He threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns, consistently putting the ball in perfect spots. He also did damage when scrambling, and didn’t let Green Bay’s rushers get to him once.

Jordan Love: B

Playing the Broncos defense in Denver is always a tough task. Love did his best, making the right decisions and executing the offense well. Ultimately though, it felt as if the offense as a whole was outclassed. Receivers struggled to get open at times, and Love felt pressured very often. The two interceptions do look pretty bad, but one of them was a great play by Patrick Surtain, and the other was due to a tip by the receiver.

Brock Purdy: A

The undead 49ers just keep rolling, and Brock Purdy’s play is a big reason why. Against Tennessee, Purdy was near unstoppable, with only eight of his 30 pass attempts hitting the ground. Furthermore, he recorded 295 yards and three touchdowns against the Titans. He wasn’t facing a good team, but even with the run-game not humming, Purdy excelled through the air.

Cam Ward: B+

You know the situation is bad when your team’s defensive tackle has better instincts than your receivers. Watching Cam Ward makes you consistently think “Man, what if he had a better team around him.” He makes plays in and out of structure, and yet no one else is pulling above their weight. This match was no different. Perhaps the biggest representation of his season was a play on first down. He had two Niners defenders rumbling towards him almost immediately after the snap, and after making an escape and rolling out to his right, he somehow got the pass off to rookie Chimere Dike, who dropped the ball.

Dak Prescott: B

Brian Flores’ blitz heavy unit looked like a bad matchup for Dallas’ offense. Lo and behold, cover 0 put the Cowboys into plenty of difficult situations. Prescott tried his best, but the unit had no answers for what the Vikings sent their way. He put up decent numbers overall, but those stats didn’t amount to much, and momentum just didn’t swing Dallas’ way.

J.J. McCarthy: B+

McCarthy continues to inspire hope within Vikings fans. Granted, finding success against the Cowboys defense isn’t the most difficult of challenges. Nevertheless, some throws and some plays showed the potential McCarthy has. He still struggled to get into a rhythm with Justin Jefferson, sailing a few passes over his target’s head. However, it was still a good game for the former Wolverine.

Aaron Rodgers: A-

Against Miami, Aaron Rodgers became the oldest QB in NFL history to complete at least 85% of his passes. He completed 23 of his 27 passes against the Dolphins, and looked very comfortable in the pocket. After Miami scored three, he led the Steelers offense to 28 unanswered points. Rodgers’ last season is coming to a close, and if he keeps putting up numbers like these, it can be a fun send-off for him.

Tua Tagovailoa: D

Tagovailoa had 66 yards with 10 minutes left in the final quarter down three scores. Do not let the positive statline fool you, it was a rough outing for Miami’s man under center. He gave the ball away on an underthrown pass, and in general was not playing at a high level. The Dolphins are eliminated from the playoffs, and serious questions will be asked about Tagovailoa in the offseason.