NFL 100: Quarterback index ahead of week six

The below-average

Sam Darnold

This group is filled with signal-callers, who I think can win games for you if they are put in the right situation with a lot of talent around them and when not being asked to carry their teams to victories. Two of the first three guys I had to put in this category, because they haven’t shown the ability to be more than that, even though I predicted them to be and still believe in.

#21 Sam Darnold

It hurts me to put Sam Darnold outside the top 20, because I would have certainly expected him to have worked his way into the top half of passers at this point, but after only one game he was put home with mono and has yet to see the field again. Since he will make his comeback this Sunday against Dallas, I put him on the list. He was my number on QB coming into last year’s draft and I still believe he will be a franchise guy soon rather than later, because of his competitiveness and ability.

#22 Derek Carr

A guy I thought really high of a few years ago but struggle to rank at this point is Derek Carr. The Raiders QB has never been the same after making a run at MVP honors back in 2016 and as of now, I just don’t see him being more than a game-manager. When Oakland has been able to run the middle with Josh Jacobs and given Carr easy dumpoffs off play-action or created opportunities off creative play-design, he has been fine. However, I have also seen him really struggle with deep accuracy and in the two games they have struggled to run the ball, the Raiders have lost by 18 and 20 points respectively.

#23 Josh Allen

The second guy I feel bad for putting this low is Josh Allen. He has an absolute rocket arm and almost looks like Cam Newton when he takes off with the ball, but he is still such a bone-headed decision maker. Allen’s ability to push the ball deep and make things happen as a runner are great, but he has to protect the ball better, as he has turned it over nine times already.

He can’t just force the ball into double-coverage and needs to understand when it’s time to throw the ball away. The most obvious game for this came against the Patriots, when he threw three interceptions, even though the Bills defense gave Brady fits all game long.

#24 Kirk Cousins

A game against that Giants defense can really work wonders for a passing game that had been almost non-existent. With Adam Thielen kind of taking shots at his QB and Stefon Diggs reportedly looking to be traded, all eyes were on Kirk Cousins and he delivered, completing better than 80 percent of his passes for over 300 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

Up until that game, he had been averaging less than 200 yards per game and was coming off an ugly day against the Bears. Last year I defended Cousins a lot and I have to say that it’s not easy playing that way with an offense that heavily features the run game and then asks him to take over all of a sudden, but he has to play better.

#25 Joe Flacco

The Broncos still definitely haven’t found their quarterback of the future, but I think they might have their best guy since that first year under Trevor Siemian and I think Flacco gives them some stability. If Denver is going to win games it will be with their two-headed monster at running back and a defense that can match up with most receiving corps. That’s how they just got their first W versus the Chargers. However, Joe Flacco has been playing better than most people think. He is completing two thirds of his passes and led the team to two potential game-winning touchdowns that were overshadowed by walk-off field goals by the opposition.

#26 Marcus Mariota

Rarely do you see a guy with a passer rating North of 100 with seven touchdowns and no turnovers rank this low on any list, but it even more uncommon for a guy with those kind of stats to look like he can’t complete a pass for large stretches. Marcus Mariota looked really good early in his career, when he wasn’t asked to read the entire field and boosted the run game with his ability to pull the ball and gain yardage. Unfortunately he is still that same guy and kind of a one-read passer. Because of that, the Titans have rarely been able to run a true passing offense.

#27 Andy Dalton

And then there’s the ever-lasting question – Can you be successful long-term with Andy Dalton as your quarterback. We have seen the Bengals win a lot of games and make playoff appearances with him at the helm, but they have never advanced in the postseason and is this roster has gotten older, they have gradually declined. Of course this is also a lot about a workshop offensive line these last few year’s, A.J. Green missing some time and some other factors, but when it comes down to it – Dalton has not been able to come through when they really needed him.