QB Index

NFL QB Index, Week 18: Lamar Jackson unseats Josh Allen at No. 1

Published: Jan 02, 2025 at 03:17 PM

Nick Shook

Around The NFL Writer

NOTE: Up/down arrows illustrate movement from the Week 16 QB Index.

Rank

Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens · Year 7

It felt like the Ravens were attempting to climb Mount Everest and just happened to find an escalator to the summit in their Christmas Day win over the Texans. Everything became easy for Baltimore in short order. Jackson was sharp in the passing game and pulled off a couple of typically unbelievable plays, including his touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely that saw him hold the ball for 8.4 seconds before firing a dart to the tight end. Jackson capped the dominant showing with a 48-yard sprint to the end zone and one of the easiest red-zone passing scores you'll ever see. He's had an incredible last two games, tightening the MVP race in the late stages of the regular season.

Rank

Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills · Year 7

The numbers don't really tell the story of the spectacular moments Allen authored against the Jets. He tacked on another rushing touchdown to his season total, but in typical Allen fashion, it was the out-of-structure plays that wowed viewers most. His toss to Keon Coleman for a touchdown was a true thrill, and his TD pass to Amari Cooper was a magnificent display of elite accuracy and fantastic execution on the receiving end. Stats scanners might downplay his performance, but those who watched will know Allen only helped his MVP case.

Rank

Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals · Year 5

Burrow's stat line from Cincinnati’s win over the Broncos was impressive, but it could have included another touchdown or two had the Bengals converted their early red-zone opportunities. As Burrow has done all season, he didn't let those early disappointments affect his play as the game entered its late stages, rising to the occasion by firing a gorgeous touchdown pass to Tee Higgins to kick off an explosive fourth quarter in which Burrow accounted for two scores. He then led the Bengals on a fast-paced drive late in overtime, earning a walk-off win with his third TD pass to Higgins. Burrow has played at an MVP level throughout the season, and in Week 17 he showed he's fully equipped to will his team to victory when it’s desperate for one. Thanks to Burrow, the Bengals still have a chance to reach the postseason even after standing at 4-8 after 12 games.

Rank

Jared Goff

Detroit Lions · Year 9

I can only reiterate how I've felt about Goff throughout this season. He's playing behind one of the best offensive lines in football and executing plays drawn up by a devilishly shrewd offensive coordinator in Ben Johnson. The OC dialed up yet another hook and ladder on Monday night, and it produced a touchdown. Goff is completely in sync with his entire stable of pass-catchers, tossing three TDs against the 49ers. Detroit’s offense is a juggernaut and Goff continues to power it.

Rank

Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Year 7

The Buccaneers offense is peaking and Mayfield is essential to it. So, too, is a Bucky Irving-led run game that has come alive in the last few weeks, bringing much-needed balance to the unit and increasing the effectiveness of play-action. Mayfield thrived against the Panthers, completing 10 of 11 passes out of play-action for 166 yards, but all five of his touchdown passes came without run fakes, underscoring a truly dominant day for the gunslinging quarterback. When he's given time to throw -- and he had plenty of it in Week 17 -- Mayfield is incredibly accurate and can light up any defense. He certainly did so against Carolina in a get-right game following the Bucs’ disappointing loss to Dallas a week earlier.

Rank

Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders · Rookie

Daniels' legend continues to grow. We can look back and point to the thrilling shootout win over the Bengals, the Hail Mary triumph against the Bears or even Daniels' heroics in a wild victory over the Eagles. Week 17 added another chapter to his tale, as Daniels overcame a bumpy first half to jumpstart Washington's offense with his legs and arm in the final two quarters, leading three scoring drives and then an emphatic final march in overtime that included a walk-off rocket to Zach Ertz for their second touchdown connection of the night. The win over the Falcons sent the Commanders to the playoffs, adding to what has already been a magical turnaround season in the nation's capital. If you don't know by now, Week 17 provided more evidence that Daniels is a star who is going to be around for a long time.

Rank

Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings · Year 7

I am so impressed by how Darnold has repeatedly risen to the occasion this season. He did plenty of that in Week 17, connecting with targets even after his first read wasn't available. He trusted his strong arm to get the job done, throwing a missile over the Green Bay defense to Jalen Nailor for a touchdown and firing a picture-perfect pass to Jordan Addison for another score. Darnold is playing the kind of football the Jets hoped they would see from him when they drafted him back in 2018. He continues to exceed expectations against even the best competition his team has faced. He's trusting his eyes and arm, and just keeps pushing the Vikings to new heights.

Rank

Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs · Year 8

Those who have delighted in slamming Mahomes for being unspectacular in 2024 received lumps of coal in their stockings on Christmas Day. Mahomes finally connected on a deep pass, completed 50 percent of his intermediate (10-19 air yards) throws and steadily diced up Pittsburgh's defense over four quarters, rekindling his famous connection with Travis Kelce for a touchdown and firing a laser to Justin Watson for a score. Mahomes was excellent throughout the game, doing a little bit of everything in a runaway win over the Steelers that will quiet the doubters for at least a little while.

Rank

Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers · Year 5

Herbert got whatever he wanted in a 40-7 win over New England, as the Patriots failed to mount any semblance of a pass rush and allowed the cannon-armed quarterback to pick them apart with ease. He gladly teamed up with rookie sensation Ladd McConkey for two touchdowns as part of an eight-catch, 94-yard day for the Georgia product, and also spread the ball all over the pass-catching group, connecting with nine different teammates for completions on the day. The Chargers haven't had many days recently when their offense was rolling like this, and it was nice to be reminded of what Herbert can do when he has time to throw and at least one very talented target in his receiving corps. It would be even better if we saw it against the legitimate defenses in the NFL, but that's not a scenario Herbert can create on his own.

Rank

Jordan Love

Green Bay Packers · Year 5

Love got into a rhythm with some nice passes early against the Vikings but cooled off well before halftime. He and the Packers didn't produce significant results on the scoreboard until they found themselves trailing by 17 points in the second half. It's almost as if it took his coaches that long to figure out a way to climb back into the game -- which, to Love's credit, they did thanks to his abilities and persistence. He ended the day by leading three touchdown drives in their final four possessions, closing the gap enough to nearly complete the comeback. I left wondering how this might have played out had Love and the Packers found this pace earlier. The "What if?" game can be a dangerous one, though.

Rank

Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers · Year 2

If you play the tape from this game and compare it, side by side, with film from the first two weeks of 2024 or any of last year's footage, you might come to the same question at which I arrived last weekend: Was Carolina previously sending out a body double for Young? He looks like a completely different quarterback now, throwing sharp passes with remarkable confidence and handling pressure almost as if it doesn't exist at all. Young went toe to toe with Baker Mayfield early in this contest before cooling off, yet he still had one of the best games you'll ever see from a quarterback on the wrong end of a blowout loss. The Panthers didn't lose this game because of Young, and he's convinced me he'll have a bright future in Charlotte as long as Dave Canales remains his coach.

Rank

Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams · Year 16

Stafford strangely isn't getting much production from Cooper Kupp -- even when he puts the ball on target -- but fortunately, he also has Puka Nacua at his disposal. In a low-scoring affair against the Cardinals, Nacua proved vital to the Rams' winning effort, catching 10 of Stafford's 32 passes for 129 yards. Stafford needed to give maximum effort to win this game, even taking off on a couple of rare scrambles, with one effectively setting up Kyren Williams' touchdown -- Los Angeles' only trip to the end zone on the day. Stafford hasn't been nearly as prolific as he has in past seasons, but the 36-year-old gamer keeps finding ways to help the Rams win close ones, which carries weight with me, even if it isn't always awe-inspiring.

Rank

Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals · Year 6

If you just isolated Murray's performance, you'd be shocked to learn Arizona only scored nine points in this game against the division-rival Rams. Murray generally played well enough to lead the Cardinals to victory, throwing for 321 yards and a touchdown, but he finished with that total on 48 attempts because Arizona didn't really have James Conner available to balance out their offense. Michael Carter chipped in 70 yards on 13 carries, but the Cards' offense didn't truly threaten until their final four possessions, which ended accordingly: touchdown, field goal, interception, interception. Arizona fans might point out how this ending was painfully similar to the defeat in Minnesota. Murray fired a bullet to Trey McBride on the goal line with a chance to win the game, but McBride seemingly didn't expect the ball to be so accurate. It hit him in the head, deflecting upward for a game-sealing interception and a finish that was all too fitting for these Cardinals. On the previous possession, Murray launched a prayer for Marvin Harrison Jr. while under duress on fourth-and-10, resulting in a pick. Those last few sentences capture this season for Arizona.

Rank

Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers · Year 3

We saw both sides of Purdy on Monday night. It started with the poised, accurate passer who simply executes when everything around him is going well, and unfortunately ended with the version of Purdy that tends to sink his own team's chances with occasional misses or poor decisions. He sailed a pass over Ricky Pearsall's head in the second half, resulting in an interception, then doomed the 49ers' comeback efforts with another interception, which was thrown before Purdy checked to see if coverage had deviated from the pre-snap look. To his credit, Purdy did a good job of moving the ball early when targeting a wide-open George Kittle on multiple occasions. Plus, he guided Pearsall into an important role in this offense for at least one night. But I'm left with one uncomfortable conclusion: I don't think Purdy is among the group of quarterbacks who elevate their offenses beyond adversity into elite territory. Sure, the 49ers are missing pieces, but Purdy feels more like a quarterback who will get the job done in a good situation than one who makes the situation great. That's not an encouraging assessment for a guy who's in line to sign a new contract soon.

Rank

Bo Nix

Denver Broncos · Rookie

Talk about tumultuous. Nix made some truly beautiful throws in this game, such as his 51-yard strike to Marvin Mims Jr. to tie the game at 17 in the fourth quarter. He also made occasionally questionable decisions (e.g., his pass over the middle into an area where Germaine Pratt was lurking and picked it off), and encountered some quiet stretches. Nix came through in key moments late, pushing the game to overtime by pulling off one of the more unlikely touchdown passes you'll see (on fourth down, no less), but seemed to disappear in a strangely conservative overtime for the Broncos. He's not setting the world on fire as he had weeks ago, encountering some bumps in the road in the last few games, but Saturday's loss also demonstrated his potential. Sometimes we should remind ourselves a handful of these guys are still rookies.

Rank

Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks · Year 12

There isn't much to say about a game that ends in a 6-3 score. Smith led a promising early drive that ended at Chicago's 9-yard line, struggled at times with accuracy in the rain, and ultimately finished with 17 completions on 23 attempts. Everything was difficult for the Seahawks offensively and it wasn't a pretty viewing experience, but Smith also avoided committing the crushing turnover that could have swung this game in the opposition's favor. Considering he's still coming off a recent knee injury, the Seahawks should be happy they left victorious and with Smith still available to play. That's about where the positives end.

Rank

Michael Penix Jr.

Atlanta Falcons · Rookie

Penix's second start came with a ton of pressure, a national stage and expected highs and lows. He threw an interception early on in what appeared to be a miscommunication with his intended target, missed a handful of throws to open targets and wasn't all that consistent. But when the game was on the line Sunday night, the rookie delivered. Penix led an incredibly impressive touchdown drive in the final few minutes of this game, converting multiple fourth downs by feeding Drake London and finishing it with a rocket fired into the stomach of Kyle Pitts for a game-tying score. His Falcons ultimately fell short in overtime, but that late touchdown drive will resonate with fans for some time and should serve as a preview of what's to come.

Rank

Drew Lock

New York Giants · Year 6

We may as well frame Week 17 of the 2024 season and hang it in Lock's home, because he might never have a better day than this. Lock put up career-best numbers in a shootout win over the Colts by leaning heavily on budding star Malik Nabers. Lock expanded the offense from there, firing touchdown passes to Nabers (two), Wan'Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton before capping his day with a rushing score to give the Giants a nine-point lead late in the game. He was sharp and efficient, elevating the Giants offense to a level unseen since the 2015 season, at least in terms of total points scored. As Brian Daboll said, it's possible to have these kinds of days when you get good quarterback play. Lock was unquestionably good Sunday.

Rank

Aidan O'Connell

Las Vegas Raiders · Year 2

Count Week 17 as another example of why Antonio Pierce has held onto his belief in O'Connell as the team's best option. Despite his final stat line (20-of-35), O'Connell was rather sharp in Sunday's win, tossing two touchdowns, sustaining drives well enough to finish with a dominant 15-minute advantage in time of possession and looking like a guy who'll stick around in this league for years to come. He hasn't proven to be a viable long-term starter, but he's definitely equipped to hold a roster spot in the future. He's executing Las Vegas' offense as intended, and while he's not making a ton of special plays, O'Connell is playing winning football for a team that hasn't enjoyed much of that this season.

Rank

Tyler Huntley

Miami Dolphins · Year 5

It was interesting to see how Huntley benefited from a couple of months of learning Miami's offense, because he was significantly better in a spot start Sunday than he was when he joined the Dolphins earlier this season and was thrown into the fire. Sunday's version of Huntley mirrored the one that earned a Pro Bowl nod when he was with the Ravens. Huntley got the ball out remarkably quick in the win, averaging 2.37 seconds in time to throw. He took what Cleveland's defense gave him all afternoon, posting an efficient outing that also saw him run for a touchdown, scramble for a first down and toss a touchdown pass. Finally, the Dolphins have a reliable option at backup quarterback, which they'll likely need again if Tua Tagovailoa can't play with their playoff hopes on the line. It's certainly better than where they were earlier this season.

Rank

Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers · Year 13

For much of Wilson's tenure with the Steelers, the good has outweighed the bad. The last two games have swung the needle in the opposite direction. Wilson doomed a great scoring opportunity by throwing an interception in the end zone and looked especially hesitant in the pocket on Christmas Day, struggling to make decisions while surveying the field before the pass rush closed in on him for five sacks on the day. He's had chances to propel the Steelers in key spots in his last two games and has either come up short or thrown away possession, sowing new doubt in the Steelers' potential as we near the postseason. He'll need to get it right quickly to salvage this season.

Rank

Kenny Pickett

Philadelphia Eagles · Year 3

In the uncertain world of spot starts made by backups, Pickett defined why they're tough to predict. He completed nine of 14 passes for 133 yards, made a few majestic throws for big gains, didn't record an interception, and helped the Eagles run out to a 24-7 lead before halftime, but also had a few moments that reminded us why he's a backup. Truly, all a backup needs to do to earn a passing grade is avoid sinking the ship, which Pickett did. He did enough to help the Eagles cruise to a win without forcing them to drastically change their identity. The Eagles will hope they get Jalen Hurts back soon, though.

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Rank

Drake Maye

New England Patriots · Rookie

Maye was under constant duress in a loss that represented the low point of this arduous Patriots season. With Cole Strange starting his first game at center, New England's offensive line was frequently out of sync and Maye was forced to pay the price against the Chargers defense, getting sacked four times and facing a pressure rate over 35 percent. Maye led one quality scoring drive, which ended in a touchdown pass to Demario Douglas, but the Patriots can burn the rest of this tape -- and that's not Maye's fault.

Rank

Caleb Williams

Chicago Bears · Rookie

It's truly incredible to watch Williams' cannon for an arm fire a rocket downfield. He had to do that a lot while under duress Thursday night and completed a few awesome passes, including a desperate fourth-down conversion to keep Chicago's hopes alive in a three-point game. His best pass -- a missile launched to Rome Odunze for a touchdown -- was wiped out by a penalty, which effectively captured the story of the game in one play. He didn't hold onto the ball quite as long as he has in recent weeks, but you also feel for a rookie who was sacked seven times and could break David Carr's record for sacks taken in a single season. Some of those are on Williams, but on Thursday night, it was tough to blame him.

Rank

Joe Flacco

Indianapolis Colts · Year 17

Flacco's age is starting to show in how he deals with the pass rush. He's not mobile and tends to crumble as the pocket is disintegrating, but that doesn't effectively tell the entire story from Sunday's game. Flacco still threw for 330 yards and could've had more if a few of his downfield passes ended in completions. He managed to throw the Colts back into a game in which they trailed by 15 points in the second quarter, but also threw two interceptions, including a back-breaking turnover in the game's final three minutes. He isn't the better option between he and Anthony Richardson, but the Colts were forced to play him because of Richardson's health. He'll probably find work in 2025 if he wants it, but the days of Flacco powering a magical run to the playoffs as he did in Cleveland in 2023 are now behind him.

Rank

Mac Jones

Jacksonville Jaguars · Year 4

If you're looking for a mixed bag performance from a quarterback in Week 17, you'll find it in Jones, who missed a number of passes but also found success by relying on rookie sensation Brian Thomas Jr. and benefited from a fantastic toe-tapping catch made by Parker Washington for a touchdown. Jones didn't light it up, but also avoided sinking the Jaguars with self-inflicted mistakes, finishing a tidy 15-for-22 for 174 yards and two scores. His outing matched the 20-13 final score, helping the Jaguars to a rare win by managing the game well enough to succeed.

Rank

Spencer Rattler

New Orleans Saints · Rookie

As somebody who roots for the underdog, I was hoping Rattler's second try as the Saints’ starter might deliver more consistency. For one half Sunday, I received encouraging results. Rattler completed 11 of 13 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown, helping the Saints take a 13-10 lead into the break. The final two quarters, however, reminded me of why the Saints have spun the quarterback carousel plenty this season. Rattler threw an interception that gave the Raiders another possession, which they used to extend their lead to 25-10, and when he had only a few minutes left to make the most of the remaining opportunity, Rattler followed up an excellent throw (which was wiped out by penalty) with an ugly interception, marking the second time he's completed such a two-play sequence in the last two games. It's easy to see why the Saints are intrigued by Rattler, but he's nowhere near threatening for a starting job anywhere right now. These reps should be useful for him, though.

Rank

C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans · Year 2

Despite tossing two interceptions, Stroud battled valiantly in Houston's loss to Kansas City. The same couldn't be said for his showing on Christmas. Stroud was shockingly inaccurate in this game, never found much of a rhythm, was under frequent duress and twice was sacked by unblocked rushers. It seems as if the weight of this season -- a campaign in which his offensive line has never given him reason to trust them, and two of his top targets have been lost to season-ending injuries -- is bogging him down, and even after he admitted he came out flat, I'm not sure he'll be able to turn it around before the playoffs arrive. It's very clear what Houston needs to do to fix the situation (fix the offensive line), but it's easier said than done.

Rank

Mason Rudolph

Tennessee Titans · Year 5

Rudolph put together a very milquetoast game Sunday, completing 19 of 31 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown to Nick Vannett in a comeback effort. He also threw an interception that fit both Rudolph's style and this entire offense's vibe. Rudolph managed the game, tried his best to push the Titans to victory and ultimately fell short on Tennessee's final two drives which ended in a field goal and a turnover on downs. He was late in throwing the ball down the seam to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on his final attempt of the day and walked off on the losing end of a meeting with the Jaguars, reliving an experience he had just weeks earlier. Rudolph is simply a backup -- not a plus backup -- who can continue to find work in the NFL but doesn't offer the promise of being something more than that.

Rank

Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets · Year 20

This sure felt like the game that will end the Rodgers era in New York. He still found early success with Davante Adams but was unable to avoid the Buffalo rush and showed plenty of poor body language a series of poor plays. He threw at the feet of Kenny Yeboah and watched Braelon Allen get stuffed on a fourth-and-short that could've been avoided had Rodgers scrambled through enough open space -- CBS' Tony Romo legitimately shouted "run!" during the action -- on the previous play for a first down. No matter how well he'd played in recent weeks, it's clear Rodgers isn't going to fit into this team's future. Tyrod Taylor's late-game success in relief of Rodgers didn't help his case, either.

Rank

Cooper Rush

Dallas Cowboys · Year 7

After helping the Cowboys upset the Buccaneers in a Week 16 primetime window -- a high point in Rush's extended stint as Dallas' starter in 2024 -- Rush rode the roller coaster downward in Week 17, ending a promising drive by forcing a throw into a window that never existed and watching C.J. Gardner-Johnson intercept it and return it for a touchdown. To Rush's credit, he bounced back nicely, leading an impressive touchdown drive to follow up his mistake, but that's where the fun largely ended. A deep shot taken in the final minute produced Rush's second interception of the day, giving the Eagles a chance to add to their lead before halftime (which they did). His inability to generate offense in the second half only reminded us of why he's a backup.

Rank

Dorian Thompson-Robinson

Cleveland Browns · Year 2

After two starts, I've seen enough. Frankly, I saw enough after one start to know the Thompson-Robinson experiment with the Browns wasn't going to work out, and after they scored just three points in a winnable game against the Dolphins on Sunday, I know where to pin the blame. That's not written with the intent to bury Thompson-Robinson, a second-year quarterback with positive physical tools, but it's clear he's not ready to handle a starting job in this league right now, if ever. The game seems too fast for him in most cases, he misses open targets routinely and does nothing to elevate this offense or even keep it afloat. He's a long-term developmental project at best right now, which is fine for the Browns, who've had nothing to gain for weeks other than a better draft position. Hopefully one more week with DTR teaches them they need to direct their curiosity elsewhere in 2025.