With the 2024 NFL season underway and I am still an unsigned NFL Free Agent, it is time to bring back my quarterback performance rankings for year 2! Remember, these rankings are not me saying that these are the best 5 quarterbacks in the league, nor am I saying that these are the 5 most talented quarterbacks in the league. This list is to take a professional quarterback's perspective and breakdown all 32 quarterback's performances and let you know who played the best each week of the NFL season. Did our guys on this list get pluses from me with good checks and audibles at the line of scrimmage? Did these guys create big plays from great improvisation skills? Here is where you can see what my thoughts are! Without further ado, here's my list of the best quarterback performances of week 1 for the 2024 NFL Season:
Honorable Mentions
Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs offense looked a lot sharper than we typically see them this early in a season. The addition of Xavier Worthy in the draft has finally added a dimension of speed that this offense has lacked since the departure of Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman all these years ago. I talked about it a lot last year, Patrick Mahomes has learned when to press and make plays, and when to settle down and be the dreaded "game manager". With this Chiefs defense stifling a Baltimore Ravens offense struggling to find an identity with Lamar Jackson and Dereck Henry's clashes in style, Mahomes, for the most part, took care of the ball, took what the defense gave him, and still pulled out some magician tricks as an improvisor at times in this game. Patrick is one of the better improvisors in the National Football League and he continues to show that again in Week 1. Where Patrick missed my list this week is the turnover that was very easily avoidable. So let's set the scene, it is 1st & 10, from the Chiefs 43 yard line, with 1:50 to go in the first half. The Ravens bring 4, but get a great push from the defensive line. The Ravens look to be playing a cover 4, with emphasis on Roquan Smith dropping and protecting the sticks. Mahomes goes through his first and second progression, with a solid pocket, but the pocket collapses in on him. Knowing it is the 2-minute drill, Mahomes doesn't just waive the white flag and give up a sack. He instead looks to push the ball downfield to Worthy, but he is hit as he throws and it is directly to Roquan Smith underneath. The problem, I have here is, you know you have 2 timeouts and pressure is closing. Mahomes knows where his hot and his checkdowns are and Isaiah Pacheco is left open on a flare route towards his left side. In this situation, Mahomes could have taken that, kept possession and got Pacheco out of bounds, saving a timeout. It is typically 2-minute drill 101. A lapse of judgement here, hurt Mahomes and by the end of the game, could have been a 14 point swing in their favor, where if the Isaiah Likely play still happens, it's not to tie the ballgame.
TUA Tagovailoa
Tua and this Dolphins offense took some time to get going this week. If not for some unfortunate turnovers from the Jaguars, we may be talking about Trevor Lawrence and the Jags instead. Tua Tagovailoa is one of the modern day Drew Brees' with his ability to anticipate windows and feed playmakers the ball. Tua throws an extremely catchable deep ball that you saw a lot this week to Tyreek Hill, Jalen Waddle and co. When Tua is able to hit these big gashing plays to Hill and Waddle, this offense is deadly. Where Tua doesn't make my list this week is too many drives where the offense stalled or did not make plays to extend drives.
TOP 5 LIST
5. Sam Darnold
I was right about Sam Darnold in the Kevin O'Connell(KOC)-led Minnesota Vikings offense. Darnold finished his Viking-debut with a 113.2 QBR, completing 19 passes on 24 attempts, 208 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, that downgrades him from 4th to 5th on my list this week. Sam is a cerebral quarterback who gets through his progressions and knows how to take care of the football when protected. Yes, this performance was against the New York Giants, who, let's be honest, will not be a good football team, but Sam consistently took care of the football. Darnold pushed the ball down the field at a higher clip to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Nick Muse, which fantasy managers of J-Jetas, will love. KOC, is a mastermind at getting his quarterback's high percentage throws, even the ones that are pushed down field. Sam Darnold showed what this Minnesota Vikings offense can be, even without Kirk Cousins, and I expect it to be even better as weeks progress. Sam Darnold and his intermediate-to-deep dimes this week put him at #5.
4. C.J. Stroud
Off the back of the 2023 AFC Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud did not experience a sophomore slump to the start this second season in the NFL. Stroud finished this AFC South division rivalry with a 115.9 QBR, completing 24 passes on 32 attempts for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns. C.J.'s calling card in the NFL last year, was his ability to stay within himself, whether it was consistently hitting timing routes or creating and improvising when the play breaks down. There never was a second I was watching film on the Texans this week and said, "Stroud looks flustered here." C.J. managed the game very nicely this week, fed Stefan Diggs the ball and did an amazing job at extending the life of drives with his ability to create when the play breaks down. The rushing stats don't look impressive, but Stroud's ability to extend windows and plays are tremendous and why he falls at #4 on my list this week.
3. Derek Carr
Derek Carr, at least for week 1, silenced a lot of critics of the New Orleans Saints. Carr finished this bout with the Panthers with a 142.5 QBR, completing 19 passes on 24 attempts for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns. Derek Carr has an elite ability to throw the deep and intermediate ball. He throws one of the prettiest deep balls, in my opinion, throughout the entire league. Consistently, you saw Carr hit these deep fade balls to multiple receivers and if not for a tremendous play by a defensive back, he might have had another head top dime for a fourth touchdown. Carr kept this offense, despite playing a bad Panthers team, in rhythm and threw with good timing. When the plays broke down in the redzone, where you have to secure points, he conducted and directed traffic beautifully. If the Saints can keep Carr upright, the Saints can be a surprise team in the NFC South this year. Carr and the Saints have a tough test next week against the stifling Cowboys defense. Can Carr continue?
2. Baker Mayfield
After this week, the Cleveland Browns have to be regretting their decision of letting Baker Mayfield go. Additionally, Baker continues to prove all the analysts wrong when they say Dave Canales was the reasoning for the Baker Mayfield resurgence last year. Baker finished the game with a 146.4 QBR, completing 24 passes on 30 attempts for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns. He added another 21 yards on the ground with some physical runs on 3 carries. Baker was throwing straight dimes on the Commanders improved defense all day. Beautiful fade balls, outbreaking sideline grabs, improvising when the play broke down and creating big plays with his legs, that's Baker's game. He is tremendous with soaking up pressure and making a diamond out of chaos. Ball placement was on point all game with Baker and this Buccaneers team will be the team to beat in the NFC South.
1. Josh Allen
The Superman of the North has returned for another performance to save the Bills from disaster. Despite the slow start, Josh Allen clutched up when he needed to and brought home the win for Bills Mafia. Allen finished the game with a 137.7 QBR, completing 18 passes on 23 attempts for 232 yards and 2 passing touchdowns, with another 39 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns added. In this game, you saw Josh Allen stay in the pocket and push the ball downfield with great ball placement. You saw the designed quarterback runs and read options that make defenders make business decisions on the field. Allen imposed his will in the air and the ground this week and this is what we've been accustomed to seeing out of him, week in and week out. The only question I have from this week 1 game is the same question we have had of the Bills for a while - Are the Bills relying too much on Allen to do everything?
