NFL
2022 NFL QB Grades: Josh Allen Gets Bumped From the Top Spot and the Week 4 Perfect Score You Never Thought You’d See
Luke Norris began his sportswriting career in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2020. The former Section Editor of the NFL and Motorsports sections, he now spends his time here in the role of Senior Writer-Programmer. His well-rounded sports knowledge allows him to cover the NFL, NBA, PGA Tour, MLB, boxing, WWE, and NASCAR for Sportscasting. Luke is an avid golfer who finds inspiration in the way sports can bring people together and provide a distraction from the real world. He hopes to provide a little entertainment or an escape from the real world with every article he writes, even if only for a few minutes. In addition to his work here at Sportscasting, Luke's work has appeared on The Sportster, Inquisitr, GiveMeSport, FanSided, Yahoo! Fox Sports, and Sports Illustrated.
Get to know Luke Norris betterPublished04 Oct 2022
Week 4 of the 2022 season certainly wasn’t the prettiest overall for NFL quarterbacks. Weather played a role in several performances, but others were just plain awful without any assistance. But there were certainly some solid outings as well, including the only perfect grade handed out this week, one I never thought I’d give, if I’m being honest.
Week 4 also saw a few new faces get a shot under center as several regular starters sat out due to injury. We also saw a starter benched in Mitch Trubisky, another get knocked out in Tua Tagovailoa, and another return in Zach Wilson, which doesn’t make things easy when you’re running a season-long competition.
With that in mind, I’ve created a little reserve room here at the top for the likes of Andy Dalton, Bailey Zappe, and Teddy Bridgewater, who all received grades this week but might not see much more action as the season progresses. I also placed Kenny Pickett here for now, but he’ll likely move into the main section next week as he’ll seemingly be the Steelers’ starter moving forward.
Joe Flacco, who started the first three games for the Jets, and Dak Prescott, who could be back as soon as this week, are also up here. Flacco may not make it back into the Jets’ rotation, but Prescott will undoubtedly be back under center for the Cowboys at some point, and we’ll move him back down then.
So we’ll keep this section as the season rolls on and adjust accordingly, as we’d like every team represented in our top 32.
- Andy Dalton, New Orleans Saints: 85
- Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots: 81
- Teddy Bridgewater, Miami Dolphins: 81
- Joe Flacco, New York Jets: 76.2
- Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers: 71
- Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: 65
With that out of the way, let’s get to our grades for Week 4 and find out who bumped Josh Allen from the top spot.
32. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 11-22, 174 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT; 7 rushes, 52 yards
Week 4 Grade: C-
The good news is that Justin Fields upped his completion percentage from Week 3 to Week 4. But the really bad news is that it went up from 47.1% to 50%, raising his season total to 50.7%, which is simply atrocious for an NFL quarterback.
The former Ohio State star continues to struggle, and while he didn’t throw an interception for the first time all year, he was sacked six times and lost a fumble in Chicago’s 20-12 loss to the Giants.
Look, I know this is supposed to be a down year for the Bears. And the organization didn’t do him Fields many favors in the offseason as they’re prepping for next year with all that cap space. But more often than not, he looks lost and/or overwhelmed out there.
Buckeye quarterbacks typically haven’t fared well at the pro level as of late, and Fields is only making that more and more true with each passing week. I will say it was nice to see him throw the ball down the field a bit, even if it was limited. His first two completions accounted for 42.5% of his passing yards.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 34-67, 471 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT; 34 rushes, 147 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 68.3
31. Baker Mayfield, Carolina Panthers (1-3)
Week 4 Stats: 22-36, 197 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 2 rushes, 0 yards
Week 4 Grade: D
Simply put, Baker Mayfield needs to consider himself a lucky man that Sam Darnold is still hurt. Otherwise, he likely finds himself on the bench in Week 5.
While Mayfield completed a season-high 61.1% of his passes in the Panthers’ 26-16 loss to the Cardinals, he also averaged just 5.5 yards per attempt. And after two straight weeks of interception-free football, Baker threw two on Sunday and also lost a fumble.
A QBR of 7.4 can’t make Panthers fans feel too good about the rest of their season. Who’s ready for a third run from Cam Newton?
2022 NFL Season Stats: 64-117, 747 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT; 14 rushes, 40 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 70.3
30. Mitchell Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers (1-3)
Week 4 Stats: 7-13, 84 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 1 rush, 1 yard
Week 4 Grade: D
It was only a matter of time before Mike Tomlin yanked Mitchell Trubisky in favor of Kenny Pickett, and it finally happened in Pittsburgh’s Week 4 loss to the Jets.
Trubisky had yet another erratic outing and was benched at the half after completing seven of 13 passes for 84 yards with an interception. But Pickett didn’t fare much better, throwing three interceptions of his own in the 24-20 defeat, although he did find the end zone twice on the ground.
Now we have to wait and see if Mitch gets another shot this season.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 69-116, 653 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT; 7 rushes, 24 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 72.6
29. Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 7-19, 139 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 5 rushes, 3 yards
Week 4 Grade: F
The Falcons may have picked up their second straight victory with a 23-20 win over the Browns, but Marcus Mariota wasn’t the reason why. Some might think the failing grade is a bit harsh, but he was atrocious.
The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner completed just 36.8% of his passes, failed to throw a touchdown pass, threw an interception, and lost a fumble. And his legs couldn’t save his grade this week as he ran for just three yards on five carries. Thankfully for Falcons fans, the Atlanta running game was strong and helped them get back to .500.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 57-98, 779 yards, 3 TD, 4 INT; 30 rushes, 95 yards, 2 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 74
28. Zach Wilson, New York Jets (1-0)
Week 4 Stats: 18-36, 252 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 2 rushes, 15 yards; 1 reception, 2 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Grade: C
Making his first start of the season, Zach Wilson led a dramatic 10-play drive in the fourth quarter to lead the Jets to an improbable 24-20 over the Steelers in Pittsburgh, where New York had won just once in the previous half-century.
But let’s not get this twisted. Despite the comeback, Wilson didn’t play a great football game. He completed just 50% of his passes and threw two interceptions. But the comeback has to count for something, as does his touchdown reception on the Jets’ version of the “Philly Special.”
So I think an even C grade is adequate here.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 18-36, 252 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 2 rushes, 15 yards; 1 reception, 2 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 75
27. Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints (1-2)
Week 4 Stats: N/A
Week 4 Grade: N/A
Jameis Winston sat out the Saints’ Week 4 loss to the Vikings with multiple injuries. He’s been dealing with back issues since the season began but also now has foot and ankle issues. If he continues to miss time, we’ll throw him up in the reserve section and put Andy Dalton down here.
But as Dennis Allen seemingly plans to still start him moving forward despite his struggles this season, we’ll keep Winston here for now.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 73-115, 858 yards, 4 TD, 5 INT; 5 rushes, 16 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 75.47
26. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 32-48, 254 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 2 rushes, 6 yards
Week 4 Grade: C-
Despite completing two-thirds of his passes for 250-plus yards, Matthew Stafford never looked comfortable on Monday night in the Rams’ 24-9 loss to the 49ers.
The San Francisco defense swarmed Stafford for most of the night, sacking him seven times and forcing him into a pair of turnovers, both in the fourth quarter. First was a pick-six by Talanoa Hufanga that essentially iced the game. On the Rams’ next drive, Stafford fumbled to officially slam the door on a comeback.
Things don’t get much easier for Stafford in Week 5 as he faces a Cowboys defense that could easily give him the same kind of fits the Niners did on Monday.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 106-150, 1,015 yards, 4 TD, 6 INT; 6 rushes, 10 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 75.51
25. Mac Jones, New England Patriots (1-2)
Week 4 Stats: N/A
Week 4 Grade: N/A
Just as we’re doing with Winston, we’ll keep Mac Jones down here for now. But if he continues to miss time with that high ankle sprain, we’ll start including Bailey Zappe, who likely overtook Brian Hoyer as QB2 in the Patriots’ rotation given his performance in New England’s Week 4 loss in Green Bay.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 64-97, 2 TD, 5 INT; 14 rushes, 37 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 75.6
24. Daniel Jones, New York Giants (3-1)
Week 4 Stats: 8-13, 71 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT; 6 rushes, 68 yards, 2 TD
Week 4 Grade: C-
This was a tough one to grade as Daniel Jones scored two rushing touchdowns and played a clean game without throwing an interception or losing a fumble. And as I’m sure you’ve noticed in my grading, completion percentage means something to me, and he completed 61.5% of his passes, which is adequate enough.
But here’s the thing. Jones only threw 13 passes. And, yes, he scored two rushing touchdowns. But did you see how easy both of those were? With Saquon Barkley running right over the Bears’ defense in a 20-12 win, all Jones had to do in the red zone was give a quick fake and then just waltz into the end zone.
So while it may seem that Jones did a lot to get the Giants to 3-1, he really didn’t.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 67-105, 631 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT; 31 rushes, 193 yards, 2 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 76.2
23. Davis Mills, Houston Texans (0-3-1)
Week 4 Stats: 26-35, 246 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT;
Week 4 Grade: C+
After a dreadful first half in which he couldn’t get the Texans’ offense going, Davis Mills had a much better second half. But it was too little too late as Houston remained winless under Lovie Smith with a 34-24 loss to the Chargers.
You’ve gotta give Mills credit for completing nearly three-quarters of his passes and his two touchdowns, but he also threw two picks and took four sacks. He’ll face off with fellow second-year signal-caller Trevor Lawrence.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 88-142, 908 yards, 5 TD, 4 INT; 4 rushes, 0 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 76.5
22. Jacoby Brissett, Cleveland Browns (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 21-35, 234 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 5 rushes, 16 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Grade: C
After two consecutive weeks in the B range in our grading, Jacoby Brissett took a step back in Week 4 with a mediocre performance in the Browns’ 23-20 loss to the Falcons.
It’s not as if Brissett played terribly, but he certainly wasn’t spectacular as he failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time this season, although he did record his first rushing score of the year. Not much to run through here. Brissett was average, and the Browns lost.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 82-127, 830 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT; 18 rushes, 80 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 77.8
21. Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders (1-3)
Week 4 Stats: 25-42, 170 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 1 rush, 5 yards
Week 4 Grade: C-
After two solid outings to open the year, Carson Wentz continues to trend backward as he and the Commanders dropped their third straight with a 25-10 loss to the rival Cowboys.
Wentz averaged just four yards per pass attempt, down from nearly eight in Week 1, and failed to complete even 60% of those passes. He did throw a touchdown pass but also threw two interceptions as he was never able to get the Washington offense going.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 107-172, 1,031 yards, 8 TD, 5 INT; 12 rushes, 62 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 78
20. Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers (2-1)
Week 4 Stats: 16-27, 239 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 1 rush, 3 yards
Week 4 Grade: B-
If one were to look solely at the stat line, Jimmy Garoppolo looks much better than he actually was on Monday night in the 49ers’ 24-9 win over the rival Rams.
But those who watched the game know that Jimmy G didn’t play great. Did he play well enough? Sure. But Deebo Samuel was the star of that game and saved his quarterback by turning what should’ve been a pick-six into an incredible 57-yard touchdown. Samuel had 115 yards on the night, 100 coming after the catch.
And Deebo certainly wasn’t the only one contributing after the catch as Kyle Jusczczyk had a lengthy run as well on a 35-yard reception. But this is what we know we’re getting from Jimmy G, and it works. He’s now 7-1 against the Rams.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 47-77, 604 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 6 rushes, 8 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 78.7
19. Matt Ryan, Indianapolis Colts (1-2-1)
Week 4 Stats: 27-37, 356 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 2 rushes, -4 yards
Week 4 Grade: C+
It’s rare for a quarterback to have the same passing line two weeks in a row, but Matt Ryan pulled it off on Sunday by completing 27 of 37 passes for the second straight week. It obviously had no bearing on the outcome as the Colts fell to 1-2-1 with a 24-17 loss to the Titans, but I thought it was fun.
Ryan had more passing yards than he did a week ago (356 to 222) but threw a pair of touchdown passes for the second straight week. But unlike in the Colts’ Week 3 upset of the Chiefs, Ryan threw an interception against the Titans.
But another similarity to last week that Ryan didn’t enjoy was another two fumbles, giving him nine through four games. He’s on pace to shatter the single-season fumbles record currently held by Daunte Culpepper and Kerry Collins.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 102-154, 1,125 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT; 9 rushes, 12 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 78.8
18. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 17-21, 137 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 5 rushes, 9 yards
Week 4 Grade: B+
While Derrick Henry received most of the press following the Titans’ 24-17 win over the Colts with a season-high 114 rushing yards and a touchdown, Ryan Tannehill played a solid football game.
Did he put up video game numbers? No. That’s never really been his thing anyway. But Tannehill had his own season-high as he completed 81% of his passes, threw a pair of touchdowns, and was interception-free for the first time since Week 1.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 67-101, 784 yards, 5 TD, 3 INT; 12 rushes, 20 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 79.48
17. Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders (1-3)
Week 4 Stats: 21-34, 188 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT; 7 rushes, 40 yards
Week 4 Grade: B-
There was certainly nothing spectacular about Derek Carr’s performance Sunday against the Broncos. But the Raiders’ QB didn’t need a big day for the Raiders to get their first win for Josh McDaniels. That was reserved for Josh Jacobs, who rushed for a career-high 144 yards and two scores in the 32-23 victory.
After throwing four picks through three weeks, Carr was interception-free in the win but didn’t throw a touchdown pass. Las Vegas had a game plan, Carr stuck to it, managed the game well, and that was enough.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 94-154, 1,038 yards, 6 TD, 4 INT; 10 rushes, 66 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 79.52
16. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 20-31, 287 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 5 rushes, 6 yards
Week 4 Grade: A
Watch out, folks. Joe Burrow is warming up.
After a rough opening week in which he threw four interceptions, Burrow has steadily improved as the season has rolled along and played a fantastic game in the Bengals’ 27-15 win over the previously undefeated Dolphins.
I’m not sure if it was a must-win for Cincinnati this early in the year, but a 1-3 start obviously isn’t what you want or expect coming off a Super Bowl appearance. So for Burrow to perform the way he did against Miami was clutch. He’ll look to keep things rolling in Week 5 in a huge Sunday night divisional showdown with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 100-156, 1,099 yards, 8 TD, 4 INT; 20 rushes, 79 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 81
15. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 17-25, 237 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 4 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Grade: A-
ln Sunday’s AFC West showdown with the Raiders, Russell Wilson played his most efficient game in a Broncos uniform thus far, completing 68% of his passes for 237 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
He also ran in a touchdown from three yards out to cut the Las Vegas lead to two before the Raiders put the game away behind a TD from Josh Jacobs, his second of the day. Much of Wilson’s production came early as Denver was only able to score once on six drives in the second half.
So while Russ is starting to find his groove in the orange and blue, he’ll still need to pick it up even more moving forward.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 80-131, 980 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT; 13 rushes, 51 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 81.1
14. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings (3-1)
Week 4 Stats: 25-38, 273 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT;
Week 4 Grade: B
It took Kirk Cousins going to London to finally find Justin Jefferson again, but at least he found him.
Cousins played a solid-enough game early Sunday morning as the Vikings moved to 3-1, their best start in six years, with a 28-25 win over the Saints. After two quiet weeks, Jefferson made plenty of noise overseas by catching 10 balls for 147 yards while also running in a three-yard touchdown.
Cousins found seven different receivers and racked up his second-highest passing yardage total of the season with 273 while completing 65.8% of his passes.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 99-157, 1,031 yards, 6 TD, 4 INT; 3 rushes, 19 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 81.8
13. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (3-1)
Week 4 Stats: 21-35, 251 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 1 rush, 1 yard
Week 4 Grade: B
Aaron Rodgers didn’t get off to the greatest start Sunday against the Patriots, completing just four of 11 passes for 44 yards and a rare pick-six in the first 30 minutes for a dismal 11.2 passer rating.
But it’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. And Rodgers finished strong, throwing for 207 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. He also led a drive late in overtime to set up Mason Crosby’s game-winning field goal in the Packers’ 27-24 victory, a win that spoiled young Bailey Zappe’s surprising NFL debut.
And speaking of debuts, Rodgers will make his first appearance in London this Sunday as Green Bay takes on the New York Giants.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 89-129, 935 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT;
2022 NFL Season Score: 83.5
12. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 23-32, 207 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 12 rushes, 26 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Grade: B+
While Kyler Murray had an interception and a fumble in the Cardinals’ 26-16 win over the Panthers, I see this as his most complete game of the 2022 campaign thus far.
He completed a season-high 71.9% of his passes, threw for a pair of touchdowns, and rushed for another as Arizona had to scramble late to get the win. The Cardinals still can’t get things going in the first half — they’ve been outscored 66-16 through four games — but Murray led the charge as they scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to get back to .500.
I’d still like to see him take some more shots down the field, but his average per completion went up a touch in Week 4.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 113-173, 991 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT; 24 rushes, 91 yards, 2 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 83.6
11. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys (3-0)
Week 4 Stats: 15-27, 223 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 2 rushes, 7 yards
Week 4 Grade: B
While he’s not flashy or putting up Dak Prescott-type numbers, Cooper Rush continues to cruise as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback, upping his career record to 4-0.
While not overly efficient, completing just 15 of 27 passes, Rush played another clean game as he remained interception-free on the year. And he got himself a new weapon this week with the return of Michael Gallup, who had two catches and was the recipient of one of Rush’s two touchdown passes, the other being CeeDee Lamb.
The question now becomes whether or not Rush will see the field in Week 5 against the Rams as Dak has expressed his desire to return. So it’s big-decision time in Big D. Do you go with the established superstar if he’s ready or stick with the hot hand?
2022 NFL Season Stats: 62-102, 737 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT; 5 rushes, 7 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 85
10. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (1-3)
Week 4 Stats: 26-39, 378 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT; 1 rush, 1 yard
Week 4 Grade: A
Just imagine how good the Detroit Lions could be if they could play defense.
Despite taking a 48-45 loss to Geno Smith and the Seahawks, Jared Goff played his best game of the 2022 season, recording season-highs in completion percentage (66.7%) and passing yards (378) while tying a season-high with four touchdown passes.
The lone blips on his stat line were his one interception and one sack taken. Otherwise, Goff continues to have a solid bounceback year in the Motor City. The Lions’ offense leads the league in yardage (436.8 per game) and points scored (35.0 per game), but the defense is allowing just over 35. And there’s not much Goff can do about that.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 92-151, 1,126 yards, 11 TD, 3 INT; 7 rushes, 16 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 85.4
9. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 39-52, 385 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Week 4 Grade: A
All in all, Tom Brady played a fantastic game in the Buccaneers’ 41-31 primetime loss to the Chiefs on Sunday night, completing 75% of his passes for 385 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, his third straight game without a pick.
But the Bucs were playing from behind all night long. That’s not to take away from TB12’s impressive stat line, but the Chiefs’ defense gave him a lot of opportunities in the second half. Look for another big game from the seven-time Super Bowl champ in Week 5 as Tampa Bay hosts the Falcons, a team that’s never once beaten Brady.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 106-155, 1,058 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT; 6 rushes, -4 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 86.6
8. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 11-23, 174 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 2 rushes, 7 yards
Week 4 Grade: D+
The only thing keeping Trevor Lawrence from a failing grade in Week 4 was the dreadful weather in Philadelphia.
Following the only A+ performance in our Week 3 grades, Lawrence was just as dreadful as that Philly weather on Sunday, completing just 47.8% of his passes in the Jaguars’ 29-21 loss to the Eagles. Early on, it looked as if Jacksonville was going to upset the only undefeated team in the NFL as Doug Pederson got up 14-0 on his old team.
But turnovers were the name of the game as the afternoon dragged on, and Lawrence was responsible for five of them, throwing one interception and losing four fumbles. He should have a bit of an easier time in Week 5 as the Jags host the lowly Texans.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 88-134, 946 yards, 8 TD, 2 INT; 10 rushes, 29 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 86.9
7. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (3-1)
Week 4 Stats: 8-14, 110 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 Grade: C
It might not seem fair, but we still had to grade Tua Tagovailoa as he was in the Dolphins’ loss to the Bengals long enough to warrant one and wasn’t playing particularly well. Should he have even been playing at all? Probably not. And we already know he’s been ruled out in Week 5 after taking a brutal hit that knocked him from the game in the second quarter.
If he ends up missing even more time, we’ll put him up in the reserve section and put Teddy Bridgewater down here. But Tua stays for now.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 80-115, 1,035 yards, 8 TD, 3 INT; 4 rushes, 1 yard
2022 NFL Season Score: 87.96
6. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 23-30, 320 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 7 rushes, 49 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Grade: A+
Tell me there was any week during this 2022 NFL season that you would have predicted Geno Smith would earn the only perfect grade, and I’d likely call you a liar.
But that’s where we find ourselves as the veteran put on a brilliant performance in the Seahawks’ 48-45 shootout victory over the Lions. Smith continued his pinpoint accuracy, completing 76.7% of his passes, which actually dropped his league-leading average a couple of tenths of a point to a ridiculous 77.3%.
He hit the 300-yard mark for a second straight week, marking the first time in his nine-year career that he’s accomplished the feat, and was interception-free for the first time since Week 1. And he kept his stat line nice and clean by not taking a single sack.
The renaissance is real, folks.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 102-132, 1,037 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT; 17 rushes, 64 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 87.97
T4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (4-0)
Week 4 Stats: 16-25, 204 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 16 rushes, 38 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Grade: C+
The Eagles remained the NFL’s lone unbeaten team with a come-from-behind 29-21 over the Jaguars on Sunday, but it certainly wasn’t pretty on a nasty weather day in Philadelphia. And Jalen Hurts certainly didn’t have his prettiest performance of the young season.
Philly got off to a rotten start, falling behind 14-0 early, the Eagles’ first double-digit deficit of the year. But Hurts cut the lead in half with his only touchdown of any kind on the afternoon, a three-yard run to make it 14-7.
And while he managed the comeback win as the Eagles’ rushing game had a big day, totaling 213 yards overall, Hurts wasn’t the star on Sunday. He failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since Week 1 and threw his first interception since Week 2.
But a win is a win, and Hurts & Co. will look to keep things rolling in Week 5 on the road against the Cardinals.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 82-123, 1,120 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT; 53 rushes, 205 yards, 4 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 88.5
T4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 20-29, 144 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 11 rushes, 73 yards
Week 4 Grade: C+
After a couple of incredible performances the past two weeks, Lamar Jackson finally looked human again in the Ravens’ 23-20 loss to the Bills.
As it went with Josh Allen, the rainy weather in Baltimore affected Jackson’s ability to throw the ball down the field. The 2019 NFL MVP completed 20 passes on Sunday but only averaged 7.2 yards per completion.
Jackson led a lengthy drive in the fourth quarter to put Baltimore in position to take the lead but couldn’t convert on fourth down at the goal line on John Harbaugh’s controversial decision not to kick a field goal, throwing one of his two picks as the Ravens coughed up a big lead at home for the second time in three weeks.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 76-117, 11 TD, 4 INT; 37 rushes, 316 yards, 2 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 88.5
3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (2-2)
Week 4 Stats: 27-39, 340 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 4 rushes, -5 yards
Week 4 Grade: A
As Justin Herbert is still feeling the effects of the rib injury he suffered in Week 2, his offensive linemen deserve a pretty high grade of their own as they kept their quarterback nicely protected in the Chargers’ 34-24 win over the Texans.
Herbert had plenty of time to throw on Sunday and threw quite well, connecting on 69.2% of his passes for 340 yards and a pair of scores, one to Gerald Everett and the other to Austin Ekeler, who had a monster day with three TDs overall.
Herbert looked much more comfortable than he did a week ago in a lopsided loss to the Jaguars and should be able to put together another solid outing in Week 5 against the Browns.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 111-166, 1,250 yards, 9 TD, 2 INT; 11 rushes, 4 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 89.4
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (3-1)
Week 4 Stats: 19-36, 213 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 11 rushes, 70 yards, 1 TD
Week 4 Grade: B-
Well, Sunday’s version of Josh Allen wasn’t what we’ve been accustomed to seeing, but he did enough to bring the Bills back from a 17-point deficit to steal a 23-20 victory over the Ravens on a rainy afternoon in Baltimore.
The weather certainly played a part in Allen’s inaccuracy as he completed just 52.8% of his passes, his lowest percentage of the young season. But he made some big plays with his legs, running for 70 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown to help Buffalo earn their biggest come-from-behind victory in more than a decade. The win also snapped a seven-game losing streak in games decided by seven points or less.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 113-168, 10 TD, 3 INT; 30 rushes, 183 yards, 2 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 91.87
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (3-1)
Week 4 Stats: 23-37, 249 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 4 rushes, 34 yards
Week 4 Grade: A
Clearly wanting to avenge his Super Bowl 55 loss to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Patrick Mahomes came to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday night and did just that.
With a dazzling performance that featured several plays that looked like they came straight out of a video game, Mahomes really only made the one mistake as he led the Chiefs to a 41-31 victory. He also made a little NFL history by becoming the fastest to reach 20,000 career passing yards.
So after a week out of the top spot in our rankings, Mahomes is back at No. 1 and will look to stay there next week with a Monday night matchup with Derek Carr and the no-longer-winless Las Vegas Raiders.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 97-146, 1,106 yards, 11 TD, 2 INT; 13 rushes, 64 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 91.9
Stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference
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