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2022 NFL QB Grades Week 16: A Familiar Face Reclaims the No. 1 Spot While Joe Burrow and Kirk Cousins Continue to Climb the Leaderboard
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 betterPublished27 Dec 2022
With the final full week of 2022 calendar-year games in the books, we’re headed toward quite the exciting finish to this wild campaign and our season-long NFL quarterback competition.
After spending a week at No. 1, Brock Purdy dropped down as a familiar face reclaimed the top spot. But that certainly wasn’t the only movement we saw this week.
And as we’ve done quite a bit lately, we had to add a few names to the overall list, a list that now includes 59 signal-callers. As we do, let’s first start with the 27 currently residing in our reserve room.
- Bailey Zappe: 86.4
- Jimmy Garoppolo: 85.7
- Lamar Jackson: 83.5
- Kyler Murray: 82.5
- Ryan Tannehill: 81.4
- Jacoby Brissett: 81.2
- Gardner Minshew: 81
- Teddy Bridgewater: 81
- Carson Wentz: 78.7
- Chris Streveler: 78
- Mike White: 77.7
- Matthew Stafford: 77.4
- Marcus Mariota: 77.1
- Cooper Rush: 77
- Joe Flacco: 76.2
- Jameis Winston: 75.5
- Mitch Trubisky: 75.01
- PJ Walker: 75.009
- Trevor Siemian: 75
- Brett Rypien: 75
- Skylar Thompson: 72.2
- John Wolford: 67.3
- Sam Ehlinger: 66.4
- Kyle Allen: 65
- Trace McSorley: 63.3
- Bryce Perkins: 60.4
- Nick Foles: 58
As a reminder, if you’d like to see our rankings have played out during this 2022 NFL season, I invite you to check out our full grade book.
And without further ado, here’s a look at the featured 32.
32. Malik Willis, Tennessee Titans (1-2)
Week 16 Stats: 14-23, 99 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT; 7 rushes, 43 yards, 1 TD
Week 16 Grade: F
With Ryan Tannehill lost for the season, the Tennessee Titans are hoping rookie Malik Willis can sneak them into the postseason. But if I were a Magic 8 Ball, I’d say that the outlook doesn’t look good.
In his third start of the season, Willis completed 14 of 23 passes against the Houston Texans but threw for just 99 yards with a pair of interceptions in a 19-14 loss. And while he’s attempted 61 passes in seven overall appearances this year, the 23-year-old has yet to throw his first NFL touchdown.
The loss not only dropped the Titans below the .500 mark but also knocked them out of first place in the AFC South and out of the current playoff picture. And things certainly don’t get easier for Tennessee.
Willis & Co. have a quick turnaround this week and face the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night and then square off with the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars to close the season, a game which could very well decide the division.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 31-61, 276 yards, 0 TD, 3 INT; 27 rushes, 123 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 59.6
31. Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons (0-2)
Week 16 Stats: 22-33, 218 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT; 4 rushes, 8 yards
Week 16 Grade: C
Needing a win to stay alive in the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons couldn’t get the job done against the Baltimore Ravens, falling 17-9 to secure their elimination from postseason contention.
Rookie Desmond Ridder played decently in his second start in place of Marcus Mariota, completing two-thirds of his 33 pass attempts for 218 yards. But he’s still yet to find the end zone, as the Falcons could only muster three field goals in the eight-point loss.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 35-59, 315 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT; 10 rushes, 46 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 70.2
30. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns (2-2)
Week 16 Stats: 15-31, 135 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 3 rushes, 24 yards, 1 TD
Week 16 Grade: F
Still technically alive for a postseason berth heading into their Week 16 matchup with the New Orleans Saints, the Cleveland Browns saw their playoff chances drop to zero in a 17-10 loss.
On a frigid day in Cuyahoga County, Deshaun Watson struggled to throw the football, completing just 48.4% of his passes for 135 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 71-123, 703 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT; 22 rushes, 100 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 71.1
29. Zach Wilson, New York Jets (5-4)
Week 16 Stats: 9-18, 92 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 1 rush, 1 yard
Week 16 Grade: F
As Zach Wilson is unlikely to see the field again for the New York Jets this season — and maybe ever — we wanted to give him one final week here in the featured section. And what a horrific week it was.
Before being pulled for Chris Streveler on Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, last year’s No. 2 overall pick completed just nine of 18 passes for 92 yards with zero touchdowns and an interception.
Robert Saleh has already named Mike White the starter for the rest of the season, and you’ll see him back down here next week. As for Wilson, this is the second time he’s been benched this year and the Jets will have a big decision to make this offseason.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 132-242, 1,688 yards, 6 TD, 7 INT; 28 rushes, 102 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 73.7
28. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5)
Week 16 Stats: 26-39, 244 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 3 rushes, 9 yards
Week 16 Grade: B-
After sitting out last week’s matchup with the Carolina Panthers, Kenny Pickett returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ lineup on Saturday and played solidly to help his team to a 13-10 comeback victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
While the first-round rookie threw his first interception since October 30, he also threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens with 46 seconds remaining to give the Steelers a 13-10 lead, which was ultimately the final score.
I guess it was only fitting that a pair of rookies led Pittsburgh to a late, come-from-behind over the Raiders on a night when the franchise celebrated the late, great Franco Harris and the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. Harris, of course, was a rookie when he made one of the most famous catches in NFL history.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 217-333, 2,041 yards, 5 TD, 9 INT; 47 rushes, 234 yards, 3 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 74.2
27. Davis Mills, Houston Texans (2-10-1)
Week 16 Stats: 17-28, 178 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 4 rushes, 8 yards
Week 16 Grade: C+
After nearly beating the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs the last two weeks, the Houston Texans finally got themselves a win on Saturday, taking down the Tennessee Titans, 19-14.
While Davis Mills didn’t play a phenomenal game, he played well enough to get his team a second win for the year, completing 60.7% of his passes for 178 yards with a touchdown and an interception, the TD coming with just 2:52 remaining to give Houston the lead.
After five one-score losses this season, it was nice to see the Texans win one, especially with how tough they’ve been playing teams as of late.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 248-401, 2,618 yards, 14 TD, 13 INT; 27 rushes, 69 yards, 2 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 74.3
26. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos (3-10)
Week 16 Stats: 15-27, 214 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT; 2 rushes, 17 yards
Week 16 Grade: F
Russell Wilson certainly didn’t have a Merry Christmas, as his dismal day against the defending Super Bowl champion LA Rams played a big part in the Denver Broncos’ 51-14 loss, a loss that got Nathaniel Hackett fired.
Before being yanked in the second half, Wilson threw three interceptions and was sacked six times, one of each coming from his longtime Seahawks teammate Bobby Wagner.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 253-421, 3,019 yards, 12 TD, 9 INT; 43 rushes, 232 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 74.4
25. Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
Week 16 Stats: 9-17, 115 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 11 rushes, 26 yards
Week 16 Grade: C
With Lamar Jackson sidelined for a third consecutive week, the featured section welcomes Tyler Huntley, who helped the Baltimore Ravens to a 17-9 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16, thus securing his team a spot in the NFL Playoffs.
Huntley didn’t play great, completing just nine of 17 passes for 115 yards, but led the only touchdown drive of the entire game as he hit Demarcus Robinson for a six-yard score with 2:23 remaining in the first half to give Baltimore a 14-0 lead.
It’s unknown whether Jackson will be ready to roll for the Ravens’ Week 17 rivalry matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, so you may see Huntley down here again next week.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 61-91, 528 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 36 rushes, 113 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 74.5
24. Colt McCoy, Arizona Cardinals (1-2)
Week 16 Stats: N/A
Week 16 Grade: N/A
Still in concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in the Arizona Cardinals’ Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos, Colt McCoy sat out Sunday night’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which gave Trace McSorley a chance to make his first NFL start.
McSorley played decently but watched as the Bucs came back from 10 points down in the fourth quarter and ultimately took a 19-16 win in overtime. If McCoy misses next week’s meaningless matchup with the Falcons, we’ll send him back to the reserve room and bring McSorley down to the featured section.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 90-132, 780 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT; 14 rushes, 36 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 75.7
23. Baker Mayfield, Los Angeles Rams (2-6)
Week 16 Stats: 24-28, 230 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 2 rushes, 2 yards
Week 16 Grade: A+
While this is a lost season for the Los Angeles Rams, Baker Mayfield still needs some good tape to show teams this upcoming offseason. And he certainly put together a good reel on Christmas Day as the defending champs destroyed the Denver Broncos, 51-14.
The 2018 No. 1 overall pick completed a season-high 85.7% of his passes for 230 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the victory. And with all the new names entering our featured section — plus his outstanding performance, of course — Mayfield got himself out of the cellar in our season-long standings.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 177-290, 1,884 yards, 10 TD, 7 INT; 23 rushes, 65 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 75.7
22. Matt Ryan, Indianapolis Colts (4-7-1)
Week 16 Stats: N/A
Week 16 Grade: N/A
Not only was Matt Ryan benched for the second time this season, but he wasn’t even active for the Indianapolis Colts’ Week 16 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
But as we like at least two starts before bringing someone down into the featured section, which we’ll do with Nick Foles next week, Ryan remains here for now. That’s assuming Jeff Saturday doesn’t go with Sam Ehlinger next week anyway.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 309-461, 3,057 yards, 14 TD, 13 INT; 27 rushes, 70 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 76.9
21. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears (3-11)
Week 16 Stats: 15-23, 119 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 7 rushes, 11 yards
Week 16 Grade: C
In one of the coldest games Soldier Field has ever hosted, which is saying something, Justin Fields did what he could against a tough Buffalo Bills defense.
But that wasn’t much, as he accounted for just 119 yards through the air and a season-low 11 on the ground as the Chicago Bears took a 35-13 thumping to drop to 3-12 for the season.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 185-297, 2,167 yards, 16 TD, 10 INT; 150 rushes, 1,011 yards, 8 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 80.3
20. Taylor Heinicke, Washington Commanders (5-3-1)
Week 16 Stats: 13-18, 166 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 2 rushes, -4 yards
Week 16 Grade: C+
A quarterback controversy is never fun for any team, but the timing couldn’t be worse for the Washington Commanders, as they’re still battling for a postseason spot.
While Taylor Heinicke played well early against the San Francisco 49ers’ vaunted defense and ultimately completed 72.2% of his passes, his second-best clip of the season, with a pair of touchdowns, he was yanked for Carson Wentz in the fourth quarter after losing a fumble and throwing an interception.
Wentz came in and provided a bit of a spark, but it was too little and too late, as Washington fell 37-20. The Commanders are clinging by a thread to the No. 7 spot in the NFC playoff picture with games against the Browns and Cowboys remaining.
At the time of this writing, it’s unclear which direction Ron Rivera will go at quarterback in Week 17 against Cleveland.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 161-259, 1,859 yards, 12 TD, 6 INT; 28 rushes, 96 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 80.5
19. Andy Dalton, New Orleans Saints (5-7)
Week 16 Stats: 8-15, 92 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 1 rush, -1 yards
Week 16 Grade: F
Part of me feels terrible for giving Andy Dalton an F this week as the New Orleans Saints were forced to play the coldest game in franchise history against the Cleveland Browns. But come on, how am I not supposed to fail a guy who completes eight passes for 92 yards with zero touchdowns and an interception?
Besides, Dalton & Co. got themselves a much-needed 17-10 win to remain in contention for the NFC South. Trailing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by only a game at 6-9, the Saints square off with the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17 and close out the season with what could actually be a division-deciding game with the Carolina Panthers.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 219-331, 2,495 yards, 17 TD, 8 INT; 27 rushes, 54 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 80.7
18. Mac Jones, New England Patriots (5-7)
Week 16 Stats: 21-33, 240 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 1 rush, -1 yard
Week 16 Grade: A
Mac Jones played well for the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve, completing 63.6% of his passes for 240 yards with a pair of touchdowns and no picks.
But his effort wasn’t quite enough as the Pats attempted to overcome a 22-point halftime deficit but fell short in a 22-18 loss.
After New England recovered a Ja’Marr Chase fumble in the fourth quarter, Jones put his team in position for a go-ahead score, but a Rhamondre Stevenson fumble in the red zone put an end to the Pats’ chances at a comeback victory.
Despite the loss, the Patriots are still alive for a playoff berth at 7-8 with games against the Dolphins and Bills remaining.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 242-369, 9 TD, 8 INT; 40 rushes, 96 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 80.8
17. Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders (6-9)
Week 16 Stats: 16-30, 174 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT; 3 rushes, 14 yards
Week 16 Grade: F
While still not technically eliminated from postseason contention, the Las Vegas Raiders watched their playoff chances drop to next to nothing with a Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
And Derek Carr was dreadful in defeat, throwing three interceptions in the second half, the last with just 36 seconds remaining. At 6-9, Las Vegas now sits in the No. 12 slot in the AFC standings and need a miracle to get back to the playoffs for a second straight season.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 305-502, 3,522 yards, 24 TD, 14 INT; 24 rushes, 102 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 80.9
16. Daniel Jones, New York Giants (8-6-1)
Week 16 Stats: 30-42, 334 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 4 rushes, 34 yards
Week 16 Grade: B
With the New York Giants having a chance to punch their ticket to the postseason this past weekend, Daniel Jones put his team in position to win, completing 71.4% of his passes for 334 yards, his second-highest yardage total of the year, with a touchdown and an interception.
But he could do nothing but sit and watch with the rest of us as Greg Joseph gave the Minnesota Vikings yet another unlikely win by hitting a 61-yard field goal as time expired.
Despite the 27-24 defeat, Jones & Co. remain in the No. 6 spot in the NFC postseason picture and get another shot to clinch this weekend. It certainly helped that the three teams directly behind them in the NFC standings all lost.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 298-448, 3,028 yards, 13 TD, 5 INT; 109 rushes, 617 yards, 5 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 81.8
15. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (7-8)
Week 16 Stats: 24-38, 238 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 7 rushes, 18 yards
Week 16 Grade: B-
Seemingly out of the playoff picture only a few weeks ago, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers aren’t dead yet.
Desperately needing a win to keep their postseason hopes alive, the Packers got a solid-enough outing from the two-time reigning NFL MVP, who completed 63.2% of his passes for 238 with a touchdown and an interception in a 26-20 victory over the struggling Miami Dolphins.
Green Bay has now won three straight and is right in the thick of things with matchups against Minnesota and Detroit remaining. Their Week 18 battle with the Lions could very well decide the final slot on the NFC side of the playoff bracket.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 318-491, 3,331 yards, 24 TD, 11 INT; 30 rushes, 82 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 82.5
14. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (7-3)
Week 16 Stats: 27-35, 347 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 6 rushes, 41 yards
Week 16 Grade: A+
After an early pick-six that ultimately proved inconsequential, Dak Prescott pretty much played a perfect game as the Dallas Cowboys won a 40-34 shootout on Christmas Eve over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Not only did Dak throw three touchdowns following his lone interception on his third pass of the game, but he also threw for a season-high 347 yards in leading the Cowboys to a comeback win.
As mentioned, the interception ultimately didn’t hurt Dallas. But this has been a problem, and it’s undoubtedly one Prescott needs to figure out before the postseason. Since returning to action in Week 7 after missing five weeks with a thumb injury, the two-time Pro Bowler has thrown a league-worst 11 picks. And this is the first time in his career that he’s thrown an interception in five straight games in the same season.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 218-316, 2,450 yards, 20 TD, 12 INT; 36 rushes, 155 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 84.7
13. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
Week 16 Stats: 32-48, 281 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 2 rushes, 1 yard
Week 16 Grade: C
For the third consecutive week, Tom Brady threw a pair of interceptions.
But unlike the previous two weeks, they ultimately didn’t matter as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to tie the Arizona Cardinals and won the game in overtime.
And Brady looked fantastic in the extra frame, completing all six of his attempts on the Bucs’ lone offensive drive to set up Ryan Succop’s game-winning field goal. The 19-16 victory certainly wasn’t pretty, but it kept Tampa Bay one game ahead of the Panthers and Saints in the NFC South with two games to go.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 443-671, 4,178 yards, 21 TD, 9 INT; 26 rushes, -5 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 85.1
12. Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers (3-1)
Week 16 Stats: 15-22, 250 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 6 rushes, 19 yards, 1 TD
Week 16 Grade: A
Needing a win to keep their hopes of winning the NFC South alive, the Carolina Panthers got yet another strong outing from Sam Darnold in a 37-23 victory over the Detroit Lions on Saturday.
With a critical Week 17 matchup with Tom Brady and the division-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers looming, Darnold completed 68.2% of his passes for 250 yards and a touchdown in the victory. In his four starts since taking over as QB1 in Carolina, the 2018 No. 3 overall pick has yet to throw an interception.
The Panthers are now 3-1 with Darnold under center and would take over first place with a win over Tampa on Sunday.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 54-88, 759 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT; 15 rushes, 54 yards, 2 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 85.6
11. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
Week 16 Stats: 24-31, 235 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 5 rushes, 1 yard
Week 16 Grade: B
It’s not often I hand out a B grade when a guy throws zero touchdowns but tosses an interception. But that’s where I find myself here.
No, Justin Herbert didn’t throw a TD as the LA Chargers punched their ticket to the playoffs with an easy 20-3 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night. And yes, he did throw an interception.
But he completed a season-high 77.4% of his passes and put the Chargers on the 1-yard line twice, each time handing the ball to Austin Ekeler for touchdowns. Herbert easily could rush those in himself or hit one of his receivers for a short pass, but when you’ve got a guy like Ekeler, why wouldn’t you give him the ball there?
2022 NFL Season Stats: 431-634, 4,254 yards, 21 TD, 10 INT; 51 rushes, 146 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 86
10. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (7-8)
Week 16 Stats: 25-42, 355 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 3 rushes, 15 yards
Week 16 Grade: A
With the Detroit Lions needing a win to get over .500 for the first time this season, Jared Goff certainly did his part, throwing for 355 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions.
But the Detroit defense couldn’t stop the Carolina Panthers’ offense, and the Lions saw their three-game winning streak snap with a 37-23 loss.
A win would have put Goff & Co. into the No. 7 slot in the NFC playoff picture, but Detroit isn’t out of postseason contention yet at 7-8.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 338-524, 3,959 yards, 26 TD, 7 INT; 26 rushes, 66 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 86.2
9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)
Week 16 Stats: 20-31, 229 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT; 7 rushes, 51 yards, 1 TD
Week 16 Grade: B
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present your first-place Jacksonville Jaguars.
On a rough weather night in New Jersey on Thursday, Trevor Lawrence played about as well as one can play without throwing a touchdown under the circumstances, completing 20 of 31 passes for 229 yards.
The second-year stud also rushed for 51 yards, his second-highest total this season, and scored his fifth touchdown of the year on the ground in an easy 19-3 victory. If Lawrence & Co. win their final two games over the Texans and Titans, they win the AFC South.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 350-531, 3,749 yards, 24 TD, 7 INT; 56 rushes, 290 yards, 5 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 86.4
8. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (8-5)
Week 16 Stats: 16-25, 310 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT; 1 rush, 0 yards
Week 16 Grade: D
Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins are heading in the wrong direction as the regular season comes to a close.
It’s now been a month since the Dolphins last won a football game as they dropped their fourth straight this past Sunday, taking a 26-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
And while Tagovailoa looked great at times, completing 64% of his passes for 310 yards, his third-highest total of the season, he threw three second-half interceptions, killing any chance of the ‘Fins adding to their win total.
Despite the loss, however, Miami is still one of the seven teams currently set to represent the AFC in the postseason. And their remaining matchups are with the two teams right behind them in the standings, those being the New England Patriots and the New York Jets.
What’s worse is that Tua may not even be able to go for one or both of these games as he’s back in concussion protocol.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 259-400, 25 TD, 8 INT; 24 rushes, 70 yards
2022 NFL Season Score: 87.1
7. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings (12-3)
Week 16 Stats: 34-48, 299 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 1 rush, 2 yards
Week 16 Grade: A+
So at what point do we start thinking Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings are destined to win the Super Bowl?
Despite the vast majority of people still not believing they’re an elite team or a genuine title contender, the Vikings keep winning close games and Cousins continues to impress. The veteran had yet another terrific outing on Saturday against the Giants, completing 70.8% of his passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
After watching Daniel Jones lead a game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter, Cousins made some big throws on the ensuing possession to set up Greg Joseph’s game-winning 61-yard field goal. While a long shot, the Vikings can still win homefield advantage with a pair of wins combined with a pair of Eagles losses in the final two weeks of the regular season.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 389-592, 4,117 yards, 27 TD, 11 INT; 28 rushes, 60 yards, 2 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 88
6. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (12-3)
Week 16 Stats: 15-26, 172 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT; 6 rushes, 41 yards, 1 TD
Week 16 Grade: B-
While Josh Allen threw a pair of picks on Saturday, his first interceptions since Thanksgiving Day, they ultimately didn’t matter as the Buffalo Bills cruised on a cold day in Chicago with a 35-13 win over the Bears.
Allen offset the two picks with a pair of touchdown passes and also ran for a score as the Bills clinched their third consecutive AFC East title. The fifth-year phenom also now owns the NFL record for the most overall touchdowns in a player’s first five seasons as he surpassed Dan Marino with a 19-yard TD pass to Gabe Davis in the first quarter.
The Bills now face a much tougher matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 as they attempt to hold onto the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 340-536, 32 TD, 13 INT; 115 rushes, 746 yards, 7 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 88.4
5. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (7-8)
Week 16 Stats: 25-40, 215 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 3 rushes, 16 yards
Week 16 Grade: C
While Geno Smith had a decent-enough stat line, completing 62.5% of his passes for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception, the Seattle Seahawks’ offense looked flat overall in a 24-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Seahawks have dropped three straight and five of six but still sit in the No. 8 slot in the NFC with two games remaining. Smith faces the team that drafted him, the New York Jets, in Week 17, and the Seahawks close the season against the LA Rams.
The Seahawks might have to win both games to get back to the postseason after missing out a year ago.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 362-512, 3,886 yards, 27 TD, 9 INT; 59 rushes, 297 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 88.5
4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (11-4)
Week 16 Stats: 40-52, 375 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT; 4 rushes, 5 yards
Week 16 Grade: B
While not their prettiest victory of the year, the Cincinnati Bengals won their seventh straight on Saturday as they squeaked by the New England Patriots, 22-18.
Joe Burrow threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns, with all three TD passes coming in the first half. He threw a pick-six in the second half, his second interception of the game, and the Bengals nearly squandered their 22-point halftime lead before a late Patriots turnover sealed the deal.
Up next for Burrow & Co. is a must-see showdown with the Buffalo Bills, which could easily be an AFC Championship Game preview and could ultimately decide homefield advantage.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 389-564, 4,260 yards, 34 TD, 12 INT; 72 rushes, 247 yards, 5 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 88.7
3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (13-1)
Week 16 Stats: N/A
Week 16 Grade: N/A
After spraining his throwing shoulder in Week 15, Jalen Hurts sat out the Philadelphia Eagles’ Christmas Eve loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Given his standing on our leaderboard, we’ll keep Hurts here in the featured section whether he returns in the regular season or not, as he’s undoubtedly earned it.
The loss kept the Eagles from clinching a division title or the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but we’re thinking Gardner Minshew can beat the Saints in Week 17 to get those things done.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 286-425, 22 TD, 5 INT; 156 rushes, 747 yards, 13 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 91.8
2. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (3-0)
Week 16 Stats: 15-22, 234 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 1 rush, 6 yards
Week 16 Grade: B+
While not quite as solid on Saturday as he was the previous three weeks, Brock Purdy was still pretty darn good in the San Francisco 49ers’ 37-20 over the Washington Commanders.
The 22-year-old threw his first interception since taking over as the full-time starter but made up for it with a pair of touchdowns. In doing so, Purdy is just the second quarterback since 1950 to win his first three starts while throwing two or more touchdowns in each game, the other being Kurt Warner.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 77-115, 912 yards, 8 TD, 3 INT; 16 rushes, 9 yards, 1 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 92.2
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (12-3)
Week 16 Stats: 16-28, 224 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; 2 rushes, 8 yards, 1 TD
Week 16 Grade: A-
Patrick Mahomes didn’t play the most efficient game of his career on Saturday but played well enough to get the Kansas City Chiefs a 24-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks. And it got him back to the No. 1 spot in our season-long standings.
The victory kept them tied with the Buffalo Bills for the best record in the AFC. But while the Bills own the tiebreaker by way of their Week 6 win over the Chiefs, Mahomes & Co. have the easier schedule over the final two weeks.
While Buffalo faces Cincinnati and New England, Kansas City faces Denver and Las Vegas.
2022 NFL Season Stats: 388-580, 4,720 yards, 37 TD, 11 INT; 54 rushes, 321 yards, 4 TD
2022 NFL Season Score: 92.3
