2019 NFL QB GRADES WEEK 5
TOP 10
REST OF THE PACK
NON-QUALIFYING QBs
WEEK 5 TAKEAWAYS
+ Deshaun Watson put together the best game of his young career against a beleaguered Falcons defense in Week 5 and earned just the second perfect grade of "10" I've given out in 3 seasons of weekly evaluations. The performance was flawless, as Watson notched a literal perfect passer rating while completing 84% of his passes for an astonishing 12.91 yards per attempt with zero sacks, 5 TDs and an 11.75 ypc average on four rush attempts. He also closed the game mercilessly with aggressive attacking passes late, a promising development considering Bill O'Brien's propensity to call things a little tighter in these situations. His Week 6 showdown with Patrick Mahomes will be a joy to behold.
+ Derek Carr looked amazing in Week 5, even if his stat line didn't necessarily reflect it. His arm and his movement, both inside and outside of the pocket, are looking as strong as they have since his MVP contending 2016 season. Most importantly, his accuracy and touch from that season seems to have returned as well. Carr has also developed a quick rapport with new tight end Darren Waller and has maintained his level of play even after losing top target Tyrell Williams, even against a stout Bears defense. I couldn't help but wonder watching the game this week what he could have done with Antonio Brown this season. My rosy evaluation will be put to the test next week as Carr and the Raiders face the red hot playmaking secondary of the Packers upon their return from the bye.
- The script has flipped on Dak Prescott and the Cowboys after a second consecutive underwhelming performance and loss, this time to the Packers at home. While many have jumped to negate his obvious progress displayed in the first few weeks of the season season, I find it a more nuanced situation. The Packer game went south on the very first drive, with Amari Cooper dropping a wide open first down, and likely touchdown, pass directly into the hands of a Packer defensive back. The throw was a degree off it's true, but the punishment far exceeded the crime here and a TD on this drive would have led to an entirely different ballgame. Dak still leads the league in yards per attempt, is tied for 2nd in TD passes, is 2nd only to Pat Mahomes in 20+ yard completions and is 8th in the NFL in red zone passer rating (112.3). The last two weeks of Cowboys football has been frankly shocking, but I think it's still too soon to label Dak's start a total mirage. It might actually be young offensive coordinator Kellen Moore who received too much praise for Dallas’ hot start.