After another stellar performance, Alex Smith has joined Tom Brady atop the chart. And it’s completely deserved. He leads the NFL in passer rating and completion percentage and has made many winning plays in leading the Chiefs to a 4-0 start.
Jared Goff remains shockingly high after the biggest win of his career so far in Dallas. He has been the best bang-for-your-buck QB in the NFL through the first month, gaining a very impressive 9.16 yards per pass attempt.
Unsurprisingly, Drew Brees is putting up astonishing numbers yet again. The difference so far in 2017 is he hasn’t turned it over once and the team has managed to win two games (one by shutout!).
Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryan are both experiencing rapid cooling coming off their scintillating 2016 seasons and solid starts this year. Stafford still made the Power 10 this week while Matt Ryan has surprisingly fallen into the back half of throw_ology-rated QBs. It is far too soon for any real concern in either case, however.
Dak Prescott continues to impress and for the second straight season can’t keep himself out of the Power 10. But man I have to wonder what his start to the year would have looked like sans Ezekiel Elliott.
THE REST OF THE PACK
Deshaun Watson has reached his high water mark after a stellar showing against the Titans in Week 4. Things are looking extremely promising for the rookie, especially with the recent return of a healthy Will Fuller.
Joe Flacco has been without question the worst QB in the NFL this season. DeShone Kizer has given him a run for his money statistically, but in my opinion the tape is more damning for Flacco than Kizer and the ratings so far have reflected that.
It says it all about Cam Newton’s season so far that his high quality (but probably overrated by me) Week 4 performance in New England only raised his overall rating to 6.75, good for 19th best in the league through a quarter of the season. Panthers fans will be hoping this is a sign of better performances to come.
Trevor Siemian and Tyrod Taylor continue to be above average, winning players in the early part of the season. Didn’t see that one coming.
Also didn't expect the remarkably similar statistical starts for Josh McCown and Eli Manning, who are tied for 22nd in the league with identical 6.50 cumulative ratings. Not to mention the fact that the former is somehow 2-2 while the two-time Super Bowl champ is 0-4.
Jay Cutler… what is there to even say about Jay Cutler? No points against the Saints. That’s all that needs to be said. He currently shares the same rating as Jacoby Brissett- exactly what Miami was looking for when they pulled him off the nude beach.
You can put a cork in the Mike Glennon season after four weeks, as Mitchell Trubisky will take over for the Bears next Monday night against the Vikings. I’ve rated him as the NFL’s 29th-best QB so far, so it’s safe to say that I don’t object to the decision.