QB Stock Market Week 6: Sam Darnold Appears like Elite. Will Kyler Murray Ever Rep the Jump?
I’m able to’t mediate that the Sam Darnold we’re searching at now used to notice ghosts. Jayden Daniels, who returned after missing two weeks with a knee sprain, is tranquil Mr. Frosty. And, precise while you’re appealing to soar off his ship, Bryce Younger finds a capability to remind you why he turned into a No. 1 pick in the draft.
These were some of my observations searching on the quarterback play in the NFL this past week. That brings us to the most fresh QB Stock Market, the put we computer screen the performance fluctuations of quarterbacks in the course of the season — a vitality ranking of kinds at soccer’s most well-known location.
Keep in mind, the totality of a quarterback’s season has heavy have an effect on here, although his latest performance moreover plays a job in dictating his fresh location in the pecking instruct.
Previous: Preseason, Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Let’s dive into the rankings for Week 6:
After a late begin, Jared Goff has the Lions pointed in the comely route and taking a sight worship a title contender. (Photograph by Michael Owens/Getty Photos)
Dak Prescott is drawing early MVP consideration for practically single-handedly retaining the Cowboys afloat. (Photograph by Sarah Stier/Getty Photos)
Darnold continues to level to the NFL world horrible.
Many league observers thought the Seahawks were downgrading at quarterback after they moved on from Geno Smith in desire of Darnold, who loved a profession resurgence last season with the Vikings. The thought turned into that he turned into largely making the most of a quarterback-friendly coach in Kevin O’Connell and Minnesota’s supremely proficient offensive supporting forged.
However in Seattle, the aged No. 3 overall pick is continuing to ascend with what’s, on paper, a lesser offense. I’d affirm he’s firmly a “great” quarterback at this level. He’s been playing at an MVP level all season and had arguably his ultimate showing of the 12 months Sunday in an memoir duel with Baker Mayfield. Darnold accomplished 82.4% of his passes for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns (three in the 2nd half) with an interception and a 135.4 passer ranking. His pick on the cease doesn’t take some distance from what turned into otherwise a supreme performance.
Darnold ranks top-5 in the league in a whole lot of classes, including passer ranking (114.8, third), yards per strive (9.3, first) and completion price (73.1%, third). He leads the NFL with a 10.5% completion price over anticipated, which tells you how correct he’s been at connecting on excessive-boom throws. He had a plus-24.8% completion share over anticipated in opposition to Tampa, a profession-excessive.
After a vintage performance in Week 4, Patrick Mahomes threw a Ninety 9-yard pick-six in Week 5 because the Chiefs lost to the Jaguars.
Jalen Hurts took to the air in opposition to the Broncos in Week 5, but in the cease, that did now not work out for the Eagles, who lost their first sport of the season. (Photograph by Mitchell Leff/Getty Photos)
Jayden Daniels, who skipped over Weeks 3 and 4 with a knee peril, reminded every person this past week why he’s in the dialog for ultimate quarterback in the NFC.
Final 12 months’s No. 2 pick threw for 237 yards and a touchdown and added but one more eight carries for 38 yards in the Commanders’ gain over the Chargers. He turned into in whole control of the passing sport, despite being with out two of his top receivers (Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown). At the cease of the first half, he accomplished a finest 50-yard cross to Luke McCaffrey flat-footed to place up a field purpose. Daniels confirmed great composure on his touchdown throw in the last minute of the sport. Rolling backward and to his comely with more than one Chargers defensive linemen chasing after him, he lofted a super ball to Deebo Samuel in hump late the cease zone.
Per chance my favourite thing he did: running out to be a lead blocker on a 27-yard shuffle by tailback Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the third quarter.
I judge the Chargers sport confirmed that Daniels is tranquil discovering out at a mercurial price, as correct as he’s been so early in his profession. He threw the ball away to dwell some distance from unnecessary hits and bought down mercurial after scrambles — clearly an emphasis after hurting his knee.
I’m now not barely appealing to affirm the C.J. Stroud we noticed as a rookie is entirely reduction.
He has faced hideous defenses in reduction-to-reduction weeks, the Ravens’ battered one most now not too prolonged prior to now. That takes a minute little bit of the air from his performance Sunday (although tranquil very spectacular), when he accomplished more than 85% of his passes for 244 yards and 4 touchdowns with a 143.9 passer ranking in the Texans’ 44-10 rout of Baltimore.
That you may possibly inspect Stroud’s moxy coming reduction, although. That’s possibly primarily the most attention-grabbing thing from the past couple of games.
It no doubt helps when he gets larger play from the offensive line, which did a super job of retaining him precise in opposition to the Ravens. The aged No. 2 pick went 17-of-20 for 179 yards and all four of his touchdowns from a tidy pocket.
However I judge we’re moreover seeing Stroud and offensive coordinator Gash Caley adjust to the deficiencies that Houston has upfront. The Texans are getting the ball out mercurial. Two-thirds of Stroud’s throws Sunday came out in under 2.5 seconds, and he went 16-of-18 for 150 yards and all four ratings on such attempts, per Next Gen Stats.
When the Ravens were in a predicament to salvage Stroud under duress, he turned into tranquil effective, going 6-of-7 for 65 yards. That bodes effectively for his enhanced level of play continuing in opposition to stiffer opponents (after their bye this week, the Texans dawdle to Seattle to face a tricky Seahawks group). However I must notice a bigger sample measurement in opposition to competent defenses.
Mac Jones has had success filling in for injured 49ers starter Brock Purdy, leading San Francisco to the pinnacle of the NFC West. (Photograph by Harry How/Getty Photos)
Kyler Murray isn’t the motive the Cardinals suffered one among the more humiliating losses in fresh NFL history, blowing a 21-3 consequence in the previously winless Titans. His numbers weren’t unpleasant — a 74.2% completion price for 220 yards, plus four carries for 25 yards and a touchdown. However he moreover didn’t give them a big gamble when it mattered primarily the most.
On an apparent miscommunication in the third quarter, a snap bounced off his helmet, resulting in a lost fumble. He moreover had a unpleasant intentional grounding penalty in the the same period that killed a drive. Murray couldn’t lead a Cardinals scoring drive over Arizona’s last eight possessions of the sport (seven while you exclude running reduction Emari Demercado’s gaffe that turned a would-be touchdown into a touchback).
In his seventh season, Murray tranquil hasn’t made the jump in his play that many league observers own prolonged anticipated. At this level, it’s comely to marvel if this can also ever happen in Arizona.
In Week 5, Spencer Rattler bought his first NFL gain as a starting quarterback after 10 straight losses, a 26-14 victory over the Giants in Fresh Orleans. (Photograph by Sean Gardner/Getty Photos)
Younger continues to be a frustrating overview.
A super instance is the Panthers’ thrilling victory over the Dolphins this past weekend — when he opened the sport with two turnovers. The first turned into critically unpleasant: With Miami edge rusher Bradley Chubb bearing down on him, Younger precise … dropped the ball. Chubb, who didn’t touch Younger, recovered for the Miami takeaway. Younger’s mishaps were a mountainous motive Carolina faced a 17-0 deficit.
However the Panthers moreover don’t gain with out him.
He hit tight cease Mitchell Evans for the hotfoot-ahead touchdown with two minutes final. He had two fourth-down passing conversions, including one to rookie receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. that place up the sport-a success ranking. The timing and ball placement on his third-and-4 touchdown to Xavier Legette in the 2nd quarter were impeccable. Younger moreover had a ridiculous sidearm throw spherical the physique of a blitzing Dolphins defender for a completion to Rico Dowdle in the flat.
In Year 3, the aged No. 1 pick’s inconsistencies are making it increasingly disturbing to mediate that he may perhaps moreover be the Panthers’ prolonged-term answer at quarterback (despite how effectively he played on the cease of last season). The franchise has a dedication to device on him this offseason. However the Dolphins sport turned into the most fresh reminder that, no decrease than, that you may possibly’t affirm he’s now not grab.
Younger has precise eight profession wins, but he has seven sport-a success drives and 4 fourth-quarter comebacks.
The Browns own traded outmoded QB Joe Flacco, giving third-spherical rookie Dillon Gabriel some time to form because the group’s starter. Obviously, Shedeur Sanders is tranquil ready in the wings. (Photograph by Julian Finney/Getty Photos)
Geno Smith’s nightmare with the Raiders retains rolling on.
He threw but one more two interceptions in a blowout loss to the Colts on Sunday. The first one turned into a minute bit fluky — with the Raiders in the crimson zone, Smith’s cross turned into tipped on the highway of scrimmage sooner than it turned into picked off. However the 2nd one turned into unpleasant. He stared down the intended receiver, rookie Dont’e Thornton Jr., and turned into late on the throw.
Right here is now not the quarterback we noticed in Seattle, the put his accuracy and efficiency helped him device two Pro Bowls. Right here is closer to what he turned into as a struggling young passer with the Jets. In three years because the Seahawks’ starter, Smith’s on-purpose price turned into never decrease than 75%, in retaining with Pro Football Reference. It’s at 52.8% thru 5 weeks with the Raiders.
Smith leads the NFL with 9 interceptions. He’s had on the least two picks in three of the past four games.
His decline is puzzling. Per chance it’s a mental thing. Per chance he’s tranquil adjusting to Chip Kelly’s offense. No matter the motive, he’s clearly in a funk — and the two-12 months, $75 million extension he signed with the Raiders is getting older more poorly than somebody may perhaps’ve imagined.
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports actions. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, the put he turned into the Titans beat writer for a 12 months and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) sooner than exciting to Tennessee. That you may possibly apply Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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