Week 16 NFL QB Power Rankings: Allen over Mahomes for Top Spot
Analysis 12/21/22
Former NFL quarterback Matt Cassel played with seven teams in his career, most notably for the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys. His weekly QB rankings are a snapshot of where the league's 32 current starters are right now.
Editor's note: Rankings were published before the Eagles announced Jalen Hurts would miss Week 16 with an injury. Gardner Minshew will start in his place.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Team Record: 11-3 | QBR: 71.7 | Touchdowns: 30 | Last Week's Rank: 3
Comment: Threw for 304 yards, four touchdowns and had a huge rush in a big spot in a snowy rivalry game. Just another day at the office for the current MVP front-runner.
2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Team Record: 11-3 | QBR: 79.8 | Touchdowns: 35 | Last Week's Rank: 2
Comment: More like 1-a than two on this list. Continues to do something mesmerizing each week and is putting the team on his back.
3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Team Record: 13-1 | QBR: 68.7 | Touchdowns: 22 | Last Week's Rank: 1
Comment: Will likely drop in the rankings if he can't go the next couple of weeks but sits at three out of respect for his dominance up to this point. Gardner Minshew will start in his place this week.
4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Team Record: 10-4 | QBR: 59.6 | Touchdowns: 31 | Last Week's Rank: 4
Comment: 22 touchdowns in his last nine games. Oh, by the way, he has the Bengals on a six-game winning streak.
5. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Team Record: 8-6 | QBR: 57.2 | Touchdowns: 21 | Last Week's Rank: 5
Comment: The Herbert vs. Burrow debate looks like Allen vs. Mahomes 2.0 right now. Not his best game last Sunday but will look to bounce back against a Pats team coming off one of the flukiest losses in NFL history.
6. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Team Record: 11-3 | QBR: 51.6 | Touchdowns: 24 | Last Week's Rank: 6
Comment: It was the worst of times, then the best of times in Indy last weekend. When you pull off the most improbable comeback in NFL history, you deserve to be high in the ranks.
7. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Team Record: 7-7 | QBR: 62.5 | Touchdowns: 23 | Last Week's Rank: 9
Comment: Has thrown nine touchdowns and zero interceptions in his last six games. He's got the team nobody wants to play right now back in the playoff hunt.
8. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Team Record: 6-8 | QBR: 56.8 | Touchdowns: 24 | Last Week's Rank: 11
Comment: Has thrown for 686 yards and seven touchdowns in his last two games against two of the toughest defenses in the league. He has arrived.
9. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Team Record: 7-7 | QBR: 63.9 | Touchdowns: 26 | Last Week's Rank: 7
Comment: Geno is looking for a big bounce-back game after posting sub-par passer ratings of 85.9 and 90.9 in his last two games. It won't get any easier on Christmas Eve against the great Patrick Mahomes.
10. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Team Record: 6-8 | QBR: 40.8 | Touchdowns: 23 | Last Week's Rank: 10
Comment: This all-time great has been showing all-time grit leading the Packers to a two-game winning streak.
11. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Team Record: 6-8 | QBR: 50.5 | Touchdowns: 20 | Last Week's Rank: 8
Comment: The passing yards have been there for the GOAT but the wins have not with two straight losses for the Bucs. But if he can will the Bucs to an NFC South title, would you really bet against him in the postseason?
12. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Team Record: 8-6 | QBR: 71.8 | Touchdowns: 24 | Last Week's Rank: 13
Comment: Played better in Buffalo than in recent weeks but still not at his best. Should be looking for a big game hosting the Packers this weekend.
13. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Team Record: 3-11 | QBR: 56.2 | Touchdowns: 15 | Last Week's Rank: 17
Comment: Continues to break QB rushing records on a weekly basis. But even more impressive is how hard he's battling in a somewhat lost season. No quit in this kid.
14. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Team Record: 10-4 | QBR: 54.8 | Touchdowns: 17 | Last Week's Rank: 12
Comment: Seven interceptions in his last four games. When he controls the ball and trusts the run game is when he's at his best.
15. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Team Record: 8-5-1 | QBR: 57.1 | Touchdowns: 12 | Last Week's Rank: 22
Comment: Huge win at Washington last week has the Big Blue fan base thinking he may be the franchise after all. Tough matchup this week against the Vikes, who are coming off the greatest comeback … ever.
16. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Team Record: 10-4 | QBR: 67.9 | Touchdowns: 6 | Last Week's Rank: 19
Comment: We see backups come in and give a spark to a team year in and year out. But your third-string quarterback? Purdy may be as legit. Six touchdowns vs. just one interception in his three games since taking over. The 49ers haven't missed a beat on their seven-game win streak.
17. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Team Record: 7-7 | QBR: 49.9 | Touchdowns: 13 | Last Week's Rank: 15
Comment: The sputtering run game seems to have shaken up Tannehill's consistency over the Titan's four-game losing streak. Still atop the division, so the Titans need a big one from Ryan this weekend.
18. Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders
Team Record: 6-8 | QBR: 58.4 | Touchdowns: 23 | Last Week's Rank: 16
Comment: Nobody will remember anything that happened other than the play that ended in a win last week, but lost in the shuffle was a strong bounce-back game for the vet.
19. Taylor Heinicke, Washington Commanders
Team Record: 7-6-1 | QBR: 41.6 | Touchdowns: 10 | Last Week's Rank: 14
Comment: Some would argue he carried the Commanders to what should have been a huge comeback win in a huge divisional game vs. the Giants, were it not for a controversial non-pass interference call.
20. Andy Dalton, New Orleans Saints
Team Record: 5-9 | QBR: 53.5 | Touchdowns: 17 | Last Week's Rank: 23
Comment: A consummate pro who continues to battle in a division that is totally up for grabs.
21. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
Team Record: 4-10 | QBR: 37.1 | Touchdowns: 11 | Last Week's Rank: 21
Comment: Banged-up in a banged-up season. All that's left would be to try to gain some sort of momentum going into 2023.
22. Baker Mayfield, Los Angeles Rams
Team Record: 4-10 | QBR: 23.2 | Touchdowns: 8 | Last Week's Rank: 20
Comment: Dropped a 68.8 QB rating in Week 15 that takes some of the shine off the comeback win two weeks ago. Good test this weekend to see what he's got.
23. Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers
Team Record: 5-9 | QBR: 47.2 | Touchdowns: 3 | Last Week's Rank: 27
Comment: About to run into the buzzsaw Detroit Lions this weekend. Expect the run game to dictate the offense
24. Mitch Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers
Team Record: 6-8 | QBR: 57.5 | Touchdowns: 4 | Last Week's Rank: 31
Comment: Statistically, he seems to give the Steelers the best chance to win games.
25. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Team Record: 6-8 | QBR: 44.6 | Touchdowns: 2 | Last Week's Rank: 28
Comment: Jury is still out on what the Browns have with Watson with such little prep for this season.
26. Nick Foles, Indianapolis Colts
Team Record: 4-9-1 | QBR: -- | Touchdowns: 0 | Last Week's Rank: NR
Comment: The Colts decided to bench Matt Ryan in Week 16, which means Foles makes his first start of the season. The journeyman QB has proven a serviceable backup.
27. Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens
Team Record: 9-5 | QBR: 42.3 | Touchdowns: 0 | Last Week's Rank: NR
Comment: Looked like he could be something last year but has struggled mightily in his past two starts.
28. Davis Mills, Houston Texans
Team Record: 1-12-1 | QBR: 34.4 | Touchdowns: 13 | Last Week's Rank: 26
Comment: Played decently against the Chiefs, but the Texans sit at 1-12-1. There's no doubt at this point that Mills isn't a long-term starter.
29. Zach Wilson, New York Jets
Team Record: 7-7 | QBR: 42.4 | Touchdowns: 6 | Last Week's Rank: NR
Comment: You see the flashes of arm talent, but erratic decision-making plagues the talented second-year QB.
30. Mac Jones, New England Patriots
Team Record: 7-7 | QBR: 30.7 | Touchdowns: 7 | Last Week's Rank: 24
Comment: Patriots should consider giving Bailey Zappe another chance at this point.
31. Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons
Team Record: 5-9 | QBR: 31.9 | Touchdowns: 0 | Last Week's Rank: NR
Comment: The Falcons had to think they were getting more than this from their third-round pick. Went 13/26 for 97 yards (a 3.7 YPA) in his first career start.
32. Trace McSorely, Arizona Cardinals
Team Record: 4-10 | QBR: 13.6 | Touchdowns: 0 | Last Week's Rank: NR
Comment: On the season has completed 15 of 29 passes for 166 yards, 0 TD, and 3 INT.
Not Ranked: Gardner Minshew, Philadelphia Eagles
Team Record: 13-1 | QBR: 36.2 | Touchdowns: 0 | Last Week's Rank: NR
Comment: Minshew gets the start for the injured Jalen Hurts. We'll see if Minshew mania returns this weekend.