SDCowboy
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 26,763
- Reaction score
- 22,734
QB Index: Tom Brady's still the 1; Dak Prescott's a star
By Gregg Rosenthal
Around The NFL Editor
Published: Oct. 12, 2016 at 11:13 a.m.
Updated: Oct. 12, 2016 at 03:09 p.m.
Dak Prescott makes me want to pause the Game Pass and tell someone about the latest dart he threw after gliding from the pocket. But it's late, and my wife couldn't pretend to care.
I want to tell her that this just doesn't happen in the NFL. A quarterback taken with a fourth-round compensatory pick doesn't just step into the starting lineup and lead his team to the most first downs and 10-play drives in the NFL through five weeks.
This is the type of story that starts to feel normal as the weeks pile up. Roughly one third of the season is over, so another heady, accurate performance from Prescott is par for this new course. Oh, of course Prescott barely threw one off-target pass in a convincing win without Dez Bryant. That's what Dak does.
Don't explain away Prescott by saying the Cowboys' offensive line and running game is a huge part of Prescott's success. Thanks for the tip. Tell me you've seen the traits that can be isolated from his teammates. When Prescott does get pressured, he delivers. He creates space to throw and goes through his progressions better than a rookie Russell Wilson. Dak takes what the defense gives him and knows when to give up on a play like a veteran.
If Prescott was drafted No. 4 overall by the Cowboys instead of No. 135, there would be more buy-in that this fast start is no fluke. That it's the start of something big, like Carson Wentz in Philadelphia.
My highly imperfect grading ranks both rookies in the top 10 of this week's QB Index, ahead of names like Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Philip Rivers. That rank could be conservative. Prescott is No. 2 in ESPN's QBR metric, with Wentz 15th. They are both in the top five according to Pro Football Focus.
After making NFL quarterbacking look incredibly easy in the preseason, Prescott is five weeks into making the regular season look like a breeze, too. The sample size isn't so small now. Prescott and Wentz are the stories of this season. Tell your loved ones.
This is the Quarterback Index. Each week, we rank every starter based on 2016 performance alone.Last week's rankings are listed parenthetically for context.
Top shelf
1) Tom Brady, New England Patriots (Last week: NR)
2) Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (LW: 1)
3) Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 3)
4) Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (LW: 2)
5) Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders (LW: 5)
Carr is a hard quarterback to put in a box. Comparisons to Brett Favre have been floated, yet Carr is too careful for that. On third-and-long, Carr is one of the most likely quarterbacks to hit his checkdown receiver and set up Oakland's rock-star punter. Then again, Carr is the same guy who checks out of a safe play on a crucial fourth down to throw it deep to Michael Crabtree.
While Carr undoubtedly has a big arm, no other quarterback tosses lobs when the situation requires it quite like him. He changes speeds like a relief pitcher, innately knowing the right pitch for the right moment. He can have weeks where he plays by the book, and then a game like Sunday's win over the Chargers where he gets fancy. Combine a versatile skill set and an allergy to sacks or interceptions, and you have a top-five quarterback.
I sort these rankings by an average score, and Brady's start was one of the best performances by any quarterback this season. Theimproved team around him will help Brady stay near the top. Also, he's Tom Brady.
There isn't a lot separating the top 10 thus far. The players with the biggest highs (Roethlisberger, Rodgers, Luck) have thrown in a stinker. The steadiest options (Carr, Ryan, Wentz, Prescott) aren't hitting the same peaks, or they aren't asked to do as much.
Noted scientist Chris Wesseling moved Roethlisberger above Aaron Rodgers in his own, slightly more existential version of the QB Index. Big move.
Next level
6) Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (LW: 8)
7) Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 4)
8) Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (LW: 6)
9) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (LW: 11)
10) Sam Bradford, Minnesota Vikings (LW: 13)
11) Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (LW: 10)
12) Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (LW: 15)
13) Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (LW: 7)
Continue reading here
By Gregg Rosenthal
Around The NFL Editor
Published: Oct. 12, 2016 at 11:13 a.m.
Updated: Oct. 12, 2016 at 03:09 p.m.
Dak Prescott makes me want to pause the Game Pass and tell someone about the latest dart he threw after gliding from the pocket. But it's late, and my wife couldn't pretend to care.
I want to tell her that this just doesn't happen in the NFL. A quarterback taken with a fourth-round compensatory pick doesn't just step into the starting lineup and lead his team to the most first downs and 10-play drives in the NFL through five weeks.
This is the type of story that starts to feel normal as the weeks pile up. Roughly one third of the season is over, so another heady, accurate performance from Prescott is par for this new course. Oh, of course Prescott barely threw one off-target pass in a convincing win without Dez Bryant. That's what Dak does.
Don't explain away Prescott by saying the Cowboys' offensive line and running game is a huge part of Prescott's success. Thanks for the tip. Tell me you've seen the traits that can be isolated from his teammates. When Prescott does get pressured, he delivers. He creates space to throw and goes through his progressions better than a rookie Russell Wilson. Dak takes what the defense gives him and knows when to give up on a play like a veteran.
If Prescott was drafted No. 4 overall by the Cowboys instead of No. 135, there would be more buy-in that this fast start is no fluke. That it's the start of something big, like Carson Wentz in Philadelphia.
My highly imperfect grading ranks both rookies in the top 10 of this week's QB Index, ahead of names like Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Philip Rivers. That rank could be conservative. Prescott is No. 2 in ESPN's QBR metric, with Wentz 15th. They are both in the top five according to Pro Football Focus.
After making NFL quarterbacking look incredibly easy in the preseason, Prescott is five weeks into making the regular season look like a breeze, too. The sample size isn't so small now. Prescott and Wentz are the stories of this season. Tell your loved ones.
This is the Quarterback Index. Each week, we rank every starter based on 2016 performance alone.Last week's rankings are listed parenthetically for context.
Top shelf
1) Tom Brady, New England Patriots (Last week: NR)
2) Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (LW: 1)
3) Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 3)
4) Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (LW: 2)
5) Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders (LW: 5)
Carr is a hard quarterback to put in a box. Comparisons to Brett Favre have been floated, yet Carr is too careful for that. On third-and-long, Carr is one of the most likely quarterbacks to hit his checkdown receiver and set up Oakland's rock-star punter. Then again, Carr is the same guy who checks out of a safe play on a crucial fourth down to throw it deep to Michael Crabtree.
While Carr undoubtedly has a big arm, no other quarterback tosses lobs when the situation requires it quite like him. He changes speeds like a relief pitcher, innately knowing the right pitch for the right moment. He can have weeks where he plays by the book, and then a game like Sunday's win over the Chargers where he gets fancy. Combine a versatile skill set and an allergy to sacks or interceptions, and you have a top-five quarterback.
I sort these rankings by an average score, and Brady's start was one of the best performances by any quarterback this season. Theimproved team around him will help Brady stay near the top. Also, he's Tom Brady.
There isn't a lot separating the top 10 thus far. The players with the biggest highs (Roethlisberger, Rodgers, Luck) have thrown in a stinker. The steadiest options (Carr, Ryan, Wentz, Prescott) aren't hitting the same peaks, or they aren't asked to do as much.
Noted scientist Chris Wesseling moved Roethlisberger above Aaron Rodgers in his own, slightly more existential version of the QB Index. Big move.
Next level
6) Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (LW: 8)
7) Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 4)
8) Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (LW: 6)
9) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (LW: 11)
10) Sam Bradford, Minnesota Vikings (LW: 13)
11) Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (LW: 10)
12) Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (LW: 15)
13) Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (LW: 7)
Continue reading here