Performance of Active NFL Quarterbacks on Opening Day

[Rockport]

The game next Thursday features two active QB's that are among the very best performers on opening day.

There are 30 active QB's that have started the first game of a season at least 3 times. Some QB's routinely open the season with impressive performances while others start out rather tentatively.

For example DeShawn Watson has never won an opening game, has an average passer rating of 81.2 with less than 200 yards passing. Aaron Rodgers, on the other hand, is 10-3 with an average passer rating of 105.3. He averages 2.1 TD's and 249 yards on opening day. No team should want to play the Packers on opening day.

Here are some stats that rank the performances on opening day of Tom Brady and Dak Prescott, whose teams face each other next Thursday to start the 2021 season:

Tom Brady has started in game #1 of a season 18 times, leading all active QB's. His record is 14-4, placing him 3rd among active QB's in winning percentage. Dak is 2-3, tying him at 23rd place.

In passer rating Brady is 4th while Dak is 7th. Rodgers is in 1st place. Brady averages 274 yards a game on opening day and Dak averages 267.2 placing them 5th and 6th respectively. Matt Ryan is in 1st place with an average of 305.4 yards a game.

Brady is in 2nd place among active QB's in average TD's per game on opening day with 2.2. Dak is in 16th place with 1.2.

Dak is the only active starting QB never to have thrown an INT on opening day. Brady is in 12th place among active QB's with .7 INT's per game on opening day.

Whatever happens next Thursday, you can be sure the results will have been heavily influenced by these two quarterbacks. If the past is any indication, the Cowboy defense face a really tough challenge. We will witness the reality of the Cowboys defensive "improvement" in one week from today. Go Cowboys!

Good stuff here. Great info.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

What difference it makes, you treat him like 25th .........lol. Can count times, on one hand, you've challenged negatives posts about Dak to support your so-called "11th ranking". So it's odd you're blowing your horn here.

I'm just saying. The numbers, once again, prove me right. As I believe 11th is a fair ranking for Dak thus far.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I'm just saying. The numbers, once again, prove me right. As I believe 11th is a far ranking for Dak thus far.

If you say so.....lol

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

If you say so.....lol

I don't say so, well technically I do, but the numbers also say so.

 

[Rockport]

Too many movies pieces on this defense. Unfortunately they will likely need 5 or 6 weeks to hit their stride, whatever it may be. The good thing is it can't get much worse than last year.

Kinda agree. Don’t think it will take that long but opening against the SB champs with the GOAT at the helm is a huge, huge challenge.

 

[blueblood70]

I would have liked to seen Dak take some snaps in pre-seaon, but let's be honest, at most, Dak would have probably been in for a series or two. I really don't think a couple of preseason series is going to change anything at all. I think it's much to do about nothing.

exactly he had solid game last opener with no offseason whatsover,,

so what takes the first 2 series to make up for no PS snaps? such an overblown issue they are making of the ps snaps..

 

[Rockport]

I'm just saying. The numbers, once again, prove me right. As I believe 11th is a fair ranking for Dak thus far.

Who are the 10 better than Dak in your eyes?

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

What difference it makes, you treat him like 25th .........lol. Can count times, on one hand, you've challenged negatives posts about Dak to support your so-called "11th ranking". So it's odd you're blowing your horn here.

If all you look for are negatives....that is all you will see.
Mountaineer has been hard on dak...but he also did rate him 11....has hoped for his good health and better team play. I've seen it.

It's not fair to cherry pick to serve an agenda

 

[blueblood70]

look people realistically we are picked to lose this game by just about every opinion you ask.we drew the single toughest game 1 you can have on the road to humid outdoor stadium against the defending SB camps returning 100% of their starters..

so lets hope to not get embarrassed, fight until the final second, and hope it was competitive. Just a good tune-up and a way for our coaches to truly see where we are at as team..could be a blessing in disguise even with loss..
rather have this then false sense of how good we are with the 3-0 creampuff schedule in 2019 to finish playing hard teams in rough environments and falling flat on our face..game 1 tests is best..see how you stack up make adjustments with the best team you will face all year..pull the band aide and let it fly..

kid of like getting to take SATS pre tests and study for the real deal )

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Who are the 10 better than Dak in your eyes?

1. Mahomes
2. Rodgers
3. Brady
4. Wilson
5. Allen
6. Watson
7. Jackson
8. Tannehill
9. Herbert
10. Cousins
11. Dak

Dak can EASILY move up to at least 8th quickly though. Because I don't believe Herbert, Cousins, and Tannehill are THAT much better than him. So if Dak gets off to a good start he'll easily pass those guys up in my eyes. Depending on how they play too, of course. My dark horse MVP is Herbert. If he improves on last year then he's def. moving up on mine and probably a lot of others lists.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

If all you look for are negatives....that is all you will see.
Mountaineer has been hard on dak...but he also did rate him 11....has hoped for his good health and better team play. I've seen it.

It's not fair to cherry pick to serve an agenda

I said I have him 11th and get criticized for it, only to instantly get criticized for it lol

It's my ranking. I don't see why anyone should be upset with that. As you said, and I've said countless times, I'd love to put Dak top 5 in my rankings, but his play has to show that for me, just having a star on his helmet doesn't add points to him.

I hope by the end of the year I have him in my top 5. That would mean that he's putting up great stats and we're probably winning games.

 

[CWR]

Kinda agree. Don’t think it will take that long but opening against the SB champs with the GOAT at the helm is a huge, huge challenge.

Yeah, that said I still believe we come out better day one. Just think it'll take awhile to hit full stride. Of course I'm ever the optimist.

 

[Rockport]

1. Mahomes
2. Rodgers
3. Brady
4. Wilson
5. Allen
6. Watson
7. Jackson
8. Tannehill
9. Herbert
10. Cousins
11. Dak

Dak can EASILY move up to at least 8th quickly though. Because I don't believe Herbert, Cousins, and Tannehill are THAT much better than him. So if Dak gets off to a good start he'll easily pass those guys up in my eyes. Depending on how they play too, of course. My dark horse MVP is Herbert. If he improves on last year then he's def. moving up on mine and probably a lot of others lists.

I have him at #5. Cousins? Tannehill? please.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

I have him at #5. Cousins? Tannehill? please.

Becuase of the injury....I have him between 8-10.

As I told you, players have to go out and prove themselves each and every year. It's what makes Brady GOAT.

Dak's injury makes it hard to rate for this year.I don;t care what the front office says, or what training camp cameras say...I need to see it for myself on the field. From every player.

Even Zeke. I had him rated in top 5 last year....but because of some bad play and a terrible offense, he has slipped some spots too. EASILY regain top five or better with some solid games.

Let the hater accusations resume.

 

[SlammedZero]

Dak is the only active starting QB never to have thrown an INT on opening day.

Doh!!! Just jinxed that!

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

I have him at #5. Cousins? Tannehill? please.

It's my list, Rocky. I can put guys wherever I want too, because it is mine.

I will explain why I have Tannehill and Cousins above him though.

Daks best season stat wise (2019) is just basically the average Kirk Cousins season if you take away passing yards, although Cousins has thrown for 4,900 yards before also. Cosuins is just much more consistent.

Tannehill plays the way Dak should play. If Dak would more play like Tannehill we would be a serious threat.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Becuase of the injury....I have him between 8-10.

As I told you, players have to go out and prove themselves each and every year. It's what makes Brady GOAT.

Dak's injury makes it hard to rate for this year.I don;t care what the front office says, or what training camp cameras say...I need to see it for myself on the field. From every player.

Even Zeke. I had him rated in top 5 last year....but because of some bad play and a terrible offense, he has slipped some spots too. EASILY regain top five or better with some solid games.

Let the hater accusations resume.

I mean, the numbers the OP posted back up my claim of Dak being 11th, but yet, as you can see, I still get criticized for having him ranked there. It's strange. I still don't feel many people in this forum would have Dak ranked as a top 5 QB if he played for any other team, especially a division rival, and I stand by that.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

look people realistically we are picked to lose this game by just about every opinion you ask.we drew the single toughest game 1 you can have on the road to humid outdoor stadium against the defending SB camps returning 100% of their starters..

so lets hope to not get embarrassed, fight until the final second, and hope it was competitive. Just a good tune-up and a way for our coaches to truly see where we are at as team..could be a blessing in disguise even with loss..
rather have this then false sense of how good we are with the 3-0 creampuff schedule in 2019 to finish playing hard teams in rough environments and falling flat on our face..game 1 tests is best..see how you stack up make adjustments with the best team you will face all year..pull the band aide and let it fly..

kid of like getting to take SATS pre tests and study for the real deal )

Dig!

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

exactly he had solid game last opener with no offseason whatsover,,

so what takes the first 2 series to make up for no PS snaps? such an overblown issue they are making of the ps snaps..

He was not coming off 11 months of no real football last year. Also, everyone he played against, including those defenses didn't have an offseason ever.

Why people compare this year to last year in terms of "no offseason" for Dak is beyond me when they couldn't be anymore different.

 

[Hadenough]

QB play is important.

Overall team play is even more important.

This is not tennis.

You know there are tennis players who look great in practice and can throttle bad players but when they go up against a good player they miss some of the easiest shots that they wouldn't normally miss. That kinda sounds like Dak.