NFL QB Index, Week 18: Lamar Jackson seizes No. 1 spot; C.J. Stroud returns to top 10
Lamar Jackson seizes No1 sport NFL QB Index week 18….Â
It seems like Jackson’s brand of football upsets some because he’s not a statue in the pocket. He doesn’t operate in structure very often, and it doesn’t fit everyone’s traditional expectations for a quarterback. But what those folks are failing to realize is Jackson’s improvisation is his structure. No one floats around the field, ready to land a devastating haymaker at any moment, quite like Jackson, a smooth, slippery quarterback with incredible agility, speed and the ability to flick a football 40 yards downfield for a big gain. He’s been playing at an elite level in the last month and notched two signature wins in the last two weeks, vaulting him toward the top of the MVP conversation. After a few months of working out the kinks, Todd Monken’s offense is fully realized now, and there’s no telling how far the Ravens can go. And it’s all thanks to Jackson, the most frustrating player to attempt to stop, and the most thrilling quarterback in the NFL.
Rank
2
1
Dak Prescott
Dallas Cowboys · Year 8
2023 stats:Â 16 games | 68.4 pct | 4,237 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 32 pass TD | 8 INT | 242 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 4 fumbles
Detroit didn’t make things easy for Prescott, not even in the friendly confines of AT&T Stadium, where he’d thrived for most of 2023. Prescott’s 92-yard touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb required him to evade a pass rush that closed in around him before he fired a strike to his favorite target. But Prescott persevered, and his nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive was a classic case of the quarterback showing off his arm at various depths to move the Cowboys down the field before dropping a dime on Brandin Cooks for a touchdown. Save for his disastrous day in Orchard Park, Prescott is having a stellar year. Once again, he was a primary driver of another Cowboys win.
NFL QB Index, Week 18: Lamar Jackson seizes No. 1 spot; C.J. Stroud returns to top 10
Published: Jan 04, 2024 at 03:12 PM
Nick Shook
Around The NFL Writer
WEEK 18
WEEK 17
WEEK 16
WEEK 15
WEEK 14
WEEK 13
WEEK 12
WEEK 11
WEEK 10
WEEK 9
WEEK 8
WEEK 7
WEEK 6
WEEK 5
WEEK 4
WEEK 3
WEEK 2
WEEK 1
NOTE: Up/down arrows illustrate movement from the Week 17 QB Index. Rankings reflect each quarterback’s standing heading into Week 18.
Rank
1
1
Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens · Year 6
2023 stats: 16 games | 67.2 pct | 3,678 pass yds | 8.0 ypa | 24 pass TD | 7 INT | 821 rush yds | 5 rush TD | 11 fumbles
It seems like Jackson’s brand of football upsets some because he’s not a statue in the pocket. He doesn’t operate in structure very often, and it doesn’t fit everyone’s traditional expectations for a quarterback. But what those folks are failing to realize is Jackson’s improvisation is his structure. No one floats around the field, ready to land a devastating haymaker at any moment, quite like Jackson, a smooth, slippery quarterback with incredible agility, speed and the ability to flick a football 40 yards downfield for a big gain. He’s been playing at an elite level in the last month and notched two signature wins in the last two weeks, vaulting him toward the top of the MVP conversation. After a few months of working out the kinks, Todd Monken’s offense is fully realized now, and there’s no telling how far the Ravens can go. And it’s all thanks to Jackson, the most frustrating player to attempt to stop, and the most thrilling quarterback in the NFL.
Rank
2
1
Dak Prescott
Dallas Cowboys · Year 8
2023 stats: 16 games | 68.4 pct | 4,237 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 32 pass TD | 8 INT | 242 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 4 fumbles
Detroit didn’t make things easy for Prescott, not even in the friendly confines of AT&T Stadium, where he’d thrived for most of 2023. Prescott’s 92-yard touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb required him to evade a pass rush that closed in around him before he fired a strike to his favorite target. But Prescott persevered, and his nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive was a classic case of the quarterback showing off his arm at various depths to move the Cowboys down the field before dropping a dime on Brandin Cooks for a touchdown. Save for his disastrous day in Orchard Park, Prescott is having a stellar year. Once again, he was a primary driver of another Cowboys win.
Rank
3
2
Tua Tagovailoa
Miami Dolphins · Year 4
2023 stats: 16 games | 69.6 pct | 4,451 pass yds | 8.4 ypa | 28 pass TD | 12 INT | 67 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 13 fumble
A battle of high-powered offenses was supposed to feature fireworks from both quarterbacks. Tagovailoa delivered early, but the ease with which Miami has scored so often in 2023 disappeared before halftime, and the Dolphins never adjusted. Tagovailoa struggled to keep up amid the mounting pressure, hesitating before attempting to squeeze a football through the eye of a needle, resulting in a Roquan Smith interception that preceded a Ravens touchdown. And as desperation increased, Tagovailoa trusted his arm too much, attempting to find Tyreek Hill amid a sea of Ravens defenders, resulting in another turnover. I worry about these Dolphins, because they haven’t been very good at finding other avenues to success when they meet a defense capable of taking away their best plays, a harsh reality that also applies to Tagovailoa. Those who sense some fraudulence in Miami probably felt vindicated when watching Baltimore blow the Dolphins out Sunday. Maybe this wake-up call came at the right time.
Rank
4
Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills · Year 6
2023 stats: 16 games | 65.6 pct | 3,947 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 27 pass TD | 16 INT | 457 rush yds | 15 rush TD | 6 fumbles
It doesn’t always have to be pretty or spectacular to be successful in the NFL, and this appropriately summarizes Allen’s Week 17 outing. His pass catchers dropped a handful of on-target throws, and the Bills never quite got into an offensive rhythm, but when it worked — like when he delivered a strike from the pocket to Dalton Kincaid for a gain of 51 — it was pretty. Allen added two rushing scores, and his only big error was an interception thrown on an overly ambitious attempt. The Bills keep winning in less-than-perfect ways, which is largely the story of Allen’s 2023 season, but he’s still in a better place than he was earlier in the campaign.
Rank
5
Matthew Stafford
Los Angeles Rams · Year 15
2023 stats: 15 games | 62.6 pct | 3,965 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 24 pass TD | 11 INT | 65 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbled
Madden NFL players know the term well: Robo QB, a computer-controlled quarterback who seemingly knows what the defense is doing on every down and cannot miss, quickly firing dots all over the field. That’s what much of Stafford’s season has been like, and for a good portion of Week 17, he was a living, breathing Robo QB — except Robo QBs don’t miss throws in tight windows and end up tossing interceptions. Stafford’s two picks were startling solely because they were uncharacteristic of the quick-trigger, accurate passer he’s been for much of the season. But outside of the picks, Stafford was still very sharp, completing 24 of 34 passes for 317 yards and a touchdown. He’s largely been a lights-out passer for most of the year, and the only negative on his record is his stats aren’t as gaudy as others. No matter: Even with errors, Stafford is still propelling these Rams into the playoffs.
Rank
6
1
Jared Goff
Detroit Lions · Year 8
2023 stats: 16 games | 67.0 pct | 4,255 pass yds | 7.4 ypa | 28 pass TD | 12 INT | 21 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 6 fumbles
Ultimately, Goff’s chance of success comes down to one key factor: protection. When he’s given time to throw, Goff fires lasers through windows of varying width and consistently moves the ball. When he’s pressured, though, things get hectic. Oddly enough, Dallas backed off late in their Week 17 game, allowing Goff to move the Lions right down the field to score a touchdown to bring them within a point. And overall, he had a solid game outside of his two interceptions, which were honestly the product of great defensive plays. If Detroit can protect him consistently in the postseason, I expect him to continue to let it
