Playing quarterback in the NFL is not easy, and it becomes even more difficult when it feels like your own team is against you.
Greetings from Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback position.
Taken into consideration, Mahomes doesn’t require pity. He has had a Hall of Fame tight end and a Hall of Fame coach for his whole playing career. In addition to three big-game appearances, he owns two MVP awards and two Super Bowl rings. Tyreek Hill was also a starter for him for his first four years.
However, Mahomes is practically flying a jet without wings this season. The Chiefs are 9-6, but they are stumbling to the finish line and seem destined to end their season early.
Mahomes has performed admirably throughout, while only having 14 interceptions. Mahomes has had the worst season ever, and he will most likely be pleading with general manager Brett Veach to find receivers who can catch passes and run the right routes come off the field in the offseason.
Now, let’s examine the NFL quarterback rankings for Week 17.
32. Every One of the New York Jets’ Quarterbacks (last week: 32)
31. Los Angeles Chargers’ Easton Stick (31)
30. Houston Texans’ Case Keenum (N/A)
29. Minnesota Vikings’ Nick Mullens (26)
Both the Vikings season and Mullens’ career are at a crossroads.
Mullens had four interceptions in last week’s 30–24 loss to the Lions, one of which sealed the victory in the closing seconds. Despite the turnovers, Minnesota still had a chance to defeat a strong team, which could offer optimism for the remaining two weeks.
The Packers, who are also 7–8, will be the opponents on Sunday in primetime at home. They know that a loss will terminate their season.
Mullens has a 44.4 quarterback rating for the year, although he has two more interceptions (six) than touchdown passes (four). In a game that has to be won, coach Kevin O’Connell should think about his choices if he has a terrible start against Green Bay.
28. The Las Vegas Raiders’ Aidan O’Connell (25).
27. Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mason Rudolph (30)
26. New England Patriots’ Bailey Zappe (27).
25. Carolina Panthers’ Bryce Young (28)
Last weekend was Young’s best effort to date, even though it ended in a loss.
Young led the Panthers to a 30-point performance against the Packers by continuously carrying out the team’s offense. Young, who was averaging more than 8.0 yards per try, went over 300 yards for the first time.
Even though this season has been terrible, Young can raise hopes for 2024 by playing the Jaguars and Buccaneers in two more excellent games to end the regular season.
Naturally, the most important question is what will happen to Carolina next. The Panthers desperately need a new coach, a better offensive line, and players with skill. Young’s ceiling going forward will depend on how they close those gaps.
24. New York Giants’ Tyrod Taylor (N/A)
23. Cincinnati Bengals (21), Jake Browning
22. Atlanta Falcons’ Taylor Heinicke (23)
Heinicke, whose season has been nothing short of a roller coaster, is back in the starting lineup, with Desmond Ridder sitting out a second game.
Heinicke survived Atlanta’s slim aspirations of making the playoffs by going 23-of-33 passing for 229 yards and a touchdown in a 29-10 victory over the Colts.
Most significantly, Heinicke passed the ball to Falcons players Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson without turning it over. Together, the three players caught 13 passes on 18 targets.
Heinicke, for the time being at least, appears to offer Atlanta the best chance to prevail and possibly advance to the postseason.
21. Tennessee Titans’ Ryan Tannehill (N/A)
20. Indianapolis Colts’ Gardner Minshew II (19)
19. Sam Howell, Commanders in Washington (15)
18. Cleveland Browns’ Joe Flacco (22)
In Cleveland, Flacco has been a revelation.
The 38-year-old replaces Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and PJ Walker as the Browns’ starting quarterbacks this season.
Flacco has prospered when given the chance to get off his sofa and play again. The seasoned quarterback has led Cleveland to a 3-1 record with victories against the Jaguars, Bears, and Texans in four games, throwing for 300 yards three times. He has thrown seven interceptions in addition to his ten touchdowns.
The AFC’s fifth-seeded Browns (10-5) have a remote chance of taking home the AFC North title. Cleveland has one of the greatest defenses in the league, a confident and experienced quarterback, and will be a formidable opponent in the postseason.
17. Chicago Bears’ Justin Fields (18)
16. Denver Broncos’ Russell Wilson (14)
Wilson’s time with the Broncos may have come to an end.
In order to make sure Wilson is healthy going into the offseason and thus cuttable, coach Sean Payton has decided to start Jarrett Stidham for the remaining two games while Wilson is benched.
Wilson, who in September 2022 agreed to a $242.5 million five-year agreement, is owed $37 million for the 25th season. This salary is fully guaranteed in March 2024, unless he fails a physical examination before then. It appears like Denver will sever its relationship with Wilson prior to that date in order to maintain some financial flexibility going forward.
Wilson’s time in Denver was a waste of time. His final record will be 11–19, and he will have thrown 42 touchdowns against 19 interceptions.
With Payton as the club’s leader and Wilson trying to make his third team in four years, the Broncos will be starting over again.
15. Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray (13).
14. New Orleans Saints (17) Derek Carr
13. Seattle Seahawks’ Geno Smith (N/A)
12. Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love (12)
11. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence (8)
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield (16)
9. San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy (4)
Purdy was the clear MVP favorite heading into Christmas Eve. He emerged from it bruised and bruised.
Purdy played excellent all game against the Ravens until suffering an injury in the second half. With four interceptions, two of which went to safety Kyle Hamilton of Baltimore, he destroyed any chance he had of really winning the coveted honor.
Purdy continues to have a tremendous season. His touchdown totals of 29 and 4,050 yards passing rank second in the league. With an average of 9.7 yards per attempt, he tops the NFL as well.
With a chance to win the Super Bowl, the 49ers are still the best-seeded team in the NFC. Nobody will be worried about Purdy’s difficult night against the Ravens if that occurs.
8. Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts (6
7. Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa (10)
All season, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins have been confronted with the same query. Can they defeat a strong squad?
Miami defeated the Cowboys 22-20 on Sunday, doing just that. A driving force, Tagovailoa threw for 293 yards and a touchdown without making any of the turnovers that have occasionally dogged him this season.
Miami and Tagovailoa now have their toughest challenge to date at 11-4. The Dolphins travel to Baltimore to play the MVP front-runner, Lamar Jackson, and the Ravens. Baltimore’s defense also leads the league in sack total, among other stats. With one week left, Miami will hold the top seed in the AFC if Tagovailoa can defeat Baltimore.
Although Tagovailoa has had a fantastic season and may still have some of Miami’s best moments ahead of him, he won’t win MVP.
6. Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff (9)
5. The Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford (7)
4. Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott (5)
3. Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen (2)
2. Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson (3)
1. Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes (1)
Normally, Mahomes has a bevy of skills to help him, but this year has been anything but that for the Chiefs. Although second-round pick Rashee Rice has performed admirably and Travis Kelce is expected to have another 1,000-yard season, the rest of the team has performed appallingly.
Jawaan Taylor, the offensive lineman who has frequently resembled a turnstile, is the most penalized player in the NFL. Kansas City leads the league in both drops and drop percentage. Then there’s Kadarius Toney, who a few weeks ago cost the Chiefs a possible win over the Bills by failing to comprehend that he needs to line up behind the football.
In spite of everything, Mahomes is tied for sixth place with 26 touchdown passes and ranks fourth with 3,938 passing yards. At 63.1, his QBR ranks eighth as well.
Mahomes is ranked first because Kansas City needs just one more victory to win the AFC West for the eighth time in a row, and he continues to produce elite-level performances.
