We are through eight weeks of the 2021 season, and this past week’s slate was highlighted by backup quarterbacks doing big things. Mike White got the Jets their second win of the season, the Saints held off the Buccaneers after a Jameis Winston injury with Trevor Siemian, the Seahawks got back in the win column behind Geno Smith, and the Cowboys pulled off a victory with Cooper Rush at QB.
On a weekly basis throughout the season, I will rate my current confidence in each quarterback’s play. Who is unstoppable and in the MVP conversation? Who is struggling and needs to find consistency? Who is rising, and who is falling, after each week’s game slate? Which rookies are exceeding expectations, and which veterans are leading their offenses to playoff contention? And remember, this is based on the present, not future potential.
True backups will not be included, though teams with multiple legitimate starting options might have multiple QBs listed in the rankings. Backups in line to play for injured starters will also be ranked. The list will be accompanied each week by some of the biggest takeaways and lingering thoughts from the recent performances under center, including what both the tape and numbers say about some of the game’s starting quarterbacks. Here are this week’s QB rankings and some notes regarding the position.
Last updated: Nov. 3
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Rankings | Week 8 takeaways
Tannenbaum’s current QB rankings
Biggest takeaways from Week 8
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What an incredible week of football, and especially for backup quarterbacks. If just one of Cooper Rush, Trevor Siemian or Mike White found a way to win on Sunday, it would have been a major story. To have all three do so is beyond remarkable. The question becomes whether the Jets’ White, the Saints’ Siemian and the Cowboys’ Rush (if Dak Prescott can’t play) can repeat that level of performance this week.
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White‘s outing was the surprise of the season. He was accurate and decisive in a strong and unexpected debut, a 34-31 win against Cincinnati. All the eyes of the football world will be on him Thursday night when the Jets travel to Indianapolis to face the Colts. White completed 24 of 28 short passes (0-9 air yards) for 263 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and he averaged just 4.04 air yards per attempt on the day. Per ESPN Stats & Information research, White’s 405 passing yards were the second most by a quarterback in his first career start since 1950 (Cam Newton, 422).
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Siemian was very effective in relief of Jameis Winston. He made a few throws that accentuated his strength of accuracy as opposed to arm strength. His 38-yard pass to receiver Kevin White set up an Alvin Kamara TD to begin the second half and extend the Saints’ lead. Entering Sunday, Siemian had thrown six passes since the start of the 2018 season, but he went 16-of-29 for 159 yards and a passing touchdown in a 36-27 win over the Buccaneers.
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Give credit to offensive coordinator Kellen Moore for employing a balanced approach for Rush and the Cowboys. Rush became the second QB in Cowboys history to throw for 300 yards in his first career start (Gary Hogeboom, 343, 1984), according to ESPN Stats & Information research. His 73-yard TD pass to receiver Cedrick Wilson was the longest completion by the Cowboys since 2018 — but he relied on his top receivers CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper for a combined 14 receptions and 234 yards.
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49ers signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo made plays with his feet on Sunday, which was encouraging. I thought he played with more confidence than we’ve seen at any other point this season. This was a much-needed win for San Francisco, and as long as the Niners are still in it, going with Jimmy G makes the most sense. His 85.6 Total QBR in Week 8 was second best for the entire slate behind Jalen Hurts. I bumped Garoppolo from No. 28 to No. 21 this week.
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Speaking of Hurts: While the Eagles’ quarterback played well against Detroit, his play isn’t convincing in saying that he should be the team’s QB of the future. He needs to play with more poise and rhythm in the pocket. He had a 93.7 Total QBR this past weekend, but he had barely 100 passing yards (103) and did most of his damage on the ground (71 rushing yards).
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Geno Smith continues to be effective as a backup. The Seattle quarterback’s one big mistake so far was a fumble against Pittsburgh in Week 6, but he has proven to be a capable spot starter. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Smith completed plus-24.7% of his passes over expected on Sunday, the highest CPOE by a QB since Drew Brees in Week 15 of 2019 (plus-27.4%). Smith was at his best passing from inside the tackle box, completing 17 of 19 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns.
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The Bears’ Justin Fields has been great when making plays with his legs. He had 103 rushing yards and a TD on the ground against the 49ers. But he will need to improve passing the ball. He is 31st in completion percentage (59.5%) and 32nd in yards per attempt (6.3).
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The Chargers’ second-year starter Justin Herbert struggled against New England. Yes, there were some drops, but he made mistakes — including a pick-six. He’ll need to play more consistently for the Chargers to win the division this year.
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Say hello to my new No. 1 quarterback: Aaron Rodgers of the Packers. He went on the road and beat an undefeated team despite all of Green Bay’s injuries. He deserves that top spot.
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The Rams’ Matthew Stafford continues to play at a really high level and moved back up to No. 5 on my board this week. The level of competition (Texans) wasn’t very strong this week, but he deserves credit for the season he’s having. His connection with receiver Cooper Kupp has been key. The duo has teamed up for nine catches on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield this season, tied with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase for the most in the league. Per ESPN Stats & Information, Kupp caught 10 of those deep passes in his first four seasons combined (without Stafford).
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Why did Carson Wentz tumble from No. 13 to No. 23? Simply put, the Colts’ QB has been way too inconsistent this season. I thought he looked strong against Miami and Baltimore earlier this season, but the two interceptions against Tennessee this past week were inexcusable. The one in overtime really stung, as it essentially ended the game. He had both tight end Mo Alie-Cox and running back Jonathan Taylor open on checkdowns. It was a mistake someone with his experience shouldn’t be making.
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The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes averaged 2.14 air yards per completion on Monday night, the fourth-lowest total on the season. And he leads the NFL with 10 interceptions, making him the first former MVP to lead the league outright in picks through Week 8 since Brett Favre in 2005 (ESPN Stats & Information).
