Rock bottom for Justin Fields will always be his first career start against the Browns in 2021. It’s gonna be hard to beat a day with one net passing yard due to nine sacks. But setting that disaster aside, the Bears QB has had just about the worst start to a season anyone can imagine. There have been interceptions and fumbles and no rhythm to speak of. Further, the rushing ability that blossomed last season has seemingly withered away this year. Scroll on to see how far Fields fell in the QB Power Rankings.
NO. 16: BRYCE YOUNG - PANTHERS
Last week: 14
Passing yards: 299
Passing TDs: 2
Comp%: 59.2
Rushing yards: 51
Rushing TDs: 0
INTs+Fumbles: 4
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Most rookie quarterbacks go through growing pains if they start right away. Young is no exception.
NO. 15: JOSH DOBBS - CARDINALS
Last week: 16
Passing yards: 360
Passing TDs: 1
Comp%: 68.8
Rushing yards: 38
Rushing TDs: 1
INTs+Fumbles: 3
The Cardinals are 0-2 but they’ve been surprisingly feisty in a season where most expected them to be completely uncompetitive. Dobbs has been a big reason they’ve managed some success (despite the record).
NFL
NO. 14: DESMOND RIDDER - FALCONS
Last week: 15
Passing yards: 352
Passing TDs: 2
Comp%: 68
Rushing yards: 38
Rushing TDs: 1
INTs+Fumbles: 2
The Falcons are going to be a run-first team this year, but there were legit questions whether Ridder could help the team win with his arm if needed. On Sunday, he proved he can with a narrow victory over the Packers. His deep ball to Drake London late in the fourth-quarter was a pivotal play to set up the team’s game-winning field goal.
NO. 13: SAM HOWELL - COMMANDERS
Last week: 13
Passing yards: 501
Passing TDs: 3
Comp%: 65.7
Rushing yards: 24
Rushing TDs: 1
INTs+Fumbles: 3
The Commanders appeared to be cooked when they fell behind the Broncos 21-3 in the second quarter. Howell showed great resilience as he led Washington back to a thrilling 35-33 win. It feels too soon to move Howell out of the bottom quarter of the power rankings, but he’s on the right track.
NO. 12: JUSTIN FIELDS - BEARS
Last week: 8
Passing yards: 427
Passing TDs: 2
Comp%: 60.6
Rushing yards: 62
Rushing TDs: 1
INTs+Fumbles: 6
No QB has tumbled on this list more than Fields over the past two weeks. He’s made a few special throws, but the bad outweighs the good at this point. Missed assignments haven’t helped him. Confounding plays and play calls haven’t helped him. But there are clear moments when Fields isn’t helping his teammates. He’s missing open throws, holding onto the ball too long, and isn’t making plays with his legs. It seems like nothing is working consistently.
NO. 11: GENO SMITH - SEAHAWKS
Last week: 12
Passing yards: 440
Passing TDs: 3
Comp%: 71.6
Rushing yards: 26
Rushing TDs: 0
INTs+Fumbles: 0
Last week I declared Genopalooza dead. It appears I was wrong. Smith was fabulous as the Seahawks upset the Lions. Let’s see if he proves me wrong again next week and continues to climb back up the list.
NO. 10: DANIEL JONES - GIANTS
Last week: 11
Passing yards: 425
Passing TDs: 2
Comp%: 63.1
Rushing yards: 102
Rushing TDs: 1
INTs+Fumbles: 5
Which Jones is the real Jones? The QB who struggled mightily to move the ball for the first six quarters of the season? Or the QB who went bananas over the last two quarters to lead a franchise-record, 21-point comeback win?
NO. 9: BAKER MAYFIELD - BUCCANEERS
Last week: 10
Passing yards: 490
Passing TDs: 3
Comp%: 69.1
Rushing yards: 28
Rushing TDs: 0
INTs+Fumbles: 0
Mayfield has played well and taken care of the football to lead the Bucs to a surprising 2-0 start. But he did it against the shaky Vikings and Bears defenses. Let’s see if he can do it against the fearsome Eagles in Week 3.
NO. 8: JORDAN LOVE - PACKERS
Last week: 9
Passing yards: 396
Passing TDs: 6
Comp%: 55.8
Rushing yards: 35
Rushing TDs: 0
INTs+Fumbles: 1
Sooooooooooooooooooooo, the Packers might have another really good quarterback.
NO. 7: DEREK CARR - SAINTS
Last week: 7
Passing yards: 533
Passing TDs: 1
Comp%: 63.8
Rushing yards: 0
Rushing TDs: 0
INTs+Fumbles: 2
Derek Carr remains Derek Carr. Your textbook midrange gunslinger who will make some incredible throws and turn the ball over with risky passes.
NO. 6: BROCK PURDY - 49ERS
Last week: 6
Passing yards: 426
Passing TDs: 2
Comp%: 66.7
Rushing yards: 25
Rushing TDs: 1
INTs+Fumbles: 3
Purdy played really, really well again in Week 2. If he can cut down on the fumbles, he’ll crack the top-five. Just a good quarterback that a lot of teams misevaluated last year.
NO. 5: KIRK COUSINS - VIKINGS
Last week: 4
Passing yards: 708
Passing TDs: 6
Comp%: 72.7
Rushing yards: 7
Rushing TDs: 0
INTs+Fumbles: 4
Cousins’ production can’t be ignored. Neither can his rising fumble numbers, nor the Vikings’ 0-2 record. Cousins remains one of the most enigmatic QBs in the league.
NO. 4: DAK PRESCOTT - COWBOYS
Last week: 3
Passing yards: 398
Passing TDs: 2
Comp%: 71
Rushing yards: 20
Rushing TDs: 0
INTs+Fumbles: 0
Prescott was able to go on cruise control in Week 1 since the Cowboys defense and run game dominated. In Week 2 he got to make some plays of his own, and he was nearly perfect. If he continues to play like he did against the Jets, the Cowboys will be NFC Championship favorites before too long. He only slides down a rung because the next guy is playing phenomenally.
NO. 3: JARED GOFF - LIONS
Last week: 5
Passing yards: 576
Passing TDs: 4
Comp%: 71.4
Rushing yards: -1
Rushing TDs: 0
INTs+Fumbles: 1
Last year was not a fluke. Goff is doing everything the Lions need him to do to win games. Throwing off play action, throwing down the field, throwing on the run, and making all the throws look easy. He made just one bad pass, and it ended up turning into a pick-six. Goff made up for it with a great drive to force OT, but he never got a chance to win in the extra period since the Seahawks scored a walkoff TD with the opening possession.
NO. 2: MATT STAFFORD - RAMS
Last week: 2
Passing yards: 641
Passing TDs: 1
Comp%: 62.4
Rushing yards: 28
Rushing TDs: 0
INTs+Fumbles: 2
One bad game against one of the best defenses in the league doesn’t warrant a slide down the list. If Stafford struggles again, though, he could be passed by a couple of guys.
NO. 1: JALEN HURTS - EAGLES
Last week: 1
Passing yards: 363
Passing TDs: 2
Comp%: 71.4
Rushing yards: 72
Rushing TDs: 2
INTs+Fumbles: 2
D’Andre Swift was unstoppable on Thursday Night Football, so the Eagles didn’t need Hurts to go crazy. That’s why his passing numbers are lower than some of the other guys near the top of this list. He’s still the best.