Texans’ Watson wins Week 15, Mahomes-Rodgers duel for season crown in latest QB rankings
TEXANS’ WATSON TAKES WEEK 15 CROWN, MAHOMES PROTECTS SEASON LEAD ENTERING FINAL TWO WEEKS OF MIAMI HERALD NFL QUARTERBACK RANKINGS: Houston’s Deshaun Watson wins Week 15 honors in a photo finish over Kyler Murray in the Miami Herald’s updated Passer Success System NFL quarterback rankings, moving up to fifth place overall. But the race for the 2020 season championship seems a four-man proposition, with Patrick Mahomes and second-place Aaron Rodgers the frontrunners and Russell Wilson and Josh Allen still with at least an outside shot. Mahomes won the Herald’s season title two years ago, while Rodgers seeks his first crown as the greatest active QB to have never won. Rodgers finished second in 2011 and has placed third in 2012 and ‘16. Dolphin Tua Tagovailoa moves up one spot to 33rd overall this week. This is the 23rd year for our annual rankings, which began in 1998 — Steve Young the inaugural season champion. Our rankings factor accuracy, passing yardage, touchdown/interception ratio and team result. They are passer ratings per se and do not include a quarterback’s running statistics. Most major passer rankings including the NFL’s and ESPN’s are percentile based, allowing players who miss half a season to still win a title. Our system is cumulative, rewarding players who are consistently productive and avoid injury or benching. The updated top 20 (plus Dolphins) after Week 15 and heading into Week 16:
Miami Herald NFL QB Rankings / Week 15
Rk LW Player, Team Wk15 / Season
1. 1 Patrick Mahomes, KC 31.70 569.10
2. 2 Aaron Rodgers, GB 26.15 541.40
3. 3 Russell Wilson, SEA 20.05 510.30
4. 4 Josh Allen, BUF 44.95 508.60
5. 6 Deshaun Watson, HOU 49.65 477.70
6. 7 Tom Brady, TB 47.50 466.30
7. 5 Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 10.50 459.10
8. 8 Philip Rivers, IND 38.40 455.75
9. 11 Ryan Tannehill, TEN 42.65 444.00
10. 13 Kyler Murray, ARI 49.30 441.85
11. 9 Jared Goff, LAR 23.45 437.85
12. 12 Justin Herbert, LAC 38.70 435.05
13. 10 Derek Carr, LV 3.65 416.75
14. 14 Kirk Cousins, MIN 29.55 409.45
15. 16 Matt Ryan, ATL 45.80 408.80
16. 15 Matthew Stafford, DET 27.60 395.70
17. 17 Teddy Bridgewater, CAR 19.90 375.05
18. 19 Baker Mayfield, CLE 47.85 368.10
19. 18 Drew Brees, NO 13.70 341.50
20. 21 Lamar Jackson, BAL 35.15 305.05
26. 24 Ryan Fitzpatrick, MIA DNP 221.45
33. 34 Tua Tagovailoa, MIA 23.25 171.95
Bubble: Joe Burrow, CIN, 294.90. Dropped out: Burrow, CIN, 20th to 21st. Week 15 best: Watson, HOU, 49.65 (33-41, 373, 2-0 in loss). Week 15 worst: (min. 10 attempts): Roethlisberger, PIT, 10.50 (20-38, 170, 1-1 in loss).
