Bengals’ Burrow wins Week 16 with season-best game, but Brady laughing at No. 1 in NFL QB rankings
BURROW WINS WEEK 16 WITH SEASON-HIGH SCORE AMONG ALL-TIME BEST IN MIAMI HERALD’S UPDATED NFL QUARTERBACK RANKINGS. BUT CAN ANYONE FIND THE PASSING LANE ON BRADY’S SEASON LEAD?: Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow scored a season-best 71.25-point game last week — only the fifth 70-plus game in the 24-year history of the Miami Herald’s NFL quarterback rankings. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson won Week 5 this season with 70.10 points. Before that 70 had not been surpassed since 2015. The single-game record, 80.10, was set by Ben Roethlisberger in 2014. The gargantuan game lifted Burrow in the crowed hunt for the No. 2 overall spot in the rankings, with the QBs currently second through 10th all bunched within 41 points of second place Matthew Stafford of the Rams. The question: Can anyone catch Tampa’s Tom Brady and his seemingly insurmountable 53-point lead with two weeks to play? Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa climbs two more spots in the rankings, to No. 21 overall, with his Monday night showing in the win in New Orleans. This is the 24th year for our annual rankings, which began in 1998 with 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 QB’s running statistics. Most major passer rankings including the NFL’s and ESPN’s are percent based, allowing a player who misses half a season to still win a title. Our system is cumulative, rewarding players who are consistently productive and avoid injury or benching. Players on a bye week take a temporary hit that evens out over the course of the season. The top 25 chart (plus other Dolphins) through Week 16:
RK LW Player, Team Wk16 Season
1. 1. Tom Brady, TB 25.60 574.00
2. 2. Matthew Stafford, LAR 13.85 520.95
3. 4. Patrick Mahomes, KC 42.90 517.50
4. 3. Justin Herbert, LAC 32.80 513.70
5. 5. Aaron Rodgers, GB 38.10 505.45
6. 8. Dak Prescott, DAL 50.50 497.40
7. 10. Joe Burrow, CIN 71.25 492.25
8. 6. Derek Carr, LV 30.05 491.15
9. 9. Josh Allen, BUF 42.70 487.40
10. 7. Kirk Cousins, MIN 31.75 479.55
11. 12. Matt Ryan, ATL 30.75 416.75
12. 13. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 18.95 401.65
13. 16. Jimmy Garoppolo, SF 29.30 393.00
14. 14. Kyler Murray, ARI 26.25 391.20
15. 11. Mac Jones, NE -2.75 387.70
16. 17. Carson Wentz, IND 30.25 381.50
17. 19. Ryan Tannehill, TEN 33.45 380.35
18. 15. Teddy Bridgewater, DEN DNP 364.60
19. 18. Jared Goff, DET DNP 347.85
20. 20. Taylor Heinicke, WAS -4.95 330.60
21. 23. Tua Tagovailoa, MIA 26.90 299.45
22. 21. Lamar Jackson, BAL DNP 298.10
23. 22. Russell Wilson, SEA 20.05 293.95
24. 24. Jalen Hurts, PHI 25.95 292.50
25. 25. Baker Mayfield, CLE 11.10 277.25
33. 32. Jacoby Brissett, MIA DNP 131.65
Bubble: Trevor Lawrence, JAC, 261.25. Dropouts: None. Week 16 best: Burrow, CIN, 71.25, season best (37-46, 525, 4-0 in win). Week 16 worst: (min. 10 attempts): Jake Fromm, NYG, minus-6.75 (6-17, 25, 0-1 in loss).
