Bucs’ Brady wins Week 18, takes season crown by landslide in 24th year of Herald NFL QB rankings
‘MAN IN THE ARENA’ RULES FIELD: TAMPA BAY’S TOM BRADY WINS WEEK 18 TO SEAL 2021 SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP BY LANDSLIDE IN MIAMI HERALD’S UPDATED NFL QUARTERBACK RANKINGS: Tampa Bay’s age-defying marvel, Tom Brady, 44, wins regular season-ending Week 18 with a 51.30-point game to take the 2021 season championship in a runaway in the Miami Herald’s NFL quarterback rankings. Brady’s winning season total of 674.80 points is third greatest in history, albeit with one added game on the schedule.
The crown is Brady’s third, following earlier titles with New England in 2007 and ‘17. Only Drew Brees (7) and Peyton Manning (6) have won more season championships. Brady’s winning margin of 86.85 points over second place Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City is the fourth-biggest ever and largest margin since 2011.
Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa bumped up one spot in the final week to finish ranked No. 22 overall.
This was the 24th year for the Herald’s annual QB 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 a season.
The expanded final Top 40 quarterbacks for the 2021 season:
RK LW Player, Team Wk18 Season Final
1. 1. Tom Brady, TB 51.30 674.80
2. 3. Patrick Mahomes, KC 34.50 587.95
3. 2. Matthew Stafford, LAR 24.90 583.30
4. 6. Justin Herbert, LAC 29.15 578.70
5. 7. Dak Prescott, DAL 49.75 577.45
6. 5. Aaron Rodgers, GB 22.90 573.75
7. 4. Joe Burrow, CIN DNP 552.55
8. 8. Derek Carr, LV 24.30 547.20
9. 10. Kirk Cousins, MIN 32.50 512.05
10 9. Josh Allen, BUF 25.95 511.35
11. 12. Kyler Murray, ARI 32.00 461.35
12. 15. Ryan Tannehill, TEN 45.35 450.70
13. 13. Mac Jones, NE 23.05 450.10
14. 14. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 33.20 448.00
15. 11. Matt Ryan, ATL 17.80 447.40
16. 17. Jimmy Garoppolo, SF 31.80 424.80
17. 16. Carson Wentz, IND 14.25 411.15
18. 20. Jared Goff, DET 34.90 382.75
19. 19. Taylor Heinicke, WAS 11.00 368.95
20. 18. Teddy Bridgewater, DEN DNP 364.60
21. 21. Russell Wilson, SEA 26.90 360.65
22. 23. Tua Tagovailoa, MIA 21.45 326.15
23. 22. Jalen Hurts, PHI DNP 316.20
24. 26. Trevor Lawrence, JAC 36.15 308.50
25. 24. Lamar Jackson, BAL DNP 298.10
26. 27. Davis Mills, HOU 37.05 293.20
27. 25. Baker Mayfield, CLE DNP 280.50
28. 28. Daniel Jones, NYG DNP 253.40
29. 29. Sam Darnold, CAR 29.95 214.30
30. 30. Zach Wilson, NYJ 1.35 168.70
31. 34. Andy Dalton, CHI 31.25 147.25
32. 31. Justin Fields, CHI DNP 145.00
33. 32. Jameis Winston, NO DNP 144.50
34. 33. Jacoby Brissett, MIA DNP 131.65
35. 37. Trevor Siemian, NO 15.55 116.70
36. 35. Tyler Huntley, BAL 2.05 112.05
37. 36. Colt McCoy, ARI DNP 102.00
38. 38. Tyrod Taylor, HOU DNP 90.30
39. 39. Mike White, NYJ DNP 87.65
40. 40. Geno Smith, SEA DNP 87.10
Week 18 best: Brady, TB, 51.30 (29-37, 326, 3-0 in win). Season-best week: Burrow, CIN, 71.25. All-time best week: Roethlisberger, PIT, 80.10 (2014).
Week 18 worst: (min. 10 attempts): Jake Fromm, NYG, 1.15 (15-31, 103, 1-2 in loss). Season-worst week: Cam Newton, CAR, minus-12.40. All-time worst week: Tim Hasselbeck, WAS, minus-23.20 (2003).
This story was originally published January 4, 2022 at 3:18 PM.