Top 5 QB Performances of Week 2

This was a fairly weak week for quarterback performances in the NFL when comparing what usually transpires, especially since there were no shortage of options last week. This week, however, only Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning truly stood out, though there were some other solid performances such as the one from Green Bay Packers ace Aaron Rodgers in the team’s comeback victory over the New York Jets. His favorite target, Jordy Nelson, is our “Player of the Week”, and he joined Rivers and Manning in the top five this week after being suffocated by the Seattle Seahawks secondary and poor blocking and rushing in Week 1.

San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers

Well, Rivers certainly wasn’t bogged down by the Seahawks defense on Sunday, and it isn’t outlandish to think that we might need to extend the number of elite quarterbacks to five with the way Rivers has placed since Mike McCoy took over for Norv Turner. Rivers was the second-best QB in the league last year, carrying the Chargers to the postseason behind the league’s best completion percentage. Nobody is better at running an efficient, intermediate-game-based offense than Rivers, who has accuracy and moxie in droves. He showed off both traits by wisely challenging Richard Sherman when stud route-runner Keenan Allen expertly worked himself open, and Rivers was rewarded with a balanced, 28-37-284 line against the Seahawks elite defense. Maybe more impressively, Rivers managed to avoid throwing an interception to the opposition’s ball-hawking secondary but did manage to strike three touchdowns to the ultra-reliable Antonio Gates.

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It was a performance to remember from Rivers, who has outplayed New England Patriots QB Tom Brady by a significant margin over the past season-and-some change. I’ve been a Brady backer for a long time, but I bet you can guess what I’m insinuating here. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on which side you are on), it takes a while for me to adjust quarterback rankings at the very top, so I probably won’t pull the trigger on a change until after the season, provided Rivers keeps it up.

Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson

The quarterback on the other side was only able to attempt 25 passes, but he turned them into 17 completions and 202 yards in another efficient display. Wilson is easily one of the league’s most efficient quarterbacks, as he notched 8.1 yards per attempt with a pair of touchdowns and no interceptions. Still, he only made this list by default, because there really aren’t many other legitimate options to choose from. Wilson was hurt by the Seahawks decision to not use Percy Harvin much, though there’s a good chance that was to keep him fresh.

Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning

Statistically speaking, Peyton Manning was the cream of the crop in Week 2, and I want to tally up how many times he doesn’t make my weekly top five lists, which are, by the way, mostly calculated using statistical methods such as ESPN’s TQBR, yards per attempt, and the like. Manning seems to enjoy picking on young Kansas City Chiefs corner Marcus Cooper, and he tore up his rivals to the tune of  242 passing yards on an excellent 21-26 line with three touchdowns and no interceptions. A yards per attempt average of 9.3 almost always indicates a big day, and Manning had an easy time getting it to the likes of Emmanuel Sanders, Julius Thomas, and Demaryius Thomas.

Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers got off to a disappointing start against the New York Jets, whereas counterpart Geno Smith looked excellent before regressing. Meanwhile, Rodgers experienced some positive regression, and he capped off the team’s comeback from being down 21-3 by tossing an 80-yard score to the elite Jordy Nelson on a deep play-action pass. Rodgers finished the game with 346 passing yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and an excellent 8.2 yards per attempt average. Once the running game gets going against run defenses that aren’t elite, the Packers offense will truly be scary. Against the Jets, the Packers had 17 first downs on passing plays compared to just five on rushing plays.

Houston Texans QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

The Houston Texans are doing everything they can to keep Fitzpatrick in a game manager role, and it’s worked perfectly thus far, though the Texans 2-0 record has came against two teams that looked absolutely inept. Fiztpatrick attempted just 19 passes, but he should still be praised for only throwing five incomplete passes and averaging 7.3 yards per attempt with two TDs and no picks in a tidy, efficient, and unspectacular performance. The lack of a challenge would normally place Fitzpatrick off of this list, but the weak week ensures his place here. It’s all the Arian Foster and- to a lesser extent- Andre Johnson show in Houston, but Fitzpatrick did a nice job of staying back and letting his best weapons do the work for him in the victory.