Week 11 NFL QB Power Rankings
Oct 19, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a pass in the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
For the first time since September, we have a new number one quarterback. It seems as if the play of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady is heating up, while the rest of the league’s quarterback play is slowly declining. Here’s the latest edition of QB power rankings.
1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (+1)
Rodgers has been on fire over the last two months. Some of the passes he makes are simply insane. After another blowout victory, Rodgers surpasses Manning to take the first spot. Rodgers is the front-runner for league MVP, and I think he’ll win it barring any injury.
2. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos (-1)
Sunday was Manning’s worst game of the season, as Denver’s offense put up a lackluster seven points. Julius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders got hurt – so Manning only had two Pro Bowl pass-catchers to throw to. Nobody expected the Rams to beat Denver, much less hold the high-flying offense to just seven points – Manning looked off for whatever reason; he falls because of a subpar performance.
3. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (± 0)
Aside from a tipped pass that was intercepted, Luck put up a decent performance against New England. A few dropped passes (one by Ahmad Bradshaw that was a real momentum killer) were the result of a mediocre offensive performance by the Colts. Although New England seemed to have shut down Indianapolis’s offense, Luck threw for 300+ yards for the eighth (!) straight game, and the ninth out of tenth this season.
4. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (± 0)
It’s tough to assess Brees when the Saints’ defense is so bad. Sure, Brees has a plethora of weapons on offense, but the Bengals’ defense shut them down. Brees is still a top five quarterback in my mind.
5. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (± 0)
The NFC East race should be a tight one as Dallas and Philadelphia are both 7-3. A healthy Tony Romo and an injured Nick Foles should make Dallas the favorite.
6. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (± 0)
Brady followed up a mediocre first half with a nice second half. The two interceptions (in the first half) were both forced throws, and I’m not sure what he was thinking on the second one. Brady had a bit of a “heat check” against the Colts – he had been the hottest quarterback in the league (other than Aaron Rodgers) over the past month or so, but he cooled down a little bit against the Colts. A monster game from Jonas Gray led to a blowout win, but Brady wasn’t as good as in previous weeks.
7. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins (+1)
The Dolphins’ third-year signal caller has consistently improved since the “bench Tannehill” talk. Miami is 6-4 and in the thick of the AFC playoff race.
8. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (-1)
Arizona’s defense shut down Stafford and co. He’s had a stellar year, but must step it up for the Lions to win the NFC North.