There is no secret formula to success in today's NFL - getting great or elite quarterback play is the key, as most everything else fixes itself overnight. It's not always that seamless, but it's pretty accurate across the league.
We're now through the first five weeks of the 2026 NFL Season, and there actually has been a sizeable amount of shaky QB play, but at the same time, there has been a ton of quality QB play as well. In general, QB play across the league is definitely not great, and it seems like it's always in demand.
Let's dive into Week 5 a bit more and rank the best QB performances. We aren't ranking these QBs based on anything other than Week 5.
Josh Allen and Drake Maye headline best QB performances from Week 5
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (23/32. 190 yards, 4 TDs)
Joe Burrow lighting up the Miami Dolphins defense surprised no one. In fact, we would have been more surprised if Burrow's stat line didn't look this good. Despite not even reaching 200 yards on 32 passing attempts, he tossed four touchdowns in what was still a hyper-efficient Burrow outing.
As long as the Bengals have Burrow on the field and the defense isn't horrific, this team will be a major threat in the playoffs.
4. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (40/54, 383 yards, 3 TDs
Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams weren't able to get it done in what could turn into one of the games of the year on Monday Night Football. Stafford honestly had two entire games worth of passing production in one. He completed 40 passes, flirted with 400 passing yards, and tossed a trio of touchdowns.
It wasn't enough for the Rams, but you really can't blame Stafford for the way that game ended. The Rams are suddenly 2-3 on the season, but Stafford's performance in Week 5 should make the Rams feel comfortable that the veteran QB still has some good football left in the tank as he approaches 40 years old.
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