Now that Week 13 is about over, we have an even better view of the NFL Playoff Picture in both conferences, and the regular season games are only going to begin to mean more in the coming weeks.
This week was special, as no team was on the bye, and we had three Thanksgiving Day games and one Black Friday game, while also still having Sunday Night Football and obviously will finish up with Monday Night Football.
It's close to the best time of the NFL season, and the quarterback hierarchy has taken shape even more, as well. We have our latest QB power rankings, and there is a ton of movement. As we have done, our rankings are largely based on the total body of work for the QBs, but we also put a little bit more of an emphasis on the current week's performance, so let's get into it here.
NFL QB Rankings, Week 14: Lamar Jackson falling in latest power rankings
32. Max Brosmer, Minnesota Vikings
I think we all expected Max Brosmer not to look good in his first NFL start, but this was another level. Brosmer tossed four interceptions on the day and went 19/30 for 126 yards. There was absolutely nothing positive to take from this performance, as the Minnesota Vikings were shut out by the Seattle Seahawks and now drop to 4-8 on the season.
The Vikings probably need some major change to get this franchise back to what they were just one year ago, and it’s clear that they made multiple wrong moves at the most important position in all of sports.
31. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
It’s another loss for the Las Vegas Raiders and another forgettable performance from Geno Smith. The Raiders drop to 2-10 with the loss and simply cannot do anything well. It feels like we say this every week, but it’s baffling that the Raiders traded legitimate NFL Draft capital for Smith, who has been one of the worst QBs in the NFL this year.
The Raiders again need to blow this thing up after doing just that last offseason. Vegas began to make people believe after hiring Pete Carroll and trading for Smith. They then used a top-10 NFL Draft pick on Ashton Jeanty.
All three of those moves do not seem to be the right ones, but the whiff on Smith is the worst of them all.
30. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins was thrust into the starting lineup because of Michael Penix Jr’s season-ending knee injury, and while Cousins is a good backup, the Falcons have huge issues on their hands and just lost to the New York Jets in Week 13.
It’s been a bit of a disaster this year to say the least, and it really began with Cousins declining during the 2024 NFL Season. That got him sent to the bench in favor of Penix for the final few weeks of last year.
But, despite a full offseason as the QB1 and being surrounded by a wealth of weapons, Penix was not playing strong football, and now Cousins will be the starting QB the rest of the way. The Falcons are likely making some major changes this coming offseason, and I would not be shocked if Cousins was no longer on the team after this year.
29. Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
Shedeur Sanders has made a couple of starts in the NFL and has looked as you’d expect any rookie QB to look - there is a lot of bad, but there is some good as well. In the grand scheme of things, Sanders is likely not this team’s long-term answer, and with two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Browns are likely to grab a top QB with one of those picks.
The team does have a playoff-caliber defense and could be in the mix for the postseason as early as 2026. Sanders has the profile of a backup QB in this league, in my opinion. He’s got an average arm, good enough mobility, and really feels like a poor man’s Teddy Bridgewater.
Sanders has a future in the NFL, but it’s not as a long-term starter. He will likely get the rest of the season to prove that he can be someone.
28. Tyrod Taylor, New York Jets
It’s never a good thing when the best quarterback on an NFL roster is Tyrod Taylor, but that is where we’re at right now. The New York Jets are a total mess, but they did beat the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13 and are honestly showing some fight as 2025 finishes up over the next month.
Taylor has always been a bit of an interesting QB. He’s a very good backup and did have a solid stretch as the Buffalo Bills’ starting QB before Josh Allen arrived in town. Taylor was also on the Baltimore Ravens all the way back in 2012 when they won the Super Bowl.
With the Jets in 2025, Taylor now has five touchdowns and four interceptions. The Jets traded Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline, and that was them indicating clear-as-day that they are building for 2026 and beyond.
I would not be shocked if the Jets ripped the Band-Aid off and started fresh next year.
27. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward is in a losing situation with the Tennessee Titans. On paper, you’d think he has been the worst QB in the NFL this year, but the Titans have been one of the worst teams the NFL has seen in quite some time - is this team among the worst of the 21st century?
Ward was the first overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft and is likely going to have a fresh start in 2026, and I really do not believe people are going to ‘count’ 2025, if that makes sense. We did the same thing with Trevor Lawrence’s first season back in 2021, as most could see how dire of a situation that was.
Until the Titans hit on this next coaching staff and add some talent to the roster, they will continue to be this irrelevant. Ward has made some ‘big boy’ throws this year and does have some franchise QB material on tape; you just might have to dig for it a bit.
26. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow made his return to the lineup for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13 against the Baltimore Ravens, and played quite well. Burrow has obviously hardly played this year due to a pretty severe turf toe injury that caused him to miss about two months.
Well, it still might be too little, too late for the Bengals, as the defense is bottom-tier, and the team would have to not only win out, but likely also get a ton of help just to have a shot at a Wild Card spot in the AFC Playoffs.
It does say a lot about Burrow that he wants to be back in the lineup even in a lost season, but it did not have to go this way. Cincy’s front office has continually failed year after year, as the Bengals are now likely missing the playoffs for the third year in a row.
Joe Burrow does deserve a bit better. It’s nice to see him back and healthy. The NFL is better when Burrow is on the field.
25. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
Marcus Mariota will have played on Sunday Night Football
Marcus Mariota will have played against the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football, and this could get out of hand quite quickly. Mariota has played a ton this year for the injured Jayden Daniels, and it’s really just been a season to forget for the entire franchise. Mariota has filled in nicely in Daniels’ absence, as the offense really hasn’t played poorly overall.
However, Mariota is a backup for a reason and really hasn’t done anything special. He’s likely going to have a tougher outing tonight against the Broncos’ pass rush on SNF, but that’s OK. At this point, Washington needs to put a focus on the 2026 NFL Season and fill this roster with good, young talent.
Mariota is someone Washington should continue to keep in 2026 and beyond, as he’s a high-end backup and really seems to leave it all out there.
24. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough has honestly played about as well as you can ask for from a rookie in this situation. The New Orleans Saints lost again, this time to the Miami Dolphins, but it ended up being a dramatic ending.
Shough was a second-round rookie of the 2025 NFL Draft and took over for Spencer Rattler a few weeks ago. As it stands right now, I would not be shocked if the Saints totally passed on a QB in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The rookie might actually be someone worth building around, and the Saints are missing a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, which is primarily due to GM Mickey Loomis, who has made a ton of mistakes over the past few seasons.
Shough hasn’t been special or anything this year and is largely a forgettable player, but there seem to be bits and pieces of something that the Saints could work with in the coming seasons.
23. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are 5-7 and are all of a sudden making things very interesting. Right now, the Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs are separated by just one game, as KC dropped to 6-6 with their Thanksgiving loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The AFC is filled with a ton of ‘mid’ as the cool kids would say, and there is simply no indication as to how this playoff picture is going to shake out, as the Dolphins are making some noise. Tua Tagovailoa, their starting QB, is a good player, but that’s it.
He’s been efficient most every single year of his career and has actually never finished a season with a losing record, which has to be worth something. However, Tagovailoa has clear limitations athletically and otherwise, and he’s pretty much maxed out at this point.
The Dolphins’ QB is honestly just another version of what we saw with Kirk Cousins for years - consistently efficient, but not much else. He should still remain the Dolphins’ starter in 2026, though.
22. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Cleveland Browns in Week 13 and now move to 9-4 on the season. And with the Los Angeles Rams losing to the Carolina Panthers, things in the NFC West are getting very interesting, and it now feels like anyone’s division at this point.
Purdy has missed a chunk of the 2025 NFL Season due to a toe injury, and he’s just now working his way back into the lineup. It’s been an up-and-down season for Purdy, and the interesting thing here is that backup QB Mac Jones did look quite good in Purdy’s absence.
I am not saying the 49ers are going to try and trade Brock Purdy this coming offseason, but it’s something to think about. The Niners keep stacking wins, though, and aren’t thinking about that right now.
Brock Purdy is a fine player in this league, but he is really nothing special overall. He’s played in a Super Bowl and does have a ton of playoff experience, even with him only being in year four.
21. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers got embarrassed by the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, and nothing for Pittsburgh was working this game. For the most part, Rodgers has been fine this year, but he hasn’t been very special at all, and it’s clear that he is a QB in a pretty steep decline.
However, during this decline, he’s still one of the 32-best QBs in the NFL, and that just goes to show you how good he’s been. It’s going to be sad seeing Rodgers go out like this, as I really do not believe Pittsburgh sneaks into the playoffs, but I guess it could be worse, as Pittsburgh is right in the thick of things in the AFC North race, as the Ravens are also 6-6.
Aaron Rodgers is now no. 21 in our QB power rankings. He is someone you can win with at this point, but that’s about it at this stage of his NFL career. The four-time MVP will be a Hall of Famer one day and is perhaps the best pure thrower of the football the NFL has ever seen.
20. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Can we stop with this Jalen Hurts madness, please? He is not a great QB, and he’s not special. The Philadelphia Eagles lost in sloppy fashion to the Chicago Bears on Black Friday, and while the Eagles have had a ton of issues this season, Hurts has not been a solution.
Despite the shiny statistics from Hurts that might indicate he’s playing well, those stats are downright misleading. Hurts is not a consistent passer, continually misses open players, and is really not someone any team can win because of.
He’s an average QB along for the right, and if things aren’t near-perfect around him, this is what you get. Jalen Hurts is far from a top-10 QB and not close to being among the best. I would not be shocked if Philly began sniffing around for a Hurts’ replacement within the next couple of years, as this stuff that we see from them this year is not sustainable.
Sure, Kevin Patullo takes some of the blame, but your franchise QB should be able to cover up for certain issues, right?
19. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Over the past three games, Carolina Panthers’ QB Bryce Young has thrown for seven touchdowns against just two interceptions. He now has 18 touchdowns against nine interceptions on the season for a respectable 87.9 passer rating.
It’s been a pretty good year for Young and the Panthers overall, as they upset the Los Angeles Rams at home in Week 13 and move to 7-6 on the season, keeping their hopes alive for the NFC South title and also remaining in the race for one of the Wild Card spots in the conference.
The Panthers really do not feel like a playoff team, but it’s been a fun story thus far. This team is also impossible to figure out - they look elite one week and will then fall flat on their face the other week. That tells me, at least, that the main issue with this team, at the end of the day, is the QB.
The coaching seems to be there, and the roster talent is quite good as well. Is Bryce Young truly good enough to be a franchise QB in the NFL?
18. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens have not looked sharp this year and lost a stinker of a game to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving. Entering the bulk of Week 13, Baltimore’s 6-6 record now has them behind the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.
Statistically, Jackson is having a strong year, but it feels anything but. He’s only averaging 29.3 yards per game, which would be the lowest mark of his career. He’s also fumbled six times in just nine games this year and is only averaging 5.1 yards per touch, which is the second-lowest mark of his career.
Things just have not come easily for the Ravens this year, and they will struggle to get into the postseason at this rate. Jackson is a two-time MVP and should have won it last year, so the Ravens will need that version of their QB if they want to finish the year strong and earn a playoff spot. It seems like for the Ravens and Steelers, it’ll be either the division title or no playoffs, as the Wild Card race is a bit messy.
17. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
CJ Stroud made his return to the lineup for the Houston Texans in a huge divisional win over the Indianapolis Colts, and Houston is now just one game behind Indy in the AFC South, and the Colts are now all of a sudden seeing this divisional race heat up big-time.
Right now, the Colts, Texans, and Jaguars are all within one game of each other, so this is going to be a bit of a bloodbath down the stretch here, but I would actually pick the Texans to win the division, as I believe CJ Stroud is the best QB in the AFC South and is going to begin heating up here in the coming weeks.
We cannot rank him too high since he’s missed some time, but he will climb these rankings soon enough, and he was good enough against a solid defense in a hostile environment, so that does say something big here.
CJ Stroud has been a main piece of this turnaround for Houston these past few seasons. He is a franchise QB and someone who elevates those around him.
16. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett is a fine quarterback and is, if nothing else, a very high-end backup. He never throws a lot of interceptions and is someone who can run most NFL offenses. The Arizona Cardinals lose again, and it’s not clear what direction this franchise will go in at the QB position this coming offseason.
You get the sense that Kyler Murray is on the way out, but would the front office feel comfortable with Brissett as the main guy in this room in 2026? I am not sure. Jacoby Brissett did set the all-time single-game completions record just the other week, so that has to be good for something, but you really can’t convince much of anyone that he’s a consistent, starting-caliber quarterback each week in this league.
The Cardinals’ 2025 NFL Season is spiraling out of control, and major change could be on the horizon. Ideally, the only time you see a backup QB in the game is because it’s a blowout, but that is not the case for the lowly Cardinals.
15. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
It’s really hard to get a good gauge on how good Trevor Lawrence actually is. One minute, he’ll throw a horrendous interception, but he’ll then make an other-worldly throw the next drive. The truth, like most things, is somewhere in the middle.
Trevor Lawrence appears to be a solid, mid-tier franchise QB right now, and that is currently all the Jacksonville Jaguars need. This team is now 8-4 on the season and in first place thanks to the Texans beating the Colts in Week 13.
I am not sure the Jags have enough roster talent to close the deal and win the AFC South, but we are 13 weeks in, so Jacksonville is no slouch.
After throwing three interceptions the week prior, Lawrence threw zero in Week 13 and added two passing touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans. It’s not crazy to say that Lawrence will need to tick his play up a notch down the stretch if the Jags want to win the AFC South and earn one of the top four seeds in the AFC.
14. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Jaxson Dart plays on Monday Night Football
Jaxson Dart has been in and out of the lineup this year for the New York Giants, and the concussions are starting to pile up, which is not good. Dart is going to have to learn how to protect himself better, but what we have seen from him this year paints a beautiful picture for the future.
Dart clearly has all the makings of a franchise QB in this league, but the Giants still have to bring in the right coaching staff. On paper, they might not be all that far away, as the defensive line is great, and the weaponry is there to an extent.
I would expect the Giants to bolster the WR room in the offseason and perhaps bring in another starter or two along the offensive line, but there is a path for this team to be something worthwhile next year.
Dart has shown a lot - he’s made a ton of NFL throws and has been able to create off-schedule. He clearly has some of that moxie that many QBs in the NFL simply do not have, and he just feels like someone worth building around.
13. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Las Vegas Raiders at home in Week 13, but it was a just OK performance from Herbert. He threw another interception and now has 10 on the season. He’s thrown six interceptions over his past six games, and I do believe this is a legitimate issue going forward.
LA wins, though, and improve to 8-4 on the season. They also go to 4-0 in the AFC West, and this could be huge down the stretch, as the Denver Broncos are 9-2 approaching Sunday Night Football but are only 2-1 in the division right now.
Justin Herbert will need to play a bit better down the stretch if the Chargers want to make a run at the AFC West title. Herbert has been fine this year. Nothing special by any means, but he can make insane throws that most QBs in the NFL cannot, which is worth something.
Hebert is no. 13 in our QB power rankings.
12. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams has not been a super sharp QB this year, but he and the Chicago Bears are 9-3 for a reason and 9-1 over their last 10 games. The Bears just beat the Eagles on Black Friday in one of those games where it really makes you begin to believe in Chicago.
The Bears continue atop the NFC North and are now two entire games ahead of the Detroit Lions, and a half game ahead of the Green Bay Packers. There is a path where Chicago seals the deal here and actually wins the division, and this head-to-head win over the Eagles could go a long way in the NFC playoff seeding.
Caleb Williams is clearly still growing and sometimes struggles with the easy things, but he’s taking a lot fewer sacks, and the overall efficiency of the offense is night and day from the 2024 season. You would have to bank on him taking a huge leap in year three, as there is still a ton of room for growth, but Williams is a winner and is a franchise QB.
11. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts are reeling right now. They lost to the Houston Texans at home and are now not in first place in the AFC South, dropping to 8-4. The Jaguars won in Week 13 and improve to 8-4, taking that top spot in the division.
And the Houston Texans improved to 7-5 with this win. Daniel Jones did play alright in this one, but his play has kind of fallen off recently, as we have kind of see the New York Giants version of Daniel Jones these past few weeks, and it’s coming at the worst possible time for Indy.
Daniel Jones now has 19 touchdowns against seven interceptions this year. His 101.3 passer rating is great, and the Colts might be in a situation where they have no choice but to extend Jones - where would they find an upgrade?
Furthermore, with this team adding Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline, it’s clear that GM Chris Ballard is going all-in now and for the foreseeable future. Jones needs to prove his worth and stack some strong performances down the stretch here.
10. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
I think we have seen Sam Darnold cool off recently, so he drops a little bit more in our QB rankings. It’s been an interesting season for the Seahawks. They shutout the Minnesota Vikings at home in Week 13 and moved to 9-3 with the win. Furthermore, the LA Rams lost in Week 13, so the Seahawks now have the same record.
However, in the biggest game of the season, when Seattle was visiting LA, Darnold tossed four interceptions in a close loss. In the following week, they barely got past the Tennessee Titans. And here in Week 13, Darnold went just 14/26 for 128 yards. Sure, Seattle didn’t have to throw the ball much in this one, but Darnold still wasn’t all that sharp.
He signed a three-year deal with the Seahawks this past offseason, and, overall, it’s been the right move.
9. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On paper, Baker Mayfield has not been nearly as efficient this year as he’s been in previous seasons, but he’s still thrown 19 touchdown passes on the season against just five interceptions, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers snapped their losing streak and get to 7-5 with a win over the Arizona Cardinals.
The Buccaneers are not a great team or anything, but with the Carolina Panthers also winning in Week 13, this win was huge. The Bucs are the best team in the NFC South and will likely be able to seal the deal here, as Baker Mayfield has largely played very well for the Bucs since arriving here back in 2023.
He’s remade his NFL career and has found a home with this franchise. Tampa’s shortcomings this year, in my opinion, has been a below-average defense and some mounting injuries on offense as well. Baker Mayfield is still one of the better QBs in the NFL.
8. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix will have played on Sunday Night Football
Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos facing off against the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football. This is a game that Denver should have no problem winning, but I guess that doesn’t have to be the case.
The Broncos are one of the more interesting teams in the league this year. They are riding an eight-game win streak and are 9-2 on the season, but they don’t always look like a 9-2 team. The offensive consistency has not been there at times this year, and they have been in a ton of one-score games already.
Denver is 7-2 in one-score games, but they simply have found ways to win, and a lot of that is due to Nix, who comes alive late in the game when his team needs him the most. The one thing to take note of with the second-year QB is that the struggles from him and the Broncos’ offense this year are all correctable, and some of it is also due to not having a consistent, go-to player on offense.
7. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
For the first time in his NFL career, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are at a high risk of not making the playoffs. The Chiefs simply do not have a good team this year - the roster talent is average at best, and they have become a bad team in one-score games. Just one year ago, they were 11-0 in one-score games. Mahomes has been good this year, as most of the issues with KC on offense are a lack of legitimate personnel and perhaps even some offense scheme issues.
The Chiefs might end up finding a way to sneak into the playoffs as some think they will, but it’s clear that the three-time defending AFC champions likely do not control their own destiny. In each year that Mahomes has been the starter, they have at least made the conference championship game.
Well, missing the playoffs entirely is on the table, and there is really only so much that the two-time MVP can do here. Patrick Mahomes is ranked high in our QB rankings, as he’s obviously one of the best in the league and has been for years now.
6. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen had a rushing touchdown in this one and now has the most rushing scores by any QB in the history of the NFL. When Allen’s career is all said and done, the reigning MVP is likely going to have a bronze bust in Canton.
The Buffalo Bills did not start off good in this game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they pulled away in the second half, and truly imposed their will against the limp Steelers. Buffalo improves to 8-4 on the season, and these games truly feel like must wins, as the New England Patriots keep stacking wins and have a QB who is a bit higher in our QB rankings than Allen is.
It’s not been a super smooth operation on offense for the Bills this year, but they have done eight of their first 12 games and have largely found ways to close out games. Allen has been a top-tier QB in this league for years now, but I am not sure Buffalo is a legit contender this year.
5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff has largely played very well this year and is still one of the top QBs in the NFL despite the Detroit Lions regressing a bit. With their latest loss, now being swept by the Green Bay Packers, the Lions are two losses behind Green Bay and Chicago in the NFC North.
It’s clear that this team has regressed on offense, and the injuries still seem to be there. Even with the drop-off in play, Goff’s high-efficiency is keeping this Lions’ team afloat, as he’s one of the purest and best pocket passers in the NFL, and it’s been that way for years now.
Goff has 25 touchdowns against just five interceptions this year, earning a 110.2 passer rating, so he’s not the problem. Detroit is still likely going to find a way into the playoffs this year, as their QB is one of their best players, and that’s never a bad thing in the NFL, but I do not think Goff gets as much love as he deserves, as he’s not a flashy player.
4. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers are inching closer to that NFC North lead, and they might just be the best team in the division this year. Love and the Packers beat the Detroit Lions in a huge NFC North showdown on Thanksgiving in Week 13.
Now on the season, Jordan Love has 19 touchdowns against just three interceptions. He’s thrown just one interception since November 2nd and has multiple touchdown passes in six games this year. After some shaky performances a few weeks ago, the Packers are beginning to feel themselves and are now 8-3-1 on the season, but that odd tie against the Dallas Cowboys might end up being a huge deciding factor in the team’s chances at the division this year.
Love is high in our QB power rankings, as he is cementing himself as one of the best and most efficient passers in the NFL. This is what we were waiting for when the season began.
3. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye plays on Monday Night Football
Drake Maye faces off against Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants on Monday Night Football in a battle of two teams that actually have one massive thing in common - an encouraging, young quarterback. Maye is likely going to receive some MVP votes this year, as the New England Patriots are on the doorstep of an 11-2 start.
They also became the first team in the NFL this year to hit 10 wins, so that is a huge accomplishment, especially given how bad they were in 2024, but Maye was better than the raw stats might say as a rookie.
You’d ideally love to see Maye taking fewer sacks, but things are pointing up, and the Pats might find themselves firmly in Super Bowl contention in 2026 if this continues. Right now, they have a legitimate shot at the top seed in the AFC.
Drake Maye’s breakout season is real, and he’s one of the very best quarterbacks in the NFL now.
2. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford was on fire this year, but then he met the Carolina Panthers, of all teams, in Week 13. Stafford’s interception streak ended, as he threw two picks, including a pick-six, to the Panthers in an upset loss. The Rams now drop to 9-3 on the season and are seeing their NFC West lead get smaller and smaller.
However, Stafford has still been a top-3 QB in the league this year and is likely the favorite for the MVP, even with this shaky performance. Stafford is human, after all. He’s played the best football of his career in 2025 and really does deserve this success.
I would still bank on the Rams representing the NFC in the Super Bowl, and it’s important to not always get too hung up on one performance, as you begin to not see the big picture. As a whole, the Rams are still a juggernaut, and Stafford is still an elite quarterback. He just had a bad game - it happens.
1. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys have now won three games in a row and are peaking at the right time, but Prescott has not been close to the issue this year. As we all know, the subpar defense has been the sore spot for Dallas, but not only did they get some key players back from injury, but they also added Logan Wilson and Quinnen Williams at the deadline.
It’s paid off so far, and with the Eagles having lost in Week 13, the Cowboys are, all of a sudden, just one game back in the loss column from Philly. Right now, the Cowboys are the best team in the NFC East, and Prescott has been the best QB in the division all year.
He is elite at the line of scrimmage and can process the game faster than most QBs in the league. Now on the season, the veteran QB has thrown for 25 touchdown passes and has earned a 102.4 passer rating this year. Prescott also leads the NFL in yards and has been able to throw the ball down the field at a high level this year.