NFL Week 16 Analytical Quarterback Rankings: Tua Tagovailoa reclaims the top spot, Josh Allen climbs to No. 2

2T49805 Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) gestures as he celebrates running for a first down during an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)

Jared Goff makes quick work of the Broncos: Jared Goff led the Lions to a 42-17 win over the Broncos on Saturday, completing 24 of his 34 attempts for 278 yards and five touchdowns.

Joe Flacco rolling back the clock: Only Justin Fields attempted more passes from outside the pocket than Flacco in Week 15. The veteran signal-caller completed seven of his nine attempts for a league-high 182 yards and two scores, with three big-time throws and one turnover-worthy play.

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Quarterback is the most important position on the field, but we can often get stuck in their most recent blunders or successes, making it difficult to come up with an objective ranking.

This analysis utilizes a statistical technique called Bayesian Updating. With Bayesian Updating, we can use individual results to project PFF grades and expected points added (EPA) per play. You can find a more detailed explanation of the analysis in our Week 2 quarterback rankings.

Here is how the league's quarterbacks stack up after Week 15.

Most efficient passer: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Jared Goff led the Lions to a 42-17 win over the Broncos on Saturday, completing 24 of his 34 attempts for 278 yards and five touchdowns. He finished fourth among starters in passing grade (81.9) and third in EPA per play (0.48).

Click here to see Week 15 QB grades


Most explosive passer: Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield finished 10-of-11 for 204 yards and two touchdowns on passes thrown 10 or more yards downfield, good for a perfect 158.3 passer rating. He finished first at his position in EPA per play (1.926) on these plays.

Click here to see PFF's passing-by-depth report


Best under pressure: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Brock Purdy excelled under pressure against the Cardinals. He completed eight of his 10 pass attempts (80%) for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Purdy ranked second in passing grade (89.0) and first in EPA per play (1.29) and yards per attempt (13.8) under pressure in Week 15.

♦ Click here to see PFF's passing-under-pressure report


Best out of the pocket: Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns

Only Justin Fields attempted more passes from outside the pocket than Flacco in Week 15. The veteran signal-caller completed seven of his nine attempts for a league-high 182 yards and two scores, with three big-time throws and one turnover-worthy play. Flacco finished first at the position in passing grade (87.4) and third in EPA per play on these plays (0.920).

Click here to see PFF's passing-by-concept report


Quick passes: Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield led the Buccaneers down the field at a fast pace. He finished third in passing grade (88.3) and EPA per play (1.143) when he had less than 2.5 seconds to throw. He completed 82.4% of these throws for a league-high 212 yards and two touchdowns.

Click here to see PFF's time-to-throw report


 

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