NFL quarterback rankings, Week 12: Patrick Mahomes makes MVP move

November 24, 2022 ndowd

On Sunday night, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes drove for a comeback win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Did he put the MVP award on ice?

Our 2022 FanSided NFL quarterback rankings go live each Wednesday morning throughout the regular season, and we use a sliding scale incorporating current and past performances, with the former meaning more as the year goes on.

NFL quarterback rankings

Baker Mayfield

Last Week: NA Carolina Panthers

2022 stats: 1,313 yards | 57.8 comp % | 6 TD | 6 INT | 6.4 YPA | 17.8 QBR

At one point in 2021, people argued for the Browns to extend Mayfield on a lucrative contract. Now? He’ll be lucky to compete for another starting job.

Zach Wilson

Last Week: 25 New York Jets

2022 stats: 1,279 yards | 55.6 comp % | 4 TD | 5 INT | 6.8 YPA | 45.2 QBR

The Jets had nine completions and 10 punts on Sunday. That says it all.

Davis Mills

Last Week: 28 Houston Texans

2022 stats: 2,144 yards | 61.9 comp % | 11 TD | 11 INT | 6.5 YPA | 29.3 QBR

The Texans will be looking for a quarterback in the draft. Mills simply makes too many errors without any legitimate upside. He’s a backup.

Colt McCoy

Last Week: 31 Arizona Cardinals

2022 stats: 456 yards | 70.4 comp % | 1 TD | 1 INT | 6.4 YPA | 55.6 QBR

McCoy has been a good backup for a long time. That said, the Cardinals desperately need to get Kyler Murray back, and see him dramatically improve.

Kenny Pickett

Last Week: 30 Pittsburgh Steelers

2022 stats: 1,426 yards | 65.4 comp % | 3 TD | 8 INT | 6.0 YPA | 43.1 QBR

Pickett has been really uneven the last few weeks. Avoiding the turnovers, but missing some easy throws. However, eliminating the mistakes is the first step.

Mac Jones

Last Week: 27 New England Patriots

2022 stats: 1,386 yards | 68.7 comp % | 4 TD | 7 INT | 7.1 YPA | 31.0 QBR

Jones took care of the football, but he’s struggling horribly. The Patriots couldn’t generate a single touchdown against the Jets.

Russell Wilson

Last Week: 24 Denver Broncos

2022 stats: 2,227 yards | 59.5 comp % | 7 TD | 5 INT | 7.4 YPA | 32.5 QBR

Wilson started off hot against the Raiders, but then resorted to a bunch of quick, short throws that resulted in punts and 16 points.

Matt Ryan

Last Week: 26 Indianapolis Colts

2022 stats: 2,443 yards | 69.2 comp % | 10 TD | 9 INT | 6.8 YPA | 45.0 QBR

Ryan been much better the last two weeks since being reinstated as the Colts’ starter, but he has no help. The offensive line stinks, and the rushing attack is struggling. Add in a loss of arm talent, and it’s a rough offense to watch.

USA TODAY Sports

Marcus Mariota

Last Week: 21 Atlanta Falcons

2022 stats: 1,878 yards | 62.2 comp % | 13 TD | 7 INT | 7.5 YPA | 57.1 QBR

Mariota doesn’t do much in the passing game, but he’s opportunistic while being a threat on the ground, helping Atlanta to a 5-6 record.

Taylor Heinicke

Last Week: 23 Washington Commanders

2022 stats: 1,031 yards | 60.8 comp % | 5 TD | 4 INT | 7.0 YPA | 46.4 QBR

Heinicke isn’t making splash plays, but he’s not crushing the Commanders with bad mistakes. Additionally, the team is rallying around him.

Daniel Jones

Last Week: 18 New York Giants

2022 stats: 1,937 yards | 65.1 comp % | 9 TD | 4 INT | 6.9 YPA | 58.3 QBR

Jones has been great at avoiding turnovers this year, but he doubled his interception total on Sunday with a pair of picks in a bad loss to Detroit.

Jacoby Brissett

Last Week: 19 Cleveland Browns

2022 stats: 2,398 yards | 64.3 comp % | 11 TD | 5 INT | 7.2 YPA | 62.4 QBR

Brissett put up numbers for the Browns in their 31-23 loss to Buffalo, but Cleveland struggles to get much going in the downfield passing game. It’s a chore.

Andy Dalton

Last Week: 22 New Orleans Saints

2022 stats: 1,819 yards | 66.9 comp % | 14 TD | 7 INT | 7.5 YPA | 51.0 QBR

Dalton had his best showing of 2022, completing 21-of-25 throws for 260 yards and three scores, torching the beleaguered Rams.

Ryan Tannehill

Last Week: 20 Tennessee Titans

2022 stats: 1,685 yards | 65.1 comp % | 10 TD | 4 INT | 8.1 YPA | 53.1 QBR

Tannehill was largely terrific against the Packers, throwing for 333 yards and a two touchdowns. Tennessee is dangerous with a passing game.

Matthew Stafford

Last Week: NA Los Angeles Rams

2022 stats: 2,087 yards | 68.0 comp % | 10 TD | 8 INT | 6.9 YPA | 50.2 QBR

Stafford has been beat up for parts of this season, playing behind a makeshift line. The Rams are going through the worst title defense in the Super Bowl era.

Trevor Lawrence

Last Week: 17 Jacksonville Jaguars

2022 stats: 2,334 yards | 65.2 comp % | 13 TD | 6 INT | 6.7 YPA | 51.1 QBR

Lawrence needs to show his potential over the last seven weeks. The Jaguars aren’t making the playoffs, so their progress can be measured in their quarterback’s play.

Getty Images

Aaron Rodgers

Last Week: 14 Green Bay Packers

2022 stats: 2,542 yards | 64.6 comp % | 19 TD | 7 INT | 6.8 YPA | 41.8 QBR

Rodgers didn’t get much going against Tennessee. Too many missed throws that should have been easy completions. He’s had a rough season.

Jimmy Garoppolo

Last Week: 16 San Francisco 49ers

2022 stats: 2,159 yards | 67.0 comp % | 15 TD | 4 INT | 8.1 YPA | 50.4 QBR

Garoppolo was terrific in Mexico, throwing for 228 yards and four touchdowns. When that version of Jimmy G surfaces, the Niners are dominant.

Justin Fields

Last Week: 15 Chicago Bears

2022 stats: 1,642 yards | 59.6 comp % | 13 TD | 8 INT | 7.2 YPA | 54.8 QBR

Fields is once again electrifying. The Bears lost again but Fields ran for 85 yards, threw for 153 and totaled two touchdowns. There’s much more room for growth, but the second-year kid is showing plenty.

Kirk Cousins

Last Week: 11 Minnesota Vikings

2022 stats: 2,461 yards | 63.4 comp % | 14 TD | 8 INT | 6.5 YPA | 45.8 QBR

Cousins has no chance against the Cowboys, constantly under siege from Micah Parsons and Co. The Vikings got clobbered 40-3 while Cousins threw for 105 yards on 4.6 yards per attempt. Ugly.

Jared Goff

Last Week: 12 Detroit Lions

2022 stats: 2,442 yards | 63.9 comp % | 15 TD | 7 INT | 7.5 YPA | 55.5 QBR

Goff and the Lions are on a three-game winning streak, but the passing game did little against the Giants. Goff threw for 165 yards and zero touchdowns, but the defense and rushing attack handled business.

Derek Carr

Last Week: 13 Las Vegas Raiders

2022 stats: 2,435 yards | 62.4 comp % | 15 TD | 5 INT | 7.0 YPA | 59.3 QBR

Carr found Davante Adams often in Denver, throwing two deep touchdowns to No. 17 including the game-winner in overtime. The Raiders are enduring a lost season, but Carr is playing well.

Tom Brady

Last Week: 8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2022 stats: 2,805 yards | 66.0 comp % | 12 TD | 2 INT | 6.6 YPA | 54.3 QBR

The Browns are up next for Brady, who is trying to get his Buccaneers over .500 for the first time since Week 5. Cleveland’s defense has struggled, so this is an advantageous matchup.

Dak Prescott

Last Week: 10 Dallas Cowboys

2022 stats: 1,132 yards | 67.8 comp % | 8 TD | 4 INT | 7.4 YPA | 60.7 QBR

Prescott had his best game of the year on Sunday, torching the Vikings for 276 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-25 passing. Now, the Giants on Thanksgiving.

USA TODAY Sports

Geno Smith

Last Week: 7 Seattle Seahawks

2022 stats: 2,474 yards | 72.8 comp % | 17 TD | 4 INT | 7.8 YPA | 67.5 QBR

Smith comes out of his bye to host the Raiders. That has to be high on the list of fever dreams for quarterbacks in 2022.

Justin Herbert

Last Week: 9 Los Angeles Chargers

2022 stats: 2,730 yards | 66.6 comp % | 16 TD | 7 INT | 6.6 YPA | 57.7 QBR

The Chargers lost again to the Chiefs, but Herbert wasn’t at fault. He threw for 280 yards on 9.3 YPA with two touchdowns. The only blemish? A game-ending interception.

Lamar Jackson

Last Week: 5 Baltimore Ravens

2022 stats: 1,977 yards | 63.4 comp % | 16 TD | 7 INT | 6.8 YPA | 60.6 QBR

Jackson struggled in the wind of Baltimore, throwing an interception and notching only 240 total yards against the Panthers. The Ravens need more from him down the stretch.

Joe Burrow

Last Week: 6 Cincinnati Bengals

2022 stats: 2,890 yards | 69.1 comp % | 22 TD | 8 INT | 7.8 YPA | 55.7 QBR

Burrow had two interceptions on Sunday, but both were flukes. He also threw four touchdowns, lighting up one of the league’s tougher defenses.

Josh Allen

Last Week: 4 Buffalo Bills

2022 stats: 2,930 yards | 64.7 comp % | 21 TD | 10 INT | 8.0 YPA | 73.3 QBR

Allen avoided turnovers against the Browns and got better as the game progressed. Not a huge afternoon, but a good step.

Jalen Hurts

Last Week: 3 Philadelphia Eagles

2022 stats: 2,407 yards | 68.3 comp % | 15 TD | 3 INT | 8.3 YPA | 65.2 QBR

Hurts and the Eagles struggled to generate consistent offense against the Colts, but the youngster helped Philadelphia avoid an upset with two scoring drives in the fourth quarter.

Tua Tagovailoa

Last Week: 2 Miami Dolphins