Week 12 was one of the more wild weeks we have seen this season, in large part because of inconsistent play all over the field. That includes the quarterback play, which was somewhat all over the place this weekend. How has that impacted out Week 12 QB rankings? Let’s break down all the performances with the help of our QB+ metric.
Our QB+ metric looks at several statistics, including net yards per attempt (nYPA), third-down conversion rate, passing under pressure, and passing from a clean pocket. Additionally, we have quantified performances in clutch situations using statistics from different key scenarios within a game.
By no means is QB+ the perfect metric, and we will continue to develop it throughout the season and beyond. However, when we analyzed it against the past five years, the results were extremely indicative of what we saw on the field while providing enough nuance away from traditional statistics for measuring quarterback play.
All stats are from TruMedia unless otherwise stated.
Week 12 QB Grades
First, you will find a full list of all quarterbacks from Week 12, listed in order of their QB+ grade and score. Below, you will find an analysis of all qualified quarterbacks and the context for their grades.
They will be listed alphabetically by first name rather than by grade or score. This will allow readers to quickly find the QB they are looking for in the writeups.
- Baker Mayfield B+ (89.0) | TB at NYG
- Lamar Jackson B+ (87.7) | BAL at LAC
- Sam Darnold B (83.4) | MIN at CHI
- Tua Tagovailoa B- (81.6) | MIA vs. NE
- Russell Wilson B- (81.1) | PIT at CLE
- Jalen Hurts B- (80.6) | PHI at LAR
- Cooper Rush B- (80.5) | DAL at WAS
- Patrick Mahomes B – (80.3) | KC at CAR
- Caleb Williams C+ (78.0) | CHI vs. MIN
- Jordan Love C (77.4) | GB vs. SF
- Bryce Young C+ (77.0) | CAR vs. KC
- Will Levis C (76.5) | TEN at HOU
- Bo Nix C (75.8) | DEN at LV
- Geno Smith C (75.0) | SEA vs. ARI
- Jared Goff C (74.1) | DET at IND
- Jameis Winston C (73.1) | CLE vs. PIT
- Tommy DeVito C- (72.9) | NYG vs. TB
- Jayden Daniels C- (72.9) | WAS vs. DAL
- Brandon Allen C (72.8) | SF at GB
- Justin Herbert C- (72.0) | LAC vs. BAL
- C.J. Stroud C- (71.3) | HOU vs. TEN
- Kyler Murray D+ (69.5) | ARI at SEA
- Gardner Minshew II D+ (69.5) | LV vs. DEN
- Drake Maye D+ (69.0) | NE at MIA
- Anthony Richardson D+ (68.7) | IND vs. DET
- Matthew Stafford D+ (68.5) | LAR vs PHI
Week 12 QB Analysis
Anthony Richardson, IND (vs. DET)
- Grade: D+
It was another frustrating performance from Anthony Richardson as he posted his fourth grade of a D+ or below this season. After posting his best result of the season last week in the win over the New York Jets, he struggled to make any plays against a very good Detroit Lions defense. The Colts were the only team to fail to reach double-digit figures on the scoreboard in the 1 p.m. ET window, and Richardson’s play was a big part of that.
Richardson really struggled when passing from a clean pocket, and even though he was slightly better relatively when throwing under pressure, he still finished with a -0.1 EPA per dropback, which was among the worst in Week 12. It was also one of his worst performances in clutch situations this season, and his struggles inside the opposing half contributed to the Colts being held out of the end zone.
Baker Mayfield, TB (at NYG)
- Grade: B+
Baker Mayfield put together a solid performance in Week 12 with what he was asked to do. Most impressive was an incredible 83.3% third-down conversion rate, which tops our database for a single game since 2019. He also had 9.8 nYPA and a 0.58 EPA per dropback. The clutch numbers were good, and he added an impressive rushing touchdown for good measure.
BAKER TAKES FLIGHT TO THE END ZONE.
📺: #TBvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/bo6dDLA8y7— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
Bo Nix, DEN (at LV)
- Grade: C
After last week’s incredible performance, Bo Nix dropped back to his league-average level, which we have seen for the majority of the season. That is not to say he was bad this week, but it was just a level below the impressive performance we saw in Week 11. Nix continues to do enough to help guide this Broncos team to victories, and they are now 7-5 on the season.
Where Nix impressed this week was when under pressure, posting his second-best numbers of the season. His nYPA left something to be desired at just 6.2, but the rest of his numbers were largely above average this week.
Brandon Allen, SF (at GB)
- Grade: C
This was a tough assignment for Brandon Allen to go into Lambeau Field for his first start of the year. Allen made mistakes, but he also did some good stuff. His EPA per dropback was down at -0.22, and he converted just 25% of third-down/fourth-down opportunities. He did well in clutch spots but was below average when operating from a clean pocket or under pressure.
Bryce Young, CAR (vs. KC)
- Grade: C+
Bryce Young put together his best performance of the season and one of the best in his short career so far. That is now three C- or better grades in the last four games, as he starts to show the development the Carolina Panthers were desperate to see from him.
Young was really impressive when throwing under pressure this week, an area he has been good in over the last three weeks. This was also his best performance of the season in terms of nYPA and clutch situations. The Panthers may not have gotten the win, but Young’s performance was a great sign.
Caleb Williams, CHI (vs. MIN)
- Grade: C+
With his second C+ grade in a row, Caleb Williams seems to have his season back on track. This game was not as good as the one in Green Bay, and things did not really seem to start clicking fully until late into the second half. However, there is nothing negative in his metrics this week, with most ranking in the middle of the league or better.
The play of Williams in clutch situations was impressive, especially late in the game. That has been an area where he has had mixed performances this week, but he stepped up in a big way and helped keep his team in the game.
C.J. Stroud, HOU (vs. TEN)
- Grade: C-
The struggles continue for C.J. Stroud, who has not posted a C+ or better grade since Week 5. His performance in this game was all over the place. He did reasonably well when throwing under pressure, posting a positive EPA in those situations. However, he struggled when throwing from a clean pocket. Additionally, he converted on just 25% of third downs and was terrible in clutch situations.
Cooper Rush, DAL (at WAS)
- Grade: B-
After a tough couple of weeks, it was nice to see Cooper Rush have some success this week. He has been thrust into a tough situation, and it was starting to look ugly, but he put together a nice performance this week. Rush was superb in clutch situations and when making plays both from clean pockets and under pressure.
Rush’s biggest concerns will be a 14.3% conversion rate on third down and just 4.8 yards after the catch per completion (YAC/Cp). However, we do not expect perfection in this situation — he put together a strong week. That it came in a win will make it all the sweeter.
Drake Maye, NE (at MIA)
- Grade: D+
Unfortunately for Drake Maye, Week 12 saw him put together the worst performance of his rookie season. This is the second time we have seen Maye struggle from a clean pocket this season, and that is something he will not want to be a feature of his play. His play under pressure was also one of his worst this season, and he made some plays he would rather forget about.
Tyrel Dodson snags the INT with one hand!
📺: #NEvsMIA on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/fU88dok9sy— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
That all resulted in him posting some of his worst numbers in clutch situations, on third downs, and in terms of nYPA. At the end of the 1 p.m. ET slate, no quarterback had a lower EPA per dropback than Maye’s -0.26.
Gardner Minshew II, LV (vs. DEN)
- Grade: D+
This was one of Gardner Minshew II’s worst performances of the year, and it ultimately probably cost his team the game. He was among the worst in the league this week when under pressure, throwing from a clean pocket, on third down, and in terms of nYPA. His -0.23 EPA per dropback was inside the bottom five in the league this week. Whether it is the injury or a benching, now is surely the time for the Raiders to try something else.
Geno Smith, SEA (vs. ARI)
- Grade: C
Geno Smith is like clockwork at this point in his career. He has not posted a grade below a C- this season, and he has not posted a grade above a C+. We know exactly what we are going to get from him, and it means that the Seattle Seahawks can play their game around him. He impressed this week on third down, with a 50% conversion rate. However, he struggled when operating from a clean pocket, which slowed his offense down.
Jalen Hurts, PHI (at LAR)
- Grade: B-
The easiest thing to do was hand the ball off to Saquon Barkley, who rushed for a team-record 255 yards. Jalen Hurts had a good night himself, completing 17 of 22 passes for 179 yards and a score, keeping the Eagles in the lead most of the night. The Philadelphia Eagles kept pace with the Lions for the top NFC seed and took firm control over the NFC East.
Jameis Winston, CLE (vs. PIT)
- Grade: C
We saw some impressive plays from Jameis Winston in the Cleveland Browns’ Thursday Night Football win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, those flash plays were not enough to elevate his performance to anything other than average. The fourth-down conversions were eye-catching, but he still only converted 27.3% of his third-down/fourth-down situations.
Winston was good at making plays under pressure, ranking second in the league in those situations as of the end of the 1 p.m. ET slate. He was also reasonably good in clutch spots and in terms of nYPA, which should not be underestimated in those snowy weather conditions. The problem was that he struggled when he had a clean pocket and getting his receivers in space, with just 2.4 YAC/Cp.
Jared Goff, DET (at IND)
- Grade: C
It was a quietly simple performance from Jared Goff, who did not need to be at his best for the Lions to win in Indianapolis. This ranked as one of his worst performances of the season, but that says more about how good he has been across the majority of the year than anything negative about this performance. Nothing stood out as overly positive or negative in a very calm and controlled performance.
Jayden Daniels, WAS (vs. DAL)
- Grade: D+
Now, the alarm bells are starting to ring for Jayden Daniels and Washington Commanders fans. This is his second D+ grade in the last three weeks and his fourth C or below since his injury in Week 7. Of major concern was his play under pressure, which was by far his worst of the season. Daniels has had his three worst games in pressure situations in the last three weeks, suggesting teams are starting to figure out how to defend him.
Daniels converted only 27.3% of his third-down situations, and his clutch play was mediocre throughout the game, barring his touchdown run and the Terry McLaurin touchdown. He finished the game with a -0.2 EPA per dropback, which was among the worst in the league this week.
Jordan Love, GB (vs. SF)
- Grade: C
Jordan Love did not need to do much in this game, as the defense and the running game did all the hard work. He finished with a 44.4% third-down conversion rate and a 0.24 EPA per dropback, with Love stepping up when he needed to. This was a solid “do no wrong” type of game for Love, and he delivered a solid performance to support the team. He did make some beautiful throws, but they were footnotes.
Justin Herbert, LAC (vs. BAL)
- Grade: C-
This is going to feel like a game that slipped away for the Los Angeles Chargers, and Justin Herbert’s play will be part of the frustration. Against a mediocre defense, Herbert struggled to make plays from a clean pocket but had good moments when put under pressure and was forced to ad-lib.
Herbert struggled in clutch situations and ended with the fifth-worst nYPA (5.6) and the third-worst YAC/Cp of the week. This game was there for the taking, and the Chargers offense could not deliver.
Kyler Murray, ARI (at SEA)
- Grade: D+
The Arizona Cardinals looked very rusty coming out of their bye week, and Kyler Murray’s D+ performance epitomized that. Murray has been good under pressure this year, but he crumbled when asked to operate under pressure this week. His other numbers were around league average, but that pressure number was so bad it dragged his grade down to a D+.
Lamar Jackson, BAL (at LAC)
- Grade: B+
This was a nice bounce-back performance for Lamar Jackson after his struggles in Pittsburgh last week. A B+ grade may feel underwhelming compared to some of his weeks this season, but it is still the second-best performance of a largely underwhelming week.
Jackson finished the week second when under pressure, third in third-down conversions, and sixth from a clean pocket and in terms of nYPA. He was excellent in clutch situations and was the driving force once again behind the Ravens winning this week.
Matthew Stafford, LAR (vs. PHI)
- Grade: D+
It was not pretty on Sunday night, as Matthew Stafford was sacked early and often. He did complete 24 of 36 passes for 243 yards and two scores, but a lot of that was when the game was out of hand. The Los Angeles Rams were 0-for-8 on third downs and were held to 290 total yards.
Patrick Mahomes, KC (at CAR)
- Grade: B-
Patrick Mahomes managed to pull a win out of the fire for the Kansas City Chiefs, but it took him having his fourth-best performance of the season to squeak by the Carolina Panthers. His long run late in the game salvaged what had been a poor fourth quarter. However, outside of that, Mahomes played a really good game.
Mahomes posted solid numbers, both when making plays from a clean pocket and under pressure. He finished with a 0.26 EPA per dropback and a 54.5% third-down conversion rate. The fact that he played this well and the Chiefs only just won is very telling about where this team is right now.
Russell Wilson, PIT (at CLE)
- Grade: B-
Despite losing on Thursday Night Football, Russell Wilson did not play badly, posting a third game with a B- grade or above. Outside of a 4.1 YAC/Cp, there was not a lot that you can say was “bad” about what Wilson did. He converted on 50% of his third-down opportunities, had an 8.9 nYPA, and posted a 0.27 EPA per dropback. When you look at his numbers, it seems incredible they lost to a bad Cleveland Browns team.
Sam Darnold, MIN (at CHI)
- Grade: B
This was such a weird game for Sam Darnold, who played his best game of the season but ended up having to go to overtime to get a win. Darnold’s numbers are really good in most situations, including a top-three ranking when working from a clean pocket and a 45.5% third-down conversion rate. The Vikings will be delighted that when their defense and special teams stumbled, Darnold was able to step up and lead them to a win.
Tommy DeVito, NYG (vs. TB)
- Grade: D
Being dropped into a bad offense in Week 12 was never going to be easy for Tommy DeVito. The one bright spot was that they were facing a bad Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense. Unfortunately, DeVito could not take advantage of that, struggling across the board this week. The one positive was that he converted on 40.5% of third-down opportunities and was reasonably good in clutch spots.
Ultimately, DeVito will have to play better quickly, or the New York Giants will likely turn to Drew Lock as their starter at some point.
Tua Tagovailoa, MIA (vs. NE)
- Grade: B-
Tua Tagovailoa continued his very good streak since returning from his concussion injury. He now has three B- or better grades in the last four weeks and has not posted a grade below a C since he returned in Week 8. Tua was good this week in clutch spots and when operating out of a clean pocket. He finished with a 0.25 EPA per dropback and above-average numbers in most metrics.
Will Levis, TEN (at HOU)
- Grade: C
It was a volatile week for Will Levis, but there were plenty of positives to take from it. It was his second straight C- grade, continuing to show a solid level of performance. There is more he needs to prove, and we saw another big mistake that was nearly costly.
Levis’ performance was split between incredible numbers from a clean pocket and an nYPA of 9.9. He was helped by getting 8.1 YAC/Cp from his receivers, which helped him and the Titans avoid being hurt by his mistakes. Levis really struggled when throwing under pressure and in clutch spots. This was his worst performance since Week 3 when under pressure and the worst of the season in clutch spots.