(Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports)
Andrew Luck. Colin Kaepernick. Eli Manning. Andy Dalton. Joe Flacco. Matt Ryan.
In this group we have three Super Bowl rings, seven Pro Bowl appearances and approximately $374 million in NFL contract value.
During Sunday’s afternoon action, this group completed a collective 55% of their passes, threw for an average 195 yards per game (1170 altogether) and compiled a combined seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions and two lost fumbles. And two players in this group even managed to win their respective games.
It’s a far cry from Week 1 of the season, when the league’s quarterbacks set records for the most touchdown passes and passing yards ever thrown in any week in NFL history. That pace has barely slowed, with 13 400-yard passing performances happening in the following eight weeks.
Then Week 10 came along. While the Raiders’ Terrelle Pryor found his way onto our “Bad” list thanks to his stinker in MetLife Stadium, any of the six players mentioned above could have reasonably been given that designation. And all of those guys are supposed to be among the league’s better signal-callers.
Strike this Sunday’s afternoon games as a win for many of the league’s pass defenses. The gaudy numbers will certainly be back very soon.
On to our list of good and bad from Sunday’s first eleven games.
The Good: Tavon Austin
The rookie playmaker finally paid dividends on the investment the Rams made with the eighth overall pick in April, returning a punt 98 yards for a touchdown and breaking free for two long touchdown grabs (57 and 81 yards, respectively). The three scores helped contribute to St. Louis’ surprising 38-8 rout over Indianapolis but may have also given the West Virginia product some confidence to build on heading into the season’s final seven games.
(Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY)
The Bad: Arian Foster
Houston’s Pro Bowl running back will not complete his fourth consecutive season with more than 1200 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Foster will undergo season-ending back surgery to fix a ruptured disk he initially suffered in training camp. The team will attempt to replace Foster’s production – he’d been fighting injuries all season – with Ben Tate, but it’s just another setback in a season of many for the reigning AFC South champs, who dropped to 2-7 with a loss to Arizona.
(Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports)
The Good: Nick Foles
The Eagles quarterback made his case for the team’s full-time starting job with a seven touchdown performance against the Raiders last week. He didn’t hurt the argument in Sunday’s 27-13 win over the Packers, as Foles was an efficient 12 of 18 for 228 yards and three touchdowns. He’s now thrown for 16 touchdowns and zero interceptions on the season. More importantly, four of the Eagles’ five wins have occurred in games where the second-year player has attempted more than 15 passes. He may not be the prototypical quarterback to run Chip Kelly’s offense, but he’s definitely been effective in doing it lately.
(Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports)
The Bad: Terrelle Pryor
Oakland’s signal-caller seems to be having an opposite string of fortune than Foles, throwing eight interceptions since his last touchdown pass, which occurred in the first quarter of the Raiders’ Week 6 loss to Kansas City. Pryor was even worse than Eli Manning in Oakland’s 24-20 loss to the Giants Sunday, completing just 42.3 percent of his passes for 122 yards and an interception. Pryor also committed a key fumble on a sack on the Raiders’ final drive late in the fourth quarter. Save an early QB sneak for a touchdown, Pryor’s vaunted running skills remained dormant as well.
(Jim Brown/USA TODAY Sports)
The Good:Will Blackmon
With 2:32 left in the game between Jacksonville and Tennessee, Jaguars cornerback Will Blackmon made a strip sack on Titans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, then recovered the fumble for a 21-yard touchdown. The turnover gave the Jaguars a 29-20 lead and served as crucial insurance in securing Jacksonville’s first win of the season when the Titans brought the deficit to 29-27 with 40 seconds left in the game.
(AP)
The Bad: James Ihedigbo
Often a Hail Mary is assigned as part of a penance for one’s sins. The Baltimore Ravens safety might spend some time in practice this week atoning for how he defended a different type of Hail Mary. Instead of batting Andy Dalton’s last-second heave towards the ground, Ihedigbo mimicked a volleyball set, popping the ball into the air where only Bengals receiver A.J. Green could grab it for a game-tying touchdown. Ihedigbo’s mistake sent the game into overtime, where Baltimore was able to lessen the error’s impact on a game-winning 47-yard field goal by Justin Tucker.
(Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports)
The Good: Nick Fairley
After a roughing the passer penalty on teammate Willie Young gave the Bears a second chance at a game-tying two-point conversion with 40 seconds left in the game, Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley anticipated a handoff and stuffed Chicago running back Matt Forte in the backfield to clinch a 21-19 win.
(USA TODAY Sports Images)
The Bad: William Moore
The Atlanta Falcons safety was caught by a photographer in mid-trucking by Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. “Beast Mode” ran for 145 yards and a touchdown as Seattle’s 33-10 win dropped Atlanta to 2-7 on the year. The team’s bad fortunes certainly go beyond its fifth year Pro Bowl safety, but he’s the one who was captured in the one frame that illustrates the Falcons’ horrible season.
(Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
The Good: Luke Kuechly
The Carolina linebacker starred as his team shut down the 49ers 10-9, leading the team with 11 tackles, a sack and a pass deflection. With five wins in a row, the Panthers defense has established itself as one of the best in the NFL, with the second-year player from Boston College emerging as its star.
(Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports)
The Bad: C.J. Spiller
Because we’re sick of harping on Ray Rice’s inability to gain more than two yards per carry, we look to the Buffalo tailback, who gained only 23 yards on eight carries in the Bills’ 23-10 loss to the Steelers. Pittsburgh had the second-worst run defense in the league coming into the game, but Spiller and Fred Jackson’s combined 95-yard day (50 yards below their season average) ought to change that ranking.
Check out pictures from around the NFL this week.
General view of a United States flag on the field during the playing of the national anthem before the NFL game between the Oakland Raiders and the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
San Francisco 49ers cheerleaders walk around the stadium before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Candlestick Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
SSG Tokuda Bailey and SSG Damien Johnson hand out flags and request donations for Operation Care and Comfort at Candlestick Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) goes down for a sack against the Oakland Raiders at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Oakland Raiders cornerback Tracy Porter (23) intercepts a pass for a touchdown agains the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy talks with Green Bay Packers quarterback Scott Tolzien (16) during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz (86) celebrates the touchdown with Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (10) during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate (81) is tackled by Atlanta Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud (28) and linebacker Joplo Bartu (59) and linebacker Akeem Dent (52) after a long gain during the second quarter at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate (81) makes a catch for a touchdown under pressure from Atlanta Falcons cornerback Robert Alford (23) in the first half at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
St. Louis Rams quarterback (10) reacts to throwing a long touchdown pass against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith (99) prepares for warm ups before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Candlestick Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati Bengals safety Reggie Nelson (20) is called for pass interference against Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (89) catches a touchdown behind Buffalo Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) throws in the first quarter against the Oakland Raiders at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports