After an impressive start to his NFL career, Daniel Jones had a trio of lackluster outings until he faced the Detroit Lions in Week 8.
The rookie looked the part all afternoon, as he made a handful of high-caliber throws against pressure and when he needed to get beyond his first read.
Meanwhile, Allen had been mostly solid starting for the Panthers but was completely overwhelmed in a blowout loss to the 49ers in San Francisco.
It's already Week 9, so who'll win division races? How are preseason win-total bets stacking up? John Breech, Ryan Wilson and Sean-Wagner McGough join Will Brinson to break everything down on the Pick Six Podcast. Listen below and be sure to subscribe for daily NFL goodness.
Each week, I dig deep and grade these quarterbacks on a per-snap basis, taking every individual aspect of their performance into account. And you'll see a season grade for the signal-callers who've played significant snaps in more than one game.
Daniel Jones, Giants
Jones was sharp for the vast majority of New York's loss in Detroit. He looks very comfortable operating Pat Shurmur's offense.
After a ripped comeback at the sticks by the boundary to Cody Latimer to start, Jones misfired deep to Saquon Barkley. Against what looked like Cover 2, Jones tried to fit the ball between the flat defender and the half-field safety and was picked by the latter, but Tracy Walker couldn't get his feet in bounds.
Jones made quality throws back to back on the next drive, a long throw into the flat to Barkley for a first down and an 18-yard laser to Evan Engram with inside pressure mounting. After hitting Golden Tate in stride on a slant from the slot on 3rd and 4, Jones threw a good pass to Darius Slayton on a slot fade for a touchdown. The ball probably should've been a little closer to the sideline, but he gave his receiver a chance to make a play, and he did.
While Jones didn't throw with a set base, he did scan all the way across the field while moving up into the pocket before finding Bennie Fowler for a 12-yard gain near the right sideline and dropped a dime to Slayton on a perimeter go route for another touchdown. It was an impressive start for Danny Dimes, or the nickname I prefer, Steely Dan.
In the third quarter, in which he panicked a bit and left the pocket when it was still clean, he somehow fit the ball into Tate on a scramble drill that looked like it was intercepted. There was a nice back-shoulder jump ball to Tate on a slot fade in which Jones started the play looking left before coming back to his right. Despite carving Detroit's third-down defense for most of the day, Jones retreated immediately after catching the snap against a blitz on a play that ended with a pass batted at the line. From a clean pocket in the fourth, Jones looked right then came all the way back to the numbers on the left side of the field and threw a rocket to Tate for nine yards.
He was sacked on back-to-back plays midway through the fourth, the first he had no chance on, as his left tackle was beat instantly. The second, he held the ball and didn't move up and to the left inside the pocket early enough. Jones was nearly picked by an undercutting defensive back on an out route to Tate on 4th and 6 in a 12-point game.
On the following drive, Jones lofted a brilliant corner route from the slot to Latimer, who just got both feet in bounds. Jones finished with a ripped slant to Tate through traffic and against pressure, and his fourth touchdown was a wide open throw to Barkley in the flat. While not facing a stingy defense, this was easily Jones' finest performance as a pro.
Grade: B+
Season Grade: C+
Josh Allen, Bills
Buffalo was steamrolled by Philadelphia in Week 8, and after the first quarter, Allen struggled for most of the rest of the game.
He was strip sacked on the first drive after Fletcher Cox instantly beat the right guard. Two drives later, Allen made a nice throw on a designed rollout to his left to John Brown for a first down. A few plays later, he was patient inside the pocket and moved through his progressions to it get to Brown just beyond the sticks near the sideline.
On his short touchdown to Cole Beasley, Allen moved up and out of the pocket -- when he really didn't need to -- but found the slot wideout open for the score. He ripped a pass to Tyler Kroft on a wheel route just before the defender arrived for a 20-yard gain. That drive stalled on what looked like a miscommunication with Beasley on third down.
Throwing into a strong wind, Allen's long-ball attempt to Robert Foster fell woefully short, and he fumbled on a designed quarterback run on 3rd down a few plays later. Before the end of the half, Allen threw a rope to Brown near the sideline for 12 and scrambled for 15 to set up a field goal attempt.
In the third quarter, after locating Brown down the field on a sprint out and lofting a touch throw on a short cross to Beasley, Allen threw short to Brown on a sideline comeback then got it to Devin Singletary in the flat, and the rookie ran through a tackle attempt for the touchdown. After that, Allen and Buffalo's offense couldn't really move the football in this one. He was pressured on back-to-back plays after Philadelphia muffed a punt, and the latter play resulted in a sack, although he probably didn't need to move up into the pocket as far as he did.
On 4th and 10, he threw a deep in-breaking route a tick late to Brown that was knocked away by Ronald Darby. In the fourth, Allen threw a tad wide to Duke Williams, targeted Kroft down the field when he was covered then threw short on a deep comeback when he was under heavy pressure. Later, he moved up then back against pressure but didn't feel the edge rusher and fumbled as he was sacked. Allen threw a few incompletions on the last drive. In rainy and windy weather, against a strong defensive line, he and Buffalo's blocking unit had problems after the first quarter.
Grade: C-
Season Grade: C+
Kyler Murray, Cardinals
Murray took what the Saints gave him for most of the game -- a lot of underneath stuff against zone -- and put some quality throws on film. However, the pass rush was too much.
On the Cardinals' second play from scrimmage, Kliff Kingsbury dialed up a throwback flea-flicker, and Murray threw a rope to Charles Clay for 47 yards down the field. It led to a field goal and was Arizona's only drive of the first quarter.
After a swing pass to Chase Edmonds on a second down in the next quarter, Murray placed the football perfectly in the hands of Trent Sherfield on a back-shoulder throw, but the ball was knocked away. On the next drive, Murray was on fire. He ripped two slants to Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk on consecutive plays before beaming a laser to Clay down the numbers through zone coverage.
On 3rd and 5 inside the red zone, Murray lofted a gorgeous ball to Fitzgerald on a slot fade, but the veteran couldn't get both feet in bounds for what would've been a highlight reel touchdown. After some easy underneath completions against zone to start the third, Murray spun out of a pressure from Cam Jordan but drastically underthrew his target near the sideline on a scramble drill. After finding Kirk standing by himself near the first-down marker on a 2nd and 17, Murray airmailed an easy throw into the flat to Edmonds that would've moved the chains.
Murray's arm strength was on full display after rolling right then firing all the way across the field to an open Clay for 22 yards. Later in the third, Murray avoided a free rusher to his right and nearly was picked near the front corner of the end zone on a target to Kirk. He threw wide on a 3rd and 9 attempt toward the sideline in the early stages of the fourth quarter but on the next drive frantically moved into Jordan coming off the edge yet escaped and found Kirk just in bounds for a first down. His last throw of the day was behind an in-breaker to Fitzgerald. While not spectacular, Murray more than held his own, against a strong defense, on the road.
Grade: B-
Cumulative Grade: C+
Mason Rudolph, Steelers
The beginning of Dolphins-Steelers wasn't pretty for Rudolph, as he was intercepted on his first pass, an underthrown target to JuJu Smith-Schuster. On a playaction rollout, he nearly hit Donte Moncrief, who ran across the field but was out of bounds when he made the catch down the field.
On 2nd and 20, Rudolph threw a jump ball to James Washington that was in the receiver's hands but not corralled, and it was picked, but the defender's right foot was on the boundary. Rudolph then threw behind Washington on an in-breaking route on fourth down. At the start of the second, a go route to Smith-Schuster was knocked away by Xavien Howard, and as Rudolph was being taken to the ground, he found James Conner, who scampered for a first down but the play was nullified by penalty. That drive ended when Rudolph waited in the pocket too long and fumbled after being hit.
Deep in his own end, in a 14-0 hole after a bad first quarter, on 3rd and 11, Rudolph threw an anticipatory strike to Diontae Johnson, a comeback near the sideline to pick up the first down. On the same drive, Rudolph dropped a dime down the field on 3rd and 5 to Smith-Schuster for a 34-yard gain. He had a dig route knocked away on a play in which he was hit as he threw, and the pass needed to be out in front of Washington.
On the next play, Rudolph stood in and threw a perfect back-shoulder pass to Smith-Schuster from the slot to pick up the 3rd and 12. He then placed the ball outstandingly deep down the right sideline to Johnson but the play was overturned due to a hand-fighting offensive pass interference penalty.
After eluding a sack, Rudolph quickly got the ball to Johnson over the middle on an absolutely mind-blowing defensive play call from the Dolphins. Miami sent the house and had three defenders in the secondary, and Johnson ran for about 40 yards for the score. In the third, Rudolph had a late pass on an in-breaking route knocked away at the last second but later got it to Washington deep over the middle to convert a 2nd and 20. On that same drive, he made a long throw to Johnson on a third-down comeback to move the sticks before getting the ball to Smith-Schuster in a jump-ball situation for a touchdown.
He just overthrew Johnson midway through the fourth on what would've been a long score and had a long ball go through the hands of Washington on the next play. The start to the game was shaky for Rudolph, and while he was far from outstanding, he weathered the storm and made a handful of quality throws after the first quarter.
Grade: C-
Season Grade: C+
Kyle Allen, Panthers
Allen and the Panthers ran into a buzz saw in San Francisco. Plain and simple.
After a nice throw with zip and anticipation to Greg Olsen early in the game, Allen overthrew Curtis Samuel deep in the end zone. Early in the second, he was intercepted when he threw late and inside on a comeback route down the numbers.
On a second and long in the second quarter, Allen waited but ultimately left a clean pocket to his left and was sacked for big loss. Later in the first half, deep in his own territory on 3rd and 4, the second-year pro lofted a beautiful ball downfield to Christian McCaffrey for 24 yards but threw off-target on a long ball attempt to Samuel on the next play and was sacked on third down to end that drive.
He completed a long throw to Samuel over an underneath defender and in front of a safety near the sideline. After a drop on an open out route, Allen tried to vacate the pocket but was promptly sacked by Nick Bosa. Following some incompletions -- one on a rollout and one on a miscommunication on a short throw -- Allen unleashed a deep ball into double coverage that missed everyone. With Bosa wreaking havoc, Carolina's offense resorted to quick passes to wideouts for a while, and Allen had two more miscommunications on a drive with the score 34-13.
On 2nd and 12 deep in his own end, Allen was nearly picked by the underneath defender on a comeback toward the sideline then was intercepted by Richard Sherman on the next play, seemingly another miscommunication with his intended target. Bosa capped a ridiculous afternoon on Allen's first throw on the next drive by fighting off a chop block attempt and picking Allen's swing pass.
With the score 44-13 midway through the fourth, Allen found a void in the zone deep down the field to Samuel then threw a long ball just out of bounds to D.J. Moore. Allen had a creative spin away from pressure late in the fourth, but threw it at the feet of his checkdown. After throwing behind a shallow cross on 3rd and long, he was sacked, a fitting end to the type of day he had.
Grade: D
Season Grade: C
Dwayne Haskins
Haskins came off the bench to start the second half for an injured Case Keenum and had a rough go of it against a sturdy defense, on the road, on a short week.
His first third-down attempt was wide of a covered Trey Quinn. He somehow fit a ball into Adrian Peterson on a checkdown over the middle that looked like was intercepted by a charging Eric Kendricks. He was then picked when he threw too high for Terry McLaurin over the middle, although the ball did glance off the rookie wideout's hands. In the fourth quarter, Haskins was sacked after he left a clean pocket, which was ultimately his last snap of the game.
Grade: D
Season Grade: F
Sam Darnold, Jets
Darnold got out to a hot start agains the Jaguars but fizzled after the first quarter.
Darnold found Ryan Griffin open over the middle for a chunk play early in the game before a zing to Robby Anderson an in-breaking route against zone coverage that went for a first down. His touchdown was a dump off to Griffin on 3rd and 2, and his tight end did the rest. It was an impressive start.
On the second drive, Darnold looked left before coming back to the middle to fit the ball to Griffin against tight coverage. Somewhat risky. On the next play, he eluded pressure after a shallow drop from under center and forced a pass to the sideline that was intercepted. The throw was too far to the inside. At the start of the first quarter, he was sacked by Yannick Ngakoue when he didn't step up into the pocket although the pressure was there relatively quickly.
Later in the second, Darnold was flushed out of the pocket to the right and fumbled as he started to scramble, but the ball rolled out of bounds. Near the end of the half, Darnold threw short on an intermediate crosser then was sacked on third down on a play in which he really didn't have a chance, as two Jacksonville defenders were almost instantly in his lap. After a few short completions to pick up a first down, the second-year quarter was sacked on consecutive plays, one a slow-developing playaction fake and the other a play in which he didn't drift up into the pocket.
With the score 22-7 before the end of the third, Darnold uncorked his best throw of the day, an anticipatory out route to Demaryius Thomas for a first down near the boundary. Thomas then made an awesome adjustment on an unthrown back-shoulder toss inside the 5-yard-line before Darnold moved left, kept a solid base, and found Griffin open in the left flat for the score.
On 2nd and 24 deep in his own end, Darnold overthrew a long ball down the seam that was intercepted by A.J. Bouye. On his final meaningful drive of the contest, Darnold hit Thomas on an in-breaker before and had an incompletion before getting picked on an throw toward the sideline that again was left too far to the inside and didn't have enough velocity. Darnold, on 4th down with the score 29-15 with 2:22 seconds remaining, actually threw a good pass on a deep corner route that was narrowly out of the reach of Jamison Crowder. While his completion percentage was high, Darnold had plenty of issues in this game after the opening drive. He was under siege for most of the contest.
Grade: D+
Season Grade: C-
Gardner Minshew, Jaguars
Minshew wasn't outrageously good in Jacksonville's win, but made enough plays offensively to help his team get to .500 on the season.
His touchdown to Keelan Cole was a relatively easy throw into the back of the end zone to wide open receiver, but the rookie quarterback did wait inside the pocket.
On his second drive, Minshew moved up into the pocket off playaction and started to scramble when it was slightly unnecessary then threw a dangerous pass over the middle to D.J. Chark that was broken up and nearly picked.
Minshew's 70-yard touchdown to Chris Conley was an awesome display of the quarterback's improvisational skills. He shook Jamal Adams off him and found a wide open Conley behind the defense. The throw itself wasn't difficult, but breaking free from the safety was.
After throwing slightly behind Josh Oliver on a pass that fell incomplete over the middle, Minshew failed to step into the pocket and fumbled. Yikes. On a 3rd and 4 deep in his own end, Minshew threw a gorgeous deep corner to Chark against man coverage for a sizable gain then threw with anticipation on a 14-yard out to Conley to pick up another first down. Inside the 10, Minshew bought time but danced around before throwing the ball high into the back right corner of the end zone.
To get the Jaguars into field goal range before half time, Minshew threw a nice dig to Chark but the next three passes hit the turf, the last one was broken up on a slant that simply wasn't there. Inside the red zone, Minshew threw low on a rollout to his right then was a tad late on an in-breaker to Chark, a set of incompletions that led to a field goal. Following two good but decently easy throws outside the numbers, Minshew couldn't connect on back-to-back throws, leading to a punt.
Minshew sealed the game midway through the fourth when he left a clean pocket inside the 10, back-juked a defender and found Chark standing alone in the front corner of the end zone. Not dazzling from Minshew but mostly solid.
Grade: C+
Season Grade: B-
Baker Mayfield, Browns
The Browns faced an extremely difficult test coming off their bye, as they headed into Foxboro to play the Patriots in a steady rain, and the results weren't very pretty.
Mayfield started with a nice slide away from pressure as he stepped up into the pocket but was unable to reset his feet to drive the football on a long throw near the sideline, and it was caught but Antonio Callaway was out of bounds. On the next play, he zinged a pass over Jarvis Landry's head on a slant.
After consecutive Nick Chubb fumbles put Mayfield in a 10-0 hole near the end of the first quarter, he tried a tap pass to Landry on a play in which Lawrence Guy penetrated the backfield almost immediately and picked it off. After a slew of quick passes through the second quarter, Mayfield fit one between defenders over the middle to Landry. The throw was perfectly placed with plenty of velocity.
Mayfield pulled the Browns within 10 when he waited inside the pocket and found Demetrius Harris near the end zone with Dont'a Hightower in coverage. There wasn't much more passing of substance in the first half from Mayfield, yet he started the third quarter with a rope on an out-breaking route between two defenders to an open Landry for 21 yards and just underthrew Harris down the field off playaction later. With the pocket collapsing around him, after a pump fake, he threw a laser to Callaway at the intermediate range for a nice gain but was sacked on third down on a play in which he morphed into a running back pretty quickly after not liking what he initially saw downfield.
Mayfield threw a decent back-shoulder ball to Odell Beckham down the field that was dropped. Midway through the fourth, Mayfield overthrew Beckham on a deep corner route and didn't have enough arm strength to rip the football to Landry on a long out route before finding his veteran slot receiver on a rollout. On the next play, Mayfield fit it into Beckham for 31 yards a split second before a ranging defensive back could break up the pass. His day ended with a sack and a miscommunication with Rashard Higgins on a slant. Considering the weather and the defense he was facing, Mayfield played his best game of the season.
Grade: B
Season Grade: C+
