The ESPN QBR (Quarterback Rating) after Week 5 of the 2024 season is a scene to witness. Currently, it is the Bills’ QB, Josh Allen, who maintains his hold on the top spot with a 77.5 rating.
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Joe Burrow stands at No.2, with a 73.6 rating, having jumped from position 6, despite a Week 5 loss. It is a rookie QB who enters the MVP discussion at third position for this week. Jayden Daniels takes the final spot in the Top 3, with a 73.2 rating.
All three quarterbacks evidently seem a step ahead of their competitors based on this week’s ratings. In points contributed to their team’s wins, the Bengals’ starter ranks highest at 18.6, with Daniels and Allen following him at 17.9 and 17.1 respectively.
Where the individual numbers of Burrow favor him above others, it is the performance of his team that puts the quarterback behind Allen. Opposite is the case with the Commanders’ QB, whose strong offense allows him to find the ground to improve his stats as well.
The Bengals’ 1-4 record in comparison to the Commanders’ reverse 4-1 standing and the Bills’ stable 3-2 narrates the full story.
However, according to ESPN, the rating is intended to “incorporate all of a quarterback’s contributions to winning, including how he impacts the game on passes, rushes, turnovers, and penalties.” Burrow can be seen having an edge over young QB Daniels in the majority of these factors.
In the overview of their stats across the five games played as well, the Cincinnati QB has a dominant picture to paint for the spectators. With 1370 passing yards covered, and most TDs this season (12), Burrow ranks 6th in the QB list based on stats.
Daniels comes 12th in the list, with 1135 yards to his name, alongside 4 TDs, and 2 Interceptions. Allen falls far behind in the discussion based on yardage, ranking 22nd on the list with 945 yards, 8 TDs, and zero interceptions.
While the MVP discussion has a long way to go, all three QBs seem to be competing rigorously for the title. While Burrow has the edge in the individual stats, Allen takes the lead when his contributions to a win are incorporated together. Daniels soon follows in the conversation with the dominance his performance and team has shown with the 4-1 record.
Amidst the early lead taken by Cincinnati and Buffalo’s quarterbacks, eyes subsequently turn toward the other big names in the league, like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
Too late for Mahomes and Lamar to take the QBR lead?
The two of the biggest names in the NFL, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, have fairly been less spoken about for individual excellence this season. The current QBR of both the stars gives an insight into why that might be the case.
Where Jackson ranks 6th in the QBR list after Week 5 with a 67.1 rating, Mahomes shockingly stands 16th on the list, with a 55.8 rating. Mahomes’ contributions to the five close victories of the Chiefs have been comparatively low to how much the Ravens depend on Lamar.
This shows the prominence of the Ravens QB in his offense and the division of tasks in the Kansas City team. The individual stats of the players bring in this perspective as well.
Mahomes has covered 1235 yards, even more than even Allen and Daniels, along with 8 TDs. It is the 6 interceptions, though, that raise a concern for the QB. Lamar, on the other hand, has covered 1206 passing yards, with 9 TDs and just 1 interception.
Despite all, the NFL season remains far from over. Thus, concluding the MVP just five weeks into the season seems unlikely, with more opportunities in the future for Mahomes and Jackson to overtake the current top QBs.
