Aaron Rodgers was using excessive after beating the Houston Texans in Week 9. He’d unlocked the total functionality of Garrett Wilson and had thrown a season-high three landing passes in an upset primetime win. It was just one sport, but it surely showcased the promise the New York Jets had seen once they traded for a quarterback about to hit his fifth decade on this planet again in 2023.
This excessive didn’t final. Rodgers and the Jets had been saved out of the tip zone fully in Week 10 in opposition to an underwhelming Arizona Cardinals protection. This was a serious disappointment. However was Rodgers essentially the most disappointing quarterback of Week 10?
Thankfully, we’ve bought a metric that may assist determine that out.
Utilizing the superior stat anticipated factors added (EPA) can gauge how a lot a quarterback brings to the desk in comparison with a typical participant. By evaluating every passer’s Week 10 EPA in opposition to their 2024 common to this point we get a greater image of simply how irritating their performances had been. And we are able to discover each of these because of The Athletic’s Ben Baldwin and his extremely helpful stats websites RBSDM.com and HabitatRing.com.
This can be a metric that gauges disappointment based mostly on what we’d sometimes count on. Daniel Jones had a damaging EPA in Week 10 whereas shedding to the Carolina Panthers, however his -4.4 was nonetheless higher than his season-long common of -5.0 EPA per sport, so he missed the record. Who was the worst? There have been a number of candidates however just one man can actually name himself the grossest quarterback of Week 10.
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5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Thomas B. Shea-Imagn Pictures
2024 anticipated factors added (EPA) per sport: 4.8
Week 10 EPA: -1.5
Distinction: 6.3 factors worse
Goff accomplished 10 passes in his first half in opposition to the Houston Texans. Three had been to guys carrying Battle Purple uniforms.
In equity, one got here on a final second Hail Mary and the opposite two had been deflected. This nonetheless confirmed an uncharacteristic lack of pocket consciousness from the veteran quarterback who’d thrown 11 touchdowns with out an interception over his earlier 5 video games.
DEFENSE GOING CRAZY 🤯 TO’OTO’O WITH THE TAKEAWAY
📺: @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/ZL6nRv6jEq
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) November 11, 2024
The contemporary begin of the second half lasted lower than two minutes earlier than decide No. 4 — this one from the purple zone to wipe out a scoring alternative. A fifth interception adopted.
Then the Lions got here again from a 16-point halftime deficit anyway. I’m undecided precisely the way you cease Detroit if 5 interceptions can’t do it.
4. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Pictures
2024 anticipated factors added (EPA) per sport: -1.3
Week 10 EPA: -8.4
Distinction: 7.1 factors worse
Rodgers had an amazing alternative in opposition to a backside 5 passing protection. As an alternative, he failed to seek out the tip zone, falling 31-6 to the Arizona Cardinals and leaving the Jets one defeat away from a ninth-straight shedding file.
Rodgers gained a web 128 yards on 38 dropbacks. He accomplished a single go that traveled greater than 10 yards downfield. Behold, the go chart of a sport supervisor!
through nextgenstats.nfl.com
New York traded away a number of excessive worth draft picks, then spent two seasons including former Rodgers teammates of various capacity simply to wind up with Davis Mills behind middle in Arizona.
3. Joe Flacco, Indianapolis Colts
Grace Smith/IndyStar
2024 anticipated factors added (EPA) per sport: 0.9
Week 10 EPA: -11.9
Distinction: 12.8 factors worse
The Flacco of 2023, who launched bombs and propelled the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs, is lifeless. The Flacco of 2024 seems to be way more just like the fading veteran to whom we’d come accustomed as a New York Jet and Denver Bronco.
His very first play of the sport noticed him clean Taron Johnson, sitting beneath in protection ready to show Flacco’s mistake into six hard-fought factors.
LET’S GOOOO, @Taronj11‼️
📺: @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/akSrbn7rf6
— Buffalo Payments (@BuffaloBills) November 10, 2024
One drive later, Flacco threw one other interception — this time in Buffalo territory to snuff out a possible scoring drive. Issues improved from there, however the 39-year-old couldn’t full a Colts comeback, taking a brutal sack on fourth down within the purple zone in what was a 20-13 sport, then successfully sealing this one along with his third decide of the day. After churning this sport movie, it might be Anthony Richardson’s flip within the beginning lineup as soon as extra.
2. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
David Banks-Imagn Pictures
2024 anticipated factors added (EPA) per sport: -3.9
Week 10 EPA: -18.2
Distinction: 14.3 factors worse
The New England Patriots and a backside 10 protection allowed Williams an exquisite alternative to throw his first landing go since October 13. As an alternative, the Bears had been held out of the tip zone altogether because of an offensive line that allowed its younger quarterback to be sacked 9 occasions.
99 + 41 = the fifth Pats sack immediately ‼️
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/ppqt8toDbk
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 10, 2024
Williams had little room to function in opposition to a backside 10 go rush. D’Andre Swift couldn’t discover lanes as a result of his blockers had been getting smothered by a protection that had given up 100-plus dashing yards every of the final seven video games. The tip end result was 39 dropbacks and 69 web passing yards. Every time Matt Eberflus dialed up a passing play, it averaged fewer than two yards of ahead progress.
Williams didn’t full a single go that traveled greater than 10 yards downfield. He solely tried 4.
1. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Amber Searls-Imagn Pictures
2024 anticipated factors added (EPA) per sport: 9.3
Week 10 EPA: -7.2
Distinction: 16.5 factors worse
Daniels wasn’t the worst quarterback of Week 10, however his unbelievable begin left him with extra room to fall than every other passer within the league. Whereas he was capable of unfold the sphere and made Terry McLaurin look nice as soon as extra:
Jayden Daniels stands within the pocket, takes an enormous hit and STILL drops an absolute rainbow into a good window for Terry McLaurin. absolute stud habits pic.twitter.com/fybQBYKFVX
— Christian D’Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 10, 2024
The accuracy and effectivity that outlined his rise to rookie of the yr frontrunner washed away with the sport on the road. Daniels had three drives within the closing 17 minutes wherein any factors would have pushed the Commanders’ result in two possessions and made a Pittsburgh Steelers comeback most unlikely. He gained two first downs between them (although a 3rd was negated by a genuinely baffling fourth down spot in his closing snap of the afternoon).
Daniels’s line over these closing three drives? 9 makes an attempt, 4 completions, 49 passing yards, one dashing yard and a sack for a lack of 11. 11 performs and 39 web yards with the sport on the road. Tough scene.
Nonetheless, it’s merely a pace bump in opposition to a veteran-laden prime 10 protection. Daniels will probably be again. Sunday’s setback simply provides him a decrease perch from which he’ll fall if he donks up once more subsequent week.
