NFL 2020 Quarterback Power Rankings heading into Week 12

The Week 12 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings bring some significant shakeups in the top-16. Russell Wilson regained a spot in the top-three while Andy Dalton and Taysom Hill left memorable impressions during their first significant action in weeks. Derek Carr also continued his climb up the rankings as the Las Vegas Raiders proved once again they can stand toe-to-toe with the NFL’s best teams.

Check out last week’s power rankings for a better perspective on this article.

1. Patrick Mahomes 34/45 348 yards, two touchdowns, one interception

Last week’s ranking: 1

Outside of an interception thrown deep in Las Vegas territory, Mahomes had another outstanding performance. The new MVP frontrunner completed 75.56% of his pass attempts against the improving Raiders defense as the Kansas City Chiefs avenged their one loss of the year. With under two minutes left, Mahomes drove down the field and scored a game-winning touchdown to give Kansas City a 35-31 lead.

2. Russell Wilson 23/28 197 yards, two touchdowns, 42 rushing yards

Last week’s ranking: 4

After throwing multiple interceptions in three of his past four games, Wilson rebounded against the Arizona Cardinals. The former MVP frontrunner isn’t entirely out of the award race yet, but his ten interceptions are hard to stomach. However, if Wilson continues completing 82.14% of his passes and posting a 119.8 passer rating, like he did against Arizona, the veteran might regain his crown atop the Quarterback Power Rankings.

3. Aaron Rodgers 21/38 311 yards, three touchdowns, one interception, one fumble lost

Last week’s ranking: 2

While Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers took the Indianapolis Colts to overtime, Matt LaFleur’s team suffered their third loss. The Packers might’ve still pulled out a win if Philip Rivers hadn’t matched Rodgers’ performance. Rodgers posted his ninth game with a passer rating over 100.0 this season, but it marked the first time he threw interceptions in back-to-back games.

4. Deshaun Watson 28/37 344 yards, two touchdowns, 36 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown

Last week’s ranking: 9

Last week, Watson had one of his worst games this season. After losing 10-7 to Cleveland in Week 10, Houston rebounded with a 27-20 win over the New England Patriots. Watson had his second-best game this year, completing 75.68% of his pass attempts and posting a 121.9 passer rating. He also led the Texans in rushing yards.

5. Ben Roethlisberger 32/46 267 yards, two touchdowns, one interception

Last week’s ranking: 6

Outside of an unnecessary interception right before halftime, Roethlisberger had a great day against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The former Pro Bowler completed 69.57% of his pass attempts as the Pittsburgh Steelers picked up a 24-point win over Jacksonville. Even without much of a running game in recent weeks, Pittsburgh’s offense continues humming along because of Big Ben.

6. Josh Allen BYE WEEK

Last week’s ranking: 8

Allen and the Buffalo Bills rolled into their bye week after a disappointing last-second loss to the Cardinals. However, the Bills have a lot of momentum considering how well the team played over the past two weeks. After struggling from Weeks 5 through 8, Allen’s team finally looks like a contender again. Allen will finish the year with 4,593 yards, 33 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and eight rushing touchdowns at his current pace.

7. Derek Carr 23/31 275 yards, three touchdowns, one interception

Last week’s ranking: 11

Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders threw everything they could at the Chiefs, but it wasn’t enough. When these two teams met weeks ago, the Raiders won 40-32. On Sunday night, Carr replicated his impressive performance from the first matchup. The veteran quarterback posted a 126.7 passer rating and threw his only interception with under 30 seconds left as the Raiders desperately tried to push the ball downfield.

8. Tom Brady 26/48 216 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions

Last week’s ranking: 3

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers threw away a perfectly good chance at beating the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. Rookie safety Jordan Fuller intercepted Brady twice as Tampa Bay could never close the three-point gap separating them and Los Angeles. Brady looked off in the second half, missing routine throws by large margins.

9. Kyler Murray 29/42 269 yards, two touchdowns

Last week’s ranking: 7

Murray took a sack early in Thursday night’s matchup that injured his shoulder. He received treatment on the sideline, but the second-year quarterback finished the game. Against the Seattle Seahawks, Murray completed 69.05% of his passes and finished the night with a 102.2 passer rating. Seattle held Murray to 15 rushing yards, a new season-low.

10. Justin Herbert 37/49 366 yards, three touchdowns

Last week’s ranking: 16

After posting the lowest passer rating of his rookie season in Week 10, Herbert had a great outing against the New York Jets. He completed 75.51% of his passes for his third game with a passer rating over 110.0 this season. Sunday also marked Herbert’s seventh consecutive game with multiple passing touchdowns.

With Joe Burrow out for the year and Tua Tagovailoa suffering his own misfortune in Week 11, Herbert is the frontrunner to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

11. Ryan Tannehill 22/31 259 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, 35 rushing yards

Last week’s ranking: 12

Tannehill had a rocky start to Week 11, throwing an interception in the opening minute of the second quarter. Luckily, the Tennessee Titans found their groove in the second half. Tannehill finished the day with a 104.1 passer rating as the Titans picked up their seventh win this year. He completed over 70.0% of his throws for the first time since Week 6.

12. Philip Rivers 24/36 288 yards, three touchdowns, one interception

Last week’s ranking: 18

Rivers completed 66.67% of his pass attempts against Green Bay as the Colts scored 17 points in the second half to force overtime. He finished the game with a 107.2 passer rating as Indianapolis advanced to 7-3, matching Green Bay’s record. Rivers has four games with passer ratings over 100.0 in his past five starts.

13. Kirk Cousins 22/30 314 yards, three touchdowns, one fumble lost

Last week’s ranking: 20

Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings had no trouble moving the ball against the Dallas Cowboys. However, Minnesota’s 28 points weren’t enough to keep up with Andy Dalton and Ezekiel Elliott. The Vikings had a three-game winning streak entering Sunday’s matchup. While the loss is disappointing, the Vikings got some good signs from their offense.

14. Andy Dalton 22/32 203 yards, three touchdowns, one interception

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

The Cowboys held onto a lead against the Vikings by the skin of their teeth. It’s Dalton’s first win as a starter for the Cowboys and Dallas’ first win since the game against New York when Dak Prescott suffered his season-ending injury. Dalton threw three or more touchdowns for the first time since Week 15 last season.

15. Taysom Hill 18/23 233 yards, 51 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, one fumble lost

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

Sunday’s matchup between New Orleans and Atlanta drew extra eyes as people were interested to see if Hill could live up to Sean Payton’s faith and keep Jameis Winston on the bench. Things went better than even the most optimistic fans expected. Hill completed 78.26% of his passes and finished the game with a 108.9 passer rating.

16. Cam Newton 26/40 365 yards, one touchdown

Last week’s ranking: 26

Against the Texans, Newton had his best game since Week 2. The former MVP completed 65.0% of his passes and posted his third game with a passer rating over 100.0 this year. Newton is starting to look comfortable in New England’s offense. At 4-6, the Patriots aren’t playoff contenders, but they can upset any team in the NFL.

17. Jared Goff 39/51 376 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions

Last week’s ranking: 21

No matter how hard Goff and the Rams tried to gift the Buccaneers a win, Tampa Bay couldn’t capitalize on Los Angeles’ mistakes. With Los Angeles only producing 37 rushing yards, the offensive burden fell to Goff. He delivered by connecting with Cooper Kupp 11 times for 145 yards and Robert Woods 12 times for 130 yards. At his pace, Goff will finish the season with 4,516 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

18. Lamar Jackson 17/29 186 yards, one touchdown, one interception, 51 rushing yards

Last week’s ranking: 19

The Baltimore Ravens and Jackson haven’t found their rhythm this season. The offense looks predictable, and its dynamic play from last season is gone. Jackson isn’t connecting on many deep strikes either, which de-fangs the team’s already mediocre receiver corps. Something significant has to change in Baltimore if the 6-4 Ravens want to regain their status as Super Bowl contenders.

19. Alex Smith 17/25 166 yards, one touchdown, one interception

Last week’s ranking: 22

Smith didn’t match his production from Week 9 and Week 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals, but the veteran picked up his first win since returning from a terrible leg injury. Smith completed 68.0% of his pass attempts against the Bengals for an 83.1 passer rating. At 3-7, the Washington Football Team is only half a game behind the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East.

20. Tua Tagovailoa 11/20 83 yards, one touchdown

Last week’s ranking: 14

The Miami Dolphins benched Tagovailoa early in the fourth quarter, putting Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Tagovailoa struggled to move the ball all day against Denver’s stingy defense and faced constant pressure. With the game still in reach, head coach Brian Flores opted to bench his rookie quarterback for a lackluster performance. Flores confirmed after the game that Tagovailoa will start in Week 12.

21. Matt Ryan 19/37 232 yards, two interceptions

Last week’s ranking: 17

The Falcons trailed 9-10 entering half time against the Saints. However, New Orleans’ defense stiffened in the second half, shutting out Atlanta. Ryan’s first interception came on a last-second heave in the first half, while the second came with less than six minutes left in the game. New Orleans sacked Ryan eight times and shut down the running game.

22. Baker Mayfield 12/22 204 yards, one fumble lost

Last week’s ranking: 23

At best, Mayfield is a game manager at this point. As long as the third-year quarterback isn’t turning the ball over multiple times per game, the Cleveland Browns can rely on Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to win the day. Cleveland’s defense is also improving and rushing the passer with renewed conviction. The Browns are 7-3 and have seven wins for the sixth time in the past 20 years.

23. P.J. Walker 24/34 258 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

Walker made two critical mistakes on Sunday, throwing both of his interceptions as the Carolina Panthers set up in the red zone. However, the turnovers didn’t come back to bite Carolina. The Panthers defeated the Detroit Lions 20-0 in their first game without Teddy Bridgewater. For Walker, it was a promising first start of his NFL career.

24. Matthew Stafford 18/33 178 yards

Last week’s ranking: 15

Detroit’s loss sealed Matt Patricia’s fate. The current head coach can’t possibly retain his job after losing 0-20 to the Panthers. Stafford had a mediocre day, and Detroit’s offense never built any momentum. At 4-6, Detroit’s season is over. Through ten games this year, Stafford has fewer touchdowns and more interceptions than he posted in eight games last season.

25. Daniel Jones BYE WEEK

Last week’s ranking: 24

Jones had the best game of his season in Week 10 against the Eagles. The second-year quarterback hasn’t looked great this season, but he’s still shown occasional flashes. If Jones picks up his play to end the year, the New York Giants might even make the playoffs. Jones is pacing 3,395 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He threw 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as a rookie.

26. Ryan Fitzpatrick 12/18 117 yards, one interception

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

Fitzpatrick replaced Tagovailoa early in the fourth quarter. At first, the move might seem surprising. However, it took the rookie three quarters to throw for 83 yards. It took Fitzpatrick only ten or 11 minutes of game clock to easily outgain his successor. The Dolphins are shifting into win-now mode, which means Flores will pull Tagovailoa if he’s slowing the team down. However, that isn’t the right mindset for building the rookie’s confidence and experience.

With the game on the line and the ball on Denver’s 15-yard line, Fitzpatrick threw an interception in the end zone.

27. Joe Flacco 15/30 205 yards, two touchdowns, one interception

Last week’s ranking: 27

Outside of a blowout loss in Week 6, Flacco hasn’t played poorly during his time filling in for Sam Darnold. The former Super Bowl champion only completed 50.0% of his passes against the Chargers, but he still posted an 80.6 passer rating. For a backup past his prime, Flacco is a quality quarterback, and he brought the New York Jets to within one score of the Chargers.

28. Carson Wentz 21/35 235 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions

Last week’s ranking: 25

Three years ago, Wentz was on the verge of winning the league MVP and leading his team to the Super Bowl. Last year, the North Dakota St. product led a beaten and injured Philadelphia Eagles team to a division title. Unfortunately, Wentz is throwing mud on his own name this season. He’s thrown 14 interceptions, and the Eagles are 3-6-1.

29. Nick Mullens BYE WEEK

Last week’s ranking: 28

Mullens is a quality backup, and he’s good enough to keep the San Francisco 49ers in games against weak opponents. Unfortunately for the Southern Miss product, the 49ers face the Rams and Bills in their next two games. In his four starts, Mullens has 1,390 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions. He’s completing 67.3% of his passes and averaging an 89.1 passer rating.

30. Drew Lock 18/30 270 yards, one interception

Last week’s ranking: 32

Lock didn’t score on Sunday, but he held firm against Miami’s rising defense. The struggling second-year quarterback completed 60.0% of his passes against a defense featuring Xavien Howard and Byron Jones. While he didn’t play particularly well, if Lock played like this every week, the Denver Broncos would have more wins.

31. Nick Foles BYE WEEK

Last week’s ranking: 30

Foles suffered an injury against the Vikings in Week 10, but there’s still hope that he’ll play in Week 12. The former Super Bowl MVP leads one of the NFL’s worst offenses. Unfortunately for Foles, he’s part of the problem. The 31-year-old has ten touchdowns and eight interceptions in his seven starts this season, and he’s only 2-5 in those games.

32. Ryan Finley 3/10 30 yards, one interception

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

On Sunday, the Bengals lost rookie phenom Joe Burrow for the year. Late in the game, he suffered a significant injury, ending his season early. Burrow went 22 for 34 for 203 yards, a passing touchdown, and lost a fumble before being carted to the locker room. Washington increased its lead with Finley in the game.

After the game, Burrow posted a message on Twitter that confirmed he wouldn’t return for the final weeks of the 2020 season. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that the No. 1 overall pick tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee. There’s possibly more additional damage.

33. Jake Luton 16/37 151 yards, four interceptions

Last week’s ranking: 29

The Jaguars got on the scoreboard first against Pittsburgh with a field goal on their opening drive. The Steelers didn’t let Luton’s team score again, and the rookie found himself getting terrorized by the dynamic defense. Gardner Minshew should take over for the struggling rookie when he returns from a thumb injury.