Our weekly deep dive into NFL quarterback play. Many thanks to our friends at ESPN Stats & Information for supplying analysis and data to drive this post. Remember that Total QBR runs on a scale of 0-100. The scale for traditional passer rating is 0-158.3.
OF NOTE
Passer rating: 134.6
QBR: 92.3
Analysis: Wilson did his best work in the Seahawks' 20-point second quarter, completing eight of 12 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Ahead 20-3 at halftime, Wilson threw only five more passes. The Atlanta Falcons tried blitzing him, and it's worth noting Wilson stayed and fired from the pocket rather than try to escape. He completed nine of 12 passes against five or more pass-rushers, including both of his touchdowns, and threw only two passes from outside the pocket in the entire game. That tied for the lowest number of such throws in a game for his career. As tailback Marshawn Lynch ran for 145 yards, Wilson completed five of six play-action passes for 105 yards and one of his touchdowns.
Passer rating: 139.0
QBR: 91.8
Analysis: The Dallas Cowboys were brutal defensively Sunday night, but Brees still put together one of the most efficient games we've seen this season. He completed 18 of 20 first-down passes and all nine of his third-down passes (for 138 yards and two touchdowns). When the Cowboys blitzed, Brees completed nine of nine passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns. And when he looked deep, Brees completed seven of nine passes that traveled at least 15 yards in the air. Maybe we shouldn't have been surprised. Here are Brees' numbers in his past eight prime-time games at home: eight victories, 72.7 percent completions, 30 touchdowns, three interceptions, an average of 343.9 yards and an 88.0 QBR.
Passer rating: 149.3
QBR: 91.8
Analysis: Three touchdown passes against the Green Bay Packers brought him to 16 for the season, with no interceptions. That's tied for the second most passing touchdowns without an interception to start a season in NFL history. There's really no secret to what the Eagles are doing with Foles, however. They have arguably the best play-action passing game in the league. They used it for 14 of his 18 attempts Sunday, and at 78 percent, that's the most frequent use of play-action in an NFL game since at least 2006. He completed nine of those passes, including all three of his touchdowns, for 172 yards. Six of his 10 touchdown passes over the past two games have come via play-action. Foles' QBR on play-action plays this season is 95.3, trailing only Peyton Manning (95.4) among qualified starters.
Peyton Manning
Passer rating: 135.2
QBR: 83.8
Analysis: Like Foles, Manning used the play-action game extensively Sunday. He completed all nine such attempts for 187 yards and three touchdowns. Of those 187 yards, 143 were gained by Denver Broncos receivers after the catch. Manning has an NFL-leading 1,317 passing yards via play-action. He also reconnected with teammate Demaryius Thomas, hitting him on seven of 10 targeted passes for three touchdowns. The pair connected on only 11 of 21 passes over the previous two weeks, and two of the incompletions were intercepted.
Passer rating: 65.3
QBR: 13.6
Analysis: Luck finished with 357 total yards, but he had only 93 at halftime as the St. Louis Rams took a 28-0 lead. Three sacks and four turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, made this Luck's worst game of the season. He managed just two completions and two of his three sacks on third down. The Rams' blitz got to him pretty well, and Luck completed three of 11 passes for 16 yards against it. Two of his sacks and one of his interceptions came against it, as well.
Passer rating: 42.0
QBR: 7.7
Analysis: Kaepernick's 91 passing yards were a career low for a starter and he took a career-high six sacks against the Carolina Panthers' swarming defense. Five of those sacks came on first down, the highest total for a quarterback this season and tied for the most in the past eight seasons. Kaepernick didn't complete a single pass outside of the pocket and none of his 11 completions traveled more than 10 yards downfield. And, in a one-score game, Kaepernick completed just two of nine passes with an interception in the fourth quarter.
ROUNDING OUT THE WEEK:
Passer rating: 113.1
QBR: 95.0
Briefly: After throwing a mindless interception into double coverage on his second pass, Ponder completed 16 of his next 19 throws for 164 yards and two touchdowns, nearly doubling his season total of scoring throws. The QBR score of 95 was the highest of his career, but his outing was cut short by a dislocated left shoulder.
Passer rating: 87.7
QBR: 71.0
Briefly: Might this be the most consistent stretch of Stafford's career? He has had a QBR of at least 70 in four consecutive games, a career high.
Passer rating: 114.8
QBR: 70.1
Briefly: Griffin was accurate (65 percent completions) and ran effectively (seven rushes, 44 yards) against the Minnesota Vikings. But he and the Washington Redskins struggled against the blitz in the second half, managing just one completion and taking two sacks against it after halftime.
Passer rating: 111.2
QBR: 68.3
Briefly: Fitzpatrick had an explosive relief appearance after Jake Locker's foot injury. Among other accomplishments, he completed seven of nine passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns on third down. But allowing Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive back Will Blackmon to rip out the ball and return it for a touchdown on a sack in the fourth quarter was a back-breaker.
Passer rating: 93.4
QBR: 55.1
Briefly: Although it was in a winning effort, Palmer produced two more turnovers (a fumble and an interception). That gives him 17 this season, second most in the NFL behind Eli Manning (18).
Passer rating: 84.5
QBR: 52.7
Briefly: A total of 172 yards on 36 attempts equaled 4.78 yards per attempt. That was the lowest single-game total for Ryan since December 2009.
Passer rating: 60.0
QBR: 50.9
Briefly: Flacco threw incomplete on all seven attempts that traveled at least 15 yards downfield, his highest number of such attempts without a completion in a single game for his career. This season, he has completed 32.1 percent of those passes, ranking 30th among qualified NFL quarterbacks.
Passer rating: 140.6
QBR: 48.5
Briefly: On third down Sunday, Clemens completed seven of nine passes for 229 yards. Two went for touchdowns and four converted first downs.
Passer rating: 69.8
QBR: 47.2
Briefly: Cutler seemed limited by groin and ankle injuries after leading the Chicago Bears to a touchdown on their opening drive. For the game, he did complete six passes that traveled more than 10 yards downfield and completed nine of 13 passes on third downs.
Passer rating: 99.5
QBR: 41.7
Briefly: Rivers took a season-high four sacks Sunday against the Broncos.
Passer rating: 63.5
QBR: 32.8
Briefly: Against the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense, Manuel completed only seven passes (on 16 attempts) that traveled more than 5 yards downfield.
Passer rating: 87.5
QBR: 27.1
Briefly: Keenum was once again much better in the first half (159 yards) than in the second (42 yards). His QBR in the first half of games this season is 91.1. It's 12.2 in the second half, including 3.4 Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Passer rating: 70.5
QBR: 26.4
Briefly: In his first regular-season game action, Packers quarterback Tolzien produced as well as could have been expected. His worst pass, however, was one of the biggest of the game. He threw behind receiver Jordy Nelson in the end zone for an interception.
Passer rating: 49.2
QBR: 26.0
Briefly: Since 1966, NFL teams have a .147 winning percentage (350-2,043-21) in games where -- like Henne -- the starting quarterback throws at least two interceptions and no touchdowns.
Passer rating: 77.6
QBR: 24.7
Briefly: He hit receiver Antonio Brown for six completions, including all three that traveled at least 15 yards downfield. All of Roethlisberger's other downfield passes fell incomplete.
Passer rating: 52.7
QBR: 19.3
Briefly: Four sacks, an interception and a 50 completion percentage were enough to do his part in a huge win against the San Francisco 49ers. His deep attempts continued their recent trends. He completed two of nine passes that traveled at least 15 yards downfield, and over the past three games, he has managed just five completions in 25 such attempts, with no touchdowns and three interceptions.
Passer rating: 52.2
QBR: 17.3
Briefly: All five of Dalton's sacks came in the second half, surprisingly, as the Cincinnati Bengals roared back from a 17-0 deficit. All three of his interceptions came inside the number marks, and the only receiver who caught a pass that traveled more than 10 yards downfield was A.J. Green.
Eli Manning
Passer rating: 70.3
QBR: 15.2
Briefly: Manning's QBR score, hurt by another interception returned for a touchdown, was the third-lowest for a winning quarterback this season.
Passer rating: 72.9
QBR: 11.5
Briefly: Romo had just 20 passing yards at halftime against the Saints and didn't complete a single pass (in six attempts) on third down during the game.
Passer rating: 40.9
QBR: 2.6
Briefly: Pryor averaged 3.5 yards per dropback against the New York Giants, the lowest of his career, after throwing for 122 yards and taking four sacks. Three of those sacks came in the fourth quarter. He rushed for 19 yards on designed runs but did not scramble on a passing play for the first time all season.