We’re done with Week 4 of the NFL season, and the quarterback race is already a roller coaster. Some signal-callers are firing on all cylinders, carving up defenses like it’s practice, while others are barely moving the chains and looking one hit away from being sidelined. 

There are a few young guns like Drake Maye and Bo Nix, who are starting to call their own number and steal the spotlight, while seasoned vets like Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz are hanging on by a thread, trying to prove they’ve still got some bullets left in the arm. In short, the QB rankings are less about who’s under center and more about who can actually keep the offense marching downfield. 

It’s around the time the season’s tone is being set. Take it, veteran Aaron Rodgers, proving his critics wrong on the international soil of Dublin, or Jordan Love moving up the charts while concluding this week with a tie against Dak Prescott’s Dallas Cowboys. 

For better or worse, things felt better for Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, who survived Lamar Jackson’s Ravens. But the reigning Super Bowl champs, Jalen Hurts, are still struggling to find his footing in 2025, despite the Eagles standing at 4-0. The crowned prince remains Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills. 

Before our hearts fill with anticipation for Week 5, let’s take a glance at the thrills and chills of Week 4, aka the Quarterback Rankings.

Quarterbacks under the spotlight, big wins, tough losses in Week 4

If there’s anyone who’s enjoying destroying their opponents to the fullest, it’s the Bills with the reigning NFL MVP at the helm. After the season they have had in 2024, this rhythm of 4-0 may be exactly what Allen needs to earn the title he rightly deserves. ‘Cause their biggest rivals, the Chiefs, who got them eliminated in the past two seasons, appear stuck in an unyielding slump. 

Of course, you don’t write Kansas City off simply because of a few losses. Every time things felt dire for them, Mahomes and Co. find a way to rise above. A glimpse of that was seen in Week 3, and again in Week 4. 

They didn’t simply survive the Ravens; it was a freaking 17-point deficit victory. While they weren’t particularly sharp, the Ravens’ defense was even worse, but at the end of the day, a win is still a win. That’s why Mahomes found himself climbing the rankings this week. As for Lamar Jackson, he was overwhelmed by the Chiefs’ defense before falling victim to injury, and Cooper Rush filled in.

The most surprising storylines of this week were indeed the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers heading into the bye week with a 3-1 record. However, Justin Herbert, who cracked the top three in Week 3, slid down to No. 9 in Week 4. After weeks of strong performances, Herbert couldn’t keep up against the Giants, finishing with a 21-18 loss. 

Jordan Love finally appears to be on track. Given it’s just his third year as a starter, the winds are favoring him. Even though the game ended with a tie, Love diced up the defense with a short-game clinic, going a perfect 28-for-28 on throws under 10 yards. 

It’s something no one has done since 2016. What’s more impressive? Like a true leader, he said, “As an offense, we’ve got to keep battling, keep answering, staying in the game.” That’s the reason he made it into the top five quarterbacks of Week 4. Now, it’s time to work our way up the list.

32. Jake Browning—last week: 30

31. Cam Ward—last week: 24

30. Bryce Young—last week: 16

29. Joe Flacco—last week: 27

28. Justin Fields 

27. Jaxson Dart

26. Carson Wentz—last week: 13

25. Geno Smith—last week: 19

24. Marcus Mariota—last week: 15

23. Michael Penix Jr—last week: 32

22. Tua Tagovailoa—last week: 25

21. Brock Purdy

20. Spencer Rattler—last week: 31

19. Kyler Murray—last week: 26

18. CJ Stroud—last week: 21

17. Trevor Lawrence—last week: 17

16. Bo Nix—last week: 18

15. Jalen Hurts—last week: 2 

14. Caleb Williams—last week: 14

13. Dak Prescott—last week: 22

12. Drake Maye—last week: 20

11. Daniel Jones—last week: 5

10. Aaron Rodgers—last week: 11

9. Justin Herbert—last week: 3

8. Lamar Jackson—last week: 4 

7. Sam Darnold—last week: 8

6. Matthew Stafford—last week: 12 

5. Patrick Mahomes—last week: 10

4. Jordan Love—last week: 9

3. Baker Mayfield—last week: 7

2. Jared Goff—last week: 6

1. Josh Allen—last week: 1

Rise and Falls from Week 3

Bottom 10: There were a couple of new names found at the bottom of the QB ladder this week. Justin Fields, who returned from an injury, found himself at 28 (yet to be seen how this changes). Whereas Jaxson Dart, who finally got to start Week 4, ranked 27. 

Jake Browning dropped even lower, from 30 to 32. Carson Wentz found his name at 26 from 13 after being sacked six times by the Steelers’ defenders in Dublin. The only improvement was Michael Penix Jr rising from 32 to 23. Marcus Mariota dropped from 15 to 24, and so did Bryce Young from 16 to 30. Cam Ward again found himself at the bottom last, but this time sliding down to 31 from last week’s 24. Geno Smith went from 19 to 25, and Tua Tagovailoa supposedly ranked 22 (improved from Week 3’s 25). 

Middle Pack: Except for Brock Purdy, ranking 21, the middle pack didn’t have any new faces. But it was an interesting shuffle with two of the top 10 names of Week 3 ending up here. First, Jalen Hurts with a brutal fall from 2 to 15. Secondly, Daniel Jones from 5 to 11, missing the Top 10 by one. 

After tying a game with Love’s Green Bay, Dak Prescott skyrocketed his ranking from 22 to 13. Trevor Lawrence and Caleb Williams remain at the same standing of 17 and 14, respectively. Kyler Murray, too, found his way to the middle pack, improving from 26 to 19. A similar trajectory was seen with Spencer Rattler, jumping from 31 to 20. Drake Maye climbed up the ladder from 20 to 12, and the struggling CJ Stroud (without protection on the ground) improved from 21 to 18. Bo Nix is projected to improve from 18 to 16. 

Top 10: This is where things get interesting. Josh Allen embellished the Bills’ 4-0 standing and his MVP ranking by ranking first in QB Ranking for the third week straight. 

Beginning to find the rhythm after the Week 1 loss, Jared Goff improved from 6 to 2. Baker Mayfield, too, had a memorable Week 4, rising from 7 to 3. Jordan Love found his name among the elite five, ranking 4 (improved from 9), followed by Patrick Mahomes from 10 to 5. Aaron Rodgers, after playing a knight-in-shining-armor for the Steelers, finally made it into the Top 10 at 10 from Week 3’s 11. Justin Herbert dropped from 3 to 9 and Lamar Jackson from 4 to 8. Sam Darnold also improved his ranking from 8 to 7, while Matthew Stafford jumped big numbers from 12 to 6. 

Top 5 Performers heading into Week 5

There can’t be a better example of a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback than a reigning NFL MVP once again leading the early conversations of MVP in 2025. That’s Josh Allen for you. His biggest competitor, Patrick Mahomes, is awakening as the season progresses. However, he can’t be blamed for the early struggle when there isn’t a single arm to truly rely upon on the field. But things are improving after all. 

1. Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills

Buffalo is coming off a fourth straight win of the season. But is Josh Allen satisfied? Not even the slightest. Though Week 4 ended with a victory, New Orleans didn’t really pose much of a threat; still, the Bills gave away two touchdowns to them. 

The quarterback finished the game by completing 72% of his passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns and one rushing TD, but something felt missing. Those Superman plays he’s known for, like the 27-yard run in Q4, weren’t seen. But that doesn’t mean the rhythm was missing. Josh Allen’s rankings, neither in the MVP race nor QB Rankings, were affected. He had a 113.6 QB rating, yet it was not considered his finest game. That just shows how good Allen is. 

2. Jared Goff – Detroit Lions

Lions and Jared Goff had a rocky start to the 2025 season. But for the past three weeks, they have overcome the Week 1 loss, and Week 4 just witnessed how strongly Goff is leading them. Destroying veteran Joe Flacco’s Browns, Goff went 16-of-27 for 168 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.

There was certainly room for improvement, which he also admitted. “I made a really poor decision that had nothing to do with getting him the ball. I saw it poorly and got pretty reckless there,” he told the reporters. Regardless, he didn’t disappoint his fans as well as the team. Remaining a steady leader, he improved the Lions to a 3-1 standing, despite losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn in the offseason. 

3. Baker Mayfield – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs’ Week 4 didn’t end in a triumph. But signal-caller Baker Mayfield truly came through with 22-of-40 for 289 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He had a QBR of 87.3. 

Missing three of the biggest weapons, he’s still building chemistry with wideout Emeka Egbuka, which, from the looks of it, seems to be going well. Despite the loss, Tampa Bay is sitting at 3-1 and near the top of a wide-open NFC South, which isn’t a bad place to be. Mayfield has reinvented himself as one of the league’s most dangerous QBs since 2023. It’s clear Tampa’s offense has plenty of firepower left to light up the scoreboard yet.

4. Jordan Love – Green Bay Packers

Week 4 saw Jordan Love at his best. He lit up the scoreboard with 31 completions on 43 throws for 337 yards and three touchdowns, all without a single interception. It’s not just talk. Love was playing in a league of his own when it came to efficiency this week. You know, he completed every single one of his 28 passes that traveled under 10 yards. And since this is only his third year as a starter, the best might be even better. 

However, no matter how well Love played, it wasn’t enough to cover for a shaky defense. The secondary looked flat against Dallas, and that’s where Green Bay’s biggest problem lies. The Packers have a quarterback who can win games, but they need the rest of the team to back him up if they want to stay in the playoff hunt. 

5. Patrick Mahomes – Kansas City Chiefs

Week 4 showed just how crucial an improved offensive line can be for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. With only one sack taken all game and a running game that opened lanes, Mahomes was able to stand tall in the pocket. Thus, he methodically picked apart the Ravens’ defense. 

“Having that confidence in them, it’s pushing me to be better, and I thought we did that today, and let’s continue to do it,” he admitted post-game. Mahomes’ ability to read the field deeply, trusting in his third and fourth progressions, was on full display. Those reads led to four touchdowns and a big milestone: Mahomes became the fastest QB in NFL history to hit 250 touchdown passes, doing it in just 116 games. Before that, it was Aaron Rodgers sitting at 121 games. 

Top Worst Performers heading into Week 5

The worst performances in Week 4 were seen by some new faces, except Jake Browning of the Bengals. The moment Joe Burrow went down with the injury in Week 2, Cincinnati’s season already felt lost. Whereas Justin Fields—returning from an injury—is facing similar projections ahead of taking the field with the Miami Dolphins. 

1. Jake Browning – Cincinnati Bengals

In the second quarter of Week 2, when Jake Browning first came to replace the injured Burrow, things looked promising. He completed the game with 241 yards, three touchdowns (but also three interceptions). Following both weeks could be described with one word: Disappointing. 

As if the 38-point deficit loss of Week 3 wasn’t embarrassing enough, Browning pulled the Bengals even down, surrendering to the Broncos at 28-3. With no touchdowns and 159 yards, the offense simply couldn’t find its footing against the Broncos’ stout defense. Pass protection was shaky, Browning was sacked three times, and playmakers struggled to get going, with no one topping 32 receiving yards. The bigger question for the Bengals isn’t the stat line but whether head coach Zac Taylor will continue with Browning or give Brett Rypien a chance under center next week. 

2. Cam Ward – Tennessee Titans

Week 4 saw the 2025 No. 1 overall pick fall down the ladder from 24 to 31. Taking the reins of a team that concluded last season at 3-14 is never easy, but as the 2025 season progresses, Cam Ward is becoming part of the problem—if not the main problem. “We just need him to do his part as one of the 11 guys in the field, and again, got to do things around him better, too,” said head coach Brian Callahan about his quarterback. 

It was the first game of the season when the Titans couldn’t put up a single score on the board. Starting quarterback Ward went 10 out of 26 passes for 108 yards and no touchdowns, but threw an interception against the Texans. This marked the second time in four games that Ward’s completion rate dipped below 50%, and the third occasion he failed to throw for at least 200 yards. Of course, there were other issues like offensive struggles, missed field goals, and a lack of chemistry, which have kept the team at the bottom of the standings. 

3. Bryce Young – Carolina Panthers

After a scoreless Week 3, the Panthers managed to put some points on the scoreboard, but not enough to clinch a victory. Third-year quarterback Bryce Young completed 60.0% of his passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. He took one sack but held onto the ball—no fumbles, which is always good. 

However, this season, he’s racked up just 753 yards, which works out to about 188 yards a game, and his completion rate is hovering around 60%. Though he hasn’t turned the ball over in his last couple of games, he’s still struggling to hit the 200-yard mark. He’s only done that once in four tries so far. Though head coach Dave Canales stood by his chosen quarterback, analyst Cody Benjamin gave a brutal analysis of Week 4 Young: “Young has fight but precious little passing juice.”

4. Joe Flacco—Cleveland Browns

Joe Flacco had a rough afternoon in the Browns’ 34-10 loss to the Lions on Sunday. He finished the game with 16 of 34 passes for 184 yards, along with two interceptions and a fumble. The Lions’ defense was relentless, sacking Flacco three times and forcing three turnovers overall. With his numbers sitting at a concerning 2:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 58.1% completion rate through four games, questions about a potential quarterback change are inevitable.

Despite sitting at the bottom of the AFC North with Flacco at the helm, head coach Kevin Stefanski’s confidence in the veteran hasn’t shaken. “I understand the question, but that’s not our focus,” he said, dismissing the questions about Flacco’s uncertain future. The Browns have decided to stick with Flacco, and they are showing a heck of a patience with it, despite having Shedeur Sanders next in line. 

5. Justin Fields—New York Jets

Head coach Aaron Glenn had the utmost confidence in Justin Fields when he called the quarterback a younger version of himself. However, Fields couldn’t stand up to those expectations. It’s been four weeks and four losses New York has endured. Week 4 did see some flashes of his dynamic skills in the Jets’ tough matchup against the Dolphins. He was on target with 20 completions out of 27 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown, and shredded Miami’s defense on the ground with 81 rushing yards, highlighted by a 43-yard touchdown run. But it wasn’t all smooth. 

The Jets struggled to hold onto the ball, fumbling three times, one of which was Fields’ doing, and all were recovered by Miami. Considering it was Fields’ first game back after missing Week 3, the performance had its bright spots, though the turnovers continued to haunt the Jets. 

Top surprises from Week 4

Week 4 delivered some unexpected twists and big moments that kept fans on the edge of their seats. From Aaron Rodgers breathing new life into the Steelers on international gridiron to Dak Prescott’s charisma and some tough returns for quarterbacks, the action was nothing short of thrilling.

Aaron Rodgers revives the Steelers in Dublin

One of the biggest and surprising storylines came on international soil. The Steelers, projected underdogs, shredded the Brian Flores’s Vikings into pieces. Aaron Rodgers’ stubbornness to end his career with a Super Bowl trophy has made many believe he’s tainting his Hall of Fame journey. ‘Cause he’s not the young Rodgers smashing the headlines in Green Bay. If there was anyone who truly believed in him, it has proven to be the head coach, Mike Tomlin. His reason for doing so was seen in Week 4, when Rodgers brought life back into the Steelers in Dublin. 

After a struggle of three weeks, Rodgers finally built the chemistry with DK Metcalf, and together they connected for a whopping 80-yard touchdown pass on Sunday. While it was blissful, the 41-year-old quarterback achieved a rare individual feat. Joining the ranks of Tom Brady, he became the only other quarterback to throw 60 or more TD passes against different franchises. What’s more perfect about the night was Rodgers destroying the team that passed on him during the offseason. 

Dak Prescott’s almost perfect night 

Week 4 saw the reason why Dak Prescott is considered the heart of the Cowboys. It was a near-flawless performance. Why? Well, there were many reasons. Let’s start with missing his top weapons. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was sidelined with a high ankle sprain, right guard Tyler Brooker was benched with an ankle injury, and center Cooper Beebe was also out with a foot injury. But Prescott proved he can handle the offense on his own. He completed 77% of his passes and surpassed legendary Troy Aikman‘s all-time franchise record in completions.

What makes the game even more exciting is the fact that Prescott managed to throw a rushing score and three touchdown passes, including a late 28-yard strike to George Pickens with just 43 seconds left in regulation. He also scored on the ground for his first rushing touchdown of the season and the 30th of his career. 

Prescott completed over 70% of his passes for the second consecutive game and did everything he could to keep the Cowboys competitive. That’s the reason why they were able to tie the Packers at 40-40. “To not come out with a W for that [performance] is unbelievable for him,” said owner Jerry Jones about Prescott’s performances afterwards. 

Three returning starters, no wins

All three quarterbacks, who took their deserved spots as starters, ended with a loss. Starting with Justin Fields, who cleared the concussion protocol and sat out Week 3, returned to reclaim his throne. He even had a decent outing, throwing for 218 yards and a touchdown (along with 48 rushing yards and two scores). “I thought he did some really good things. Obviously, he was running around out there and making some plays with his feet,” said Glenn about Fields’ Week 4. Yet it wasn’t enough to keep the Jets alive, who surrendered at 27-21 at the hands of the Miami Dolphins. 

Next was rookie Jaxson Dart of the Giants. It was his first game he started, but ended up taking 25 hits. The Chargers’ defense didn’t give him a single chance to breathe, pressuring him throughout. As a result, he was sacked six times, took nine QB hits in the pocket, and 10 hits on 12 scrambles. Head coach Brian Daboll still called Dart’s efforts “good,” but the reality is quite different. “You never want your quarterback taking a lot of hits, but certain quarterbacks are going to play a certain way,” said Daboll, justifying his rookie. This means he will be starting Week 5, and in that case, the Giants need to revamp their strategies. 

Third was the former Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy. The 49ers got their starter back, but it didn’t go as expected. They recorded the first loss of the season at 26-21, that too at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even though he put up over 300 passing yards and two touchdowns, he struggled with ball security, throwing two interceptions and finishing with a 57.9% completion rate and a passer rating of 79.8. 

Through two starts, Purdy’s numbers stand at 586 passing yards, four touchdowns, four interceptions, and a passer rating of 85.8. Pro Football Focus graded him 63.3 overall, ranking 33rd out of 49 quarterbacks. His passing grade of 59.8 placed him 36th. That’s far from the elite level expected of someone with one of the biggest deals in the league.