QB Report Cards for 2026 NFL Week 7

Patience is limited in the NFL, especially when discussing the quarterback position. Too many are often written off early in their careers. The 2026 season is serving as another example of why some signal-callers need more time and opportunities before realizing their potential.

Week 7 action served as a microcosm of what can happen when a young quarterback is placed in the right situation with the right coaching staff and right system.

Specifically, the Atlanta Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. and JJ McCarthy were already written off as first-round busts. The Minnesota Vikings even traded away their 2024 first-round draft pick. But McCarthy found a new football life getting his first start with the New York Giants. Meanwhile, Penix just led the Falcons to a victory over the previously undefeated San Francisco 49ers.

Each week Bleacher Report assesses every quarterback performance to see how the position continues to evolve. Sometimes, a little patience and belief in an individual can go a long way.

ARI | ATL | BAL | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | KC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PIT | SEA | SF | TB | TEN

Stat Line : 27 of 48 for 272 yards and a touchdown

Sunday's outing against the Denver Broncos was another typical Jacoby Brissett performance since becoming the Arizona Cardinals' starting quarterback.

Yes, the Cardinals have been more competitive than expected this fall. More often than not, Brissett posts numbers during contests where the Cardinals are trying to come from behind and ultimately fall short.

At 2-5, head coach Mike LaFleur once again answered questions whether Brissett will remain the Cardinals' QB1. He quickly answered, " yes ," and didn't belabor the point. Obviously, Brissett faced a Sisyphean task since taking the team's offensive reins. The Cardinals have operated at a talent deficiency since the start of the 2025 campaign. The team underwent another coaching change this offseason, which brings different systems and new philosophies. The Cardinals quarterback deserves credit for his professionalism and production, but he's clearly not the best option as the organization assesses its future. A surprise win here or there doesn't change that fact.

Score : 29-20 win vs. San Francisco 49ers

Stat Line : 25 of 34 for 213 yards and three touchdowns

The Atlanta Falcons have been a much better and more competitive team since Michael Penix Jr. resumed starting duties in Week 3.

Granted, the team is only 3-2 during that stretch. However, one loss came in overtime and the Falcons only really struggled against the Chicago Bears. To Penix's and the squad's credit, Atlanta responded after its latest loss and came right back to beat the previously undefeated San Francisco 49ers.

During the contest, Penix completed 73.5 percent of his passes, threw three touchdowns and committed no turnovers. More importantly, the 26-year-old quarterback showed growth.

Penix had struggled when facing pressure in recent weeks. Granted, his game has been predicated on driving the ball down the field, dating back to his collegiate days. But he proved to be decisive and got the ball out quickly against the Niners.

"I thought Mike was really, really good throughout the day," head coach Stefanski told reporters . "That's a great defense, and they don't give up big plays. We took our shots when we had them, and when we didn't, I thought Mike saw it really well. We trust Mike."

Score : 35-13 loss vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Stat Line : 23 of 34 for 298 yards, a touchdown and an interception

The Baltimore Ravens have flirted with the idea of Lamar Jackson returning to the lineup in each of the last two weeks. Ultimately, Tyler Huntley took the field even though Jackson continues to practice.

"If I can just go out there and just be a statue and get hit, (there's) no positives in that," Jackson told reporters on Friday. "That's not helping my team at all. I feel like I'm being selfish because it's about me at that point, you know, getting out there and being hurt. That's dumb." A stationary Jackson certainly isn't the best version of the dual-threat quarterback. However, Huntley's level of performance declined over the last two weeks, which led, in part, to the Ravens' current two-game losing streak. Obviously, Huntley had nothing to do with Baltimore's second-half defensive collapse. Although, the Ravens offense provided the following during Sunday's third and fourth quarters: punt, downs, punt, interception, downs and end of game.

Score : 43-13 loss vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stat Line : 14 of 27 for 163 yards, a touchdown, two interceptions and a fumble lost

Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers might as well scrub Sunday's performance from their collective memory banks, because they were dominated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Specifically, Young has struggled when pressured. The problem becomes more glaring with each passing week as the Panthers deal with injuries and inconsistency along their offensive line. Veteran right tackle Taylor Moton went down with a fractured fibula during Sunday's contest.

According to Shawn Syed of Sumer Sports , Young's time to throw before being pressured has decreased in each of the past three weeks, with an average of 2.42 seconds against the Buccaneers.

To make matters worse, Young threw a pair of interceptions when he wasn't pressured.

"Yeah, just lack of execution. Obviously, can't turn the ball over like that," Young told reporters . "It hurts the team, hurts the defense, all that stuff. A lot of that stuff's inexcusable. Of course, that's on me, and all in all, (a) bad day."

Score : 30-24 win vs. New England Patriots

Stat Line : 22 of 33 for 308 and two touchdowns

The difference between a legitimate starting quarterback being on the field compared to a team's backup options is often drastic. In the case of the Chicago Bears, the offense once again has complete belief in itself after Caleb Williams returned from a hamstring strain that cost him three games.

"(Williams) has the time to put it anywhere on the field at the end of the day," wide receiver Rome Odunze told reporters . "And we believe him to do that every single time he steps out there. So, he's on the money more often than not. So we got to be in the right positions to make those plays and we know he's gonna get the ball to us."

Furthermore, Williams was particularly deadly pushing the ball down the field Thursday against the New England Patriots. According to Sumer Sports' Shawn Syed , Williams' eight completions of 20 or more yards was the most by any quarterback this season. The Bears' QB1 has now thrown for 300 yards in back-to-back games. More importantly, Chicago won both contests.

Stat Line : 22 of 30 for 292 yards and four touchdowns

Greatness must only come in half-game increments. Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals certainly weren't great during the first half Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Through the first two quarters, Burrow completed six of 12 passes for 43 yards and Cincinnati trailed 13-0 at the intermission. A different version of Burrow and the Bengals showed up after the break. During the second half, Burrow completed 16 of 18 passes for 249 yards. He also threw four touchdown passes.

"That's who we gotta be. That who we have to be." Burrow said of the team's second-half performance "We have too many great players on offense to be conservative in that spot." A "tale of two halves" is the most cliche statement one can write about a football game, but it proved to be absolutely true based on how the Bengals performed. Though the team would rather play that well through all four quarters.

Stat Line : 25 of 36 for 308 yards and an interception; three carries for 19 yards and a score

These Browns isn't the usual Browns. Once again, this version of the team snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

The formula has been the same all season. The Browns find a way to dig themselves into a hole to start a game. The defense does enough to keep Cleveland in the contest. Finally, Deshaun Watson and the Browns offense make a couple key plays down the stretch to capture a win, hence the squad's 5-2 record.

To Watson's credit, he's started slowly in multiple games and, frankly, didn't play well for stretches. However, he's continually responded when his team needed him to make plays.

Even the quarterback's mistakes are becoming less frequent. Two weekends ago, Watson didn't have a turnover against the Baltimore Ravens. He did throw an interception against the Tennessee Titans, but the result wasn't the quarterback's fault.

"[Denzel Boston] came and talked to me after the play and then after the game in the locker room, he came over and told me too...he understood that he kind of put the quarterback in a bad spot," Watson told reporters . "On a slant route, you can't go underneath it and dip and try to go around, even if the guy played hard, you just got to force flat and then just probably knock it away if he plays it well.

"It's a teaching moment for a young receiver and we're not going to charge it against him. I'm not going to be pissed off about it. It happens, it is what it is. We got the W, but it's definitely a good teaching moment."

Stat Line : 15 of 29 for 222 yards and a touchdown; seven carries for 73 yards a score

The Denver Broncos didn't get off to a slow start this past weekend, because Bo Nix decided to take matters into his own hands. Well, maybe the quarterback put his best foot forward serves a better description of what actually occurred.

Denver orchestrated a pair of first-quarter drives that ended in field goals. A 62-yard run by Nix during the second frame allowed the Broncos to build a 13-6 halftime lead.

"I think it answers our question, 'Can he can still run?'" Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Nix's touchdown. "The confidence inside the building relative to his abilities hasn't changed at all. He's our guy and it's good to see him play well. It's good to see us block well and make some plays down the field."

The run may have ignited the offense, but a legitimate difference could be seen in Nix, the passer.

As Lindsay Rhodes of Sumer Sports noted, Nix's average depth of target, intermediate throw percentage and deep throw percentage increased Sunday when compared to the quarterback's previous season averages.

Stat Line : 22 of 32 for 303 yards, two touchdowns and a fumble lost

Jared Goff stands alone in the annals of NFL history. The previous statement isn't hyperbole, either. According to Pro Football Focus , Goff became the first quarterback ever to throw for at least 200 yards, one passing touchdown and no interceptions through his team's first six games.

Plus, the Detroit Lions have less room for error based on how its defense has played for much of this season, which means the squad's offense must carry more than its fair share of responsibility. Goff has been up to the task, hence why the team owns a winning record.

In fact, Goff leads all quarterbacks this season in success rate, per The Ringer's Sheil Kapadia . The Lions quarterback doesn't get enough credit as an elite performer, because his game isn't flashy. Goff does exactly what a quarterback is supposed to do. He operates his offense efficiently and effectively, which has allowed Detroit to remain competitive even though the team also fields the league's worst defense.

Stat Line : 27 of 45 for 274 yards, two touchdowns and an interception

Jordan Love has played well for stretches this season. He doesn't really have a chance the way his surrounding cast is currently performing, though.

Quarterback may be the most influential position in all of sports, but football is still a team sport. Thus, a quarterback can't single-handedly win games. He needs his linemen to block. He needs the other skill positions to perform once he gets the ball into their hands. The latter two have failed Love.

According to ESPN Insights , the Packers are currently dead last in pass-block win rate, lead the league in dropped passes and field the the NFL's worst run game.

What is a quarterback supposed to do? Love can't do everything. Even so, the Packers were in position Sunday to take a late fourth-quarter lead, but the Detroit Lions blocked Trey Smack's field-goal attempt.

Stat Line : 17 of 28 for 153 yards and two touchdowns

Six of the Houston Texans' 10 offensive possessions Sunday, including their only overtime drive, ended with a punt. Houston converted only three of their 12 third-down attempts. To make matters worse, the Texans committed 10 penalties to make life more difficult on everyone.

"We have to find a way to get that fixed. It's not winning football," quarterback CJ Stroud told reporters . "When you don't give yourself a chance, those are drive-killers. We just got to find a way to help whoever needs help out. At the end of the day, got to find a way to get it fixed."

Stroud has played well this year, but Houston's offense clearly couldn't get into a rhythm against the New York Giants. A little bit more from the unit and the Texans likely find a way to win. Instead, an overtime loss adds to an already disappointing campaign.

Score : 16-10 loss vs. Minnesota Vikings

Stat Line : 13 of 22 for 108 yards and an interception

At this point, what do the Indianapolis Colts gain from starting Daniel Jones each and every week?

The plan made sense this offseason. The Colts hoped to recapture the first half of the 2025 season by bringing back a healthy Jones and signing his top wide receiver, Alec Pierce, to a contract extension. The approach has backfired spectacularly and cost general manager Chris Ballard his job.

Pierce hasn't played since Week 2 because of a foot injury. Meanwhile, Jones' regression has been staggering. The quarterback doesn't have the same command of Shane Steichen's offense. He's not seeing the field well. A turnover in a critical spot feels automatic. In fact, Jones has thrown an interception in all but one game this season.

The Minnesota Vikings understood the assignment. Brian Flores' unit blitzed Jones on 85 percent of his dropbacks, and the quarterback failed to respond.

At this point, Colts' decision-makers should be looking at the quarterback position as needing a major change next offseason.

Stat Line : 19 of 33 for 165 yards and an interception

Patrick Mahomes has never played a game like he experienced during Sunday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Kansas City Chiefs' three points tied for the fewest scored during the Mahomes era. The Chiefs never even made it into the red zone Sunday, which never previously happened with Mahomes at the helm. Kansas City simply didn't have an answer for Mike Macdonald's outstanding defense.

"You've got to feel it. This sucks. You don't want to perform like this in prime time in a big moment like this," Mahomes told reporters . "You've got to feel it on that plane ride home and understand that it sucks, but how can you build off it?"

Kansas City's quarterback previously benefited from Kenneth Walker III's addition to the lineup. The Chiefs offensive engine is now built through its running game. However, the Seahawks were talented and disciplined enough to shut down the ground-and-pound approach, which amplified Kansas City's issues at wide receiver and along the offensive line. Mahomes couldn't rely on the play-action game to open up the offense, thus the Chiefs couldn't move the ball.

Stat Line : 26 of 44 for 295 yards and two touchdowns

Cue the famous "Stone Cold" Steve Austin GIF of the former WWE champion sitting in the ring and looking at his non-existent watch, because time is ticking for Kirk Cousins to be benched in favor of this year's No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

The Las Vegas Raiders have now lost four straight game after opening the season with a 3-0 record. Cousins was a good story at first, because he seemed to turn back the clock and play at a level not seen in a few years. However, the 38-year-old veteran was always meant to be a bridge between the start of the campaign and eventual onset of the Mendoza era.

If the Raiders aren't winning games, Cousins' presence in the lineup is unnecessary. He understands his position.

"If I'm not the best option, then I don't want to be out there, either. I want our football team to have the best chance to win games," Cousins told reporters . "I feel that Fernando has done a great job and has a bright future ahead, and I'm gonna go out there and play as well as I possibly can, help us win and give him a great example to learn from until he does go out there eventually."

Stat Line : 23 of 29 for 195 yards, three touchdowns and an interception

The Los Angeles Rams offense hasn't clicked this season in the same way compared to a year ago. Sunday's effort against the Las Vegas Raiders appeared to be a step toward what the unit can be, with Matthew Stafford's most efficient outing this fall.

Stafford had thrown for more yards and touchdown passes in previous games than he did Sunday. However, the reigning MVP completed a season-high 79.3 percent of his passes and looked more calm working from the pocket. He now has three straight games with a completion percentage over 74. There were times earlier in the season when Stafford outright missed throws he made last year. Those moments created some concern for an aging veteran.

Now, the 3-4 Rams may be back on track with three winnable games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders and Arizona Cardinals on the docket before the team's Week 11 bye.

"I thought our coaches did a great job of giving us a plan that we felt great about coming in here to execute," Stafford told reporters after the game. "Just proud of the way we worked throughout the week, and I think that showed (Sunday). We're going to have to keep doing that and doing it at a high level."

Stat Line : 14 of 21 for 208 yards and two touchdowns; eight carries for 37 yards and score

The Miami Dolphins finally showed signs of life for the first time this season. The team looked like the league's least-talented squad through the first six weeks of play. But Miami used its bye week to adjust and finally experienced significant positive growth Sunday against New York Jets. No one benefited more than Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis. Despite being a full-time starter for the first time, Miami failed to place significant talent around its quarterback. Unsurprisingly, Willis struggled through the team's first five games. The surrounding cast was a major part of the reason why the Dolphins won their latest contest and Willis played much better. Ollie Gordon II ran for over 100 yards. Tight end Greg Dulcich posted a season-high 86 receiving yards. Rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas provided Willis with a legitimate threat on the outside. Willis avoided pressure and scampered for a score as well. Sunday's performance is what Miami hoped to experience as the season progressed. Though the team and its quarterback face a difficult schedule with the New England Patriots, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills on the docket before Thanksgiving.

Score : 16-10 win vs. Indianapolis Colts

Stat Line : 14 of 24 for 150 yards and a touchdown; five carries for 39 yards

The Minnesota Vikings improved to 6-0, yet the team's approach remains lopsided, with the defense running the show.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a squad leaning on an elite defense. However, the Vikings offense can make everyone's life easier if it played complementary football.

Minnesota mustered 275 yards offense Sunday and finished four of 13 on third and fourth downs. Kyler Murray has yet to throw for 250 yards this season. The quarterback's biggest contributions often come when he can break outside of structure and keep a drive alive thanks to his athleticism.

Eventually, an opponent will crack the Brian Flores code and move the ball on the Vikings. The Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers offenses are next on the docket, which means Murray and Co. must do more than they have over since the quarterback returned from a Week 1 concussion.

Stat Line : 24 of 31 for 321 yards, two touchdowns and an interception; four carries for 26 yards and a score

Drake Maye has once again been burdened by taking on too much responsibility within the New England Patriots offense due to injuries and lack of a run game. Against the Chicago Bears, the Patriots were without both of their starting guards, as well as wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins. To make matters worse, Maye was the team's leading rusher with a whopping 26 yards. The fact the quarterback still completed 77.4 of his passes, threw for 321 yards, averaged more yards per attempt than Thursday's counterpart, Caleb Williams, and contributed three touchdowns indicates how well Maye is currently playing after a slow start to the season. Although, one blemish led to a subsequent Bears touchdown drive. Maye tried to connect with rookie tight end Eli Raridon in the end zone, but the quarterback left the pass short allowing linebacker D'Marco Jackson to snag an interception.

Score : 16-10 loss vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Stat Line : 30 of 38 for 278 yards, a touchdown and an interception

The New Orleans Saints run game is entirely ineffective, which places second-year quarterback Tyler Shough in a difficult position. As an offense, the Saints ran for 18 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Shough accounted for seven of those yards. Thus, running backs Kendre Miller and Alvin Kamara combined for 11 yards on 14 carries. New Orleans lost four of its last five games. During the last three losses, the Saints failed to reach 60 rushing yards. As such, more responsibility falls on the shoulders of the team's quarterback. Shough is highly competitive and he continues to make plays. But the 27-year-old signal-caller hasn't been able to carry the Saints offense and still provide consistency. Previously, Shough had been tremendous working inside the red zone. However, he threw a third-quarter interception inside the 10-yard line Sunday. Ultimately, the Saints lost by only six points.

JJ McCarthy may have revived his career with the New York Giants. While Sunday's effort is merely a one-game sample size after a disappointing start to his career with the Minnesota Vikings, the 2024 first-round draft pick provided a spark for Big Blue. McCarthy set career-highs with 252 passing yards and a 71.4 completion percentage. He did so against the Houston Texans defense, which may not be playing quite as well this season but can still get after opposing quarterbacks. The Giants couldn't continue with Jameis Winston at the helm. He was far too erratic in his decision-making. McCarthy doesn't bring extensive starting experience. After all, he's only 23 years old. When McCarthy was on the field previously, he looked lost running Minnesota's offense. Less pressure is now on the third-year quarterback, because the Giants didn't draft him in the first round or let Sam Darnold to walk in free agency before he won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. McCarthy is not even expected to be the long-term starter. This opportunity allows the young signal-caller to get comfortable and just play. That's exactly what he did Sunday.

Stat Line : 23 of 30 for 287 yards, three touchdowns and an interception

Frustration began bubbling to the surface regarding the New York Jets' offense.

Standout wide receiver Garrett Wilson caught only two passes for 26 yards against the Miami Dolphins. He wasn't happy and began chirping at quarterback Geno Smith.

"We were collaborating. I don't even think I was talking to Geno," Wilson told reporters after the loss. "I think we were both heated, but not at each other at all."

Wilson's dissatisfaction with a season-low three targets is understandable. Though Smith was able to connect with Omar Cooper Jr. on all five of the rookie's targets for a game-high 115 receiving yards. Sometimes, a little give and take is necessary to ensure an offense keeps moving the ball, especially when an opponent is keying on a specific individual.

Smith throwing interceptions in back-to-back weeks and doing so this past weekend with his unit near the red zone is likely a bigger concern as the season progresses.

Score : 16-10 win vs. New Orleans Saints

Stat Line : 19 of 30 for 212 yards and a touchdown

Aaron Rodgers is both a positive and negative within the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. One a positive note, his experience and pocket mobility are significant pluses in the aging quarterback's favor. Conversely, his ability to drive the ball accurately down the field has been severely limited during his 22nd season. Rodgers' still has the arm-strength to drive the ball to all three levels. But his uncanny accuracy, particularly down the field, is nowhere near what it used to be. The majority of Rodgers' effective passes Sunday were within five yards of the line of scrimmage. The Steelers created two pass plays over 20 yards in Paris. DK Metcalf's 51-yard reception was a vintage Rodgers pass after the receiver got behind coverage. The other was a swing pass where running back Jaylen Warren raced for 26 yards. Despite the issue, the Steelers are still 5-2 and tied for the best record in the AFC North.

Stat Line : 27 of 40 for 288 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions

Brock Purdy provided near-flawless football through the first six weeks. The same couldn't be said Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

The San Francisco 49ers quarterback had thrown just two interceptions during that initial stretch. He matched that figure during his last outing. Both were bad throws, too. The first should have been thrown away while rolling to his right and trying to make something happen. The second came during the fourth quarter when Purdy missed the underneath dropper and essentially handed the Falcons a victory.

"It was good play-calling by them and good execution by the linebacker," Purdy told reporters . "We've got to protect the ball through and through. And that starts with me at quarterback, and it bleeds into everybody else."

Stat Line : 20 of 28 for 257 yards, a touchdown and an interception

Sam Darnold had not looked like a recent Super Bowl-winning quarterback upon his return from injury in Week 3. That version finally showed up Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Darnold still needs to play a clean game. He did throw a bad interception in the back of the end zone, which extended his streak to five straight games with a pick (something he didn't do last season). Otherwise, his performance harkened back to Seattle's run toward its latest title.

Specifically, Darnold look good pushing the ball down the field and dropping a couple pinpoint passes into the bucket.

"He did an unbelievable job. Unbelievable job out there," wide receiver Cooper Kupp told reporters . "His command, his ability to get plays in and out, his command of the huddle. At the line of scrimmage, getting things fixed, getting guys organized, and then obviously playing decisive. All those third downs that you guys have talked about, he is really clicking through with progressions and going through it one at a time, playing in rhythm with his feet and his eyes all in one. It's really good. It's really cool to see. That's who he is, that's what we expect from him, and that's who he is going to continue to be because that's who Sam is."

Stat Line : seven of 11 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn't have dreamt of a better scenario for Baker Mayfield's return from a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand.

Mayfield missed the previous three contests due to the injury. He even wore a special glove Sunday to protect the digit. Instead of asking the returning quarterback to throw the ball all over the yard, Tampa Bay leaned on its running game and dominated the Carolina Panthers at the line of scrimmage.

The Bucs generated 258 rushing yards and controlled the contest from start to finish. Mayfield didn't need to do much then executed on the rare occasions when his number was called.

"I don't know with these handoffs; my thumb might be pretty sore," Mayfield joked with reporters after the game. " ... It was good form, though."

Stat Line : 20 for 31 for 181 yards and an interception

Unlike Sunday's counterpart, Deshaun Watson, the Tennessee Titans' Cam Ward didn't have the ball last to make the necessary play and lead his team toward victory.

The Titans owned a 14-0 second-quarter lead and looked well on their way toward back-to-back victories. Instead, Tennessee's next six offensive possessions went as follows: punt, downs, interception, punt, fumble and punt.

That lull forced the Titans to make a fourth-quarter comeback. Ultimately, Ward and Co. scored the game-tying touchdown with under a minute to play. However, if the group could have kept the pedal to the metal and executed, the outcome would have been very different.

The issue is obvious: Ward must become more consistent. He's played enough where the same mistakes are no longer excusable.

"I think it comes down to just continue to emphasize it and continue a next-play mentality," Ward told reporters . "At the end of the day, we know bad plays are going to happen. ... It comes down to us executing each and every play at a high level.

Ward added, "I can continue to work on my craft. I need to lead the guys my way and be the same person each and every day in the building."