With only a couple of fresh faces, this week’s list is comprised of the usual suspects. A look at some of this week’s notable Quarterback performances:
Philip Rivers – San Diego
No team needed to stop the bleeding like San Diego in Week 13. Rivers saw to that, completing better than 75% of his passes, did not throw an INT, and helped open up generous running lanes for the Chargers’ rushing attack. Rivers’ performance, which helped halt a 6-game losing streak for San Diego, may be a turning point for the QB, whose 2011 season has been sub-par by his personal standards.
Tom Brady – New England
Brady’s performance vs. the Colts was almost overshadowed by a near 4th quarter Patriot defensive meltdown. That said, Brady and New England did enough to do something they’ve become expert at over the last decade: winning in December. Brady was sharp for most of the day, and seems to have overcome his mid-season tendency for more INTs than usual. Brady’s productivity was especially important on Sunday, as the Patriots managed very little yardage on the ground.
Alex Smith – San Francisco
With each week that passes, Harbaugh-Smith looks more and more like a coach-QB marriage that can work over time. For the first time, Smith appears comfortable in an NFL offense which asks him to manage the game and be consistently accurate – while complimenting the Niners’ run game. Sunday’s showing vs. the Rams saw Smith post a career-high QB rating and deliver nearly all of his 23 pass attempts on target.
Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay
The Giants didn’t make it easy, but Rodgers found ways to make good throws all day vs. New York. None of them were more important than his throws on the Packers’ final drive, when Green Bay went 65+ yards in less than a minute. During that drive, Rodgers went 4-4 and put the Packers in position for the game-winning field goal on the game’s final play. Sunday proved Rodgers and this Green Bay team can win close games, and kept them perfect (12-0) for the season.
Drew Brees – New Orleans
The feeling of invincibility in New Orleans only grows for Brees and these Saints. The New Orleans QB was once again nearly flawless at home, distributing the ball to multiple receivers as well as any of the NFL’s elite Quarterbacks. Along the way Sunday vs. Detroit, Brees passed 4,000 yards in a season quicker than anyone in NFL history.
