The NFC East delivered plenty of drama in Week 3. The Philadelphia Eaglesdidn't produce much on offense. Marcus Mariota delivered one of the weekend's biggest surprises, leading the Washington Commanders to an upset over theSeattle Seahawks.
Then, there's Jameis Winston. The New York Giants have acquired J.J. McCarthy
, but before that, they improved to 2-1 with a victory over the Tennessee Titans, led by Winston's on-field leadership.Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys left Brazil wondering what might have been aftera heartbreaking loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Two NFC East quarterbacks walked away with victories. Two didn't. As the division heads into Week 4, here's how the quarterbacks stack up after another eventful weekend.
1. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
You probably didn't
expect to see Marcus Mariota this high when the season began. No, he isn't better than Jalen Hurts or Dak Prescott, but the NFL is a week-to-week league. If we knew nothing about these quarterbacks before Week 3, we'd have to say Mariota was the best of the four.
Now, that may change in Week 4. It probably will, but that's where we are today.
Mariota authored one of the biggest wins of Week 3, helping Washington knock off the defending-champion Seahawks, a team many believed would handle the Commanders at home. This wasn't a case of Washington surviving mistakes or benefiting from a fluky bounce. Mariota made timely plays and delivered when his team needed him most.
He completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns while avoiding turnovers. He also added 11 rushing yards, including a key late scramble that helped position Washington to close out a 33-31 victory. The raw passing yardage won't wow anyone, but Mariota did the most important job a quarterback can do: he elevated his team against quality competition.
His 61.2 QBR and 110.0 passer rating reflect an efficient and winning performance that deserves recognition. So, think about this for a second. Washington has the Indianapolis Colts at home in Week 4. What happens if the Commanders win two straight?
2. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott falls a spot this week, but not because he played poorly. The veteran quarterback threw for 276 yards and a touchdown while posting a respectable 63.6 QBR and 91.2 passer rating. For much of the afternoon, he did enough to position Dallas for a statement victory over Baltimore.
Unfortunately for Prescott, the game's lasting image came on the Cowboys' final offensive possession. Facing third-and-goal from the two-yard line with seconds remaining, Prescott threw the ball out of bounds while George Pickens appeared open near the front pylon.
Dallas eventually tied the game with a field goal, but Baltimore answered with a walk-off kick moments later. Prescott remains one of the division's most talented quarterbacks, but the late-game sequence, combined with Dallas' 1-2 record, nudges him behind Mariota this week.
3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts lands third after a frustrating night in Chicago. The Eagles quarterback completed 16 of 25 passes for 153 yards, no passing touchdowns, one interception, and a 64.2 passer rating while adding 25 rushing yards and Philadelphia's lone touchdown on the ground.
There were a few bright spots. Hurts connected with DeVonta Smith on another beautiful deep ball and looked sharp during the Eagles' final drive of the first half. Unfortunately, those moments were far too brief. Philadelphia's offense disappeared during the second half, and Hurts' fourth-quarter interception to T.J. Edwards ended any realistic hopes of a comeback.
The loss wasn't entirely on Hurts. The defense struggled, the running game vanished after halftime, and the coaching staff will face questions about the game plan. Still, franchise quarterbacks are judged by results, and the Eagles managed only seven points in a game that quickly slipped away. That drops Hurts to third in this week's rankings.
4. Jameis Winston, New York Giants
A win is a win, and Winston deserves credit for helping the Giants improve to 2-1. That said, his performance against Tennessee won't be remembered as one of the season's masterpieces. Winston completed 14 of 22 passes for 118 yards, failed to throw a touchdown pass, and finished with a 27.9 QBR and 77.5 passer rating.
The Giants found a way to win, which ultimately matters most. Still, when comparing the four quarterbacks in the division, Winston's Week 3 body of work was the least impressive statistically.
New York won't spend much time apologizing for a victory, but Winston remains fourth in this week's rankings despite the result.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Where Jalen Hurts ranks among NFC East QBs after Week 3
