Everything in the NFL starts with the quarterback, and that includes scouting the opposition. In 2019, the New England Patriots will face a solid mix of savvy veterans and rising stars at the position — including four first-round NFL Draft picks from 2018.
Here are the 13 current starting quarterbacks the Patriots will face this coming season — ranked according to how difficult they’ll be to prepare for and play against.
13. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Allen’s lack of accuracy — carried over from his collegiate career — limits his overall effectiveness. If he wasn’t as mobile as he is, he’d probably be the easiest quarterback in the NFL for opposing defenses to prepare for. Can he make the jump as a passer in 2019?
12. Case Keenum, Washington Redskins
“Adequate” is the word I would use to describe Keenum. He does a lot of things well, but nothing well enough to stress a defensive coordinator while putting together a game plan. It’s beginning to look like his 2017 season was a fluke.
11. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
A lot of analysts and talking heads are in love with Jackson’s potential. He certainly could develop into a game-changing force one day. At the moment, however, he’s fairly one-dimensional player who struggles to use his athleticism to gain an advantage against NFL defenses
10. Eli Manning, New York Giants
Eli could very well be a lame duck as the NFL draft approaches. There’s no guarantee he’s the starter when the Giants kick off the season. If he is, a diminished skill set coupled with a depleted receiving corps makes preparing for Manning a relatively easy task — regardless of his history against the Patriots.
9. Sam Darnold, New York Jets
Darnold lacked weapons as a rookie, but that doesn’t excuse his lack of significant improvement as the season went on. He appears to have all of the physical traits of a franchise quarterback, but until the bottom line matches the potential, he remains an easy opponent to contain.
8. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
Everything said about Case Keenum could also be said for Andy Dalton. The Cincinnati signal caller does, however, have a couple of solid years under his belt is and is a better decision-maker than Keenum
7. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins
“Fitzmagic” is a wild card. There are days when he plays like a backup. Then — like the early part of the 2018 season — there are days when he is unstoppable. Bottom line: defensives always need to be on their toes when facing Fitzpatrick.
6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
It appeared that Dak returned to his rookie form during the last half of the 2018 campaign. If that’s the case — and given the weapons he returns — Prescott could end up being one of the better quarterbacks in the league in 2019.
5. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Just a couple of years ago, Big Ben might have been at the top of this list. From the neck up, he’s still elite. That said, time is taking a toll on the big man’s body, and the edge that his size and arm strength once gave him is not what it used to be.
4. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
He’s the total package of arm strength, athleticism and football IQ. There is little doubt that Wentz is an MVP-caliber player when fully healthy. If this is the case when the Patriots travel to Philadelphia, all bets are off.
3. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
Watson returned from an injury-shortened rookie campaign in 2017 to lead the Texans to the playoffs in 2018. His combination of accuracy, efficiency and athleticism should be enough to keep him in the conversation as one of the better quarterbacks in the league for the better part of the next decade.
2. Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft gave the Browns a spark unlike anything they’ve had in years. His mobility in the pocket is elite, and he’s not afraid to take chances with the football when it’s absolutely necessary. The addition of Odell Beckham Jr. to Mayfield’s arsenal of receiver should only increase his effectiveness.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
This is a no-brainer. Mahomes burst onto the scene and took the league by storm en route to being named NFL MVP in 2018. Though he has yet to beat New England in two tries, he took the World Champions down to the wire on both occasions. Between his arm strength, improvisational skills and understanding of the game, there’s no reason to think Patrick Mahomes won’t turn in another MVP-caliber season in 2019.
