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Nania’s QB Grades by Jets X-Factor delivers original and unique New York Jets quarterback grades from co-founder Michael Nania, specifically as it relates to Aaron Rodgers (now) and previously Zach Wilson and Sam Darnold.
Zach Wilson: 2022
Week 4 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 5 vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 6 at Green Bay Packers
Week 7 at Denver Broncos
Week 8 vs. New England Patriots
Week 9 vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 11 at New England Patriots
Mike White: Week 12 vs. Chicago Bears
Mike White: Week 13 at Minnesota Vikings
Mike White: Week 14 at Buffalo Bills
Week 15 vs. Detroit Lions
Week 16 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Mike White: Week 17 at Seattle Seahawks
Zach Wilson: 2021
Preseason Weeks 1-2 at Giants and Packers
Week 1 at Carolina Panthers
Week 2 vs. New England Patriots
Week 3 at Denver Broncos
Week 4 vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 5 at Atlanta Falcons
Week 7 at New England Patriots (Wilson and Mike White)
Week 8 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (White)
Week 9 at Indianapolis Colts (White and Josh Johnson)
Week 10 vs. Buffalo Bills (White)
Week 11 vs. Miami Dolphins (Joe Flacco)
Week 12 at Houston Texans
Week 13 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 14 vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 15 at Miami Dolphins
Week 16 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 17 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 18 at Buffalo Bills
Sam Darnold: 2020
Week 1 at Buffalo Bills
Week 2 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 3 at Indianapolis Colts
Week 4 vs. Denver Broncos
Week 5 vs. Arizona Cardinals (Joe Flacco)
Week 6 at Miami Dolphins (Flacco)
Week 7 vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 8 at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 9 vs. New England Patriots (Flacco)
Week 11 at Los Angeles Chargers (Flacco)
Week 12 vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 13 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Week 14 at Seattle Seahawks
Week 15 at Los Angeles Rams
Week 16 vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 17 at New England Patriots
QB Grades Explaination
Following the conclusion of the 2019 season, I sat back and wondered to myself, “What has been the best game of Sam Darnold’s career to date?” I started off by nonchalantly scoring each game on a scale of 0-10 off the top of my head. And then it hit me. What if I scored every single play of Darnold’s career on a scale of 0-10?
So that’s what I did. Digging through the All-22 film, I went back and graded every play (pass attempt, sack, rushing attempt) from every one of Darnold’s games, scoring each on a scale of 0-10 (5 representing an average play).
Anything and everything is taken into account. Ball placement. Should-be turnovers. Unlucky turnovers. Protection quality. Play-calling effectiveness. The number of open targets available and their locations on the field relative to the quarterback. Impact of the route-running and ball-tracking by the intended receiver. Down and distance. Field position. Game situation.
Every layer of decision-making is considered. Did Darnold choose the best available option? Did he scan the field to check all possible options? Did he take an over-aggressive shot when a first down was available underneath? Did he check down too early with a potential big play open down the field? Should he have tucked and run? Did he take a sack he should not have? Should he have thrown the ball away? Was there absolutely no option available for him to pick up yards, excusing a lack of production?
Simple statistics do not account for any of those factors. Using a manual, play-by-play grading system, many crucial variables that usually go overlooked are being properly valued. Sprinkle in this essential context, and we get a grade that is much more representative of the quarterback’s true performance level than standard box score numbers.
Darnold’s final scores are scaled from 0-to-100, with 50 representing the approximate league average (based on the analysis of other quarterbacks).
Breakdowns of every Sam Darnold performance from 2019-20 can be found at the links above, featuring my overall grade for each game. The grades will continue for Zach Wilson and any other Jets passers that appear in 2021.
