The NFL season in 2020 has been tough for teams to deal with given the current pandemic. Thankfully Madden NFL 21, despite all of its flaws, has given fans of American football a way to enjoy their favorite sport in the comfort of their own homes.
With the season set to come to a close by the end of the calendar year, it’s important to acknowledge the best of the best in their respective positions. Let’s now take a look at the 10 best quarterbacks in the NFL this season.
10 Matthew Stafford
In 2020 alone the NFL world has seen dozens of current and former players refer to Matthew Stafford as the most underrated quarterback in the league. Aaron Rodgers has even gone as far as to acknowledge Stafford as being one of the first to implement the no-look passes in games alongside him, long before the days of Patrick Mahomes. It’s unclear if Stafford will be a member of the Detroit Lions in 2021, but one thing that is crystal clear is that Stafford’s consistency makes him a top ten starter in this league.
9 Tom Brady
Tom Brady is one of the more polarizing quarterbacks in the NFL as many consider him to be the greatest ever, while others see him as vastly overrated. No matter what side of that argument you fall on it’s clear the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of the more inconsistent teams in the league. Any sort of pressure on Brady has resulted in lackluster play from the entire offense, including Brady. If his line can keep him clean though, Brady has demonstrated he can still win games and produce points for his team.
8 Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson has regressed as a passer in 2020 and there are many factors as to why this likely happened. The reigning NFL MVP lost out on offseason training and his wide receiving options outside of Hollywood Brown and the tight end Mark Andrews lack any type of consistency.
That being said, Jackson finds ways to win with both his arm and his feet. In order to earn respect from fans, he’ll need to show he can succeed in the playoffs when teams scheme to take his legs away from him and force Jackson to throw.
7 Kyler Murray
Outside of Josh Allen, it’s hard to find another quarterback as entertaining to watch as Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals. He’s drawn hate entering the 2020 season due to what many fans perceive as hyperbolic expectations of the talented quarterback. There’s no doubt that Murray can produce both in the air and on the ground, but he’s starting to develop a turnover habit. Though his yards and touchdowns are up, he’s on pace to throw more interceptions year-over-year and double his fumbles.
6 Ryan Tannehill
Most people consider Ryan Tannehill to be a game manager that simply hands the ball off to Derrick Henry. This may seem like the case from the outside looking in, but the truth of the matter is that Tannehill has thrived in the Tennessee Titans offensive scheme. Very rarely do you see “game managers” with the stats he’s put up. Through 14 games Tannehill has scored 31 touchdowns, thrown 5 interceptions, and has passed for almost 3,500 yards which has gifted him with a season passer rating of 110.4.
5 Russell Wilson
There was a time where Russell Wilson would have been near the top of this list, and that time was during the first handful of games in the 2020 NFL season. As time has gone on, the flaws of the Seattle Seahawks have become more apparent and opposing defenses are making those around Wilson try and beat them. His 37 passing touchdowns have him in second place in the entire league, but lose their significance when he’s thrown a career-high of 13 interceptions in 2020 with 2 games left to go.
4 Josh Allen
Is Josh Allen one of the most electrifying players to watch in the entire NFL? Buffalo Bills fans certainly think so, and Allen’s dominant performances in 2020 have the rest of the country thinking the same thing.
Allen can be a little careless with the ball sometimes and isn’t unfamiliar with bad decisions, but his accuracy numbers have improved significantly. There’s a case to be made that he’s largely the reason the Bills are winning games despite a hit-or-miss defense and an almost non-existent run game.
3 Deshaun Watson
Fans who only follow the NFL in a casual manner might be confused as to how a quarterback on a team set to make a top-five pick in next year’s NFL draft lands near the top of this list. Well, Deshaun Watson has quietly been having his best year as a professional football player despite the trainwreck around him that is the Houston Texans. He’s currently tied with Patrick Mahomes with a passer rating of 110.6, good enough to land him in the #2 spot right behind MVP front-runner Aaron Rodgers.
2 Patrick Mahomes
If it wasn’t for Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes would be coasting towards his second MVP award following the conclusion of the 2020 NFL season. As usual, Mahomes is dominating and doing it with style and flair in only a way he can deliver. His 4,400 passing yards through 14 games is league-leading and pairs well with his 36 touchdowns passes he’s managed to toss while only surrendering 5 interceptions to defenses all year. Those who love and hate Mahomes need to get used to this type of success from him on a yearly basis.
1 Aaron Rodgers
Though Aaron Rodgers has arguably been the most talented quarterback in the NFL since becoming a starter, he hasn’t had his best seasons the last few years. In comparison to other NFL starters they would be considered career years, but for Rodgers, his numbers were down across the board when comparing to his best years. In 2020 he not only leads the league in both passing touchdowns and passer rating but is considered by many to be the front-runner for the Most Valuable Player award, just ahead of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
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