Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa reigns in Week 1 to launch Miami Herald’s 26th year of NFL QB rankings

DOLPHINS’ TUA TAGOVAILOA SOARS TO WEEK 1 TITLE TO OPEN 26TH YEAR OF MIAMI HERALD NFL QUARTERBACK RANKINGS AS TOP NAMES STRUGGLE OUT GATE: Dolphin Tua Tagovailoa’s 466-yard, three-touchdown, winning performance equated to a big 45.30-point game and the No. 1 spot in the Miami Herald NFL Quarterback Rankings for Week 1. The top three passers from last season -- reigning champion Patrick Mahomes, second place Justin Herbert and third place Joe Burrow -- all failed to crack the initial top 10, with Mahomes and Burrow not even in the top 20. Tagovailoa finished 13th last season despite missing four games due to concussions. The Herald’s Passer Success System (PASS) rankings are in their 26th season after beginning in 1998, with Steve Young the inaugural season champ. Our ratings system is cumulative not percentile-based, rewarding players who are consistently productive and avoid injury. Our ratings formula factors accuracy, passing yardage, touchdown/interception ratio and team result. They are passer ratings per se and do not include a QB’s running statistics. The initial 2023 Top 20 entering Week 2:

Miami Herald 2023 NFL QB Rankings

Rk Player, Team Week 1

1 Tua Tagovailoa, MIA 45.30

2 Kirk Cousins, MIN 42.20

3 Mac Jones, NE 37.80

4 Trevor Lawrence, JAC 36.05

5 Russell Wilson, DEN 34.85

6 Derek Carr, NO 33.25

7 Jimmy Garoppolo, LV 32.00

8 Matthew Stafford, LAR 31.70

9 Brock Purdy, SF 31.00

10 Jared Goff, DET 29.65

11 Jordan Love, GB 29.25

12 Baker Mayfield, TB 27.65

13 Jalen Hurts, PHI 27.50

14 Justin Herbert, LAC 27.40

15 Desmond Ridder, ATL 25.75

16 Kenny Pickett, PIT 24.60

17 C.J. Stroud, HOU 24.10

18 Josh Allen, BUF 22.80

19 Lamar Jackson, BAL 22.45

20 Anthony Richardson, IND 22.15

Week 1 best: Tagovailoa, MIA, 45.30 (28-45, 466, 3-1 in win). Week 1 worst (min. 10 attempts): Ryan Tannehill, TEN, minus-1.10 (16-34, 198, 0-3 in loss).

Record-best week: Ben Roethlisberger, PIT, 80.10 (2014). Record-worst week: Tim Hasselbeck, WAS, minus-23.20 (2003). Season-record point total: Peyton Manning, DEN, 714.85 (2013).

Season championships: 7--Drew Brees; 6--Peyton Manning; 3--Tom Brady; 2--Patrick Mahomes, Kurt Warner; 1--Rich Gannon, Carson Palmer, Dak Prescott, Aaron Rodgers, Steve Young.