Part 4 of 8 of the QB Rankings series. In this article we will be focusing on the AFC South.
*This is my opinion and solely based off of 2019 performances*
1st – Deshaun Watson | 5th overall
2019 Stats – 3,852 yards | 67.3 pct | 26 pass TD – 7 rush TD | 12 INT | 3 FUM
Even though Watson did have an up and down year, he still looked like the top tier quarterback he is. His efforts in the Wild Card round against the Bills to bring Houston back into the game and win it are commendable, so hopefully, we can all agree on the fact that Watson is a top tier QB. I want to see the young star get to a Super Bowl because he has been on fire ever since he arrived to the NFL. Even though his Texans got crushed by Patrick Mahomes, Watson still had a solid year. His 26 touchdowns helped the Texans get to the Divisional Round. I expect the Texans to be a contender for as long as Watson is under center.
2nd – Ryan Tannehill | 7th overall
2019 Stats – 2,742 yards | 70.3 pct | 22 pass TD – 2 rush TD | 6 INT | 3 FUM
Patriot slayer. Raven killer. Hero in Tennessee. Comeback Player of the Year. The 31-year-old quarterback was not even known in the offseason after being traded from Miami. It was thought that the Titans would continue to go with Marcus Mariota under center, but his poor effort forced the backup Tannehill to take his role. I don’t think the Titans will ever regret making that change. He revived a sluggish offense and brought life to the young stars like AJ Brown and Derrick Henry. His efforts helping the 9-7 Titans to the AFC Championship will definitely earn the veteran quarterback a lot of money in 2020.
3rd – Gardner Minshew | 25th overall
2019 Stats – 3,271 yards | 60.6 pct | 21 pass TD – 0 rush TD | 6 INT | 7 FUM
Minshewmania was in full effect in Jacksonville. The mustache might be the new mascot for the Jaguars, but you can’t argue that his rookie year was an unforgettable one. Minshew led Jacksonville to a 6-10 year after taking over for Nick Foles who got injured early in the year. His 3,000 passing yards helps add to his empty resume. The Jaguars will have a tough decision to make in 2020. If Foles comes back healthy, then the Jaguars will have to decide who will be the starting quarterback for the future.
4th – Jacoby Brissett | 26th overall
2019 Stats – 2,942 yards | 60.9 pct | 18 pass TD – 4 rush TD | 6 INT | 5 FUM
Andrew Luck’s sudden and shocking retirement put Jacoby Brissett back in the starting role for the Colts. He was put in a tough spot after coming off an MCL sprain and trying to lead the Colts back to the postseason. Brissett obviously is not the same player he used to be before his injury because he looked less mobile and overall his play looked below average. If Indianapolis is going to stick with Brissett, then he is going to have to find a better way to recover and have a solid backup to help if he can’t finish out 2020.
