In this part of the divisional quarterback rankings series, we dive deep into the AFC South quarterback rankings for the 2019 season. This is a division on the rise since adding Nick Foles to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the off-season. Let’s take a look at where they rank.
AFC South Quarterback Rankings for 2019
4. Marcus Mariota
Marcus Mariota is coming up on his fifth season in the NFL. His best season came in 2017 when he lead the Tennessee Titans to a 9-6 season and a wild-card win against the Kansas City Chiefs. Of course, Alex Smith was the quarterback for the opposing team at the time.
Mariota’s had a decent quarterback rating most of his career but his QBR hasn’t been above 60 percent over the course of his career. This suggests that he hasn’t learned how to play with the people around him. He’s thrown for 2,000+ yards each of his first four seasons, but throwing for that many yards seems to be a pattern in this division. Mariota gets ranked fourth because he still has yet to tap into his full potential.
3. Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson is going into just his third season in the NFL with the Houston Texans. Unlike Mariota, Watson made it to the playoffs in just his second season. Not to mention, he made it to his first Pro Bowl— something else Mariota hasn’t done. Watson has already passed for more than 5,800 yards after only just 23 games. In his rookie season, he threw for 1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns through just nine games after tearing his ACL. He had a quarterback rating of 103.1 for both seasons and had an average 73.3 QBR, which has room for improvement but still good for just a season and a half. Watson was ranked third only because he doesn’t have quite the experience of the second and first place guys. Give it another year or so and it might be a different story.
2. Nick Foles
Nick Foles will enter his first season as quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Will he be the quarterback this franchise needs? Only time will tell. But Foles brings accuracy, according to Pro Football Talk’s Reuben Frank. The Jags will also be getting a super bowl-winning quarterback. He doesn’t get the number one ranking because, although he won a super bowl, no one is sure just how far he can go outside of the Eagles. Besides his back-to-back double-digit touchdown throwing seasons in 2013 and 2014, he’s been quiet. Still, he’s proven that he could win his team a championship if he needs to.
1. Andrew Luck
Andrew Luck has been the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts since 2012. He was selected to the Pro Bowl the first three seasons of his career. He has never thrown less than 1,000 yards in a season including 2015 when he only played seven games. He’s the most accurate quarterback in this division and plays tough.
The Colts signed wide receiver Devin Funchess back in March of this year. Luck has really only had T.Y. Hilton to throw to, so signing Funchess is a bright sign for him. Although Luck lost to the Kansas City Chiefs the second round of the playoffs in 2019, he still takes the number one spot. He has the most experience of all the quarterbacks in the AFC South.
‘Luck’y Number One
Luck is the best quarterback of the AFC South heading into the 2019 season. All the quarterbacks in this division have the potential to be number one. Who will be the best passer at the end of the 2019 season?
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