C.J. Stroud, Deshaun Watson, Baker Mayfield and the 6 grossest quarterbacks of Week 3

Week 3 was the backdrop to some tremendous NFL quarterback performances. Sam Darnold slung four touchdown passes to crush the Houston Texans. Andy Dalton stepped into the smoking crater Bryce Young left behind and had one of the best games of his career. Malik Willis improved to 2-0 as a starter for the Green Bay Packers.

It was not all sunshine and rainbows. There were several bad performances as teams like the Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten. Who was the most disappointing? Fortunately, we’ve got a metric to help figure that out.

Using the advanced stat expected points added (EPA) can gauge how much a quarterback brings to the table compared to a typical player. By comparing each passer’s Week 3 EPA against their 2023 average we get a better picture of just how frustrating their debuts were. And we can find both of those thanks to The Athletic’s Ben Baldwin and his incredibly useful stats sites RBSDM.com and HabitatRing.com.

Who was the worst? There were several candidates but only one man can truly call himself the grossest quarterback of Week 3.

6. Jacoby Brissett, New England Patriots

2023 expected points added (EPA) per game: 4.7

Week 3 EPA: -7.8

Difference: 12.5 points worse

Brissett is a bit of a cheat, as you have to go back to 2022 to get enough meaningful data to build a profile. But he was solid as the Cleveland Browns' fill-in starter while Deshaun Watson served an 11 game suspension after more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct and what the NFL later described as "predatory behavior." He was good enough to get New England out to a better-than-expected 1-1 start in a rebuilding year.

This did not last. The Patriots' already iffy offensive line came into Week 3 missing two starters and then saw its quarterbacks get sacked or hit 22 times in 33 dropbacks.

While Brissett and rookie fourth quarter replacement Drake Maye were able to incorporate Demario Douglas into the passing game, that was pretty much the only positive from the Pats offense in Week 3. It took a while, but New England finally looked like a team bad enough to sink to the top of the 2025 NFL Draft.

5. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

2023 expected points added (EPA) per game: 3.2

Week 3 EPA: -10.2

Difference: 13.4 points worse

The good vibes of Richardson's brief rookie season and limited preseason snaps are quickly fading. He looks every bit the unmoored anti-aircraft gun his University of Florida game tape suggested he could be at his worst. Man, what the [expletive] was this???

Richardson threw two interceptions and failed to find the end zone. He didn't attempt a single pass in between the hashmarks, vacating the middle of the field. While he avoided pressure (one sack in 21 dropbacks), he was less effective as a runner than he has been in the past.

His eight rushes gained only 24 yards. After a 63 percent success rate as a rookie -- a play that gains at least 40 percent of yards needed for a first down or touchdown on first down, 60 percent of yards needed on second down, and 100 percent on third or fourth down -- Richardson's runs had just a 50 percent success rate in Week 3.

Without much to offer through the air or on the ground, Richardson let Jonathan Taylor fight for yardage as his defense did just enough to avoid a Caleb Williams comeback. It's still early, but Richardson has completed only 36 of his 73 pass attempts to begin the 2024 campaign -- a 49.3 percent completion rate.

4. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans

2023 expected points added (EPA) per game: -1.2

Week 3 EPA: -16.8

Difference: 15.6 points worse

Let's preface this by saying Levis did some genuinely nice things Sunday. He threaded big throws into tight spots. He put the ball where DeAndre Hopkins could get it and make the Green Bay Packers pay. He also believed in himself so hard it became a genuine detriment to the Tennessee Titans.

Levis remains Schrodinger's quarterback, a player whose skill level seems to depend solely on your observation of him. Catch him on a single play and you can see the potential franchise quarterback Titans management shrugged and decided to build around. Catch him on others and, oops, he's turned himself into a meme.

Granted, there's just as much blame to be placed at the feet of a terrible offensive line as Levis himself, but it's safe to say this isn't the growth Tennessee hoped it would get from its second-year captain.

3. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

2023 expected points added (EPA) per game: 4.9

Week 3 EPA: -12.5

Difference: 17.4 points worse

Last week, the Vikings' blitz-and-stunt defense had Brock Purdy quietly signing its praises after losing in Minneapolis. This week, that unit went out and dismantled one of the NFL's most promising young quarterbacks. Sometimes that meant bringing extra attackers to the pocket:

But other times, it was a four-man rush that did just enough to send a passer having a bad day over the edge:

Stroud finished his day with four sacks taken -- for a loss of 42 net yards -- and a pair of interceptions. He didn't get the Texans on the board until late in the third quarter after they were already trailing 21-0. He threw five passes that traveled more than 15 yards downfield and had as many completions (one) as turnovers. This was all one big mess, but the Vikings start suggests that's gonna be a common thread in their games.

2. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

2023 expected points added (EPA) per game: -0.9

Week 3 EPA: -20.4

Difference: 19.5 points worse

Watson had, statistically, his best game of 2024. He had only his fifth multiple touchdown game as a Cleveland Brown. And yet, here we are.

On the surface, Watson's 196 yard, two-touchdown performance looks completely fine. But factor in eight sacks and he's stuck at 148 net yards on 45 dropbacks -- 3.3 yards per pass play. That's a number you wouldn't accept from your running backs, let alone the guy you're trusting to run your offense. On top of that, here's how Watson did after cutting the New York lead down to 21-15 in the fourth quarter:

• fumble

• turnover on downs after four plays

• turnover on downs after four plays

And that's it. Game over.

Cleveland gave up three first round picks and gave $230 million fully guaranteed to a man facing more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct specifically because he was supposed to be the guy who could be the difference between winning and losing. With three chances to beat one of the worst teams in the NFL, Watson fell flat on his face three times. Fortunately for the Browns, if they can just get to 2026 they can release him while eating a meager $99.7 million in dead salary cap space.

1. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2023 expected points added (EPA) per game: 5.3

Week 3 EPA: -16.8

Difference: 22.1 points worse

Welp, regression was bound to happen. I'm not sure anyone expected it to happen all at once against an 0-2 Denver Broncos team.

In fairness to Mayfield, Denver entered Week 3 with the league's seventh-best pass defense. But the veteran quarterback was forced to play from behind all afternoon and turned 40 dropbacks into 132 net yards. That's a 3.3 yards per pass play figure right on par with Watson's losing effort. The useful scrambling he uses to extend plays was shut down with a quickness; Mayfield failed to gain a single yard on the ground.

He threw just three passes that traveled more than 11 yards downfield. Only one was caught, and it was by Denver safety Brandon Jones. Mayfield's impressive 2023 gave him a lot of room to fall in 2024. In Week 3, he plummeted, knocking the Buccaneers down to 2-1 in the process.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: C.J. Stroud, Deshaun Watson, Baker Mayfield and the 6 grossest quarterbacks of Week 3