NFL Week 2 rookie QB grades: Zach Wilson flunks, Justin Fields flashes and Trevor Lawrence flounders

It was a Sunday matinee to overlook for 5 rookie passers.

Week 1 was usually a combined bag for the first-round rookies: There have been stable performances, some spotlight performs and a pair of passers made cameo appearances off the bench.

This week was extra of what you’d count on from rookie quarterbacks: An entire lotta badness from prime to backside. Actually, the entire rookie QBs regressed not directly in Week 2, so count on these sizzling takes to circulate on Monday morning.

Week 2 featured a matchup between new AFC East throwers, the No. 1 general choose went up in opposition to a tricky protection and there was one other debut for a passer taken outdoors the primary spherical.

Deep breath, all people. It may not have been fairly, however it’s Week 2. 

This is how the rookie passers graded out:

MORE: Breaking down the NFL’s contenders and pretenders after Week 2

Mac Jones: B

Stats: 23/30, 186 yards

Jones did not make a ton of “Wow” performs on Sunday, and he seemingly will not as he continues to develop beneath Invoice Belichick. Actually, he held onto the ball a bit lengthy at occasions and price himself some sacks, and did not take many out there deep photographs. He did not need to, although.

Whereas Jones’ statline is not overly spectacular, he is serviceable, and that is all you possibly can ask for of a rookie QB within the NFL. He’ll proceed to develop. He will need to get rid of bizarre performs like this one, although:

However Jones nonetheless does one thing that the opposite rookie QBs do not have: Poise. Jones seems like a veteran beneath heart, and whereas plenty of the Patriots’ offense relies round quick throws and dealing the center of the sector, Jones nonetheless executes the offense successfully and effectively and guided the Patriots to their first win on the season — and the primary of seemingly very many for the Belichick-Jones tandem.

MORE: How Invoice Belichick, Patriots proceed to dominate rookie QBs

Justin Fields: C+

Stats: 6/13, 60 yards, one interception

Subsequent: at Browns

Fields acquired his first prolonged have a look at NFL motion after Andy Dalton went down with an damage, and you may see why individuals assume he must be beginning. You too can see why the Bears weren’t speeding him to start out.

Fields went 6-of-13 passing for 60 yards and a late interception that had Chicagoans holding their breath. Fields additionally used his legs, one thing that Dalton was most likely watching from the sideline with envy.

To be truthful to Fields, he was additionally victimized by some drops, together with an Allen Robinson drop ultimately zone that value him his first NFL landing cross. Anticipate the Fields period get underway subsequent weekend vs. the Browns.

MORE: These three performs outlined Justin Fields’ inconsistent first look as Bears QB

Trevor Lawrence: D

Stats: 14/33, 118 yards, one landing, two interceptions

Subsequent: vs. Cardinals

Lawrence goes to maintain getting his photographs because the No. 1 general choose, although the early returns have been type of eh at finest.

After a mercurial debut in a loss, Lawrence had a frightening Week 2 job going through a really powerful Broncos protection. It went about in addition to you’d count on: Lawrence went 14-of-33 passing for 118 yards, a really, very early landing and two interceptions within the 23-13 L.

The Broncos protection is among the many finest within the NFL and is headed up by head coach Vic Fangio, so it wasn’t precisely an excellent recreation to get proper after Lawrence’s debut. Nonetheless, it is manner early in Lawrence’s profession to sound any type of alarm bells. 

Davis Mills: D

Stats: 8/18, 102 yards, one landing, one interception, one actually bizarre graphic

Nobody might be anticipating a lot from the third-round choose, and Sunday’s recreation confirmed you why.

Mills entered in reduction of an injured Tyrod Taylor, and his first drive resulted in an interception. He would additionally lead the Texans down the sector on a 63-yard landing drive, his solely rating on the day.

Mills goes to want work if he is a future passer for Houston — nobody actually expects that — so count on extra performances just like the one from Sunday sooner or later.

MORE: Rating NFL quarterbacks from 1-32

Zach Wilson: F

Stats: 19/33, 210 yards, no touchdowns, 4 interceptions

Subsequent: at Denver

F within the chat for Zach Wilson on Sunday.

Wilson earns an F for an abysmal efficiency vs. the Patriots protection on Sunday: He tossed 4 picks within the 25-6 loss in entrance of residence followers.

Not all INTs are made the identical, in fact: Wilson’s first turnover was a nasty learn and a nasty throw, whereas his second was a product of a tricky throw and a ball slipping by Corey Davis’ arms. The opposite two had been unhealthy, although, so there is no additional protection there.

Wilson solely threw three interceptions in his final season at BYU and he has 5 by the primary two video games of his NFL profession. A tough outing vs. Belichick and the Patriots was nearly anticipated, since Belichick chews up rookie QBs fairly commonly.

Fortunately for Wilson and the Jets at massive: The working recreation was nice on Sunday (150 speeding yards), the offensive line was significantly better than their Week 1 displaying. How Wilson bounces again subsequent week, vs. a really powerful Denver protection, is tremendously intriguing.

Trey Lance: Incomplete

Stats: N/A

Put him on a milk carton, since Trey Lance was nowhere to be present in Week 2.

Lance’s time is coming, and after a small little bit of an audition final week was the final little bit of motion he’ll get transferring ahead, he was on the bench on Sunday’s matchup vs. the Eagles.

Jimmy Garoppolo’s Week 2 efficiency wasn’t precisely inspiring (22/30, 189 yards, a landing) but it surely acquired the job carried out in opposition to a tricky Philly entrance within the Niners’ 17-11 win over the Eagles. Anticipate extra of the identical as San Francisco figures out how precisely to implement lance extra because the season rolls on.