Did Josh Allen push Baker Mayfield out of the top 10? NFL Quarterback Power Rankings after Week 3

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Three weeks into the 2021 NFL season, and we have shakeups in our quarterback power rankings at the top and bottom of the top 10.

The first move you’ll notice is that Baker Mayfield fell out of the top 10. He didn’t play poorly against the Bears as he completed 19 of 31 passes for 246 yards and a touchdown in a 26-6 win.

But Mayfield dropping out has nothing to do with him. Josh Allen was just much, much better in Week 3. Allen threw for 358 yards and four TDs against Washington, pushing him back into the top 10 after a sluggish start put him on the outside to start.

Here is my ranking of the top-10 quarterbacks after Week 3, along with the next five in alphabetical order. If a player was in the top 10 last week, their previous rank will be in parenthesis next to his name:

Next five

* Joe Burrow, Bengals

* Derek Carr, Raiders (6)

* Justin Herbert, Chargers

* Baker Mayfield, Browns (10)

* Ryan Tannehill, Titans

10. Lamar Jackson, Ravens (7)

Season stats: 53-87 (60.9 percent), 761 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs.

If I’m being honest, I agonized over the decision between Jackson and Derek Carr for the final spot. Both are more than worth a spot in the top 10. But it goes to show how good the quarterback play is right now.

Jackson was 16-for-31 with 287 yards, a touchdown and an interception against the Lions. But Jackson was plagued with drops, particularly from Marquise Brown. You also can’t say enough about how clutch his pass to Sammy Watkins was on 4th-and-19 to set up Justin Tucker’s game-winning 66-yard field goal.

Carr was great as well against the Dolphins. But what Jackson did in a clutch moment for the second game in a row earned him this final spot.

If I were to extend these rankings out, Carr would be No. 11 followed by Justin Herbert at 12 and Mayfield at 13. But this has been a very good year for quarterbacks, and one big game from Mayfield can vault him right back into the top 10.

This week: At Broncos.

9. Josh Allen, Bills (next five)

Season stats: 79-127 (62.2 percent), 802 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT.

Week 1 appears to be an aberration for Allen, and the last two weeks are closer to the norm. Sunday’s win vs. Washington was the first time this season he completed more than 59 percent of his passes.

The good news is the Bills will take on some vulnerable defenses in the next three weeks. They host the Texans followed by primetime road games at Kansas City and Tennessee.

Those last two will be tougher, particularly the one against the Chiefs. But they’re also chances for Allen to pad his stats.

This week: Home vs. Texans.

8. Dak Prescott, Cowboys (9)

Season stats: 86-111 (77.5 percent), 878 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs.

Prescott just continues to play well in his return from last year’s season-ending ankle injury. He was brilliant again vs. the Eagles on Monday night, going 21-for-26 for 238 yards and three TDs.

A healthy Prescott gives the Cowboys a great opportunity to win the NFC East. They have a one-game lead on Washington and Philadelphia, along with a quality win against the Chargers.

An improved defense under Dan Quinn has helped tremendously. But getting Prescott back was critical, and he’s shown exactly why so far.

This week: Home vs. Panthers.

7. Russell Wilson, Seahawks (5)

Season stats: 63-86 (73.3 percent), 895 yards, 7 TDs, 0 INTs.

Wilson put up some good numbers against the Vikings when he threw for 298 yards on 23 of 32 attempts. But he only had one touchdown in Sunday’s 30-17 defeat.

Seattle got into the red zone one time, and Wilson and company only had the ball for 24:07. The problem in addition to limited time of possession was finishing drives with points. The Seahawks failed to score in the entire second half.

Things don’t get easier with a road trip to San Francisco this week.

This week: At 49ers.

6. Kirk Cousins, Vikings (8)

Season stats: 88-119 (73.9 percent), 918 yards, 8 TDs, 0 INTs.

Cousins and the Vikings finally got in the win column with a 30-17 victory against Wilson and the Seahawks. He was 30-for-38 for 323 yards and three touchdowns, continuing his sensational start.

So far this season, Cousins has thrown for 300 yards twice, three touchdowns twice and has had a quarterback rating of better than 120 each of the last two games. The Vikings are 1-2, but Cousins is a big reason they had a chance to win either of the first two games.

Sunday’s game vs. the Browns should be very intriguing as his team faces his old quarterbacks coach in Kevin Stefanski.

This week: Home vs. Browns.

5. Aaron Rodgers, Packers

Season stats: 60-88 (68.2 percent), 649 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs.

Rodgers looks like his old self and makes a massive jump all the way to No. 5 in this week’s rankings. He was bad in Week 1 and as good as he was against the Lions in Week 2, it was expected that he was going to play well.

His game against the 49ers was tremendous as he threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns. But he saved his best for last, driving his team 47 yards in the final 37 seconds to set up a game-winning field goal from Mason Crosby as the Packers won, 30-28.

That clutch drive is a huge reason why he made the massive leap to No. 5.

This week: Home vs. Steelers.

4. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs (3)

Season stats: 78-111 (70.3 percent), 940 yards, 9 TDs, 3 INTs.

Even though the Chiefs are 1-2, Mahomes is still putting up good numbers. The problem has been costly interceptions in each of the last two games.

In Week 2 vs. the Ravens, it was an interception while falling to the ground that gave Baltimore the momentum to come back and win, 36-35. Against the Chargers on Sunday, he overthrew Travis Kelce, allowing Alohi Gilman to intercept the ball. Justin Herbert found Mike Williams on the following drive for the eventual game winner.

Mahomes threw for 260 yards and three TDs in the 30-24 loss. But his interceptions at bad times are worrying for a quarterback who’s avoided them for most of this career.

This week: At Eagles.

3. Kyler Murray, Cardinals (2)

Season stats: 76-102 (76.5 percent), 1,005 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs.

Sunday’s 31-19 win in Jacksonville was a tale of two halves. Even though Murray rushed for his only touchdown of the game in the first quarter, Arizona mustered just seven points in the first half.

Murray got the offense rolling in the second half as he led them to three straight scoring drives following an interception on the opening drive of the third quarter.

He finished by completing 28 of 34 passes for 316 yards, and rushing for just 19. It was a good game, but not enough for him to pass Tom Brady.

This week: At Rams.

2. Tom Brady, Buccaneers (1)

Season stats: 97-141 (68.8 percent), 1,087 yards, 10 TDs, 2 INTs.

Brady didn’t have a bad game against the Rams by any stretch of the imagination. He completed 41 of 55 passes for 432 yards and a touchdown, and he rushed for a TD as well. The problem was that Matthew Stafford was much better in the Rams’ 34-24 win. But we’ll get to Stafford later.

The Rams just kept the Buccaneers at arms’ length in the second half, which sent Brady and company to 2-1.

This week: At Patriots.