The NFL season already began with another dominant performance by the Seattle Seahawks, picking up right where they left off after winning the Super Bowl.
In the season-opening rematch, a Sam Darnold-less Seahawks squad defeated the New England Patriots 13-10, with Patriots quarterback Drake Maye throwing three interceptions, the last coming during a desperate final-drive push from the Seattle 16-yard line as New England sought to tie the game and force overtime.
It proved to be a costly miscue for Maye, whom general managers, personnel executives, and head coaches voted as the eighth-best quarterback for this campaign prior to kickoff. Meanwhile, Darnold checked in at 10th, though the franchise will monitor how swiftly he recovers from an early quarter ailment.
Inside the Executive Poll: Who NFL Insiders Expect to Dominate
Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated runs an annual survey launched in 2015, where general managers, personnel directors, head coaches, offensive coordinators, and quarterback coaches ballot for the premier signal-caller heading into the autumn slate.
Compiling these insights during the chaotic final roster cut-down week yielded 104 returned ballots out of nearly 200 requests sent out, capturing perspectives from all 32 NFL franchises, including participation from 20 head coaches and 21 general managers.
Securing the top tier required navigating immense competition across the league landscape:
- 1. Josh Allen,Bills (427 points): Allen captured 49 first-place votes, appeared on 101 ballots, and climbed to the summit after finishing in second place last year.
- 2. Matthew Stafford, Rams (356 points): The reigning MVP pulled in 33 first-place votes across 92 ballots, vaulting up from seventh place a season ago in a massive leap of faith from evaluators.
- 3. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs (247 points): Returning from a nine-month layoff, the two-time MVP still secured 12 first-place votes and appeared on 86 ballots, slipping from first place the previous year.
- 4.Joe Burrow, Bengals (218 points): Projected for a huge campaign, Burrow collected 6 first-place votes across 80 ballots to maintain his third-place standing from last autumn. The last time he took the field at SoFi Stadium, he carried Cincinnati all the way to the Super Bowl.
- 5. Lamar Jackson, Ravens (96.5 points): Jackson earned 1 first-place vote and appeared on 47 ballots after finishing fourth last year. Operating under a completely revamped coaching staff, the league will watch closely to see if he can replicate his two MVP campaigns.
Rounding out the exclusive group, Justin Herbert of the Chargers and Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott earned the only other remaining first-place nods in a testament to the brutal standard of modern quarterback evaluation.
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