NFC QB Satisfaction Index: Cowboys, 49ers sizzling, but what teams are fizzling?

No position in sports is more important than NFL quarterback. A star can keep a team in the playoff hunt for a decade or more. A solid backup, meanwhile, can keep a team on course for the postseason after a starter goes down for a short period. Bad QBs, on the other hand, can cripple a team's season ... and beyond. 

As compiled by Yardbarker NFL writers, here's the QB Satisfaction Index for all 16 NFC teams. A "1" score denotes a superb situation while a "5" denotes "We have one eye looking elsewhere." A "10" equals disaster area.

NFC East 

DALLAS COWBOYS | QBs: Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, Trey Lance | Satisfaction Index: 2. So much for Lance coming for Prescott’s job. With 3,892 passing yards (fifth in the NFL) and a league-leading 30 touchdown passes, Prescott — an eight-year veteran — has silenced many critics, but others are still waiting for the deep playoff run he has yet to deliver.

NEW YORK GIANTS | QBs: Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor, Tommy DeVito | Satisfaction Index: 8. New York spent $160M on Jones — who was sidelined for the season in November with a knee injury — and then watched a kid from the neighborhood (DeVito) lead the team to three of its five wins in 2023. It’s good to have a competent backup (or two), but with an out clause in Jones' deal in 2025 and a projected top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Giants must find someone better.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | QBs: Jalen Hurts, Marcus Mariota, Tanner McKee | Satisfaction Index: 2. After watching Hurts outperform Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVII, Philly fans had high expectations for their newly minted $255M quarterback in 2023. It’s hard to argue with an 11-4 record, but with 13 interceptions, nine fumbles and a passer rating of 89.6 (18th best), Hurts must play better for the team to win its second straight NFC championship.

 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS | QBs: Sam Howell, Jacoby Brissett | Satisfaction Index: 5. Howell was benched against the Jets in Week 16 after posting a 1.7 quarterback rating and throwing two interceptions. Howell’s 3,624 yards passing are 11th most in the league, which is quite a feat for a quarterback who has been sacked a league-high 60 times, but is he the guy long term? — Bruce Ewing

NFC West 

ARIZONA CARDINALS | QBs: Kyler Murray, Clayton Tune | Satisfaction Index: 7. Murray has not shown any consistency since coming back from his torn ACL. He also has a $230M contract and will be difficult to move given his recent play. The Cardinals will have a top-five pick in the QB-rich 2024 NFL Draft, but they must be hoping Murray will show he can still play at a high level so the high pick can be used on one of their many other needs.

LOS ANGELES RAMS | QBs: Matthew Stafford, Carson Wentz, Stetson Bennett | Satisfaction Index: 5. Stafford is still good enough to be a playoff quarterback (3,648 passing yards, 23 TD passes) and is helping the Rams compete for a wild-card spot. But he's 35, is starting to wear down physically and the Rams have zero quality depth behind him.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | QBs: Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold, Brandon Allen | Satisfaction Index: 2. Purdy has had the occasional bad game, and he may have cost himself the MVP Award with the Week 16 clunker against Baltimore, but he has still proved to be a steal as Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft. He is a franchise quarterback still on a cheap rookie deal for another two full seasons.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | QBs: Geno Smith, Drew Lock | Satisfaction Index: 5. Smith has jump-started his career in Seattle, completing 67.2 percent of his passes and throwing for 47 touchdowns to only 20 interceptions over the past two seasons. He will keep the Seahawks competitive, but is he good enough to get them to a Super Bowl? — Adam Gretz

NFC North

CHICAGO BEARS | QBs: Justin Fields, Tyson Bagent | Satisfaction Index: 7. Fields has shown flashes of the duel-threat skills that made him a first-round pick in 2021, but his inconsistency in the pocket continues to overshadow real promise. He's averaging a modest 172 passing yards through 36 career starts (9-27), which probably has the Bears thinking twice about passing on a highly touted QB in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

DETROIT LIONS | QBs: Jared Goff, Teddy Bridgewater, David Blough, Nate Sudfeld | Satisfaction Index: 3. Goff has been all the Lions could have asked for and more this season, commanding the fifth-highest scoring offense (27.5) and ranking among the top five in completion percentage (67.7, fifth), passing touchdowns (27, third), passing yards (3,984, third) and completions (365, second). The 29-year-old has led the Lions to their first division title since 1993 and put himself in a solid position to earn a contract extension with one year remaining on his deal. 

GREEN BAY PACKERS |  QBs: Jordan Love, Sean Clifford, Alex McGough | Satisfaction Index: 3. It's safe to say the Packers have landed another franchise QB in Love, who has performed at a high level despite the backing of a leaky defense, a banged-up offensive line and a relatively inexperienced supporting cast. He's tied for third in the NFL with 27 touchdown passes (30 total TDs), and no other QB in the league has more games of two or more TD passes with zero interceptions (seven). 

MINNESOTA VIKINGS | QBs: Kirk Cousins, Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall | Satisfaction Index: 8. Following Cousins' season-ending Achilles injury in October, Dobbs, Mullens and Hall have led the Vikings to a 3-4 record, combining for more turnovers (15) than touchdown passes (nine). The QB carousel hasn't yielded any standouts and with shelved starter Cousins' contract expiring at season's end, the 7-8 Vikings aren't in line for a high draft pick to replace him, creating more questions at the position. — Mike Santa Barbara

NFC South

ATLANTA FALCONS | QBs: Taylor Heinicke, Desmond Ridder, Logan Woodside | Satisfaction Index: 10. If the Falcons had better quarterback play this season, they would have clinched the NFC South weeks ago. Instead, uninspired play by Ridder (benched twice) and a limited Heinicke left the Falcons likely needing to win out and have chaos happen around them to reach the postseason.

CAROLINA PANTHERS | QBs: Bryce Young, Andy Dalton | Satisfaction Index: 7. Rookie first overall pick Young had his best game as a pro in Week 16, but the Panthers might be thinking “What if?” as long as second overall pick C.J. Stroud of the Texans outperforms him. Dalton is at the tail end of his career, giving Carolina little to be excited about behind Young.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | QBs: Derek Carr, Jameis Winston, Jake Haener | Satisfaction Index: 8. More was expected out of the Saints under 2023 free-agent addition Carr, just like Winston was supposed to be Drew Brees’ successor before Carr’s arrival. Neither lived up to expectations, pushing New Orleans to the brink of a rebuild. 

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | QBs: Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask | Satisfaction Index: 3. Tom Brady who? Mayfield has been better than most players on the rebound, giving the Bucs an 84 percent chance of making the playoffs (h/t The New York Times). If they make the postseason for the fourth consecutive season, it will be the second-longest streak in franchise history (1999-2002). Well done, Mr. Mayfield. — Eric Smithling