• Josh Allen making plays: Allen produced 22 big-time throws under pressure last season, six more than the next-closest quarterback.
• Mitchell Trubisky performed well in limited action: The former second overall pick went 22-of-44 for 248 yards and a touchdown, recording six big-time throws and just one turnover-worthy play. His 12.8% big-time throw rate also ranked first at the position in 2022.
• Nothing changes for Joe Burrow: Burrow has been no stranger to pressure since becoming the franchise guy in Cincinnati. He joined 10 other quarterbacks who faced pressure on more than 200 dropbacks a season ago, and he's been sacked a league-leading 153 times since 2020.
Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
Continuing our lookahead to the 2023 NFL season, last week we looked at the league's 10 highest-graded quarterbacks from a clean pocket, one of the most stable facets of QB play from year to year.
Today, we're taking the opposite view and looking at the league's best passers under pressure. While this particular facet is more volatile when it comes to projecting quarterback play, it's a skill players must have if they want to succeed at the NFL level.
For a more in-depth look at quarterbacks, check out the PFF QB Annual.
1. Mitchell Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pressured passing grade: 73.9
Trubisky appeared in only seven games and faced just 57 dropbacks under pressure, the fewest among quarterbacks who qualified for this list.
The former second overall pick went 22-of-44 for 248 yards and a touchdown, recording six big-time throws and just one turnover-worthy play. His 12.8% big-time throw rate also ranked first at the position, notably beating Josh Allen (10.7%), Aaron Rodgers (9.2%) and Joe Burrow (6.8%).
Last season, Trubisky and Josh Allen were the only quarterbacks with a double-digit big-time throw rate on pressured dropbacks.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Pressured passing grade: 72.9
Allen produced 22 big-time throws under pressure, six more than the next-closest quarterback. He also produced a league-leading 18 turnover-worthy plays, with his 6.3% turnover-worthy play rate on pressured dropbacks ranking 32nd among the 40 eligible players for this list.
The Bills quarterback did all this on a 14.5-yard average depth of target, which ranked in the top three at the position. When you add in his running element, he earned an 85.8 overall grade under pressure, the highest grade since Patrick Mahomes in 2018.
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