Self-professed analytics nerd Austin Mock of The Athletic created a new analytic to evaluate quarterback play that he calls the "QB index," or QBI for short.
The purpose of the QBI is to attempt to evaluate NFL quarterbacks apart from the rest of their team, coming to a conclusion of one number that encompasses what they contribute to their team on any given play.
Mock says QBI is similar to ESPN's QBR as both statistics were created with the purpose of producing a singular number to assign to a quarterback, thus allowing for all the quarterbacks in the NFL to be compared an evaluated on an even playing field.
QBI's added variable should seemingly work against Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow
When going back and ranking all the eligible NFL quarterbacks from 2025 using QBI, Burrow leads the entirety of the NFL with a QBI of 132. Only two other quarterbacks have a QBI over 120, and the worst quarterback in the league is division rival signal-caller Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns with a QBI of 47. The scale of QBI is based on 100 being the most average possible rating, similar to the rating scale of an IQ test.
Like any other attempt at grading a quarterback, things like passes, rushes, sacks and turnovers are taken into account. What makes QBI different is the attempt to take into account the pressure faced by a quarterback, as well as the quality of the offensive line and wide receivers.
At a glance, Burrow's rating as a quarterback should suffer when you account for receiver quality. QBI gives and takes credit from quarterbacks based on receiver output. Drops and expected yards after catch (YACOE/Cmp) affect QBI. If Burrow gets to throw to arguably the best wide receiver duo in the NFL, comprised of Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase, it would stand to reason that his QBI would suffer.
The Bengals were 12th in the league in YACOE/Cmp, but they are one of two teams in the NFL that have averaged a top-10 ranking in the stat from 2018-2025. Chase's defining ability as one of the top receivers in the NFL is being able to create big plays out of thin air. Having a quickly-thrown bubble screen taken 70 yards for a touchdown like this is a quarterback's dream.
Here are the dots on *another* absurd Ja'Marr Chase YAC TD.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) October 6, 2024
Once he broke loose, there was no catching him. pic.twitter.com/7MglF5TUmo
If Burrow has receivers that should bog down his QBI, that means hes making up for lost points somewhere else. In 2025, Burrow got to play the majority of his season with an offensive line that finally got situated under new offensive line coach Scott Peters.
In the last 11 weeks of the season, the offensive line ranked fourth in the NFL in pass -block efficiency. In that same 11-week span, the Bengals only gave up seven sacks, which was also fourth-best in the league. These statistics indicate that a shotty offensive line is not the reason Burrow's QBI was better than anyone else's in the NFL in 2025.
So why is it that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has a higher QBI than the entire league?
The last area that could account for Burrow's separation from the rest of the league is the incorporation of film in QBI.
"Another area I wanted to incorporate in QBI was the combination of analytics and film. The best way to accurately account for what’s happening on the field is a marriage of the two — not one or the other — and that’s where PFF grades are helpful," Mock wrote. "There are things that happen in football that analytics can’t account for. While this might surprise you, I am happy to admit that."
Burrow ranked second in PFF ratings in 2025, just 0.1 points behind Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matt Stafford. PFF grades come from actual people watching plays and giving context. While that might introduce an uncomfortable level of bias in something that is described as an analytic, football is a game that requires human context.
No stat can account for hearing footsteps, or how one might react to an athletic freak like Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett as opposed to a 180-pound nickel corner coming off the edge. Statistically, both count as a pressure, but in reality one is a lot scarier than the other.
Despite only playing eight games due to injury, Burrow's sub-1% turnover-worthy play rate was the first in PFF history among quarterbacks with over 250 dropbacks. This statistic not only factors into QBI but also helps determine his ultimate PFF grade, thus improving his QBI.
If the Bengals defense takes the leap they're supposed to, then Burrow should have no problem maintaining his spot atop the QBI throne in 2026. Fewer points allowed means less hero-ball from Burrow, which grades out well in the metrics. Burrow will have to force the ball downfield and into tight coverage less often if the other side of the ball is doing their job, so if he is able to stay healthy, he has a chance to have his best.
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