PHOTOS: Ranking every starting quarterback's reaction to an interception
Every time a quarterback throws an interception, a little piece of them dies inside.
While some passers do a good job of hiding it, others' emotions spill out in a glorious fit of frustration. With feelings ranging from sad to astonished to furious, it would be hard to rank every quarterback's reaction, but what else is there to do in the offseason?
With 32 being the worst and one being the best, we've spent countless hours analyzing the body language of every team's signal caller following an interception to compose these rankings. All right, maybe not that many - but it was certainly a labor of love.
Points were awarded for consistency, passion, effort, originality, and a host of other intangible qualities.
Youngsters
32. Marcus Mariota, Titans
Mariota loses points here for lack of creativity. Many have perfected the lonely walk back to the sidelines over the years, but he'll have plenty of chances to distinguish himself from the pack in Tennessee this season.
31. Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings
Since Bridgewater is only 22 and not an interception machine, it was hard to find a good shot of him reacting to a pick. This throw, though, was ultimately picked off, and looking into his eyes, it's almost like he knows his fate before the ball leaves his hand.
30. Nick Foles, Rams
Foles displays that foggy gaze at the replay board with the hope of figuring out what went wrong. Or perhaps he's pondering how long it will take Chip Kelly to replace him.
29. Blake Bortles, Jaguars
That panicked feeling when you realize you have to play behind a shaky Jaguars' offensive line for the foreseeable future.
28. Jameis Winston, Buccaneers
The slow trot of acceptance to the sidelines. Winston looks like a kid bringing home a bad report card to his parents. Nothing to do but face the music.
27. Geno Smith, Jets
Smith actually has a pretty good poker face when he throws an interception. It's hard to tell if he's sad, upset, or even a real NFL quarterback.
26. Derek Carr, Raiders
That moment when you understand the gravity of the situation: you have to quarterback the Oakland Raiders and there's nothing you can do to escape.
To the Beat of Their Own Drum
25. Alex Smith, Chiefs
Whether it was in San Francisco or Kansas City, Smith has perfected the inconspicuous reaction to a pick. Step 1: Grab a hat and pull it down low. Step 2: Sit in the middle of a crowd. Step 3: Hope no one notices you. Step 4: Be thankful you still have a starting job.
24. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers
Immediately trying to justify to your coach why you did nothing wrong is one of my personal favorites. Something tells me Kaepernick is a guy who is really good at explaining why nothing is ever his fault.
23. Drew Brees, Saints
Brees is the master of immediately yanking off his chin strap after a pick. The only one to ever do it better was Brett Favre, in my opinion.
22. Cam Newton, Panthers
Similar to Smith's move with the hat, Newton always goes for the towel after a turnover to try to avoid the camera. In fairness to Newton, he uses the towel at other points during the game, but it's most effective when trying to stay out of sight.
21. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins
Tannehill is still young enough to think that trying to make a ferocious tackle after a pick will erase the poor decision he just made. A separated shoulder or two should make him change his tune and just get out of Dodge like a wily veteran.
20. Josh McCown, Browns
Admiring your pass is a very, very bad decision. Coincidentally, so is signing McCown to a lucrative contract.
19. Matt Cassel, Bills
Cassel always makes a real effort to let everyone know he's crushed by turning the ball over. If only he put that much effort into his throws.
Singing the Blues
18. Brian Hoyer, Texans
Hoyer goes with the slow jog back to the sidelines. He's trying to act like he wants to get there quickly to talk things over with the coaches, but he's likely trying to take his time in order to figure out an excuse for what went wrong before he arrives.
17. Matthew Stafford, Lions
Stafford usually appears deep in thought when he tosses an interception, and he certainly has a lot to think about. Like: how many different ways can he force a throw to Calvin Johnson without getting it intercepted?
16. Sam Bradford, Eagles
Bradford looks to the heavens, or, in this case, the majestic sight that is the roof of the Edward Jones Dome. He'll have the luxury of playing outdoors this year in Philadelphia, and thus, a better view after a pick.
15. Joe Flacco, Ravens
Flacco likes to stare down at his shoes when things turn bad. His only comfort is going home to sleep on a big pile of money after signing that $120-million contract extension.
14. Robert Griffin III, Redskins
There's disappointment, and then there's just downright sadness. Nobody looks sadder than Griffin after a pick. Even with the visor on, the despair shines right through.
13. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
While some quarterbacks prefer to look at the ground, Roethlisberger employs a different approach. Like Bradford, he's one of the few pivots to look up, although Roethlisberger typically closes his eyes. It doesn't have all the flash of a tirade, but it's genuine anguish. High marks for a compelling performance.
All the Rage
12. Matt Ryan, Falcons
Ryan likes to curse under his breath in an act of frustration. It's well short of a tantrum, and he's typically too nice to direct his anger at a specific receiver - otherwise he'd be higher on the list.
11. Carson Palmer, Cardinals
Palmer goes with the deep stare into oblivion after his picks. He's clearly seething inside, but does his best to hold it in. One day he's just going to flip out thanks to all that pent-up anger and make Mike Ditka look like Mahatma Gandhi.
10. Andrew Luck, Colts
Luck often displays a look of utter disgust following an interception. It's similar to the expression of those who have seen the quarterback's neck beard up close.
9. Philip Rivers, Chargers
Rivers' anger level following a pick is usually somewhere between a driver stuck in traffic and an old man trying to send soup back at a deli.
Best of the Best
8. Russell Wilson, Seahawks
Here's how you might look if you threw a last-minute interception in the Super Bowl. Or if you can't get a contract extension from a team you just led to two straight Super Bowls.
7. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Rodgers throws picks about as frequently as we see a solar eclipse, but when he does toss one, he makes his reaction count.
6. Jay Cutler, Bears
This classic Cutler look follows almost every interception he throws. His eyes say he doesn't care, but his body language says he really doesn't care.
5. Andy Dalton, Bengals
Nobody looks more like a deer in the headlights after a pick than Dalton. It's like he gets into this hazy trance where all he can do is make terrible decision after terrible decision. Dalton should not be operating heavy machinery after an interception.
4. Tom Brady, Patriots
Brady goes with the hands on hips all the time. It's subtle enough to make a statement, but annoying enough to give every non-Patriots fan another reason to dislike him.
3. Peyton Manning, Broncos
Manning's go-to look is the scowl. It's hard to imagine Manning being at fault for most of his picks and the disdain is likely reserved for receivers who ran the wrong route. It appears Demaryius Thomas might be on the receiving end of this one. Manning's not mad, he's just disappointed.
2. Tony Romo, Cowboys
This is the look you usually see after an ill-advised throw, and Romo certainly tosses many of those. Romo recently joined Twitter, and this is probably also the look he'll display when reading his mentions after a bad game.
1. Eli Manning, Giants
Manning always has a slight look of bewilderment after a pick, which is shocking because he throws so many interceptions. Give him credit, though: he always comes back strong on the next series, ready to commit another turnover. Nobody throws an interception with more confidence than Eli Manning. Nobody.