Ranking 8 NFL Playoffs QBs remaining, from the best to Baker Mayfield

This year, the group of eight quarterbacks who made it to the divisional round of the playoffs is a place of skepticism and suspicion.

It's the same question that comes with changing teams three times a year and accepting the only team you wanted to start in the second round of the playoffs. Or some say the rookie quarterback won't be considered MVP or win a playoff game. Or there are teams who actually won the MVP and declined the opportunity to even sign or negotiate with a quarterback who was able to talk freely with other teams last year.

Another QB was just a “throw-in” in a trade intended to move a bigger name to the position, while another was the last pick in the draft and another was three years removed from being a starter. I was waiting for my turn.

Even Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen had some questioning whether this was their year.

No matter how much doubt they had going into the playoffs, they're here now. These are the eight quarterbacks left in the playoffs, ranked from best to worst.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes has won two of the last two Super Bowls by a playoff quarterback. So until further notice, I'm going to go with this.

Does Mahomes have the worst supporting cast remaining in the playoffs? Travis Kelce had his worst season since becoming “Travis Kelce.” The offensive line ranks in the middle of the league.rookie Lachie Rice had nearly twice as many targets as the Chiefs' next closest receiver, and Kansas City had the highest drop rate in the NFL (6.9%).

This may help explain why Mahomes' numbers have dropped and why he doesn't win a third MVP, but even in a “bad year” for Mahomes, the team is still in the division. They're in the playoffs.

Kansas City's offense has had to adjust to Tyreek Hill and a legitimate No. 1 receiving threat, which has led Mahomes to rank 30th in intended air yards per attempt (6.5) and completed air yards per pass attempt (4.1). ), but Chiefs receivers ranked first in yards after the catch (2.552) by nearly 400 yards over second place. Mahomes had the highest completion percentage of his career (67.2%), was third in on-target percentage (80.7%), and third in bad throw percentage (13.3%) among quarterbacks with at least nine starts. It was the lowest.

The 2023 season won't be as impressive as Mahomes' two MVP campaigns in 2018 and 2022, but in some ways it will be more memorable.

2. Josh Allen, Bills

As for how the AFC playoffs are going, “the preeminent quarterback rivalry of the decade” is taking place before reaching the conference championship.

Mahomes vs. Allen is the game we've all been waiting for, and while the Chiefs won the postseason meetings in 2020 and 2021, this time Josh Allen is at home. No, not everything is due to this, but mainly due to:

Perhaps the only play more exciting than a Josh Allen touchdown right now is a Josh Allen interception. Criticize his decisions if necessary. Allen's “go big or go home” mentality will inevitably end up in the Super Bowl eventually, if not several times. And he's the only reason Buffalo is in the conversation. Allen's four consecutive appearances in the divisional round are the most by a Bills quarterback since Jim Kelly and Buffalo. I never have To date, they have recorded double-digit wins in five consecutive seasons.

The Bills have won seven of their last eight games, with Allen scoring 22 touchdowns in those games. It would be a shame if Allen doesn't get at least two touchdowns in this game, but it might be even more disappointing if he doesn't add a pick. A journey begins with every throw.

3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens

The pressure is on for Jackson to win. texans Because he came very close to winning his second MVP award before winning his second career playoff game. Fortunately for Lamar, this is also the best team he's ever been surrounded by, and the best team he's played for in a career filled with highlights.

With a new offensive coordinator in Todd Monken and the addition of two receivers in Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr., Jackson has improved his completion percentage (67.2), passing yards (3,678), Y/A (8.0), and He set a career high in A/A (8.0). Number of pass attempts (457). For the first time in his career, Lamar exceeded league average in Y/A, Comp%, TD%, INT%, Passer Rating, and Net Y/A, and did so while still rushing for 821 yards and five touchdowns. .

Lamar Jackson's run is still one of the most dangerous rushing plays in the NFL, but I lose sleep over his ability to throw downfield. Jackson had the most scrambles (65) and RPO runs (25) in the NFL, by a wide margin.

4. CJ Stroud, Texans

Experience doesn't matter when measuring the quality of play right now, and C.J. Stroud has been playing well beyond his rookie years. He performed as well as, if not the best, any quarterback in the first round of the playoffs, completing 76% of his passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns against quarterbacks. did. browns Their defense seems to be the best in the league.

Before the draft we were talking about his S2 score, now we're talking about his PFF grade. The only number that matters to the Texans is 1. Similarly, the Texans won one game in the playoffs, so CJ Stroud thinks he can win at least one more game.

It's safe to say Stroud will start the quarterback remaining in the NFC playoffs. It's not that the team isn't too happy with Jordan Love or Brock Purdy, but honestly any team would want to get CJ Stroud. It's not because he's on a rookie contract. Because he plays like a top-10 quarterback every week, but I don't think he can say that about any quarterback left in the NFC.

If not, every quarterback in the NFC, regardless of their current situation.

Since returning from injury, Stroud has thrown six touchdowns and zero interceptions in his last three games, completing over 75 percent of his passes in each game and getting a little better each week. Stroud is also a big game hunter. His air yards per attempt of 9.0 ranked him first among all his QBs who started at least 10 games.

With Nico Collins emerging as a verifiable No. 1 receiver this season, perhaps the only thing that could hold the Texans back from an upset is losing Tank Dell midseason. Houston would have had more firepower offensively, but even without Dell, the Texans will have a tough battle with Stroud.

5. Jordan Love, Packers

If Jordan Love isn't already considered a consensus top-10 quarterback with 21 touchdowns and one interception over the last nine games, there won't be any skeptics left if he derails the game. Dew. 49ers And take Green Bay to the NFC Championship. If that happens, forget everything I said about him being behind Stroud.

In case, packers What's been great about Love this season is his ability to take a lead in the first half against the 49ers and take it to halftime. He has 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions when Green Bay is leading, compared to 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions when the Packers are trailing. I know that normally Kyle Shanahan is afraid of losing the lead in the fourth quarter, but in this case it's really incumbent on the 49ers to come forward and pull away.

In his first season as a starter, Love has a chance to do what Brett Favre didn't do until his fourth year and Aaron Rodgers didn't do until his third: reach the conference championship game.

If that happens, there will be a completely different conversation about Jordan Love in the offseason.

6. Brock Purdy, 49ers

He may be No. 6 on this list, but Purdy might be better off embracing the skepticism and letting the game speak for itself. Things are going well for him so far.

Leads the NFL in passer rating (113), QBR (72.7), Y/A (9.6) and TD% (7%), ranks 4th in completion percentage (69.4%) and 3rd in touchdowns (31). It was done. On a team that earned the No. 1 seed, Purdy was not seriously considered an MVP candidate, but he reached the highest level he could to prove himself.

People say Purdy is here because he has Kyle Shanahan as the head coach, Christian McCaffrey in the backfield, Trent Williams guarding the blindside, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk. will say it's because he's catching passes from Purdy. Understood. Wouldn't it be better to be the successful quarterback of the best team than be the quarterback of a team that doesn't have the right support system in place?

I'm confident Purdy will take advantage of the advantages he gained in San Francisco. low credit rating Rather than go to a bad team and get something. more credit.

If they win the next three games, all they'll say about Brock Purdy at that point is, “He's a Super Bowl winner.''

7. Jared Goff, Lions

It's pretty easy to see who will be in the top six for this conversation. Even if it's a little unfair, there's a clear difference between Purdy and her other two. Purdy has only been a starter for a little over a year, but unlike Goff, everyone knows he was at least in the MVP conversation this season.

still, Either Jared Goff or Baker Mayfield will start in this year's NFC Championship Game.

The 2023 season was Goff's best since helping the Rams reach the Super Bowl in 2018. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has something to say about it — he could be the first Sean McVay since Sean McVay — and it will be interesting to see how Detroit's season goes. begins in 2024, with Johnson taking the head coaching job.

For now, Goff has Johnson, a top-five offensive line in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and two really good top-10 running backs.

Is this the best version of Jared Goff we've ever seen? probably. But even if he did get better, you'd think, “Why did you do that?'' or “How could you miss that?'' Jared Goff continues to perform this year, and once again likely to appear.

8. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers

Every playoff game has at least one quarterback who lights up the party, and this one is a former No. 1 overall pick who changed teams three times in less than a year. But Baker Mayfield didn't just fall behind in the divisional round of the playoffs, he won.

Moving to perhaps the only team that would give him a fair chance to start, Mayfield turned a slow start into a frenzy at the right time. In his past 12 games, Mayfield has thrown for 23 touchdowns, six interceptions, and just over 3,000 yards with a passer rating of just under 100. Now, he's off to perhaps his best start in a Bucs uniform, throwing three touchdowns in a blowout win against the Eagles.

It's safe to say that every quarterback left in the playoffs will be with the same team next season, including Mayfield, who only signed a one-year deal in free agency. The Bucs are likely to extend Mayfield after the season, as they have evidence that they can win the district and advance to the playoffs with QB. Do they have enough talent on their roster to propel Mayfield to this year's Super Bowl winner?

If we've learned anything, it's that we always rule out Baker Mayfield a little too early.