NFL

Power Ranking The 12 Starting QBs Of The 2015 NFL Playoffs

Power Ranking The 12 Starting QBs Of The 2015 NFL Playoffs

Tom Brady Aaron Rodgers New England Patriots Green Bay Packers
Getty Images

Every year, some quarterbacks' legacies either get elevated or take a hit based on how they perform in the playoffs. This year's list of playoff quarterbacks is a good one as it includes six former Super Bowl champions. Also, all but one of the starters have previous playoff experience. The one who performs the best will give his team a great shot at winning it all. Here are the power rankings for this year's 12 playoff quarterbacks.

12. Drew Stanton/Ryan Lindley

Drew Stanton Arizona Cardinals
Getty Images

12. Drew Stanton/Ryan Lindley

Drew Stanton Arizona Cardinals
Getty Images

Whoever the Arizona Cardinals decide to start will be the least accomplished quarterback in the playoffs. Drew Stanton has a chance to come back for the game on Saturday, which should help the Cards' offense, but he is still a backup quarterback making his first career playoff start. The Cardinals' weakness at the most important position on the field will likely lead to an early exit.

11. Andy Dalton

Andy Dalton Cincinnati Bengals
Getty Images

11. Andy Dalton

Andy Dalton Cincinnati Bengals
Getty Images

Andy Dalton enters this weekend with an 0-3 playoff record with just one touchdown to six interceptions. He also leads all of the playoff quarterbacks with 17 interceptions on the year. It's nearly impossible to feel good about Dalton leading your team into a big game because of his past letdowns.

10. Matt Stafford

Matt Stafford Detroit Lions
Getty Images

10. Matt Stafford

Matt Stafford Detroit Lions
Getty Images

Matthew Stafford had a slightly better season than last year, which means he was slightly better than average. His road record against winning teams is becoming much publicized as it has reached 0-16. Stafford only has one previous playoff start, a loss to New Orleans. The good news for him is that he has an opportunity to prove a lot of people wrong if he has a long playoff run.

9. Cam Newton

Cam Newton Carolina Panthers
Getty Images

9. Cam Newton

Cam Newton Carolina Panthers
Getty Images

Similarly to Stafford, Cam Newton has a chance to silent a lot of critics. The case can be made for Newton to be higher on the list considering how little he has around him on offense. No one is asked to do as much for their team offensively than he is. The one area that is a cause for concern is his accuracy. Among playoff quarterbacks, only Drew Stanton had a lower completion percentage.

8. Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco Baltimore Ravens
Getty Images

8. Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco Baltimore Ravens
Getty Images

Joe Flacco quietly had the best statistical season of his career. He threw for just under 4,000 yards and had 27 touchdowns. Flacco also had a career-low 14 turnovers on the season. The problem is that he has games where his accuracy completely leaves him. He is one of the streakiest quarterbacks in the league, but it worked once for him during his Super Bowl title run.

7. Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck Indianapolis Colts
Getty Images

7. Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck Indianapolis Colts
Getty Images

Andrew Luck is the most talented young quarterback in the league. He led the NFL in touchdowns and was third in passing yards. His weakness is with turning the ball over. Luck had 22 turnovers on the year, which was only two better than Jay Cutler's league-worst 24. Luck will have his day near the top of this list, but he still has some things to figure out before then.

6. Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh Steelers
Getty Images

6. Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh Steelers
Getty Images

A two-time Super Bowl champion coming in at No. 6 should show how deep this list is. Ben Roethlisberger may have had the best regular season of his career. He tied Drew Brees with the most passing yards in the league with 4,952, and threw 32 touchdowns. It was a nice reminder of how good Roethlisberger can be after a couple of down years by his standards. Of course, the only thing that matters to him is getting his third Super Bowl.

5. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning Denver Broncos
Getty Images

5. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning Denver Broncos
Getty Images

Up until a month ago, Peyton Manning would have been higher on this list. The reason for his drop is based entirely on the way he has looked down the stretch. He has never shown a lot of arm strength while in Denver, but it seems to have recently hit an all-time low. Despite all of that, it's difficult to rule him out because of how great he is at manipulating defenses.

4. Tony Romo

Tony Romo Dallas Cowboys
Getty Images

4. Tony Romo

Tony Romo Dallas Cowboys
Getty Images

The late-season "Tony Romo for MVP" talk seemed like a joke until you actually look at what he has done. Romo has been as good as anyone in the league this year. He completed 70 percent of his passes while leading the league in yards per attempt. The only thing he doesn't have that the three guys ahead of him do is postseason success, but that could easily change this year.

3. Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks
Getty Images

3. Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks
Getty Images

Andrew Luck may be the most talented young QB, but Russell Wilson is the most accomplished. His passing numbers can't compare with those of anyone near him on the list, but no one can compare with his rushing stats. Wilson ran for 849 yards on the season. His dual-threat ability makes him such a pain for opposing defenses. It's easy to want to overlook Wilson's game, but he has become one of the hardest players in the league to defend.

2. Tom Brady

Tom Brady New England Patriots
Getty Images

2. Tom Brady

Tom Brady New England Patriots
Getty Images

Tom Brady's postseason success is unmatched among current NFL quarterbacks. He has a good shot at reaching his sixth Super Bowl this year. So why isn't he No. 1? Brady had a good regular season, but not a great a one. His deep ball accuracy continues to be an issue, which can make him easier to game plan for. This is the biggest difference between him and the No. 1 guy.

1. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers
Getty Images

1. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers
Getty Images

Aaron Rodgers is the scariest quarterback in the league to root against. It has almost become expected that when he leaves the pocket and unleashes a 50-yard pass, it will end up right in the hands of Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb. His arm strength and accuracy, paired with his mobility, make him the most lethal QB in the NFL. The only scare for Rodgers is his calf injury, but he should be fine after the bye week.

Share Tweet