Which NFL quarterback has the most to prove in the divisional round of the playoffs?
For NFL quarterbacks, even the most prolific performances in the playoffs only buy a respite from scrutiny for so long.
With the NFL's wild-card round complete, the postseason field is down to its final eight entries. The divisional round is set to include some of the league's longtime playoff stars, such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, as well as a crop of young passers already making their mark, including Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. But questions will still hound several quarterbacks throughout the weekend.
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With that in mind, we asked Paste BN Sports' NFL writers, columnists and editors:
Which QB has the most to prove in the divisional round?
Their answers:
Jarrett Bell
Matthew Stafford. He finally got the monkey off his back and won his first NFL playoff game on Monday night. Funny how that just happened to occur with his Rams playoff debut rather than with his floundering former team in Detroit. Of course, Stafford's on a better team and it's never solely on the quarterback. But the quarterback is still best positioned to make a difference on the outcome and in the romp against the Cardinals that was illustrated by both of the QBs. How's this for an encore: Beat the team led by Tom Brady, the quarterback with seven Super Bowl rings and 35 career postseason victories. The knock on Stafford in Detroit was that he rarely raised his game against the best competition. The purpose for the Rams in swinging the blockbuster trade to obtain Stafford was wrapped in the belief that he can give them a better chance than Jared Goff (who quarterbacked L.A. to a Super Bowl, lost against Brady) to get them over the hump to win it all. Now comes another marker on the "prove-it" meter – especially when considering how L.A. has had Tampa Bay's number since TB12 arrived.
Jori Epstein
My favorite part about this question is the number of worthwhile cases to make. Lucky for NFL fans, star power abounds at quarterback through divisional-round matchups. Want historical greats? Please tune in for Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. Want up-and-coming, exciting talent? Look no further than Joe Burrow and Josh Allen. I don’t think Burrow *needs* to prove anything to Cincinnati: He’s already the Bengals’ savior, needing just two years – and just one healthy year – to guide the franchise to its first playoff victory in his or my lifetime. But another win would put the AFC on notice for the next decade. I similarly think asking Jimmy Garoppolo to prove he’s the future of the 49ers is complicated: His leadership, resilience and toughness through a torn ligament in his right thumb have been evident in January wins over the Rams and Cowboys. But is it fair to judge a player’s worth when he faces Rodgers and single-digit weather while battling such a significant injury? Winning in Green Bay should earn Garoppolo future credence with the 49ers and coach Kyle Shanahan, but I’m not convinced losing in the tundra should spell his end there. So thus I’d argue the quarterback with the most to prove who can fairly be expected to deliver is Matthew Stafford with the Rams. Stafford has been among the most talented NFL quarterbacks since the Lions drafted him first overall in 2009 but suffered in Detroit limbo for more than a decade. He can prove to the Rams that they were right to go all in for him, and to himself that the talent and leadership he’s long been hailed for is championship-caliber material. Stafford must avoid the interceptions that plagued his regular-season campaign (17). But he seems to know that, emerging hot off a 34-11 trouncing of the Cardinals featuring two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown with no errors. Outlasting Brady this weekend would deepen Stafford’s legacy.
Mike Freeman
It’s Ryan Tannehill. I wasn’t sure he’d be able to get the Titans into the postseason without Derrick Henry. I was wrong. Tannehill hasn’t always been great, but he’s been good, and is a solid leader. Henry is expected to play but because the Bengals are such a high-scoring team, Tannehill will have to be a major factor. This time, I won’t doubt him.
Mike Jones
Matthew Stafford. The Rams shipped off the quarterback who helped take them to the Super Bowl just three seasons ago and also threw in two first-round picks and a third-rounder to obtain Stafford because he is supposed to be the difference-maker with the ability to go off-script and elevate the team to Super Bowl-winning levels.
That is a ton of pressure for a guy who until last week had never won a playoff game in his career. Winning a first-round playoff game isn’t enough. Just reaching the conference championship might not even be enough, even though it’s Year 1 with the Rams.
No other quarterback has as much pressure riding on them.
Sure, Aaron Rodgers wants to win one more for Green Bay, and Tom Brady wants a Tampa repeat. Patrick Mahomes wants a Super Bowl bounce-back. But they’ve all done it before. Josh Allen wants to get the Bills over the hump. Joe Burrow is building. Ryan Tannehill isn’t even the MVP of his offense.
But Stafford basically was told, “You’re the man to take us to the promise land, because the younger guy who already brought us to the doorstep isn’t quite good enough.” Stafford has to prove the Rams got it right.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Is it unfair to train the spotlight on Josh Allen after his masterful dismantling of Bill Belichick's defense in the Buffalo Bills' romp against the New England Patriots. Probably, at least to some degree. But the good will that Allen built up last Saturday won't mean much if the Bills can't make it back to the AFC championship game by besting the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that ended their run last year. Yes, Allen already piloted Buffalo to a 38-20 win over Kansas City in October. But that was before the Chiefs defense made its historic leap, and Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the offense won't be as easily waylaid. The Bills' attack places an incredible burden on Allen to serve as a catalyst, but the ultra-talented (but sometimes puzzling) passer has enough support to power this group to a victory if he can continue to play under control. Should the Bills fall short, it's unclear when Allen and Buffalo will be able to shake Kansas City. If the Bills can engineer a win, however, it might be time to talk about this team as the Super Bowl front-runner.
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