The Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs is in the books. here is how all eight quarterbacks graded out.
We saw a lot of great quarterback play in the NFL Divisional Round. Here are all eight quarterback performances ranked worst to first.
8. Jared Goff
Jared Goff was excellent for the Detroit Lions all year en route to a 15-2 regular season. Yes, the defense’s inability to get a stop put undue pressure on the offense. But, Goff was simply not good enough on Saturday in the team’s 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders. Goff had three interceptions, and while one amounted to a desperation heave into the end zone at the end of the game, two of them were absolute backbreakers. It just wasn’t his night.
7. Lamar Jackson
It’s not that Lamar Jackson played a poor game from start to finish. In fact, he was pretty lights-out in the second half. But two costly turnovers in the first half put the Ravens behind the 8-ball and dug a hole they could not get out of. Again, I wouldn’t even say Lamar played poorly. Most of the quarterbacks this weekend played very well, however, and he ends up near the bottom.
6. CJ Stroud
Despite poor protection for most of the game, Stroud played a solid game at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday. Stroud was 19/28 for 245 yards. But, even with the protection as bad as it was, you can’t take eight sacks. That knocks him down on the list.
5. Jalen Hurts
The passing numbers aren’t anything to write home about, and he frequently held on to the ball too long in the pocket. But, Hurts did serious damage with his legs, running for 70 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown run to opening up the scoring. He didn’t turn the ball over, either. With Saquon Barkley running like he is, he’s just gotta be a game manager.
4. Patrick Mahomes
Love him or hate him (and at this point most of you hate him), Mahomes is absolutely nails in the playoffs. Despite being pressured all day, Mahomes made plays with both his arm and his legs. Every year, he doesnt run much in the regular season and then uses his legs effectively in the playoffs. And, that playoff connection with Travis Kelce is still as strong as ever.
3. Josh Allen
Allen attempted just 22 passes, and only averaged 5.7 yards per attempt on those 22 passes. But, it was his work as a runner, where he was used as a short-yardage battering ram and scored two touchdowns, that made the difference. He’s in total command of the offense, and continues to be a joy to watch.
2. Matthew Stafford
The Los Angeles Rams lost a 28-22 thriller on Sunday to the Eagles. But, it wasn’t due to the absolutely sensational Matthew Stafford. His 324 yards and 2 touchdowns wasn’t enough to get over the hump despite a valiant comeback attempt in the final five minutes. But, The Rams are going to be very dangerous next year.
1. Jayden Daniels
There was no doubt about this one, right? Jayden Daniels was magnificent for the Commanders on Saturday against the Lions. His numbers, 22/31 for 299 yards and 2 touchdowns with 51 yards on the ground, were very good. And, he was significantly better than those numbers suggest. It was as good of a game as a rookie quarterback has ever played in the playoffs.