NFL Playoff Predictions: Projecting Grades for Every Starting QB in Postseason

While it's not impossible for a team to reach the playoffs without having one of the league's top quarterbacks, it's hard for them to win once they get there, especially to win enough games to get them to the Super Bowl and earn the league championship.

With that in mind, here are my predictions for how every postseason quarterback will perform in the playoffs based on the current standings heading into Week 17.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is having an MVP season, throwing for 4,643 yards for 45 touchdowns and six interceptions and rushing 60 times for 257 yards and three more scores.

He's the single-greatest reason why the Packers are at 14-1, and he's the biggest factor in why the Packers are favorites to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

It's hard to think that Rodgers' production will dip in the postseason; in fact, it's safe to believe he will only play better.

Postseason grade: A+

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

While the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers will go down as the best quarterback of the 2011 season, the New Orleans Saints Drew Brees is right up there with him. Virtually identical statistically, it's Brees who has the most passing yards of the two of them, and he holds the single-season passing record as a result.

This year, Brees has completed an astounding 70.7 percent of his passes for 5,087 yards, 41 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, plus has a lone rushing touchdown to his name. They're heavy favorites to take the Packers to task this postseason and reach their second Super Bowl in three seasons.

Brees, like Rodgers, won't likely slow down or stumble once he and his team hit the postseason. Nothing has stalled him thus far, and though the playoffs are a greater challenge than your average regular season game, Brees has the poise and experience to handle it like a champion.

Postseason grade: A+

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions haven't been to the playoffs since 1999, when current starting quarterback Matthew Stafford was just 11 years old. But now, thanks in part to the great regular season Stafford has had, they've made it in as the NFC's fifth seed.

Stafford has been healthy for the entire regular season for the first time in his short career. On the year, he's gone 385-of-604 for 4,518 yards, 36 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

A few midseason hiccups have given way to three weeks of the best passing he's done all year, and to say that Stafford, and by extension the Lions, are hot going into the playoffs is an understatement.

As long as Stafford doesn't get overwhelmed by the situation he's found himself in, he should perform extremely well in the playoffs this year.

Postseason grade: B

Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith has spent most of his career being a liability to his team, but this season, he's learned how to minimize his mistakes (and overall impact) thanks to a solid running game and their NFC-best defense.

Smith's numbers aren't flashy: he's completed 253-of-415 passing attempts for 2,931 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. But he hasn't had to put up numbers like Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers in order for his team to win.

Smith might find himself in a bit over his head in the postseason, when he's going to be called upon to make big plays—not his forte. As a game manager, he's done an effective job this season, but he's not the biggest reason for the Niners' success this season.

That should continue into the playoffs, where running back Frank Gore and their tough defense will be more responsible for whatever success they have than by what Smith produces. As long as he can avoid turning the ball over, he should have a respectable playoff showing.

Postseason grade: C+

Eli Manning, New York Giants

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is having the best year of his professional career, and it's earned him a Pro Bowl nod because of it. It's also likely to earn the Giants a postseason berth as well, as the team should enter the playoffs as the NFC East's lone representative.

This season, Manning is averaging over 300 yards per game for the first time in his career. He's completed 60.3 percent of his passes for 4,587 yards, 26 touchdowns and 16 interceptions and has run for a single touchdown as well.

As Manning goes, his team goes, and that means that when he's playing well, they're winning, and when he's stumbling, the team stumbles in turn. That makes him an extremely high-risk playoff quarterback at the time when consistency at his position matters most.

Postseason grade: B-

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan is one of the most under-the-radar quarterbacks in the league this year, thanks to being overshadowed in his division by Drew Brees and in the league by both Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

However, he's having a career season, completing 341 of his 557 passes for 4,071 yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, with two rushing touchdowns in addition.

In the first half of the season, Ryan was held below 200 passing yards three times, but he's thrown for no fewer than 224 yards and as many as 373 in the second half of the year, and he has eight touchdowns and zero interceptions in his last three games.

Ryan's hot streak will have to continue into the playoffs if the Falcons have any hope of reaching the Super Bowl. Ryan's not a flashy, big-name quarterback like others in the league, but he's not a liability either. He should look solid throughout the Falcons' playoff run.

Postseason grade: B

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

There has been no more dominant quarterback in the AFC than the New England Patriots' Tom Brady. Season after season, he puts up major numbers, scores a ton of touchdowns and benefits from having one of the most consistently high-talented receiving corps in the league.

This year is no different, with Brady completing 65.6 of his passes for 4,897 yards, 36 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and three rushing scores as well. He's averaging 326.5 passing yards per game, and it's hard to imagine him slowing down in the playoffs.

Surrounded by so many weapons and possessing himself a singular and rare talent, there will be no better-performing quarterback in the AFC playoffs this year.

Postseason grade: A+

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Another year, another postseason berth for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the most playoff-experienced team in the AFC. This season is a little different, however, with the team getting there not just because of their strong defense but also because of their top-10 offense, led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

While this isn't a terribly above-average year for Roethlisberger, what his young and talented receiving corps has done with the passes he's thrown them has made the team ascend into the ranks of the most elite offenses in the league.

Roethlisberger has gone 301-of-473 for 3,856 yards, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He's done so while battling a number of injuries, proving that, not only is he talented, but he just may be the toughest quarterback in the NFL.

Roethlisberger can be mistake-prone, however, making poor decisions when faced with pressure, especially if he's injured. He's coming off of a high ankle sprain that might affect him in the playoffs.

But with Roethlisberger so familiar with both playing in the postseason and playing through injuries, he should have a good showing this year.

Postseason grade: B+

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is very similar to Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers. He's a game-managing quarterback who relies less on making the big play, instead executing short- and mid-range passes, primarily to running back Ray Rice.

When Flacco makes mistakes, they're often devastating, but his team has found a great deal of success this and in most years with their extremely strong defense.

Flacco has completed 56.8 of his passes this season for 3,480 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and he has run in for a touchdown as well. He's clearly not the most flashy of the quarterbacks in this playoffs this year, but that doesn't mean he's ineffective.

Flacco will have to limit his mistakes and try to not make himself into the hero of the game if the Ravens are to have significant postseason success this year. Their victories will hinge not on what Flacco does, but what he doesn't do.

Postseason grade: C+

T.J. Yates, Houston Texans

Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates was taken in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft and wasn't expected to have a single start this season. However, plans changed when starter Matt Schaub and backup Matt Leinart went down with season-ending injuries in consecutive weeks.

Yates has been equal parts impressive and frustrating in his four starts, helping them along to two wins but also being partly responsible for two losses during that time.

He's thrown 130 passes, completing 78 of them for 902 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions, and he will have the toughest time in the postseason of any quarterback this season.

Lucky for Yates, the Texans have a top rushing offense and a very strong defense. However, any team the Texans face will work hard to shut down that run and force the inexperienced Yates to throw the ball and hopefully drive him to make mistakes.

Yates' potential lack of readiness is the Texans' biggest Achilles' heel headed into the postseason. While Yates will try his hardest to lead his team to victory, the deck seems stacked against him this year.

Postseason grade: C-

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals

In contrast to the Houston Texans' T.J. Yates, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton was drafted in 2011 to start for his team. Though expectations were low, Dalton has managed to silence his critics and lead his team to an unlikely postseason appearance.

This season, Dalton has completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 3,166 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and also has a single rushing touchdown to his name. He's been helped immeasurably by another rookie, wide receiver A.J. Green, who has performed so well he's earned a Pro Bowl nod as a result.

As long as Dalton can stay calm under pressure—not an easy feat for a rookie quarterback with a Super Bowl victory a very real possibility—and continue to do what he's done all season, he should have a relatively successful showing in the playoffs this year.

What may do him in, however, are the strong defenses he's likely to face. When he faced the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans, Dalton has thrown for under 200 yards, and when he faced the Baltimore Ravens, he threw three picks and the Bengals lost all three games.

If he can get that skittishness under control, Dalton should play well. But if he doesn't, the Bengals won't get very far into the postseason this year.

Postseason grade: B-

Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow isn't very good at accurately passing the ball. While that wasn't a problem for him or his team in Weeks 9-14, where, despite his low passing production, the Broncos were able to win.

However, Denver has lost their last two regular season games in a row thanks to mistakes by Tebow. When forced to play from significantly behind, Tebow has to throw, and when he throws and takes a risk, it doesn't often pay off.

Tebow is more comfortable in close games, where throwing pass after pass out of bounds rather than risk an interception makes more sense. But when he must move the ball down the field, Tebow is anything but reliable.

This season, Tebow has completed only 48 percent of his passes, for 1,669 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. He's also rushed 116 times for 644 yards and six scores and has lost four fumbles.

More than any other quarterback in the playoffs, Tebow will struggle the most. Against the high-powered offenses and strong defenses of the AFC, Tebow has a serious disadvantage. Don't expect Tebow's magic to produce much of benefit for the Broncos this postseason.

Postseason grade: D+