NFL Playoffs 2011: Power Ranking Divisional Round Quarterbacks

NFL Playoffs 2011 feature a motley crew of quarterbacks.

There's the pretty, golden boy in New England.

The emerging superstar in Green Bay.

The hard-to-bring-down playmaker in Pittsburgh. 

The big arm in Chicago.

The cagey veteran in Seattle. 

And the young blossoming stars in Atlanta, Baltimore and New York.

But who is the best?

Inside we power rank them BASED SOLELY ON THEIR 2010-2011 PERFORMANCES. The caps lock was not an accident there. 

No. 8: Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks

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SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 08: Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck #8 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after running back Marshawn Lynch #24 scores on a 67-yard run in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints during the 2011 NFC wild-card playoff game at Q

2010 stats: 266 of 444, 3,001 yards, 12 TD, 17 INT

Record: 7-8, one playoff win

Hasselbeck had a great day last Saturday against the Saints. But in terms of a whole season, he was hot and cold, a lot like his team.

At times, he struggled with interceptions and is the only quarterback remaining to throw more picks than touchdowns. 

That's not the only criteria to measure a quarterback's value. 

But given the fact that he turned the ball over 13 times during a four-game stretch in which the Seahawks went 1-3 (only defeating the terrible Panthers), the effort against New Orleans isn't enough to make up for a mediocre season. 

No. 7: Mark Sanchez, New York Jets

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 08: Mark Sanchez #6 of the New York Jets drops back to pass against the Indianapolis Colts during their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 8, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Jets won 17-16. (Pho

2010 stats: 278 of 507, 3,291 yards, 17 TD, 13 INT

Record: 12-5, one playoff win

Sanchez started out great this year with eight touchdowns and no interceptions through five games, as the Jets opened up 4-1 and held first place in the AFC East.

But after that, he was pretty mediocre. 

The interceptions were a problem, as were the four lost fumbles. And although he did have some huge moments in the clutch (overtime against Detroit and Cleveland, the game-winner to Santonio Holmes against Houston, the drive at the end of the Wild Card win over Indianapolis), he also struggled mightily at time, missing open receivers. 

Still, he does deserve credit for the win in Pittsburgh that pretty much saved the Jets' season. The stats weren't impressive, but he made several huge throws and scored the game's decisive touchdown on a great bootleg. 

No. 6: Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears

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GREEN BAY, WI - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears is chased out of the pocket by the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on January 2, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

2010 stats: 261 of 432, 3,274 yards, 23 touchdowns, 16 INT

Record: 10-5

It does seem that the only thing Jay Cutler cannot do on a football field is play consistently. 

Cutler's had some tremendous moments this year: He was outstanding in the win over Philadelphia that proved to be the difference between a Wild Card round appearance and a first round bye.

And playing behind a shabby offensive line, he led the Bears to a division title, despite a spotty running game and no big threat wide receiver. 

But Chicago's playoff run will probably hinge on his ability to protect the football. 

The Bears did have a pretty simple formula: In games that Cutler did not throw more interceptions than touchdowns, they won. 

No. 5: Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 09: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 9, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishw

2010 stats: 306 of 489, 3,622 yards, 25 TD, 10 INT

Record: 13-5, one playoff win

At this point, we are starting to split hairs. 

Although Flacco had a great statistical season and was outstanding last week in Kansas City, he will be the second-best quarterback on the turf at Heinz Field Saturday. 

Had Flacco not thrown four interceptions in the Week 2 loss to Cincinnati, the game would be in Baltimore, not Pittsburgh.

And when the Week 13 game between Pittsburgh and Baltimore came down to the wire, Flacco fumbled at a critical time and then struck out when trying to tie the game in the final minutes. 

Still, no one should be surprised if the Ravens land in the Super Bowl, largely on the strength of his play. 

No. 4: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

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CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers calls a play against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on January 2, 2011 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

2010 stats: 240 of 389, 3,200 yards, 17 TD, 5 INT

Record: 9-3

It's becoming the same old story with Roethlisberger every year. He overcomes injuries, breaks tackles and makes clutch plays, even if he doesn't post Brady, Brees or Manning-like stats.

And he did it again in 2010. 

He rarely turned the ball over (no other quarterback remaining had fewer than two multi-interception games, while Roethlisberger had none) and scrambled out of trouble caused by a marginal offensive line. 

And although Mike Wallace is a great talent and maybe the fastest player in the league, he isn't quite as good as Santonio Holmes was in 2008 and 2009. 

Overcoming his loss (and a fairly average season by Hines Ward) should not be forgotten. 

No. 3: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

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ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons against the Carolina Panthers at Georgia Dome on January 2, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

2010 stats: 357 of 571, 3,705 yards, 28 TD, 9 INT

Record: 13-3

Ryan and the Falcons still have a great deal to prove. It's one thing to play great in the regular season; it's another to show that in the playoffs: see the Philadelphia Eagles. And this current regime in Atlanta has yet to win a playoff game. 

But from what we saw in 2010, Ryan was brilliant. 

The Falcons played several nail-biters this year, and their quarterback validated his nickname.

Matty Ice drove the Falcons to lengthy game-winning field goals in vital wins over Green Bay, San Francisco, New Orleans and lengthy game-winning touchdowns against Tampa Bay and Baltimore. 

Even with homefield and the top seed, there's a good chance he'll need to make one more to get the Falcons to the Super Bowl.

No. 2: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 09: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers scrambles against the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2011 NFC wild card playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 9, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick La

2010 stats: 312 of 475, 3,922 yards, 28 TD, 11 INT

Record: 11-5, one playoff win

Rodgers has done more with less than probably any other quarterback in the National Football League. He lost his best running back in Week 1, his best tight end in Week 5 and endured a pair of concussions. 

More so than any other quarterback on this list, Rodgers really did not have a bad game all season. The only games that Green Bay lost with him at the helm (full time) were by a field goal, and he only threw one interception a piece in those losses. 

But more importantly than the mistakes he avoided were the outstanding efforts he turned out in huge games. 

Against Dallas, he was practically flawless. He rebounded from last year's sweep against Brett Favre and the Vikings with a sweep of his own, and when the Packers had their must-win showdowns with the Giants and Bears, Rodgers completed 68 percent of his passes for 633 yards and five touchdowns against two great defenses.

And had it not been for an Eric Weems return punctuated by a face mask penalty after Rodgers' game-tying 16-play, 90-yard drive against the Falcons, the Packers might be headed to the Georgia Dome this weekend with a victory over the top seed in their back pocket. 

No. 1: Tom Brady, New England Patriots

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FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 02: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates a touchdown by teammate BenJarvis Green-Ellis in the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins on January 2, 2011 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa

2010 stats: 324 of 492, 3,900 yards, 36 TD, 4 INT

Record: 14-2

Brady should win the MVP in a landslide for what he did this year.

The Pats traded away Randy Moss, who caught 36 touchdown passes in the 33 games he played with Brady. They have two undrafted running backs in the backfield. And the offensive line plays the first half of the season without (arguably) their best player in Logan Mankins until Week 12.

Yet Brady rewrote the record books. He went 325 straight attempts without a pick and threw 34 more touchdowns than interceptions. 

And most importantly, in the second half of the season, when the Pats faced the league's elite teams (Jets, Steelers, Colts, Bears, Packers), his outstanding play led to critical victories that clinched the AFC's top seed.