NFL Playoffs: Power Ranking Tom Brady, Mark Sanchez and All the QBs
The NFL Playoffs have been unpredictable to say the least.
After Tom Terrific and the unconquerable Patriots went down at the hands of Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets, nothing that happens in the postseason from this point forward should serve to surprise anyone.
Let's face it: in a win or go home format, there are bound to be several shockers as we move closer to the Super Bowl.
And of all the quarterbacks that made it to the postseason, there's only one that's solely responsible for his team's success.
12. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks
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Hasselbeck's 7-9 Seahawks backdoored it into the postseason in an extremely weak NFC West.
After stunning the Saints with a first-round victory in the wild card round, Hasselbeck was exposed by the Chicago Bears defense that left him with a rather unimpressive final line in the second round.
Although he's said he is the healthiest he's felt heading into an offseason in quite some time, the veteran could have a hard time finding work as a starting quarterback in 2011.
11. Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs
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Cassel looked really good all the way up until Week 17.
After a drubbing at the hands of the Oakland Raiders to finish up the regular season, Cassel and his Chiefs turned in a less than awe-inspiring effort against the Baltimore Ravens in the first round.
If the ex-Patriot wants to take his game to the next level, he's going to have to prove that he's more than just a regular season wonder.
10. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
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Flacco disappointed a lot of people with his questionable effort against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Despite the Ravens scoring 24 points against a stingy Steelers defense, the big man was just 16-30 with a measly 125 yards, a TD and an INT.
He's looked good in the postseason before, but with all the weapons at his disposal this season, a lot of people were expecting a whole lot more.
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9. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
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Cutler would be a whole lot higher on this list if he'd just stop making so many poor decisions.
Despite his Bears advancing to the NFC Championship game against the Packers, Cutler continues to make inexplicable throws into far too many tight windows and is flashing exactly why he draws regular comparisons to a younger Brett Favre.
While he's certainly improved his play with Mike Martz serving as offensive coordinator, just one look at Chicago's Week 14 36-7 loss to the Patriots shows us that it doesn't take an elite defense to slow down the gunslinger.
8. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
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Matty Ice is almost perfect at home as the Atlanta Falcons starter, but unfortunately close only counts in horse shoes.
After guiding his Dirty Birds to the first overall seed and a first round bye, Ryan didn't look anything like a Super Bowl quarterback against a potent Packers attack.
There's no doubting that the BC product has a phenomenal future in the league and is one of the brightest young stars, but he has significant work to do as his showing proved that he's not close to being considered among the elite just quite yet.
7. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
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Sanchez reminds me of the infamous character Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
While he might make you hold your breath at times when he runs into RB Shonn Greene in the backfield or sails a pass over the head of WR Santonio Holmes, there are other times where your jaw just drops at what he's able to accomplish.
While there will still be some learning to do along the way, Sanchez has an impressive four career victories on the road in the postseason, and he's gone (at least) to the AFC Championship game in both years that he's been in the league thus far.
6. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles
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For a good chunk of the season, there was nothing that anyone could do to slow down the MVP candidate.
After a brilliant resurgence, Vick could make a case to be a lot higher on this list had he not been banged up down the stretch. Unfortunately, his nagging injuries may have hampered his game just enough to have him come in at the midway point.
Showing improved throwing mechanics and signs of being a legitimate quarterback rather than a run-first freak athlete, MV7 did a whole lot for his still soaring stock heading into free agency.
5. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
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Brees didn't have the season that many expected, but the onus of blame does not belong squarely on his shoulders.
With a backfield that rotated more frequently than a revolving door, opposing defenses were really able to key in on the Super Bowl champion and his aerial attack.
Additionally, New Orleans had several injuries on both sides of the ball that forced Brees to play outside the style of football that he felt most comfortable playing.
But did he fall off enough to sour on him drastically? Absolutely not.
4. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
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The Colts didn't have nearly the season that everyone predicted.
After struggling to barely win the division title, the usually near-perfect Manning looked downright human at times throughout the regular season and threw for more interceptions this season (17) than he has since the 2001-02 season.
Fear not, Colts fans. The perennial all-pro amassed 4,700 yards which was the highest total of his career, and a lot of his turnovers can be blamed on unfamiliarity with the receiving core as his favorite two weapons in WR Austin Collie and TE Dallas Clark were lost for the majority of the season.
3. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
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Brady looked phenomenal in the regular season after the 34-14 shellacking that the Patriots took at the hands of the Cleveland Browns in early November.
With all of the momentum riding high into the postseason, Brady faltered in a rather big way. But should anyone really be surprised?
A fourth Super Bowl ring is fairly tough to come by in the NFL, something that Brady is beginning to learn in a rather rude fashion.
TB and his crew have now lost three consecutive playoff games, two of which have been at home.
Maybe the bye week isn't all it's cracked up to be.
2. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
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It hasn't always been pretty, but somehow it always gets done.
With two Super Bowl rings already to his name, Roethlisberger is quickly becoming one of the best to have under center when it matters most. Although most of Pittsburgh's postseason success can be attributed to both an excellent defense and run game, Big Ben has been pivotal in making the big push.
If he could ever clear his name from all of the stigma that surrounds it off of the football field, Roethlisberger could go down as one of the most storied quarterbacks in NFL history.
1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
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This guy is just on a different level right now.
Did you know that Rodgers has the two highest point totals in Packers' postseason history?
Looking locked in like he never has before, this A-Rod is actually clutch when it matters most and he's really looked like the top quarterback in the league since coming back from his second concussion this season.
Despite losing starting RB Ryan Grant and promising TE Jermichael Finley for the season weeks ago, Rodgers hasn't batted a single lash in the face of adversity.
As the game grows on, Rodgers grows stronger and that's the type of work ethic any team looks for from its Super Bowl quarterback.
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