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By Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Few positions in sports are more important than NFL quarterback, and never is the quarterback more valuable or under more scrutiny in the playoffs.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and Saints quarterback Drew Brees share a combined eight Super Bowl rings, and five quarterbacks will make their first postseason starts during the 2018 NFL playoffs.

Here's a look at how the 12 quarterbacks in the NFL playoffs, including Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, stack up ahead of Wild Card weekend:

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David Richard | AP Photo

12) Blake Bortles - Jacksonville Jaguars

2017 Stats: 60.2 completion percentage for 3,687 yards and 21 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, sacked 24 times.

Why Bortles is No. 12: Despite a final month of the season in which Bortles posted three performances with a passer rating above 110.0, much of the Jaguars' success this season came in spite of him, and because of the NFL's No. 1 rated rushing offense, and No. 2 ranked total defense. In the playoffs, will Bortles be able to be any more than a game-manager against the likes of the Buffalo Bills, and potentially the Pittsburgh Steelers and/or New England Patriots?

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Elsa | Getty Images

11) Nick Foles - Eagles

2017 Stats: 56.4 completion percentage for 537 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.

Why Foles is No. 11: With Carson Wentz at the helm, the Eagles appeared to be Super Bowl favorites in the NFC. Even after finishing 2-1 as a starter and securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, Foles has done little to inspire confidence. In his only prior playoff start, Foles passed for 195 yards, and two touchdowns against the Saints back in 2013, but was unable to win the game. Has Foles shown enough to think that the outcome would be any different this time around in his three starts this season?

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Rich Barnes | USA TODAY Sports

10) Tyrod Taylor - Buffalo Bills

2017 Stats: 62.6 completion percentage for 2,799 yards and 14 touchdowns, 4 interceptions.

Why Taylor is No. 10: Had Bills coach Sean McDermott not benched Taylor for rookie Nathan Peterman, Taylor might have notched his third consecutive 3,000-yard passing season. Taylor does a nice job protecting the football, and he'll have to do exactly that against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Wild Card game.

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Frederick Breedon | Getty Images

9) Marcus Mariota - Tennessee Titans

2017 Stats: 62.0 completion percentage for 3,232 yards and 13 touchdowns, 15 interceptions.

Why Mariota is No. 9: Maybe it's Mike Mularkey and the Titans' coaching staff, but Mariota has yet to show that he can be an elite quarterback despite being chosen No. 2 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft. A matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium is about as hostile an environment as Mariota could ask for for his first playoff appearance, will he be able to rise to the occasion on Wild Card Weekend?

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Chuck Burton | AP Photo

8) Cam Newton - Carolina Panthers

2017 Stats: 59.1 completion percentage for 3,302 yards and 22 touchdowns, 16 interceptions.

Why Newton is No. 8: Newton has had an enigmatic season, losing to the Eagles, but taking over a Week 14 game against the Vikings and carrying the Panthers to a victory largely with his mobility. Just two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance, will Newton be able to handle dominant defenses such as the Saints, Eagles, and Vikings to get back to the Super Bowl and try to avenge a disappointing showing against the Broncos?

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Brandon Wade

7) Alex Smith - Kansas City Chiefs

2017 Stats: 67.5 completion percentage with 4,042 yards and 26 touchdowns, 5 interceptions.

Why Smith is No. 7: Smith had a dynamic start to the season, leading the Chiefs to victories over the New England Patriots, Eagles, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington, and Houston Texans. He had a passer rating of more than 100.0 in each of those contests. But then Smith careened back down to Earth for much of the remainder of the season. Which version of Smith will show up in the playoffs?

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Hannah Foslien | Getty Images

6) Case Keenum - Minnesota Vikings

2017 Stats: 67.6 completion percentage for 3,547 yards with 22 touchdowns, 7 interceptions.

Why Keenum is No. 6: Keenum entered the regular season as the Vikings third-string quarterback, and proceeded to finish as the NFL's No. 12 rated passer while doing an exceptional job both protecting the football and maximizing the outside speed of wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Will Keenum wilt under the playoff pressure, or continue to impress with his consistency that he's shown throughout the season?

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Gary A. Vasquez | USA TODAY Sports

5) Jared Goff - Los Angeles Rams

2017 Stats:

Why Goff is No. 5: Forget preconceived notions about Goff's rookie season in 2016. The Rams' quarterback performed like a top-10 quarterback in the NFL in 2017. Goff ranks No. 5 in touchdowns, and third among starting quarterbacks with an average of 8.0 yards per passing attempt. The only thing keeping Goff from cracking the top-four is that this is his first playoff appearance, and how he responds to the postseason will be critical to the Rams' Super Bowl chances.

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Jason Getz | USA TODAY Sports

4) Matt Ryan - Atlanta Falcons

2017 Stats: 64.7 completion percentage with 4,095 yards and 20 touchdowns, 12 interceptions.

Why Goff is No. 4: Ryan took home the MVP award in 2016 and led the Falcons to the Super Bowl, but was just good enough to cough up a 28-3 third quarter lead to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Will Ryan be able to get the best of the Rams' menacing defense, or the Eagles or Vikings for that matter to return to the Super Bowl after making the playoffs as a wild card?

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Kirby Lee | USA TODAY Sports

3) Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints

2017 Stats: 72.0 completion percentage with 4,334 yards and 23 touchdowns, 3 interceptions.

Why Brees is No. 3: Despite speedy wide receiver Brandin Cooks being traded to the New England Patriots last offseason, only 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo averaged more yards per attempt in the NFC than Brees' 8.1 in 2017. Aided largely by a duo of dominant running backs Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, Brees is in the midst of one of his strongest statistical seasons.

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Charles LeClaire | USA TODAY Sports

2) Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh Steelers

2017 Stats: 64.2 completion percentage with 4,251 yards and 28 touchdowns, 14 interceptions.

Why Roethlisberger is No. 2: Already with two Super Bowl rings, Roethlisberger's second half of this season gives the Steelers plenty of confidence that despite losing at home to the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh has a legitimate chance to go to and win the Super Bowl.

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Steven Senne | AP Photo

1) Tom Brady - New England Patriots

2017 Stats: 66.3 completion percentage, with 4,577 yards and 32 touchdowns, 8 interceptions.

Why Brady is No.1: It has become nearly a consensus that Brady is the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, and he had one of the finest regular seasons of his career at the age of 40. Brady's 4,577 yards ranks 5th in his career, as does his passer rating of 102.8. The Patriots have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and have already beaten the Steelers during the regular season in Brady's quest for a sixth Super Bowl ring.

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THE NO HUDDLE SHOW

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HOW TO REACH ME:

Matt Lombardo may be reached at MLombardo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardoPHL.