The lesson of the playoffs for the Cleveland Browns again rested in one position.

The four teams that played Sunday had one common denominator: a big, strong, stand-in-the-pocket quarterback.

Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer and Cam Newton can all stand and deliver a strong-armed throw. Their teams have other strengths -- Carolina and Denver have tremendous defenses -- but their quarterbacks are all of the same ilk.

In fact, consider the 12 quarterbacks who led playoff teams (the four from the championship games plus Ben Roethlisberger, Brian Hoyer, Alex Smith and Andy Dalton -- who got the Bengals there -- from the AFC, and Kirk Cousins, Teddy Bridgewater, Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson from the NFC). The only starter not at least 6-foot-2 is Wilson, who is 5-11. But Wilson is a pocket passer who completed 68 percent for the season and more than 70 percent from the pocket. Average the 12 out and they stand 6-foot-3 1/2 and 225 pounds.

The same was true last year.

When big, strong-armed pocket passers are the ones playing in January two years in a row, it's not a coincidence.

Despite all the talk of a changing game and a new style of quarterback, the biggest changes are slight adjustments in running games that may or may not add the read-option.

When it comes to dropping back in the pocket and delivering the ball, winning teams have quarterbacks who play and win the traditional way.

They are big and strong-armed, and they stand in the face of the rush, read the defense and make a throw.

The Browns should keep that in mind when they select second in the draft.