The NFL playoffs kick off with the wild card round this weekend, and we wanted to look at the most important position on the field: Quarterback. Here are our power rankings of all 12 starting quarterbacks heading into the postseason. NOTE: This evaluates the quarterbacks as they are playing right now entering the playoffs. It has nothing to do with historical greatness or anything else.

12. AJ McCarron

While Andy Dalton could still theoretically make an appearance for the Bengals this weekend, it’s all but certain that McCarron will start. McCarron hasn’t looked bad, per say, in his few starts with the team since Dalton injured his thumb. He’s completed 65% of his passes and hasn’t thrown an interception. But this is the playoffs, and McCarron hasn’t looked like a world beater so far.

11. Brian Hoyer

Yes, Hoyer is coming off a concussion, but he’s been sneakily quite good this year, completing 60% of his passes and throwing 19 TDs to just 7 interceptions. I’d put him higher on this list, but he just came off a concussion. Also, there are a lot of good quarterbacks ahead of him.

10. Teddy Bridgewater

Bridgewater has been strong all year, and if he were playing any other defense in the first round, I’d say you should watch out for him to make a splash in the playoffs. He’s accurate (completing over 65% of his passes on the year) and his speed makes it hard for defenses to deal with him. But the Vikings have to play the Seahawks, and the Seahawks love feasting on young quarterbacks. Bridgewater is just 23 years old, though — he’ll be back in the playoffs soon, and higher up on the QB power rankings.

9. Peyton Manning

This isn’t a knock on Manning as much as it’s a knock on his health — we just don’t know enough about the state of his foot. Manning came in during the Broncos’ last game of the regular season and looked dominant, lifting the team to a final win and vaulting them into the No. 1 seed in the AFC. But can Manning do that over the course of an entire game against playoff defenses? It remains to be seen.

8. Alex Smith

Yes, I have Alex Smith rated ahead of Peyton Manning. I will pause to let you shriek and boo. … OK, now that we’re done with that, let me make my case: Alex Smith has been perfect for the Chiefs this season, and Andy Reid has designed a perfect offense for him. Smith makes his passes (over 65% accuracy on the season). He doesn’t turn the ball over. And we know his foot is healthy, unlike Manning, who could be replaced by Brock Osweiler at any moment. (No knock on Osweiler, but I still prefer Smith.)

7. Aaron Rodgers

Again, this isn’t about historical greatness or even skill, this list is about how well a quarterback is playing right now. Aaron Rodgers isn’t playing very well right now, not be his standards. A lot of that has to do with a leaky offensive line and an injury-riddled receiving corps, but Rodgers hasn’t looked great this year. He’s thrown for over 300 yards just two times this season, and hasn’t done that since Week 10 against Detroit. I can totally see him going out and throwing for 480 yards and 5 touchdowns this weekend, and making this list look stupid, but as of right now, that’s where I have him.

6. Kirk Cousins

Laugh all you want. Kirk Cousins has been fantastic for Washington this season, and is a major reason they won the NFC East and are heading back to the playoffs. For him, it’s all about accuracy: Cousins has completed just shy of 70% of his passes this season. That’s unreal territory. Yes, many of the passes are short, but he gets the ball in the hands of his receivers and lets them make plays. He’s thrown for 29 touchdowns this year, the team has bought in, and Washington believes. (Again, just wait for Rodgers to light them up on Sunday and make this all look stupid.)

5. Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown form the most terrifying partnership heading into the playoffs, with the possible exception of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. Roethlisberger is experienced, he’s accurate, he can throw the deep ball, and for whatever reason he’s extremely difficult to tackle. Dude just has the “I don’t fall down” gene. It’s a good gene to have.

4. Tom Brady

Brady has been hindered the past few weeks with the absence of a reliable offense line and injuries to just about every one of his wide receivers. The Patriots have a bye, though, and many of those receivers and lineman are returning at the perfect time. Brady dealt with the injuries and still managed to put together a decent season — to the tune of 4,770 yards, 36 TDs and just 7 interceptions.

3. Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer has been phenomenal for the the Cardinals this season. According to Football Outsiders‘ Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement (DYAR) rating, Palmer has been the best quarterback in the league this year. ESPN’s Total QBR ranking? Palmer again. There’s no team in the league playing as well as the Cardinals are right now, with the possible exception of the Seahawks, and Palmer is a big reason why.

2. Cam Newton

The debonair, dabbing King of Carolina may not have had the most statistically dominant season, but all he did was win. The Panthers finished 15-1 this year and a ton of it was because of Newton, whose attitude and swagger set the tone for the entire team. Newton has every throw in his arsenal, he can run, and he’s the leader of the team that finished with the best record in the NFL. But …

1. Russell Wilson

… I still would take Russell Wilson over Newton right now. Wilson is beyond red hot entering the playoffs. Over his last seven games of the season, he posted a 132.8 passer rating with 24 touchdowns and one interception. Those are video game numbers. He’s coming off a heartbreaking Super Bowl loss, his team is peaking at the right moment, and Wilson is scorching hot. This is the guy you want leading your team right now.



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