Bean: Power Ranking the four starting QBs still standing
OK, there aren't a lot of quarterbacks left, but we're going to do one last installment of QB power rankings.Really, there couldn't be a more interesting group: three quarterbacks considered by some to be the [sighs] "GOAT" and one of the best young players in the game. Let's do one last round of ranking.
Last week's ranking: 4th of 8
Last week's stats: 18-of-33, 199 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD
Regular season stats: 65.7 completion %, 289.6 yards/game, 40 TD, 12 INT, 3 rush TD
This might infuriate Brady die-hards, but he's the worst of the four quarterbacks remaining. If historical playoff pedigree were to factor in here, Brady obviously would be higher on this list, but season performance and play of late determine these rankings.
Brady had a deceiving stat line in the divisional round, as he was nearly intercepted three times. His three touchdowns came from short fields as a product of Saints turnovers; the Bucs needed to go only 63 yards on those three drives combined. He wasn't very good in that win over the Saints, but he was better than Drew Brees in a game that was won by Tampa's defense.
Still, Brady's just one week away from the Super Bowl. He was good in the Wild Card round against the Football Team and he obviously can still play. He was fine against the Packers in the regular season (166 passing yards, 2 TD, 0 INT in a 38-10 win), but the Bucs should hope he's better than he was then or against the Saints. It's hard to win a title without a great performance from the QB at some point.
Curran: Brady is putting a stake through his haters' hearts
Last week's ranking: 2nd of 8
Last week's stats: 23-of-37, 206 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Regular season stats: 69.2 completion %, 284.0 yards/game, 37 TD, 10 INT, 421 rush yards, 8 rush TD
Allen got by against the Ravens, but was really good in the divisional round against the Colts. He wasn't great against the Chiefs when they played this season, but Patrick Mahomes wasn't unbelievable in that game either.
If you want to do legacy and narrative talk, Allen has a lot to gain this week. He's already proven he's one of the best quarterbacks in the game, but if he can defeat a Mahomes-led Chiefs team with a stellar performance en route to a Super Bowl, he's going to be put in a new class. Considering him Mahomes' equal would be a stretch, but he'd be considered a peer to some degree.
Last week's ranking: 3rd of 8
Last week's stats: 21-of-30, 255 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD
Regular season stats: 66.3 completion %, 316.0 yards/game, 38 TD, 6 INT, 308 rush yards, 2 rush TD
Mahomes' first game in three weeks didn't go great. He got hurt in the third quarter and didn't return, but Chad Henne was able to hold down the fort and make a couple of big plays to preserve the victory. Mahomes' health -- we still don't know that he's starting Sunday for sure -- is the biggest variable heading into either game this weekend.
I already lean towards Mahomes being the greatest quarterback of all time just based on his play. If he wins a second Super Bowl, he'll be on his way to that being an acceptable line of thinking for those who weigh quantity over quality.
Last week's ranking: 1st of 8
Last week's stats: 23-of-36, 296 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD
Regular season stats: 70.7 completion %, 268.7 yards/game, 48 TD, 5 INT, 3 rush TD
Brady has screwed up the quarterback conversation by winning so damn much. Rodgers is clearly one of the best quarterbacks to ever play -- he's on his way to his third MVP -- but oddly, only one Super Bowl victory (which was a decade ago) feels insufficient.
That's really the only thing that could keep Rodgers from being considered a top-five all-time (if not Mount Rushmore) quarterback. Beating Brady in the NFC Championship would also go a long way with the old-timers.
