Ranking the NFL Championship Game Quarterbacks
The National Football League Championship Game Quarterbacks: How Do They Rank?
The National Football League championship game quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck all have one thing in common. They must rise to the occasion today, or their teams will not move on to the Super Bowl.
So let´s take a look at their performances both this year, and for their careers, to see which are likely to survive.
Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers was the NFL passing leader in 2014. If not for playing injured, he would be the most likely of this group to advance to the Super Bowl. But he is injured. And a big part of his game is his mobility. But that segment of his success is now taken away. He struggled against Seattle early this season. Now he must face them without the ability to scramble.
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Still, his postseason honors are numerous. That is why he is arguably considered to be the best quarterback in the NFL. He won Super Bowl XLV, for which he was also the MVP. He has made the Pro Bowl team four times, including first team in 2011 and 2014. He was the NFL MVP in 2011.
For Rodgers to have success today, his offensive line must give a similar performance to the one they gave last week against the Dallas Cowboys. Look for a lot of dump off passes to running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks. This will accomplish a few things. It will slow down the Seattle rush, and bring their talented corners up. That should make room for Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and the other Packers receivers to operate.
Tom Brady. Brady already has the career postseason results that Rodgers is striving for. He has done it for so long that we almost take him for granted. It starts with his ten Pro Bowl selections. Then it goes to his three Super Bowl championships and two times as Super Bowl MVP. He has also led the NFL in passing yards twice.
Brady has shown a remarkable ability to succeed regardless of the quality of his receivers or how often the New England front office changes them. And he may be coming into this game against Indianapolis with a chip on his shoulder. There are murmurs about a changing of the guard. He will be looking to show that Andrew Luck is not yet ready to knock him off of his perch in the AFC.
No quarterback has had more success in the postseason. He has the most playoff wins and is tied with John Elway for the most Super Bowl appearances with five. So with a win today, he can claim that record for himself.
Russell Wilson. For all of Rodgers´and Brady´s success, Wilson has the title that they both wish they had: reigning Super Bowl champion. He already has two Pro Bowl selections. With Rodgers´ injury and Brady´s tenure, he easily boasts the most mobility of this group.
While he obviously has not played long enough to match their career numbers, he matches them in the short term. He holds the NFL record for the most yards in a playoff game by a rookie. And he has the best playoff passing rating of any quarterback in history. Best of all, he plays within himself.
The incentive for Wilson is to join the select group of NFL quarterbacks with multiple wins. That would separate him from the pack and, from a historical standpoint, raise him to elite status.
Andrew Luck. Luck is the one with the most to gain. He has eliminated Peyton Manning, and now he has his sights on Tom Brady. He led the NFL in passing touchdowns in 2014. He was the NFL Offensive Player of the Month in November. He could be the hungriest of the group, as he pursues his first Super Bowl win.
So there you have the ratings. If this holds true, we would see a Super Bowl of Green Bay and New England. That would be a rematch of their regular season contest which the Packers won. We could then settle the Rodgers-Brady debate.
But should Seattle and Indianapolis win, we could really be seeing the changing of the guard. That would result in Wilson or Luck claiming the title of the quarterback of the future. So go get your pizzas and potato chips, and let the games begin.