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March Madness bracket: Who’s the greatest all-time NFL quarterback?

By John Buhler

Sep 10, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) greet each other on the field following the game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) greet each other on the field following the game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 8, 2017; Green Bay, WI, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) before the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2017; Green Bay, WI, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) before the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Smith Region

This second-round game features two of the very best from NFC East division rivals. Sammy Baugh made the throws that Kerry Collins couldn’t. Eli Manning need a Mario Manningham catch to beat Jim Plunkett to advance.

We’ve got the best quarterbacks from AFC West rivals competing in round two when John Elway takes on Len Dawson. Elway eviscerated Steve Bartkowski with another Drive that Big Ben Right couldn’t top. Dawson was cool under pressure when McNabb wasn’t. He has the locker room photo to prove it.

West Coast vs. Air Coryell is the matchup in round two. Steve Young was the better southpaw that Sunday against Mark Brunell. Dan Fouts did something Matthew Stafford couldn’t do by winning a playoff game to advance.

Win or lose, the Green Bay Packers will have a quarterback in the Sweet Sixteen in the Akili Smith region. Will it be Bart Starr or Aaron Rodgers? Starr didn’t get hurt and benched like Bledsoe did to get to round two. Rodgers threw two Hail Maries to beat Michael Vick in overtime in Lambeau.

12 Nov 1995: Jim Kelly #12 of the Buffalo Bills gets ready to pass the ball during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the Falcons 23-17.
12 Nov 1995: Jim Kelly #12 of the Buffalo Bills gets ready to pass the ball during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the Falcons 23-17. /

Stouffer Region

Arm talent helped Johnny Unitas elevate from Louisville and Phil Simms to move on to bigger and better things out of Morehead State. These champions meet in the second round. Unitas overmatched Neil Lomax. Simms didn’t botch a snap like Tony Romo did to win in a slight upset to get to round two.

We’ve got a major rivalry game in this one. Otto Graham gouged Bert Jones in round one, proving that Jones is no Johnny Unitas. Ken Anderson orchestrated a game-winning drive to upset Bobby Layne in the Motor City.

This matchup is what the early 1990s AFC Playoffs were all about. Two of the every best going head-to-head once again in Warren Moon and Jim Kelly. Moon lasted longer in the battle of geriatrics with Rich Gannon. Kelly played with more heart than Jim Hart to advance.

This Round of 32 matchup in the Kelly Stouffer Region features a pair of thee-time NFC Champions in Troy Aikman and Kurt Warner. Aikman annihilated Trent Green like he was Rodney Harrison. Warner never wavered in his matchup with Joe Theismann.

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