Power Ranking every quarterback in the NFL Playoffs
By Nick Villano
3. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
The expected MVP should be number one on this list, right? Lamar Jackson had a fantastic season. He seemingly never had a stinker, and he rode the Ravens to a number-one seed. Did we forget that just about everyone thought he might be on another team this season? The Ravens committed to Jackson, and he repaid them with the best season of his career and a likely second MVP Award.
However, we can't ignore Jackson's playoff history. He's played in four playoff games. He's thrown an interception in every single one. His passer rating has never passed 80. Not QBR, which is out of 100, we're talking about passer rating, which can go up to 147. In his last playoff game against Buffalo, he couldn't break 200 yards. He averaged fewer yards per attempt than he did per sack taken.
Jackson could easily change the narrative around him. He wasn't even available for the Ravens in the playoffs last season, but one big run to the Super Bowl will make him a Baltimore legend. He's still the best QB in the league when it comes to the regular season. Jackson has to prove it when it matters most.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen made a late-season run for the ages. After a rough start where the Bills looked primed to miss the playoffs, Sean McDermott was on the hot seat, and the Bills fired their offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, Allen carried this team to yet another division title. While his performance against the Dolphins in Week 18 wasn't great, he was able to overcome his own turnovers to drive the Bills down the field to score the game-winning touchdown.
Allen has been fantastic this season. Yes, there are too many interceptions, but he's seemingly always able to overcome.
In the playoffs, Allen doesn't have the best record, but it's hardly his fault. There was the famous game against the Chiefs where he hit Gabe Davis for a touchdown with 13 seconds left, and somehow Mahomes was able to drive the Chiefs for the game-tying field goal and overtime game-winner. Last season wasn't his best performance in a loss to the Bengals, but that's literally his only dud. He's usually throwing bombs and putting multiple touchdowns on the board. We expect more of the same this season.