Allen, Stafford, Williams: Who are the best QBs left in the playoffs? Ranking all 8
- - Allen, Stafford, Williams: Who are the best QBs left in the playoffs? Ranking all 8
Jack McKessy, USA TODAYJanuary 13, 2026 at 10:35 PM
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Once again, quarterbacks were at the center of everything in a spicy edition of the NFL playoffs' wild-card round this year. While some sagged under the pressure of big moments, others performed swimmingly.
With the first round of the postseason in the books, eight quarterbacks still remain in the chase for a Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 60. Six of them earned a spot in the divisional round by leading their respective teams to wins in the wild-card round.
The other two, Bo Nix and Sam Darnold, got an extra week of rest thanks to the first-round byes that came with the Broncos' and Seahawks' No. 1 seedings. They'll get their first shot at playoff action this year in the divisional round.
With six playoff games in the books through the end of the wild-card round, here's how all eight quarterbacks left in the postseason stack up:
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makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
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Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
">Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
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1 / 4Best images of the 2025 NFL season
Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
NFL quarterback rankings: Divisional round1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
USA TODAY Sports' Jarrett Bell put it best when he said Allen "don(ned) Superman cape again" in the Bills' wild-card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Buffalo's first playoff win on the road since January 1993, its quarterback shined the brightest of anyone on the field.
Allen tossed for 273 yards and a touchdown while completing 80% of his 35 pass attempts. He also rushed for 33 yards and two touchdowns on 11 attempts. The result was a 27-24 win that the Bills eked out over one of the hottest teams in the NFL on the road in a game with four lead changes in the fourth quarter.
JARRETT BELL: Josh Allen dons Superman cape again, saving Bills' Super Bowl hopes
2. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
For the 12th straight game, Stafford threw multiple touchdown passes. For the eighth game in a row, the Rams' quarterback surpassed 240 passing yards.
Stafford and the Rams held off the Panthers' attempt at a second upset over Los Angeles, and they did it on the back of the quarterback's 304 yards and three touchdowns. Pro Football Focus credited Stafford with three big-time throws in the wild-card matchup. He also became the fourth quarterback in the last 20 years to throw at least two touchdown passes while trailing in the fourth quarter of a playoff game, joining Eli Manning, Tom Brady (twice) and Patrick Mahomes.
3. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Later on Jan. 10, Williams became the fifth quarterback in the last 20 years to throw at least two touchdown passes while trailing in the fourth quarter of a playoff game. Neither of them came close to his best throw of the game: a fourth-and-8 conversion on a jump throw as he rolled to his left while linebacker Isaiah McDuffie wrapped up his right leg.
Caleb Williams really made this throw on 4th and 8 😱 pic.twitter.com/lVKFf5p6yH
— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2026
Source: “AOL Sports”
