Analysts like to say that the NFL is a “quarterback driven league”–meaning that offenses are geared so heavily toward the passing game nowadays that not having a QB who can fling it all around the yard handicaps your chances of winning. One need look no further than the stadium north of here to see what happens when one of the few quarterbacks capable of carrying a team by himself got hurt and the next thing you know the most extensive house-cleaning in 30-years follows.
But if the NFL is really all about quarterbacks, we will find that out this weekend in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. I can never remember a set of post-season games where the gap between the good quarterbacks and their opponents have been so great, in every single game.
Over in the AFC, you have Marcus Mariotta of the Tennessee Titans–whose first career playoff touchdown pass was to himself on a batted ball (that should have been intercepted)–and who only won last week in the Wild Card game because terrible officiating went against the Kansas City Chiefs is taking on New England’s future Hall of Famer Tom Brady–who just had one of his best years of his career, at the age of 40. In the other AFC matchup, Blake Bortles of the Jacksonville Jaguars–who ran for more yards than he threw for last week–and only won the Wild Card game because Buffalo’s quarterback–Tyrod Taylor–was even worse before he got hurt late and the “Human Interception Machine” Nathan Peterman threw a pick on the final drive of the game faces the Pittsburgh Steelers’ future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger.
In the NFC, career backup Nick Foles–in his first playoff start–will lead Philadelphia against last year’s NFL MVP Matt Ryan and the Falcons only because starter Carson Wentz suffered a season-ending knee injury a month ago–and Philly stumbled home to finish out the regular season. Oddsmakers have made the Eagles the first number one seed in a conference to be an underdog in the division round in NFL history. The other NFC tilt features career journeyman Case Keenum of Minnesota–in his first playoff start–facing New Orleans’ future Hall of Famer Drew Brees.
It’s entirely possible that the defenses of Tennessee, Jacksonville, Philadelphia and Minnesota could rise up and pitch shutouts, giving their below-average quarterback led offenses a chance to eke out low-scoring wins. But I get the feeling that the far superior quarterbacks are going to decide every single one of this weekend’s games.
