In the Trenches: The Five Biggest Positional Battles for the 2009 Eagles

Positional battles.

They might be the most underrated part of training camp.

 

Training camp is not just about getting yourself into supreme physical condition.

 

It’s about competition. Survival.

 

Many training camp battles are swept under the radar. Only the winner is talked about. The loser is nothing.

 

Yet some training camp battles receive much publication. In 2006, Sports Illustrated featured centers Jamaal Jackson and Hank Fraley on its front cover, a rare feat for an offensive linemen.

 

The following five battles will be the most publicized battles of training camp for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2009 season.

 

 

5. Tight End: Brent Celek vs Cornelius Ingram vs Matt Schobel

 

Following a multitude of disappointing seasons as the Eagles’ tight end, LJ Smith saw his tenure as a member of the Eagles come to an end.

 

In six seasons, LJ never produced a season that surpassed or even met expectations. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens in March, leaving the Eagles three potential candidates for tight end next season.

 

The odds-on favorite to win the starting job is third year player Brent Celek, who was drafted in the fifth round in 2007. Celek developed into a solid receiving target last season, hauling in 27 balls for 318 yards and a score. Against the Seahawks, Celek broke the Eagles’ single-game receiving record for a tight end, hauling in six passes for 131 yards.

 

In the postseason, Celek was an absolute beast. He caught six balls for 56 yards in the wild-card round. He scored a touchdown against the Giants in the divisional round. And he went wild against the Cardinals in the conference championship game, catching 10 balls for 83 yards and two touchdowns.

 

When the postseason is factored in, Celek was actually the team’s best tight end last season.

 

Cornelius Ingram was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2009 draft. Ingram missed the entire 2008 college football season due to injured ligaments in his knee. As a result, he slipped a few rounds in the draft, but has been described by many as the steal of the draft.

 

Ingram averaged 15 yards per reception in the 2007 season, an unheard-of amount for a tight end. He also has been described as a clutch target, especially reliable in the red zone.

 

Matt Schobel has been with the Eagles since the 2006 season. Over three seasons, he has hauled in 27 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns. He has been described as a “reliable target” but possesses no real playmaking ability. Schobel turned 30 years old in the middle of the 2008 season and will probably have to fight for a roster spot next season.

 

The starting position at tight end is Celek’s job to lose. Ingram lacks experience at the professional level and Schobel simply can’t compete with Celek’s playmaking ability. However, a phenomenal training camp by Ingram could earn him the starting position.

 

On the other hand, a disappointing performance could drop him to third on the depth chart. It would take a virtual miracle for Schobel to enter next season as the team’s starter.

 

 

4. Return Duties: Quintin Demps vs Ellis Hobbs and DeSean Jackson vs Jeremy Maclin

 

For the first time in years, the Eagles have legitimate weapons at both kick returner and punt returner. In 2008, Demps averaged over 25 yards per kickoff return, including a 100-yard touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens. Jackson returned a punt for a touchdown against the Redskins in October, and added two other returns of over 60 yards.

 

In the offseason, the Eagles signed cornerback and kick returned Ellis Hobbs from the New England Patriots. They also drafted wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in the first round of the NFL draft. Hobbs had been a sensational kick returner for the Patriots.

 

In 2007, he set an NFL-record by returning a kickoff for a 108-yard touchdown. In 2008, Hobbs led the entire AFC in kick return yardage.

 

Maclin has been described as one of the more explosive return specialists in the game today. Maclin holds the NCAA single-season record for total all-purpose yards in a season by a freshman. He returned a kick for a touchdown in 2007 and in 2008. He had two punt returns for scores in 2007 and another in 2008, giving him five return touchdowns in two seasons.

 

The Eagles have an unusual situation in 2008. Hobbs, Demps, Maclin, and Jackson are four of the more explosive return men in the NFL. The team only needs one kick returner and one punt returner. Likely the team’s number one wide receiver, Jackson is at risk for injury as a return specialist.

 

Maclin is just a rookie and will likely be the team’s DeSean Jackson in 2009, meaning he’ll play wide receiver and return punts. Demps will likely not return kicks if he somehow beats out Sean Jones for the starting job. However, if Hobbs somehow beats out Brown for the second spot at cornerback, Demps may still be returning kicks.

 

The logical choice, assuming that both Hobbs and Demps fail to land a starting job on defense, is to keep Demps at kick returner and give Maclin the punt returning duties.

 

 

3. Defensive End: Trent Cole vs Juqua Parker vs Darren Howard vs Victor Abiamiri vs Chris Clemons

 

This one is complicated.

 

Trent Cole is one year removed from a Pro Bowl selection and should keep his starting job for the 2009 season. However, Darren Howard played surprisingly well last season, leading the team in sacks. Cole will probably keep his starting job, but if Howard continues to shine, expect Cole to see about two-thirds of the snaps.

 

Parker was a pleasant surprise last season, tallying five sacks and returning an interception for a game-saving touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers.

 

However, Parker is now 31 years old and will likely be splitting time with Abiamiri and Clemons next year. Abiamiri is just 23 years old and saw limited action in 2008, recording 22 tackles and two sacks.

 

He will compete with Parker for the starting job. However, Abiamiri will be pushed by sixth-year player Chris Clemons, who finished with four sacks in the season’s final nine games in 2008. Clemons also added a 73-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the season finale against Dallas.

 

Expect Cole and Parker to keep their starting spots, but don’t be surprised if a strong training camp by Howard or Abiamiri (or even Clemons) gives one of them a starting spot.

 

 

2. WILL Linebacker: Akeem Jordan vs Omar Gaither

 

This battle will be intense. Akeem Jordan joined the Eagles as a rookie free agent before the 2007 season and managed to steal Omar Gaither’s starting spot at linebacker for the final six games of the 2008 season. Jordan accumulated 52 total tackles last season and helped the Eagles win five of their final six games to earn a playoff spot.

 

Omar Gaither is an underachieving outside linebacker whose pride suffered a massive hit when he relinquished his starting position in the middle of the 2008 season. Gaither is capable of playing any position in the linebacking corps, but is most comfortable at outside linebacker.

 

He showed his true potential by leading the Eagles in tackles in the 2007 season. However, a disappointing 2008 season has left Gaither’s future as a starter in jeopardy.

 

This may not be the popular choice, but I expect the determined Gaither to win his starting job back in training camp.

 

 

1. Wide Receiver: DeSean Jackson vs Kevin Curtis vs Jeremy Maclin vs Reggie Brown vs Hank Baskett vs Jason Avant

 

Not a single one of the six is a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. The Eagles don’t even like naming a player as a number one wide receiver, preferring to use a mix. And guess what? Nobody cares. All are capable of getting the job done and all six will see significant playing time in the 2009 season.

 

DeSean Jackson is likely the favorite to earn the title of “number one wide receiver.” The second year player caught 62 passes for a team-high 912 yards and two touchdowns in the 2008 season. His speed and playmaking ability helped the Eagles finish one game short of the Super Bowl.

 

Jackson provided many memorable moments from last season, from a 55-yard reception on his first-ever NFL play to a 62-yard go-ahead touchdown catch to complete an improbable 18-point comeback in the NFC championship game.

 

Kevin Curtis is the only member of the Eagles’ receiving corps to catch 1000 yards in a season. In 2007, Curtis led the team with 1110 yards on 77 catches. He suffered through a disappointing 2008, catching just 33 passes. In 2009, Curtis will likely rebound to top form and will compete for a starting spot.

 

Jeremy Maclin is the only rookie wide receiver on the Eagles’ squad. He is a big play threat, but possesses more ability as a return man. He caught 102 passes as a sophomore in 2008, and will likely contribute 40-60 catches in 2009.

 

Reggie Brown has been a disappointment throughout his entire career. He lost his starting job to rookie DeSean Jackson in the middle of the 2008 season. He also slipped behind Kevin Curtis and Jason Avant on the depth chart. Brown has a lot to prove in 2009, and could end up as anything from the team’s third to sixth wide receiver.

 

Hank Baskett possesses deceptive big play ability and turns in at least one 85-yard touchdown per season. Baskett made six starts in 2008 and caught 33 passes for 440 yards and three touchdowns. Baskett will compete for a fourth or fifth spot at wide receiver next season.

 

Jason Avant made a name for himself as the team’s third-down receiver in 2008. He has turned 14 of 17 third down catches into first downs. He could enter next season ranked as high as fourth or as low as sixth on the depth chart.

 

Expect Jackson to relinquish his punt returning duties and serve as the number one receiver. Curtis will probably beat out Maclin for the third spot. I expect Avant to surprise and capture the fourth spot, with Baskett and Brown rounding out the wide receiving corps.

Five New Playcalling Trends for the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles

With all of the changes to the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster, the coaching staff will need to adjust their playcalling in order to take advantage of the talent they will have on the field. Here are five new playcalling trends the coaches should look to use this season:

1. More Deep Passes

When Kevin Curtis is the third fastest wide receiver on your team, you know you have a special group of playmakers.

 

Jackson, Curtis, and Maclin all possess dangerous speed and are longball threats on virtually any given play. Baskett has deceptive speed on deep passes, and Brown and Avant have been known to catch a deep ball every now and then.

 

With a quarterback possessing one of the strongest arms in the National Football League, as well as a powerful offensive line capable of withstanding any defensive line in the league, the Eagles will have plenty of options on the deep pass.

 

2. Short Yardage Runs

 

For the first time in the Andy Reid era, the Eagles have a Pro Bowl-caliber fullback.

 

Leonard Weaver is more than capable of creating holes for third and fourth down situations. In 2008, the Eagles lost two games because of their inability to convert short yardage plays. Perhaps the problem resulted from using a converted defensive tackle as a fullback.

 

Weaver is experienced and powerful, and should help the Eagles jump from one of the worst short-yardage teams to one of the best.

 

3. Four Wide Receiver Formations

 

This is the formation that the “Greatest Show On Turf” thrived on. The St. Louis Rams thrived on four wide-receiver formations and watched as quarterback Kurt Warner won the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 1999 and 2001.

 

A four wide-receiver formation with Jackson, Curtis, Maclin, and Baskett is perfect. None of the four wide receivers is dangerous enough to require double coverage. However, all of the four is more than capable of breaking free from their defender on a fly pattern. Using this formation will also help the Eagles to stretch the field.

 

4. More Screen Passes

 

The Eagles need to keep using the screen pass.

 

It has been the signature play of Brian Westbrook’s career. In the 2008 postseason, Westbrook took a McNabb screen pass 71 yards for a touchdown, sealing the Eagles’ playoff victory against the Vikings. With the selection of the speedy LeSean McCoy in the 2009 draft, the Eagles have no reason to shy away from screen passes.

 

McCoy has game changing speed, perhaps even more than Westbrook. If the Eagles get the ball in the hands of either of these two in the open field, the results could be devastating.

 

 

5. Wide receiver end-around

 

Why not?

 

Jackson is fast. He’s incredibly fast. So are Curtis and Maclin.

 

If the Eagles use the end-around every other game, defenses will be fooled.

 

Look at the stats last season. Jackson rushed 17 times for 96 yards and a touchdown. You can’t argue with the results. 5.6 yards per carry is phenomenal. Even if a few end-arounds result in a big loss behind scrimmage, think about the big play potential.

 

With the speed of the Eagles’ receiving corps, this is a play that has the potential to be a 70 or 80 yard touchdown run.

 

It’s a risky play, sure, but the reward is worth much more than the risk.

The 10 Greatest Postseason Quarterbacks in NFL History

Let’s admit it.

This playoffs are how we judge quarterbacks. Sometimes it’s the only thing used to judge quarterbacks. Why else are guys like Troy Aikman and Bart Starr considered to be among the finer passers in the game’s history?

 

It’s simple. They win playoff games—especially championships.

 

It’s one thing to dominate in the regular season. It’s quite another thing to dominate in the postseason. Everything changes in the playoffs. It’s win or go home. The defenses step up. Teams are a little more aggressive, a little more determined, a little more…desperate.

 

So many of the great quarterbacks throughout history haven’t won a Super Bowl.

 

Dan Marino is one of the best pure passers in NFL history. Instead of judging him on his 61361 passing yards or 420 touchdown passes, history will judge him by his zero. Zero Super Bowl wins.

 

Donovan McNabb is the least intercepted quarterback in NFL history. He even has a winning playoff record. The only thing missing? A ring.

 

Football can be cruel too. Sometimes just winning a Super Bowl doesn’t get a quarterback off the hook. Look at Peyton Manning, who has won three regular season MVPs and a Super Bowl MVP. Many fans still focus on his career playoff record, which, at 7-8, is a far cry from his regular season credentials.

 

I have always said that it’s not about the Super Bowl titles. It’s not even about the playoff record. It’s about how well you play in the postseason.

 

Sorry Steelers fans, but when your quarterback posts a 22.6 passer rating, he deserves no credit for winning a Super Bowl.

 

And yes, Cardinals fans (if there are any), if your quarterback throws for 377 yards and three touchdowns, he deserves a tremendous amount of credit, even if his team falls short in the Super Bowl.

 

Cold Hard Football Facts did an extensive study on the correlation between the number of interceptions a quarterback throws in a playoff game and the final result of the game. Their results were fascinating.

 

A quarterback who throws zero interceptions will play for the winning team in 78.3 percent of postseason games. A quarterback who throws one interceptions plays for the winning team 55.6 percent of the time. Two interceptions? Just 31.4 percent. Three interceptions? A paltry 18.3 percent. And four or more interceptions? Forget about it–only one out of 41 times.

 

Below is a list of the best of the best. These are the guys who had what it takes to step up their game in the postseason. They won Super Bowls and NFL championships. They led game-winning drives.

 

They shredded defenses with their pinpoint accuracy. Each of the quarterbacks on this list has won a Super Bowl (or championship). Most won two or more. And a few have the potential to improve their ranking with continued success in the postseason.

10) John Elway, Denver Broncos.

Career postseason record: 14-8

Career postseason statistics: 355-651, 4964 yards, 27 TD, 21 INT; 79.7 passer rating

 

John Elway is the only quarterback in NFL history to lead his team to five Super Bowls. After beatdowns in each of his first three Super Bowls, Elway led the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl titles in his final two seasons.

 

Elway’s career highlight came in the 1986 AFC championship game against the Browns. The Broncos trailed the Browns 20-13, with 5:32 remaining, and the ball on their own two-yard line.

 

Elway then led what is now known as “The Drive,” completing six of nine passes for 88 yards, and rushing twice for 20 yards (a 10-yard penalty and an eight-yard sack pushed the Broncos back).

 

With third down from the Cleveland five-yard line and just 39 seconds remaining in the game, Elway tossed a five-yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson to tie the game. The Broncos won in overtime 23-20.

 

Elway has less than satisfactory statistics in his Super Bowl performances. He did throw for 304 yards and a touchdown against the Giants in 1986. And he threw for 336 yards and a touchdown in his final NFL game against the Falcons in 1998.

 

However, Elway threw for an interception in all five Super Bowls. He completed just 14 of 38 passes against the Redskins in 1987, and just 10 of 26 passes against the 49ers in 1989.

 

His total Super Bowl statistics look like this:

76-152, 1128 yards, 3 TD, 8 INT

Elway was at his best in conference championship games, where he led the Broncos to wins in five of six games. He victimized the Cleveland Browns not once, not twice, but three times in a four-year span.

 

However, Elway only had one phenomenal postseason game, when he completed 20 of 36 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns against the Browns in the 1989 AFC championship game.

 

He posted a triple-digit passer rating five times, but he also turned in some pretty poor games. He posted a passer rating under 65 in eight games, including three Super Bowls.

 

For the most part, Elway was a great postseason quarterback, as he tossed a combined 24 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in the wild-card, divisional, and conference championship games. However, his statistics are hurt by his inconsistency in the game’s biggest stage.

9) Otto Graham, Cleveland Browns.

 

Career postseason record: 9-3

Career postseason statistics: 159-300, 2101 yards, 14 TD, 17 INT; 67.4 passer rating

 

Otto Graham is the only quarterback to play in the postseason in every season of his career. Not only did he play in every postseason, but he appeared in a record ten championship games, four straight in the AAFC and the final six in the NFL.

 

Graham led the Browns to victories in the AAFC championship from 1946-1949. While he never turned in a spectacular passing performance, he led the Browns to 49 points in the 1948 AAFC championship. He threw just two interceptions in 89 passes, for a dazzling interception rate of 2.24 percent.

 

In 1950, the Browns moved to the NFL, where Graham received much pressure to continue his dominance from the AAFC in the much superior NFL. He led the Browns to a 10-2 record, with both losses coming against the Giants.

 

In the playoffs, he got revenge, leading the Browns to a victory over the Giants in the divisional round. He led a come-from-behind game-winning drive against the Rams in the NFL championship, giving the Browns a 30-28 victory. In the game, Graham tossed four touchdowns and rushed for 99 yards.

 

The Browns lost their next three NFL championship games, the first against the Rams, and the last two against the Detroit Lions. Graham played poorly in all three games, tossing only one touchdown against six interceptions. He posted a 0.0 passer rating in the final game.

 

Graham got revenge on the Lions in 1955, throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for three more in a 56-10 blowout victory. He retired after the 1955 season but returned to lead the Browns to a seventh championship. He avenged his 1951 loss to the Rams, throwing for two touchdowns in a 38-14 victory.

 

In all, Graham’s postseason statistics weren’t spectacular:

 

14 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, 67.4 passer rating

 

However, he helped the Browns average 25 points per playoff game, while winning a record seven championships. His most notable contribution will always be his game-winning drive against the Rams in the 1950 NFL championship, as he proved that his Browns could compete not only in the AAFC, but in the National Football League.

8) Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys.

 

Career postseason record: 11-5

Career postseason statistics: 320-502, 3849 yards, 23 TD, 17 INT; 88.3 passer rating

 

Aikman is another quarterback who probably wouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame if it weren’t for the postseason. It was in January when Aikman truly shined.

 

He led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in a four-year span in the 1990’s, including a 52-17 stomping of the Buffalo Bills in 1992. He threw for 273 yards and four touchdown passes in this game, earning MVP honors. He posted a triple-digit passer rating in nine of his 16 postseason games, all victories.

 

Aikman lost his first and his final three postseason games. In between, he led the Cowboys to victories in 10 of 11 games.

 

Aikman’s Cowboys have been so dominant in the postseason that all 11 victories have come by 10 or more points. Their five losses have all come by nine or more points, meaning Aikman has never really been involved in an exciting win or heartbreaking loss. He’s just been consistent in almost every game.

 

The only knock against Aikman?

 

He hasn’t faced many great defenses. The 1995 AFC champion Steelers allowed 325 points. The 1999 Vikings allowed 335 points. The 1995 Eagles allowed 338 points. The 1998 Cardinals allowed 378 points.

 

The bottom line, however, is that in the three biggest games of his life, Aikman led the Cowboys to victory all three times, with the average win coming by 21 points.

 

 

7) Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams & Arizona Cardinals.

 

Career postseason record: 8-3

Career postseason statistics: 261-403, 3368 yards, 26 TD, 13 INT; 98.9 passer rating

 

Besides being one of the best, Kurt Warner is also one of the most exciting postseason quarterbacks in NFL history.

 

Warner led the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl title in 1999.

 

In the three playoff games, Warner threw eight touchdown passes, including five against the Vikings in the divisional round. He threw a game-winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the NFC championship game against the Bucs, and he threw two touchdowns in the Super Bowl against the Titans.

 

Warner’s final pass in the Super Bowl was a 73-yard game-winning touchdown to Isaac Bruce with just under two minutes remaining.

 

Warner took the Rams back to the Super Bowl in 2001. He led the “Greatest Show on Turf” back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter, tossing a game-tying 26-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl with under two minutes remaining.

 

In 2008, Warner took the Cardinals on one of the most impressive Cinderella runs in recent memory.

 

They won two straight road playoff games, with Warner throwing two touchdown passes in each, before becoming the first 9-7 team to host a conference championship game. Warner threw four touchdowns, while leading the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl in team history.

 

In the Super Bowl, Warner threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns. His 64-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald gave the Cardinals a 23-20 lead with under three minutes remaining.

 

Warner holds the three highest single game passing totals in Super Bowl history: 414 in 1999 against the Titans, 377 in 2008 against the Steelers, and 365 in 2001 against the Patriots. His career passer rating in the Super Bowl is 95.9.

 

He completed 14 of 19 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter against the Steelers. In fact, he has thrown a touchdown pass in all three fourth quarters he has played in, and his career fourth quarter statistics in the Super Bowl are as follows:

26-40, 457 yards, 4 touchdowns

Were it not for a few costly turnovers–a 47 yard interception touchdown by Ty Law in the 2001 Super Bowl; a 100 yard interception touchdown by James Harrison in 2008; and a lost fumble with five seconds remaining in the same Super Bowl—Warner would likely have three Super Bowl rings and would probably rank as the third or fourth greatest postseason quarterback in NFL history.

6) Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys.

 

Career postseason record: 12-6

Career postseason statistics: 223-410, 2791 yards, 24 TD, 19 INT; 76.0 passer rating

 

Staubach was nicknamed “Captain America” for a reason. He helped the Cowboys become “America’s Team” during the 1970’s.

 

Staubach played in four Super Bowls during the decade. He led the Cowboys to blowout victories in two of them, winning the MVP trophy in 1971 against the Dolphins. He posted a 102.6 passer rating in a 27-10 victory over the Broncos in 1977.

 

He threw three touchdown passes and posted another triple digit passer rating in a loss to the Steelers in 1978. His worst Super Bowl performance still resulted in two touchdown passes and a 77.8 passer rating against the Steel Curtain in 1975.

 

Staubach authored one of the most famous plays in NFL history in the divisional playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings in 1975. With the Cowboys trailing 14-10 and under a minute remaining, Staubach hooked up with receiver Drew Pearson for a 50-yard touchdown pass, the first known “Hail Mary” pass.

 

Staubach completed his first six postseason games without throwing an interception. His battles with the Rams became legendary, as the Cowboys walked away victorious in three of the five battles from 1973-1979, including both times in the conference championship game.

 

In 1975, Staubach helped the Cowboys put up 37 points against a defense that allowed just 135 in the regular season.

 

Staubach’s legs added excitement, as “Roger Dodger” scrambled for 432 yards on just 76 rushes, for an average of 5.7 yards per run. Staubach topped 20 rushing yards in 11 postseason games, with a high of 59 against the Redskins in 1972.

 

Staubach faced some pretty incredible defenses in the 1970s. He faced the Purple People Eaters three times. He faced the Steel Curtain dynasty twice. He even squared off against the No Name Defense. Even the Los Angeles Rams regularly ranked among the NFL’s best defenses.

 

Had Staubach managed to defeat the Steel Curtain in one or both of the Super Bowls, he would probably be one of the three greatest postseason quarterbacks in NFL history.

5) Sid Luckman, Chicago Bears.

 

Career postseason record: 5-1

Career postseason statistics: 45-85, 721 yards, 7 TD, 4 INT; 89.4 passer rating

 

Luckman is probably the most underrated quarterback in the history of the NFL. Besides turning in the greatest regular season by a quarterback in NFL history, he is one of the more effective quarterbacks in postseason history.

 

Luckman’s first playoff game came in the 1940 NFL championship against Sammy Baugh and the arch-rival Washington Redskins.

 

The Redskins had defeated the Bears 7-3 in the regular season, after which Redskins’ owner George Allen called the Bears “crybabies” and announced that they quit when the going got tough. Bears’ coach George Halas used Allen’s remarks to fire up his players, posting Allen’s comments on a bulletin board in the locker room.

 

It worked. The Bears throttled the Redskins 73-0. That’s right. 73-0.

 

It remains, to this day, the single most dominating performance by any team in any championship, in any sport, throughout history. Luckman passed just four times, completion three for 88 yards and a touchdown. That’s all he needed to do, as the Bears rushed 57 times for 382 yards and seven touchdowns.

 

The Bears won the NFL championship the next year, thrashing the New York Giants 37-9. Luckman completed 9 of 12 passes for 160 yards, for a 116.7 passer rating.

 

The Redskins dominated Luckman and the Bears in the 1942 NFL championship game. The Bears posted an 11-0 record in the regular season, scoring 376 points, while allowing just 84.

 

They remain, to this day, probably the greatest team in NFL history to not win a championship. Luckman’s championship game performance is one of the worst in history, as he completed 5 of 12 passes for two yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions.

 

Luckman led the Bears back into the winner’s circle the following season, defeating Baugh and the Redskins 41-21, for his third NFL championship. He threw for 286 yards and a championship-game record five touchdowns, while also rushing for 64 yards.

 

Luckman played in a final NFL championship in 1946, leading the Bears to a 24-14 victory against the Giants. He threw for 144 yards and a touchdown, but his two interceptions brought his passer rating down to an anemic 40.7.

 

Overall, Luckman won four of five NFL championships. He participated in the greatest thrashing in championship history. He topped a 115 passer rating three times, and his career passer rating of 89.4 is unbelievable, considering his era.

4) Tom Brady, New England Patriots.

 

Career postseason record: 14-3

Career postseason statistics: 372-595, 3954 yards, 26 TD, 12 INT; 88.0 passer rating

 

Brady could retire one day as the greatest postseason quarterback in history. It’s unlikely, but it’s possible.

 

As of now, he has three Super Bowl trophies under his belt, as well as a fourth appearance. He won the MVP trophy in his first two Super Bowls and should have won it against the Philadelphia Eagles.

 

Brady became an instant hero in the playoffs. In his first postseason game, he rallied the Patriots from a 13-3 fourth quarter deficit.

 

The Patriots defeated the Oakland Raiders in overtime, 16-13. He led a classic two-minute game-winning drive against the St. Louis Rams in 2001, before Adam Vinatieri’s walk-off 48 yard field goal gave the Patriots one of the greatest upset wins in NFL history.

 

He led the same drive against the Carolina Panthers in 2003, before Adam Vinatieri’s 41-yard field goal with four seconds remaining gave the Patriots a second title. He led a classic drive against the New York Giants in 2007, giving the Patriots a 14-10 lead with a touchdown pass to Randy Moss with under three minutes remaining.

 

Brady has thrown one or fewer interceptions in 14 of his 17 postseason games. 10 times he didn’t throw an interception, including three of his four Super Bowls. He may not post the most dominating statistics, but he knows how to win football games, and that’s by not turning the ball over.

 

He also has avoided ‘dud’ playoff games. His worst playoff game ever? 27 for 51 for 280 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Sure, it’s not a good game by any standards. But find me a quarterback who has played 17 playoff games who can call that his worst playoff game.

 

For Brady to be considered the greatest playoff quarterback in NFL history, he will probably need to win a fourth and a fifth Super Bowl title. MVP trophies in both games would help.

3) Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

Career postseason record: 14-5

Career postseason statistics: 261-456, 3833 yards, 30 TD, 26 INT; 83.0 passer rating

 

Terry Bradshaw is just one of two quarterbacks to win four Super Bowls. In each of the Steelers’ Super Bowl victories, he posted a passer rating above 100. He led a fourth quarter comeback in the second and fourth games, and threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of each game.

As a matter of fact, Bradshaw’s fourth quarter passing statistics in the Super Bowl look like this:

11-16, 292 yards, 4 TD

That is not a typo. Bradshaw averaged 18 yards per pass attempt. He threw five incompletions against four touchdown passes. His final pass in his first three Super Bowls was a touchdown pass, and in his fourth Super Bowl, it was a 45-yard completion that set up a final touchdown.

 

His passer rating is a jaw-dropping 151.0, and he was awarded the MVP trophy in his final two Super Bowls.

 

Bradshaw doesn’t just shine in the Super Bowl either.

 

There was the “Immaculate Reception,” a fourth-down, game-winning, 60-yard touchdown pass to Franco Harris on the final play of the game. Then there were the 1976 AFC divisional playoffs, where Bradshaw posted a perfect passer rating against the Baltimore Colts.

 

Bradshaw threw for two or more touchdown passes in his final seven postseason games, all of which the Steelers scored 27+ points. He averaged an incredible 8.4 yards per pass attempt throughout his playoff career.

 

Bradshaw may have been only slightly above average in the regular season, but in the postseason, his success was topped by only two men.

2) Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers.

 

Career postseason record: 8-1

Career postseason statistics: 130-213, 1753 yards, 15 TD, 3 INT; 104.8 passer rating

 

Simply put, Bart Starr is the winningest quarterback in NFL playoff history, in terms of both postseason winning percentage and championships won.

 

Starr has led the Green Bay Packers to five NFL championships, in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, and 1967. The final two championships came in the first ever Super Bowls. Starr earned the MVP trophy in both games.

 

Starr participated in just a single postseason loss, by virtue of the mighty 1960 Philadelphia Eagles. Still, this game wasn’t decided until the game’s final play, when Chuck Bednarik tackled Hall of Fame running back Jim Taylor on the eight-yard line.

 

Starr holds the record for highest career postseason passer rating: 104.3. He topped 100 in five of his nine games. His career Super Bowl passer rating is 106.0.

 

Even more incredibly, he threw just three interceptions in his nine playoff games! His 1.41 interception percentage would be the 15th best regular season total in NFL history. When factoring in the quality of the defenses that Starr faced, his achievement is one of the most impressive in NFL history. It is a record that will likely never be broken.

 

Tom Brady came close. After his first ten playoff games, all victories, he had thrown three interceptions in 331 passes. His 0.90 mark was significantly better than Starr’s career mark. Then he threw nine interceptions in his next 264 passes, still an impressive rate. But 12 interceptions in 595 pass attempts? Not even close to Starr.

 

Bottom line: You’re not going to lose football games if you don’t turn the ball over.

 

Starr even found a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in one of the most unlikely scenarios. In the 1966 NFL championship game, now known as the “Ice Bowl,” the Packers trailed Dallas 17-14, with 16 seconds remaining. The Packers faced a third-and-goal from the one-yard line with no timeouts remaining.

 

Any sensible quarterback would have called for the field goal team. Instead Starr audibled. He carried the ball himself for the game-winning touchdown. Even more impressive? The game time temperature was 18 degrees–below zero.

 

Starr wasn’t just a game manager either. His 15 touchdown passes in just 213 pass attempts give him one of the best touchdown percentages in playoff history.

 

In the playoffs, Starr helped to victimize two tough New York Giants teams. He took down a Jim Brown-led Browns team. He defeated a Johnny Unitas-led Colts team. He ousted a stingy one-loss Rams team.

 

He throttled an Oakland Raiders team that many call the greatest team in AFL history. And he took down the tough Dallas Cowboys in consecutive conference championship games.

 

Starr’s intangibles as a leader, as well as his knack for not turning the ball over, are what makes him the second most successful quarterback in postseason history.

1) Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers & Kansas City Chiefs.

 

Career postseason record: 16-7

Career postseason statistics: 460-734, 5772 yards, 45 TD, 21 INT; 95.6 passer rating

 

There’s no way around it.

 

Joe Montana is the greatest postseason quarterback in the history of the National Football League.

 

Montana holds a 4-0 record in the Super Bowl. All four times he posted a triple-digit passer rating. His 11 touchdowns are a Super Bowl record and his zero interceptions in 122 pass attempts are a testament to his greatness.

 

He helped the 49ers jump out to a 21-0 lead against the Bengals in 1981. They scored 38 points against the Dolphins in 1984. He led one of the greatest fourth quarter game-winning drives in NFL history in a rematch with the Bengals in 1988, culminating in a 10-yard touchdown pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining.

 

And he threw five touchdown passes against the Broncos, while helping the 49ers score 55 points.

 

Montana has thrown one or fewer interceptions in 18 of his 23 postseason games. He posted a passer rating above 100 in 12 of his 23 playoff games, including eight in a row. He averages 250 yards and two touchdown passes per game.

 

Even when Montana struggles, he often finds a way to get the job done. He threw three interceptions against the Cowboys in the 1981 NFC championship game, before firing a game-winning third-down touchdown pass to Dwight Clark with under a minute remaining.

 

He threw three interceptions against the Giants in the 1984 divisional round, yet still threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 63 yards, including a 53-yard scamper, in a 21-10 victory.

 

“Joe Cool” could win games any way. He won close games: 28-27, 20-16, 27-24. He won blowouts: 55-10. 41-13. 38-16. Simply put, Montana was legendary in the regular season.

 

In the postseason? He was simply magical.

 

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