NFL Playoffs 2017: Ranking The 4 Remaining Quarterbacks Ahead Of Championship Sunday

It seems only fitting that the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons are left playing on 2017 Championship Sunday. Arguably the league’s best four quarterbacks will compete in the conference championship games.

In the NFC Championship Game, the likely 2016 MVP will take on the league’s hottest quarterback. In the AFC Championship Game, the greatest quarterback of all time will face a two-time Super Bowl winner and future Hall of Famer.

Taking into account how they’ve played this season, as well as throughout their careers, here is a ranking of the remaining four playoff quarterbacks:

1) Aaron Rodgers

Heading into the NFC Championship Game, Rodgers’ early-season struggles are a distant memory. Rodgers doesn’t have the accomplishments of some other quarterbacks on his resume, but he might be the best of all time when he’s at his peak, and the veteran is currently playing the best football of his career.

Rodgers has been incredible since Week 11, throwing 24 touchdowns and just one interception, posting a passer rating of less than 96.6 just once in nine games. It hasn’t mattered what weapons have been at his disposal, considering Packers No. 1 wide receiver Jordy Nelson has just one catch in the playoffs because of a rib injury. He’s even excelled against top defenses, dismantling the New York Giants’ and Dallas Cowboys secondaries, which are among the NFL’s best, this postseason. It’s hard to believe the Falcons, Patriots or Steelers will be able to slow Rodgers down before the season is over.

2) Tom Brady

As good as Rodgers has been, no one could be blamed for taking Brady ahead of Rodgers. He’s had the best career of any quarterback in NFL history, and he’s somehow at the top of his game at 39 years old.

Brady probably won’t win the MVP award because he missed the season’s first four games, but he was the league’s best quarterback from Week 5 through Week 17. His two interceptions in the divisional playoffs matched his total from the entire regular season, and one of the picks was the result of a wide receiver drop. Brady might not total two more interceptions until the middle of next season, and the three-time Super Bowl MVP likely has more postseason heroics in store for this year.

3) Matt Ryan

Even though Ryan falls at No. 3 on the list, he doesn’t take much of a backseat to either Rodgers or Brady. The Falcons’ quarterback doesn’t have nearly the same track record as the other signal callers remaining in the playoffs, but he’s starting to prove he belongs among the league’s elite players.

The voting might not reflect it, but Ryan was the clear-cut MVP for the 2016 season. His 117.1 passer rating was first in the league, and he led one of the highest-scoring teams in NFL history. He even put up big numbers when the league’s No. 2 receiver, Julio Jones was injured. Despite a checkered playoff past, Ryan carried his success into the divisional round, throwing for 338 yards and three scores against a top defensive unit. With just one bad game in 17 starts this season, there’s little reason to believe Ryan won’t continue to put up eye-popping numbers.

4) Ben Roethlisberger

There’s no way around ranking Roethlisberger last among the remaining postseason quarterbacks. While Ryan, Brady and Rodgers were three of the NFL’s four best-rated passers in the regular season, Roethlisberger didn’t even finish in the top 10. That, however, doesn’t change the fact that the veteran is one of the league’s top signal callers, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see him hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 5.

Battling through injuries this season, Roethlisberger still managed to post a 95.4 passer rating with 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He’s got better weapons than anyone in running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown, though he has struggled at times. Roethlisberger wasn’t able to get the Steelers in the end zone against the Kansas City Chiefs, and he faces another challenge in the Patriots’ No. 1 ranked scoring defense. But with three trips to the Super Bowl and two titles, the quarterback is more than capable of having another championship run.