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The NFL playoffs got off to a bit of a rough start with several blowouts taking place in the Wild Card Round. Some were to be expected and now the top quarterbacks in the game are ready to compete in the Divisional Round.
The likes of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford are all alive and chasing a shot at a Super Bowl.
ESPN host and analyst Mike Greenberg decided to rank the top five remaining quarterbacks in terms of confidence. That is not talent, but confidence to get the job done. His list features Brady at the top, followed by a shock with Allen in the second spot ahead of both Rodgers and Mahomes.
His reasoning requires a close read.
"Well if you ask me who's the best quarterback in the NFL right now? I would say the answer is Aaron Rodgers. But if you ask me who I have confidence in, he's 0-3 against the 49ers in the playoffs, and that is a really good defense. And if you watched Josh Allen play last week...If you watched Josh Allen play last week, then I put him at number two behind only Tom Brady. No one is hotter than he is coming in, and that Kansas City defense is gonna have to prove to me they're ready to play a big game. He shredded New England and Bill Belichick."
Is this a hot take or proper analysis?
ESPN's Mike Greenberg believes Josh Allen is ready for his NFL playoff moment
Greenberg points out how he thinks Rodgers is the best overall quarterback in the NFL. Yet he also makes the fair point that Rodgers is 0-3 against the San Francisco 49ers in the postseason. The most recent loss came against Jimmy Garoppolo when the Green Bay Packers fell in the 2019 NFC Championship Game.
Allen, meanwhile, absolutely lit up Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots defense. He threw for five touchdowns and could have had a few more if the Buffalo Bills didn't cruise to a 47-17 victory. Allen was so good the Bills didn't even have to punt once in the win.
He now gets to go up against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that does not have Belichick as the mastermind. The Chiefs already got torched by Allen earlier this season in a 38-20 Bills win. Allen had four total touchdowns in the statement win.
Allen began his NFL career a bit erratic. But his development has never stopped and embarrassing the Patriots was a sign of more things to come. Unlike Rodgers and Mahomes, defenses also have to prepare for Allen as a legitimate runner on any given play.
All of these factors put together explain how Greenberg's take is not a crazy one at all. He may just be ahead of the curve in terms of seeing Allen's full potential.
Also check out: Philadelphia Eagles Playoff History, Appearances, Wins and more
