Ranking coach-QB duos in playoffs (Smith-Ryan are 7th)
Mike Smith and Matt Ryan are looking for their first playoff win. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
The top seeds sometimes flop. (Last season, the Falcons and New England were the No. 1 seeds in the playoffs for the NFC and AFC, respectively and each lost their first game.)
The wild cards don’t always fail. (Green Bay was an NFC wild card last season and won four games on the road, including the Super Bowl. Since 1970, 10 wild card teams have reached the Super Bowl and six have won it all.)
So there is hope, Falcons’ fans.
But NFL playoff success almost always starts with coaches and quarterbacks. The Super Bowl winner doesn’t always come from the perceived best duo of the group but it’s as good a gauge as there is.
So with that, here’s how I rank the 12 coach-quarterback duos in the field. Noteworthy: The first five on the list all have won Super Bowls.
Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers: Primed for another Super Bowl.
1. Green Bay (Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers): The Packers are beat up and showed their flaws down the stretch. But let’s start with this: Every team has flaws. McCarthy and Rodgers are as good as it gets. They coach and play with a chip on their shoulder. Green Bay can win another Super Bowl because of them.
2. New Orleans (Sean Payton-Drew Brees): Both seem to have the Saints driven after getting bounced by Seattle in the first round of the playoffs last year. Brees also is playing as well now as any quarterback we’ve ever seen (25 touchdowns, three interceptions in the last seven games).
3. New England (Bill Belichick-Tom Brady): Brady just completed another great season (39 touchdowns, 12 interceptions) and Belichick somehow squeezed a 13-3 season out of a team with one of the worst defenses in the league. Also, they know how to win playoff games.
4. Pittsburgh (Mike Tomlin-Ben Roethlisberger): I might have them slotted No. 2 if Roethlisberger’s ankle wasn’t the size of a melon. Tomlin is a master motivator and Roethlisberger – his off-field baggage notwithstanding – knows how to win games. But the quarterback’s health is an issue.
5. N.Y.Giants (Tom Coughlin-Eli Manning): People dump on the Giants a lot – this is a team that lost to the Redskins a few weeks ago – but they’re a scary bunch in the postseason. I’ve lost track of how many times Coughlin was supposed to be fired but it must mean something that the Giants didn’t fold. Also, Manning doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves for being a great quarterback, given the weak cast surrounding him – and because he’s the lesser Manning.
Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin upset Patriots in Super Bowl.
6. Baltimore (John Harbaugh-Joe Flacco): Flacco is coming off arguably his worst season. His passer rating of 80.9 was just ahead of his rookie year (80.3), and his yards-per-attempt was less this year than in 2008 (6.7 compared to 6.9). But he has won playoff games three straight years (4-3 overall). Harbaugh has kept the Ravens winning despite a defense not nearly as dominant as it used to be.
7. Falcons (Mike Smith-Matt Ryan): The two have had tremendous regular season success in four years but that hasn’t carried over in the postseason. The only consolation is that they lost in 2008 to Arizona (which went to the Super Bowl) and in 2010 to Green Bay (which won it). Ryan has committed major mistakes in his two postseason games.
8. Detroit (Jim Schwartz-Matt Stafford): Nobody will question Stafford’s talent or, at this point, his toughness (he has endured a lot of injuries). But he’ll be making his postseason debut, and going against Brees won’t be easy. Schwartz usually has the Lions playing hard. But there are some character issues on that team, as evidenced by a cheap-shotting defense, and Schwartz is the chief enabler. And what does it say that Matt Flynn just threw six touchdown passes against them?
9. San Francisco (Jim Harbaugh-Alex Smith): Harbaugh has done a tremendous job in his first season changing the culture in the 49ers locker room and turning them in to a tough and resilient team. There’s no reason to think he won’t have playoff success at some point. I just don’t believe that’s going to happen with Smith at quarterback. The 49ers’ offensive liabilities will catch up with them in the playoffs.
10. Cincinnati (Marvin Lewis-Andy Dalton): The Bengals have been a great story. Credit to Lewis for turning around a team that has been such a punchline in recent seasons and for making the playoffs in the first season without Carson Palmer.
John Fox is facing uphill climb with Tim Tebow.
11. Denver (John Fox-Tim Tebow): Fox won’t win coach of the year honors from anybody but he should because getting this roster to the playoffs is as good a job as he’s ever done. I don’t feel up to starting another Tebow blogging bonfire today. But suffice to say, defenses are starting to figure him out. After winning six straight starts, he lost his last three, throwing four interceptions, only one touchdown and completing 41 percent of his passes (30 for 73).
12. Houston (Gary Kubiak-T.J. Yates): Maybe you think the Texas should be ranked higher. But they clearly weren’t the same team down the stretch, losing three straight after a one-point win over the Bengals and an improbable 17-10 win over the Falcons. Yates, the No. 3 quarterback (after injuries to Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart), has been great under the circumstances, but even he has a sore shoulder now.
So there are my rankings. Do you agree with where I have Smith and Ryan, or would you put them higher? Or lower?
By Jeff Schultz
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194 comments Add your comment
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
JSS, I have not said a work about the Raven Defense, so stop putting words in my mouth. I take nothing about from Flacco, and I think Harbaugh is a fantastic coach…..But, to answer your question. Billick was burned out, McNair was past his prime, and more interested in chasing skanks, and Smith and Boller just flat out suck. Flacco was the first QB in Baltimore in years that was competent….but I do think some of his playoff success is due to playing in the AFC.
JSS
January 2nd, 2012
7:45 pm
No, I say you don’t overpay a QB at the slot he was chosen at… Ozzie Newsome choose value, he’s gotten more than value in Flacco. His team has had cap move space unlike the Falcons. They acquired younger talent and veterans as well (Rice, Bolden, Torrey Smith, and on the defensive side Most of their current secondary)…
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
7:46 pm
I never said a word about Flacco’s playoff success being due to his defense. But Mcnair was past his prime more interested in chasing hoes. Boller and Smith just suck. Plus, Billick was burned out, and Harbaugh it a great coach. Again, as much as it irritates you, I have admiration for Flacco, but it is not like we passed on Brees, now THAT was a diseaser.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
7:48 pm
JSS “No, I say you don’t overpay a QB at the slot he was chosen at”
You mean, like trading up to #1 in the draft to get an overhyped guy, when you could have sat sat tight and took Drew Brees? Maybe we are not that far off in our thinking after all.
CGD..
January 2nd, 2012
7:51 pm
72 versus 30..
Somebody saved a whole load of peanuts! lol
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
Flacco will get his….maybe. I read that the Raven might not even re-up him. Seems you guys value him more than his own team….Very telling to me.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
7:55 pm
But, since you brought up the Ravens D, they do have Ray Lewis, and although they are not the D of 2000, when you play QB in Ray Lewis’ team, you don’t have to lead. You just have to minimize mistakes.
But for some odd reason I just can’t put my finger on, i bet if we did draft Flacco, you guys still would not like me
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:01 pm
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
7:48 pm
JSS “No, I say you don’t overpay a QB at the slot he was chosen at”
You mean, like trading up to #1 in the draft to get an overhyped guy, when you could have sat sat tight and took Drew Brees
_______________________________________________________
First of all, wasn’t Tomlinson the 1st Charger selection and Brees was a 2nd round pick?
Also, wasn’t Brees benched and traded in favor of Philip Rivers?
So what is your point?
EDE
January 2nd, 2012
8:03 pm
just wondering if we have a defensive meltdown in the playoffs if we’ll try to hire jack del rio or steve spangulo????
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:06 pm
CGD..
January 2nd, 2012
7:51 pm
72 versus 30..
Somebody saved a whole load of peanuts! lol
_____________________________________________
So CGD,
are you trying to tell us that not only the Falcants spent 42 million more than the Ravens,
but they got 4 playoffs wins less?
That kind of return on an investment will get economist fired………………..
HA HA HA
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:09 pm
First of all, wasn’t Tomlinson the 1st Charger selection and Brees was a 2nd round pick?
Also, wasn’t Brees benched and traded in favor of Philip Rivers?
So what is your point?
My point is, we could have sat tight in the 01 draft, picked up Brees, saved a bunch of money, and had a real championship QB….And whoever benched him over Rivers should be drummed outta football.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:09 pm
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
Flacco will get his….maybe. I read that the Raven might not even re-up him
______________________________________________________
That just proves why the Ravens are winners and the Falcants are LOSERS.
The Ravens even with 4 playoff wins out of Flacco, they still are not satisfied and don’t
settle. They don’t cover up for players, no matter how much they didn’t like the previous guy.
Thanks for bringing that up…………
HA HA HA
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:10 pm
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
7:55 pm
But, since you brought up the Ravens D, they do have Ray Lewis, and although they are not the D of 2000, when you play QB in Ray Lewis’ team, you don’t have to lead. You just have to minimize mistakes.
But for some odd reason I just can’t put my finger on, i bet if we did draft Flacco, you guys still would not like me
___________________________________________________
No, no one likes you because you are an insecure Racist
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:13 pm
@Charlie
Did you want the Falcants to draft Drew Brees before or after he went to the Saints?
That’s what I thought……………..
HA HA HA
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:15 pm
Playoff wins in the AFC are not the same as the NFL. Lets review.
Broncos – LOL
Cincinnati – Right
Texans – Jake Delhome? WTF
Pittsburg – Probably the best team that was knocked out of the playoffs that knocked us out.
Ravens – Great coach, decent QB, but it is still Ray Lewis’s team
Pats – #1 seed with the worst Defense in football.
I think that says it all.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:16 pm
no no, you are the one who is insecure. Calling me that word just says more about you than it does me.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:18 pm
I wanted Drew Brees the day he came out of the NFL.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:21 pm
@Charlie
You are a CLOWN
Now since CHOKE can’t win playoffs you are going to spin the NFC being tougher…………
HA HA HA
You are a clown
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:21 pm
You just hate the fact you make all sort of innuendo regarding Ryan and his race, but when someone stands up to you, mirrors your logic you call them a Racist. I thought you were smarter and stronger than that, I am so disappointed that you really have no more game, you are barely average. I don’t think I will play with you any more.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:23 pm
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:15 pm
Playoff wins in the AFC are not the same as the NFL. Lets review.
Broncos – LOL
Cincinnati – Right
Texans – Jake Delhome? WTF
Pittsburg – Probably the best team that was knocked out of the playoffs that knocked us out.
Ravens – Great coach, decent QB, but it is still Ray Lewis’s team
Pats – #1 seed with the worst Defense in football.
I think that says it all.
____________________________________________
You left out Kansas City vs Green Bay………………
HA HA HA
Put that brain down before you hurt yourself………………..
HA HA HA
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:31 pm
What about Kansas City and Green Bay? Kansas city is not in the playoffs, Green Bay is in the NFC. Even our “worst” team, the Giants at 9-7 are scary and are capable of winning it all.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:34 pm
Best team in the AFC is the Pats, who are 32 in defense. Then you have Pittsburg, who are good. But after that, Ravens? A QB with an 80 QBR? Guy who can’t complet 60% of his passes?
Brancos?
Texans?
Cincinnati?
It is not as good. You know it.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:35 pm
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:31 pm
What about Kansas City and Green Bay? Kansas city is not in the playoffs
_____________________________________________
You must be running low on your Alzheimers medication………………..
You made the claim that the AFC is weaker than the NFC.
By Kansas City not being in the playoffs and knocking off the undefeated Packers at the time
when no other NFC team could, that makes you look even more STUPID than before.
Not to mention the Packers have RAPED the Falcants 2 games in a row……………..
HA HA HA
Now put that brain away before you injure an innocent victim.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:36 pm
0-3 in the playoffs………………..
Only stat that matters…………………..
HA HA HA
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
8:42 pm
@Charlie
TOP 10 DEFENSES FOR 2011
http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/sort/totalPointsPerGame/position/defense
7 out 10 teams are from the AFC……………………
You are STUPID & DESPERATE………………………
CHOKE SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Just face it LOSER
HA HA HA
Najeh Davenpoop
January 2nd, 2012
8:45 pm
There is no coach-QB list on which Belichick-Brady should be anything less than #1 based on their track record. Otherwise this is pretty much in line with what I would have said. ATL, BAL, and DET are all more or less interchangeable as far as I’m concerned.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:46 pm
So our #6 seed Detroit about a 50 point beating on the AFC west division champs, so what does that mean? If You have not figured out, that one game does not mean a thing. Green Bay was due to lose and did not take the game seriously, and KC played the game of their lives. More power to them, but but it is meaningless.
Fact is 1/2 of the AFC playoff teams are just plain silly. AFC is weak.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:48 pm
Naj, Agreed, BB are the best, maybe best in history…..
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
8:49 pm
JSS / Choke . . .gotta weigh in here. Here is what the Ravens D was ranked recently:
2011: # 3
2010: # 10
2009: # 3
2008: # 2
Just saying . . .. . .
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
8:50 pm
NFL.com is where I went for the Team D stats for Ravens
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
8:52 pm
Falcons Team D past 4 years from NFL.com:
2011: # 12
2010: # 16
2009: # 21
2008: # 24
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:53 pm
Broncos, in the playoffs? Seriously? Jake Delhome? I thought he was coaching HS….Andy Dalton? LOL….And they are the GOOD teams.
Of course the AFC has good defensive stats the guys above, all that is missing is Tyler palkc….I am sure the AFC teams have some really good statistics…..
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
8:55 pm
So it’s interesting that the Ravens D was called not as dominating lately. Maybe not last year and I don’t think they did as well. But heck – they were #3 this year. Not dominating?
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
8:55 pm
So it’s interesting that the Ravens D was called not as dominating lately. Maybe not last year and I don’t think they did as well. But heck – they were #3 this year. Not dominating?
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
8:56 pm
But not a bad trend for the Falcons D. They have improved ranking wise. Gotta do better against the better teams such as Saints/Pack though.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:57 pm
Man, I don’t know how the teams are able to stop the likes of Tyler Palko. Now that man can pile up some numbers against an a defense.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
8:57 pm
Man, I don’t know how the teams are able to stop the likes of Tyler Palko. Now that man can pile up some numbers against an a defense.
Nerehere
January 2nd, 2012
8:57 pm
I’m sayin, the Giants are not going to win this one. There, I said it.
Mr Charlie
January 2nd, 2012
9:01 pm
Yea once, we do have to play better against the saints and GB. They are definitely our nemesis. We will find out a lot about our team this weekend. Winning at the meadowlands is not going to be easy.
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
9:13 pm
Hey what’s up with the duplicate messages? Glitchy blog server? I’ve had a few the past few days . . .and I know I’m not double clicking. Plus . . I thought the server blocked duplicates as I usually got a message if I hit enter with too much exuberance:)
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
9:15 pm
Nerehere . . .. I look at the Giants the same as I did the Cardinals in 2010. I think we should be able to win . .. . but know that team can play very well on certain Sundays. Hope to see the Giants team that Eagles crushed not long ago.
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
9:16 pm
By the way . . . . I felt we had a great chance against the Pack last year too!!! Trying to erase that memory . . . ..what memory . . ?
JSS
January 2nd, 2012
9:29 pm
You would have had the same problem with Brees or Tomlinson in Atlanta, that you’re having now… This is a team that is inadequate in line play, more importantly development. Clabo is an exception, but he crosses multiple regimes. The same line that got Chris Chandler killed was expected to somehow protect Brees while he was developing? Yeah right, that smells of the Chris Miller disaster. That is one of the main reasons Vick and Doug Johnson were brought in, that line could not protect in a sustained way… Dan Reeves was a lot of things, but his drafts were like buckshot! This team, like SD ran the ball well, but Brees ascent with Payton are a true combination of factors, fine line play, his surgical reconstruction, and the collection of all facets of the Saints passing game (receivers, 2nd hand back + Bush), and the TEs. And most importantly, his created a real line to protect the goods!!!
There is the difference in the reason why Brees “may” have failed big time in Atlanta. Running for your life and throwing to the likes of Shawn Jefferson, Reggie Kelly, Dez White, Peerless Price, and the great Michael Jenkins. Just ask Pat Sullivan, Steve Bartkowski (the pre 1979 version), and Chris Miller (the concussion victim version) just how it works…
JSS
January 2nd, 2012
9:32 pm
“his scheme”
JSS
January 2nd, 2012
9:39 pm
@ O.R.R….
2008-2011 Baltimore D, difference, they completely retooled their secondary sans Ed Reed (thank you cap room), and they reestablished their offensive line transitioning from the Ogden to the new line. The linebacking core was broken up they let Bart Scott go and more to create more depth in the D-line too… You can’t just look at 2008-2011 without seeing the effect that the pounding in 07 put in Newsome’s mind…
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
9:49 pm
No doubt, I just reviewed the numbers/rankings for their D and did not go any further. Still JSS, that D always seems pretty strong when I’ve seen them. Could be a perception thing, but the numbers seem to match the perception. That’s why I still look at that Ravens game last regular season as Ryan’s best game . . . .. almost his “breakout” game. I think Ryan and Flacco both have some opposing strengths and weaknesses. I do think we beat Arizona with that Ravens D in 2009 playoffs. . . ..who knows what happens last year. Ryan did make mistakes in that game when we were still in range against the Pack.
JSS
January 2nd, 2012
9:54 pm
If you had the 2009 Ravens D you wouldn’t have been playing Arizona in the first place…
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
10:00 pm
Right:) Bottom line, Falcs don’t have Ravens D . . . . so it is up to Offense and QB to perform better when needed!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 2nd, 2012
10:09 pm
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
8:52 pm
Falcons Team D past 4 years from NFL.com:
2011: # 12
2010: # 16
2009: # 21
2008: # 24
_____________________________________
Then they need to fire the coach
Once Recent Reader
January 2nd, 2012
10:12 pm
But Choke . . it does show improvement . . ..right?? +5 (29 in 2007), +3, +5, +4. . .. .at this rate they’ll be the #1 D in about 4 years