The four starting quarterbacks remaining in the NFL playoffs -- Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan -- have won seven Super Bowls combined. We asked our panel of 10 NFL Insiders to choose the quarterback they'd have the most confidence in right now to win one game. This assumes all other things being equal: coaching, supporting personnel, etc. Here are their answers:
Tom Brady
Adam Caplan, NFL insider: I'd choose Brady and here's why: In my 18 years covering the NFL, he's the one quarterback who defensive coordinators consistently have mentioned to me as the guy they feared the most at the position (even more than Peyton Manning). And the respect they have for him has not waned at all despite the Deflategate allegations.
Dan Graziano, national NFL insider: Brady. And I say that while acknowledging that Rodgers right now might be playing the position better than anyone ever has. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the four, but Brady's history in the biggest of games and his intense dedication to winning at all costs sets him apart for me. I'm a big track-record guy, and with Joe Montana not among the choices, I think Brady has to be the call.
Aaron Schatz, editor-in-chief of Football Outsiders: This is a very tough choice, but while I think Rodgers is the top talent in the league right now, I would take Brady in a single game, because he is the most consistently efficient quarterback in the league. I would say that Rodgers can do more on his own even if the players around him are not at their best, scrambling outside the pocket and making insane throws. But Brady can do more to improve the players around him so they are playing at their best more consistently, diagnosing the defenses and making the right reads to put his receivers in position to make big plays. It's somewhat hair-splitting, because both players are phenomenal.
Field Yates, NFL insider: In a recent roundtable, we agreed that Rodgers was the best player on the planet right now, but with one game to win, Brady gets the edge. As Aaron said, this is splitting hairs. The case can be made for all four of the remaining quarterbacks, but Brady's clutch production -- a trait scouted closely during the quarterback evaluation process -- is arguably second to none in league history. He consistently seizes the moment, winning with his surreal football intelligence before the snap, lethal accuracy and terrific decision-making once the football is in his hands.
Aaron Rodgers
Matt Bowen, NFL writer: While Brady is the best at manipulating coverages and using his subtle footwork in the pocket to dice up opposing secondaries, I'm going with Rodgers because of his athleticism and ability to throw the ball from multiple platforms. That not only opens up the game plan, it also creates unique situations where Rodgers' natural talent takes over. Whether he is slipping through escape doors to buy himself more time or pulling the ball down to advance the sticks, Rodgers' rare ability to make off-schedule plays meshes with his enormous skill set at the position. In a win-or-go-home setting, Rodgers is the guy who can consistently threaten the defense from any spot on the field. And that's a nightmare to prepare for.
John Clayton, senior NFL writer: This is easy -- I'm riding the hot quarterback. How can you go against Rodgers after he has hit on three Hail Marys in the past 13 months? Rodgers is making some of the greatest throws I've ever seen in playoff games. What a turnaround. At midseason, we were wondering what was wrong with him; he was in a funk. Now, he's unstoppable and has the Packers one win away from another trip to the Super Bowl.
KC Joyner, NFL writer: In the eight games since Week 12 (including playoffs), Rodgers has posted a double-digit yards per attempt (YPA) total to four receivers with 10-plus targets (and his throws to Davante Adams have netted 8.9 YPA). For perspective, consider that Matt Ryan led the league with a 9.3 YPA this year. This shows Rodgers is getting elite production out of everyone on the roster, and that makes him the most dangerous quarterback left in the playoffs.
Mike Sando, senior NFL writer: Rodgers gets the nod over Brady because he would make every other team in the league better. As great as Brady remains at age 39, just imagine how much wider Josh McDaniels' playbook would open in terms of passing actions (and more) if Brady could move the way Rodgers can. Imagine how much the Packers' playbook would contract if Green Bay replaced him with Brady or even with the other remaining playoff QBs. There are zero limitations with Rodgers, only opportunities. It also doesn't hurt that he's playing as well or better than the other guys at the moment.
Kevin Seifert, national NFL writer: My heart wants to take Brady. No active quarterback has won more Super Bowl titles than he has, with four, and even at 39, he's still at the top of his game. But my brain is telling me to take Rodgers, who is playing better than he ever has in a career that already had him ticketed to the Hall of Fame. Over the past two months, Rodgers has connected on throws that few quarterbacks would attempt and no defense can guard against. In fact, there have been few points in NFL history when a quarterback has played as well or at a higher level than Rodgers is now. In the Packers' eight-game winning streak, he has completed 68.9 percent of his passes for an average of 299 yards per game and a total of 21 touchdowns and one interception. That's the profile of the player I want to win one game for me.
Trey Wingo, NFL host: The question is a tricky one for a couple of reasons. First of all, I'm not a huge "QB wins" guy. Teams win games, teams win championships. I could cite a hundred examples of where a QB gets credited for "the win" when he didn't play well. (Look at Peyton Manning in last year's Super Bowl.) All that being said, this came down to Brady and Rodgers for me as well. Brady has the résumé and the big-game pedigree, but Rodgers is simply doing whatever he wants right now. At this point, he's the pick.