NFL NFL Playoffs: 12 Biggest QB Upsets Of All Time

[Lupin]

The NFL playoffs are filled with Hall of Fame quarterbacks winning games and glory. But what about those rare times when the tables turned?

Nobody believes in Skylar Thompson or Tyler Huntley. Who would?

After all, Thompson has one career win. He’s a seventh-round rookie, and in that aforementioned win, his Miami Dolphins failed to score a touchdown.

Then there’s Huntley. Huntley is a third-year veteran for the Baltimore Ravens with eight NFL starts to his credit. To this juncture, he’s a backup without any 300-yard passing games. This year, he hasn’t thrown for even 200 yards in any contest.

Oh, and for Thompson and Huntley? They face the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals this weekend, who are trotting out Josh Allen and Joe Burrow, respectively. Both were named to the Pro Bowl this year, with Allen having been a Second-Team All-Pro in 2020, and Burrow reaching the Super Bowl last season.

In short, the resumès of the combination of Burrow and Allen against those of Thompson and Huntley couldn’t be more opposite.

And yet, the old clichè abides. That’s why they play the games.

In NFL postseason history, the better quarterback usually wins. This is especially true in the modern age of passing being the dominant way to move the ball.

But there are exceptions. In fact, there are some stunning ones. And we ranked them out. While Baltimore and Miami are deservedly heavy underdogs this weekend, history tells you there’s always a chance something impossible is around the corner.

Before we begin the countdown, we need a few ground rules:

• The losing quarterback must be either in the Hall of Fame, a clear future Hall of Fame, or active.
• The winning quarterback must have been on the underdog (by point spread)

With that said, let’s look at the 12 biggest quarterback upsets in NFL playoff history.

Honorable mention – Peyton Manning flops

2000 – Jay Fiedler vs. Peyton Manning (-1.5)

2010 – Mark Sanchez vs. Peyton Manning (-2)

Manning lost postseason games to Jay Fiedler and Mark Sanchez. He likely wakes up screaming once a week due to that fact. However, those 2000 and ’10 Indianapolis Colts teams weren’t exceptional.

The Dolphins won the AFC East in ’00 — which the Colts were a part of — and then won the Wild Card game in overtime. Ten years later, the Jets traveled to Lucas Oil Stadium with a better record and a better team, thus the meager line.

Absurd losses in terms of quarterback comparisons, but neither was stunning in the moment.