• C.J. Stroud fell quick in probably the greatest video games of his profession: His ball placement and anticipation prompted matches for the Chiefs’ defensive backs within the Texans’ loss.
• Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes will battle it out within the AFC Convention Championship sport: Each elite quarterbacks performed clear soccer, with a couple of large throws, to propel their groups ahead within the divisional spherical.
• 2025 NFL Draft season is right here: Strive PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and find out about 2025’s prime prospects whereas buying and selling and drafting on your favourite NFL workforce.
Estimated Studying Time: 9 minutes
We’ve solely 4 NFL divisional-round video games to interrupt down, however that didn’t make discovering the ten greatest performs any simpler. There was loads of high-level quarterback play in the course of the third-to-last weekend of NFL playoff soccer, together with from those that have been right here earlier than to a rookie lighting one other protection on hearth.
These 10 performs stood out probably the most, that includes spectacular arm expertise, processing means and anticipation, and play-making means.
Mahomes dime that finally ends up incomplete pic.twitter.com/p4ltI4zo1f
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
This go falls incomplete, but it surely wasn’t Patrick Mahomes‘ fault.
After the slight rollout, Mahomes’ learn is the deep crosser. This play has a built-in “alert,” although — which means, in case you have the matchup or protection you need, you flip to the alert. The alert on this play is Hollywood Brown operating a fade, and Mahomes accurately targets it. The deep crosser is open, however the security is flat-footed and is late to run with Brown. Mahomes is aware of Brown will outrun him and throws an ideal ball that’s finally knocked free.
Improbable ball placement from CJ Stroud to guard his receiver from the deep security pic.twitter.com/i3ARc4kdKh
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
C.J. Stroud had one among his greatest video games of the season within the divisional spherical, due to throws like this.
The Chiefs present a heavy-pressure look with some clues that they’re taking part in man protection behind it, regardless of the 2 safeties. They find yourself taking part in man protection with one security rotating down and just one participant dropping out of the stress have a look at the road of scrimmage. The Texans’ offensive line does a unbelievable job of defending Stroud on a passing idea that requires time to execute. Stroud steps up within the pocket and sees that John Metchie has gained on his route and stacked the defensive again. The deep security continues to be ready to make a play on the ball, however Stroud places sufficient velocity on the go and locations it low to guard his receiver from taking an enormous hit.
That regarded somewhat Mahomie pic.twitter.com/PORHe9bSEt
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
Patrick Mahomes typically produces magic. He can throw the ball from any arm angle and, on this case, whereas falling.
The preliminary idea isn’t open, and with the pocket beginning to collapse, Mahomes is compelled to step up. He can’t fairly get away from the defender, although. Most quarterbacks ought to by no means try a throw like this, particularly in a good window, however Mahomes all the time has his eyes up. He sees Travis Kelce work right into a window — a participant with whom he all the time appears to be on the identical web page. Even with one leg being tackled whereas he’s falling to the bottom, Mahomes connects with Kelce once more.
CJ Stroud with an ideal throw with Chris Jones straight in his face pic.twitter.com/GyGi0WBu1i
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
C.J. Stroud has an innate means to anticipate throws. On this play, he has no different possibility with stress in his face.
The Chiefs ship a blitz with a hybrid zone/man protection behind it. Chris Jones does what he does greatest — wins rapidly — to hurry up Stroud’s course of. The Texans deploy a dagger idea on offense, with one receiver operating a deep clear-out route and the second receiver operating an in-breaking route behind it. Stroud sees that the bailing defensive again is compelled to match with the deep go route within the slot, so he is aware of the in-breaker from Nico Collins needs to be open. He would not have time to see it open due to the stress, although, and throws the ball effectively earlier than Collins is out of his route. The go connects with the star wideout for an enormous achieve.
CJ Stroud with an ideal throw with Chris Jones straight in his face pic.twitter.com/GyGi0WBu1i
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
Jayden Daniels put up one other dominant efficiency, this time in opposition to the No. 1-seeded Lions within the divisional spherical. This throw is likely one of the better of his younger profession.
The pre-snap movement exhibits the Lions are taking part in man protection, which they run on the highest charge within the NFL. The Commanders‘ offensive line largely picks up the blitz, however slight stress will get to Daniels off the sting. Daniels feels it, although, and barely drifts to provide himself sufficient time to get off the throw. He sees Dyami Brown win on his route and stack the defensive again; he simply wants to guide him away from the protection. Daniels throws an ideal ball greater than 50 yards within the air, by no means forcing his receiver to interrupt stride.
One other week, one other Stafford no look pic.twitter.com/AGTZXQtJcK
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
Matthew Stafford has made no-look throws appear informal for his whole profession. Not solely did he make one other within the divisional spherical, however he did so thrice. The primary got here early within the sport. The Eagles play plenty of zone protection, so quarterbacks want to maneuver zone defenders with their eyes and anticipate when home windows will open in opposition to them. Only a few are higher at that than Stafford.
The Rams run a ranges idea, seeking to assault the beneath zone defender. The defensive backs are taking part in exterior leverage, so Stafford is aware of he wants to carry the beneath defender. He does that by merely staring straight at him and throwing it behind him, hitting Puka Nacua completely in stride. These throws have grow to be second nature for Stafford however shouldn’t be taken without any consideration.
Jalen Hurts dime that is dropped pic.twitter.com/cpXRtoUQN8
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles‘ passing sport hasn’t been absolutely firing as of late, however they should benefit from these performs. The Eagles run 4 verticals in opposition to the Rams, who play man protection. The reply for Hurts is fairly easy: Goal A.J. Brown one-on-one. The security begins on the opposite aspect of the sphere, so Hurts is aware of he must barely look him off. With stress in his face, he can’t actually step into the throw, however he will get sufficient on it and Brown does an ideal job of flashing late arms to forestall the defender from batting it away, regardless of not reeling it in.
Josh Allen. pic.twitter.com/XJosbFd8db
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Payments wanted to maintain up with the Baltimore Ravens‘ high-powered offense, and whereas they ran the ball successfully, Allen nonetheless wanted to make some large throws.
The Payments‘ pre-snap movement exhibits that the Ravens could be taking part in man protection, however Baltimore finally ends up taking part in a Tampa 2 zone protection. Tampa 2 is a Cowl 2 zone with the center gap participant getting depth and operating up the seam. Allen acknowledges that and is aware of he can lay the ball excessive, because of the two deep safeties being compelled to play excessive of the 2 widest receivers. The stress inhibits him from moving into the throw, however his arm energy makes it a bit of cake. Allen makes an ideal throw for an enormous third-down conversion.
Lamar. pic.twitter.com/cEtA89CQhp
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens acquired off to an ideal begin in opposition to the Payments earlier than two dangerous turnovers. Jackson then returned to his MVP type.
The Ravens run an analogous idea to the primary Mahomes go talked about above. Jackson has an alert for the deep put up — if the deep security is simply too shallow, he ought to throw the put up, regardless of the deep crosser being open. The Payments chew on the unusual pump faux and what appears like a play-action draw, and the deep security is compelled to come back up and assistance on the deep crosser. That frees up the deep put up behind him, and Jackson finds Rashod Bateman in stride for an enormous achieve.
LAMAR. pic.twitter.com/6zLObjIJRQ
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 20, 2025
Regardless of the turnovers, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens put themselves ready to tie the sport in opposition to the Payments.
This play begins as a catastrophe, with one receiver falling and the check-down possibility additionally getting tripped up. Jackson is compelled to create and purchase time. The Payments ship solely three pass-rushers, although, so he has on a regular basis on the earth. Now, it simply turns into yard soccer. The Payments’ protection is compelled to “plaster” — primarily, discover the closest receiver and play man protection. Isaiah Probably picks up on Jackson scrambling to his proper and begins to interrupt free, and Jackson makes an ideal throw for the landing. It units up a possible game-tying two-point conversion that Ravens followers will need to neglect.
