• Young quarterbacks deliver as Packers and Texans advance: Green Bay's Jordan Love and Houston's C.J. Stroud looked anything but inexperienced in their first playoff starts.
• Aidan Hutchinson helps to restore the roar: The Lions' star edge defender produced a 34.8% pressure rate in the team's 24-23 win over the Rams.
• Looking for more grades and data? To access PFF Premium Stats, subscribe now!
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
Every Monday, we’ll bring you five key storylines borne out by PFF's grades and data. Here’s what stood out from the Saturday and Sunday games of Super Wild Card Weekend.
QB Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
PFF Grade: 92.5
While much of the focus is on the No. 2 seed Dallas Cowboys’ collapse, Jordan Love’s incredible showing in his first playoff start should not be forgotten. The Packers’ signal-caller made some incredible throws in the win over the Cowboys, going 16-of-21 for 272 yards with three touchdowns and finishing the game with two big-time throws and no turnover-worthy plays.
He kept the Packers’ offense moving downfield, going 9-of-11 for 210 yards and three touchdowns on throws beyond the markers. Even on the rare occasions when the Cowboys pressured him, he still delivered. Love completed five of his seven pressured attempts for 152 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
PFF Grade: 88.0
Rumors of the Kansas City Chiefs’ demise may have been greatly exaggerated if Saturday night was any indication, with Patrick Mahomes and his teammates making it clear that they will very much be a factor in the AFC. Mahomes’ raw passing numbers were unremarkable — 23-of-41 for 262 yards without any big-time throws or turnover-worthy plays — but they tell only part of the story.
Mahomes efficiently dealt with tricky weather conditions like not many players at his position can. After two drops by his receivers, a pair of batted passes and seven throwaways, he recorded a 78.1% adjusted completion percentage compared to Tua Tagovailoa‘s 62.2% clip. Then there were the two scrambles, with Mahomes picking up 41 yards and a pair of first downs on his only two carries of the night.
QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
PFF Grade: 77.8
Stroud looked anything but a rookie in his first playoff game, calmly making plays from the pocket as the Texans took down the Cleveland Browns to move on to the divisional round of the playoffs. Stroud went 16-of-21 for 274 yards with a pair of big-time throws and one turnover-worthy play.
The Browns pressured Stroud on only eight of his 21 dropbacks, but he dominated even when they did, going 6-of-8 for 110 yards. The combination of Stroud's natural ability and the coaching staff setting him up for success has turned the Texans around in a lightning-quick fashion. Whatever happens the rest of the way, it’s clear that they have found their franchise quarterback.
WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
PFF Grade: 92.6
The rookie receiver showed once again that he is already a complete NFL player, finding success all across the field in the Rams' loss to the Detroit Lions. He turned his lone target of 20-plus yards downfield into a 50-yard touchdown reception and led all receivers across the first four games of the weekend with five missed tackles forced on catches. His 5.48 yards per route run was the second-best mark of any wide receiver to see at least three targets this weekend.
The Rams’ 2023-24 campaign might be over, but they head into the offseason set up for success at the wide receiver position after what was supposed to be more of a rebuilding year.
EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions
PFF Grade: 87.9
The edge defender had arguably the best weekend of any player at the position. His sacks were two of his least impressive pressures in the game, coming on a slip by Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and then on a clean-up play where Stafford tried to scramble through the pocket.
Hutchinson finished the game with those two sacks, three quarterback hits and four hurries, giving him a 39.1% pressure rate that was far and away the highest at the position from Saturday’s and Sunday’s games. The Lions’ turnover over the past two seasons was dramatic, and getting the right player with the second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has been key to righting the ship.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.