The Ten Worst Postseason Quarterbacks in NFL History

[Todd Pence]

Here's my list. I'm working on an article explicating these picks, but to those knowledgeable people on this forum they should be self-explanatory.

Minimum four postseason starts.

#10: Andy Dalton
#9: Stan Humphries
#8: Mike Tomczak
#7: Drew Bledsoe
#6: Jay Schroeder
#5: Craig Morton
#4: Kordell Stewart
#3: George Blanda
#2: Pat Haden
#1: Y.A. Tittle

Any others you feel should be on this list?

[ChrisBabcock]

I'm surprised you have Blanda at #3. He did have 3 TD passes in the 1960 AFLCG. Interesting list though. Because I'm a sucker for lists.

[Rupert Patrick]

I'm surprised you have Blanda at #3. He did have 3 TD passes in the 1960 AFLCG. Interesting list though. Because I'm a sucker for lists.

Blanda also won back to back championship games.

Despite his stats, Craig Morton did get the Cowboys to within a last second field goal loss in the Super Bowl, which has to count for something, and he took a weak Broncos offense to a Super Bowl and was considered the leader of the team. The 1977 Broncos would never have made it as far as they did without Morton.

[JuggernautJ]

Maybe I am misunderstanding but how can anyone who won a championship be amongst the ten worst?
Are you talking about worst single game performances?

....to those knowledgeable people on this forum they should be self-explanatory.

I'm probably missing the point... would you mind explaining it to me?

[conace21]

Morton has a Super Bowl ring, but he did not win a championship. He didn't play a down in the 1971 postseason.

Blanda had back to back title games with 5 interceptions, but he did win two titles. I would have him lower on the list.

[74_75_78_79_]

Although he did have some not-so-great playoff moments as well even with the Vikings, I’d guess the main thing that gets Randall Cunningham off the schnide (this list of ten) is that while in Philly, he had no real offensive coordination to speak of; didn’t even have a QB coach, I believe.

As for the opposing QB who Cunningham beat in his only playoff win with Philly (under Kotite)...if only that particular QB lost, or at least played in, one more playoff game (making the four-game minimum), sure enough he’d be on this list - and closer to #1 than #10.


Y.A. Tittle - it’s quite tough seeing him on this list yet alone at #1. It’s a shame that, pretty much, the only playoff games in his day were title games and he had to face that Packer-D twice and another great one in the ’63 Bears. Yes, I guess his 2nd-half vs Detroit in ’57 doesn’t help matters.

[JohnR]

How about Pete Beathard? In both the '67 & '69 reg season meetings vs Oakland the Oilers were quite competitive. When the playoffs came, both were blowouts.
In defense of Blanda, in '62 he was able to bring the Oilers back from down 17-0 to force OT. When he entered the '70 AFC title game (Oakland was already down 10-0) he played well enough to match Unitas score for score.

[SixtiesFan]

Although he did have some not-so-great playoff moments as well even with the Vikings, I’d guess the main thing that gets Randall Cunningham off the schnide (this list of ten) is that while in Philly, he had no real offensive coordination to speak of; didn’t even have a QB coach, I believe.

As for the opposing QB who Cunningham beat in his only playoff win with Philly (under Kotite)...if only that particular QB lost, or at least played in, one more playoff game (making the four-game minimum), sure enough he’d be on this list - and closer to #1 than #10.


Y.A. Tittle - it’s quite tough seeing him on this list yet alone at #1. It’s a shame that, pretty much, the only playoff games in his day were title games and he had to face that Packer-D twice and another great one in the ’63 Bears. Yes, I guess his 2nd-half vs Detroit in ’57 doesn’t help matters.

As I've said previously, before 1967, you didn't "make the playoffs," you "won your division title." Or, like in 1957, the 49ers lost a playoff for the Western Division title.

[conace21]

How about Pete Beathard? In both the '67 & '69 reg season meetings vs Oakland the Oilers were quite competitive. When the playoffs came, both were blowouts.
In defense of Blanda, in '62 he was able to bring the Oilers back from down 17-0 to force OT. When he entered the '70 AFC title game (Oakland was already down 10-0) he played well enough to match Unitas score for score.

Pete only started two postseason games. The minimum for the OP list was 4.

[JohnR]

Pete only started two postseason games. The minimum for the OP list was 4.

Duh...thanks for the correction. How about Lamonica then? Maybe injuries in two of his PO games give him a pass?