No NFL team gets this far in the playoffs without at least one top-tier head coach or quarterback. Some teams have both, but it's relatively simple to see why these eight teams are left ahead of the Divisional Round. In order to sustain success in the NFL, both the head coach and quarterback have to be at the top of their game.
The current NFL has many competent coaches and quarterbacks, but most of them aren't great, and most of the great ones aren't always paired up with one another. This upcoming weekend could bring some fiery results and some shocking finishes, paving the way for the championship round, and then, the Super Bowl in early February.
Ahead of the second round of the NFL playoffs, let's power rank the eight remaining head coach-quarterback duos in the NFL.
Ranking all eight QB/HC duos ahead of Divisional Round weekend
8. Caleb Williams/Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
There is this sense of magic with Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson - no game appears to be out of reach, and this duo might truly be for real after the Wild Card comeback against the Green Bay Packers, but this operation is still a bit rough around the edges. You'd ideally love to see Williams completing a higher percentage of his passes, and the defense, which isn't Williams' fault, is a bit soft at times.
I would be shocked, to be honest, if the Bears beat the LA Rams in the Divisional Round, but the future of the franchise in Chicago is bright. Both Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson appear to be future stars in the making, but they're still largely unproven.
7. CJ Stroud/DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
For a third year in a row, the duo of CJ Stroud and DeMeco Ryans are in the Divisional Round, but the Houston Texans season has ended in this round in 2023 and 2024. If it happens again it 2025, would we have to start talking about the team simply not being good enough? Most teams would love to have this duo in their building, but another second-round playoff exit could slowly begin to have us aksing some tough questions about just how far the franchise can go in the postseason.