8. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins did not have their quarterback for a chunk of time earlier in the season due to his concussion, but Tua Tagovailoa has come back into the lineup and has played very well. He's always been a top-end efficiency QB, but the wins late in the season and in the postseason have never really consistently come.
Tua Tagovailoa feels a lot closer to guys like Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr than anything else, but if we're being fair here, he is still playing some incredibly efficient football since returning to the lineup. The Dolphins would have a ton of work to do to get into the postseason, but perhaps their QB could help them get there.
7. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
It's early-December and Sam Darnold is still playing some great football. I do wonder if the Minnesota Vikings would consider giving him some sort of contract extension if he kept this up and the team won a playoff game or two. The Vikings also have Daniel Jones and rookie QB JJ McCarthy, so this team has quickly become a QB factory.
Let's give credit where it's due; Darnold has played very well this year and is operating the offense the way it's supposed to be. It's been the best season of his career, and whether the payday comes from the Vikings or from another team, he'll get one.
6. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford still balling out at 36 years old makes my heart happy. He's been one of the most electric QBs in the NFL for quite some time now, and he and the LA Rams have gone 5-2 since their shaky 1-4 start.
The one underdog team that could make some noise in the NFC playoffs is indeed the LA Rams, and this is a similar team that went 10-7 in 2023 and gave the Detroit Lions fits in the Wild Card Round. I really would not count out Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford from going on a bit of a tear here down the stretch. Stafford has thrown eight touchdowns against zero interceptions over his last three games.
5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff had a five-interception game a few weeks ago against the Houston Texans, and the Detroit Lions somehow still won the game. That game probably put the nail in the coffin of his MVP campaign, but he's still thrown 22 touchdown passes and is completing 71.8% of his passes this year. He and the Detroit Lions have grown each year this marriage has been going on, and the 2024 season could be when they break through and make the Super Bowl.
Their injury list is insanely long, so that could be the one thing that holds them back, but Goff is dealing and is one of the best pure pocket passers the NFL has had in quite some time. He's only been sacked 22 times in 12 games this year and sports a 109 passer rating.
4. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield has completed 70.8% of his passes this year for 25 touchdown passes and a stellar 101.3 passer rating. Mayfield seems to have finally hit his stride in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They're now 6-6 on the year and still firmly in the mix in the NFC South.
And frankly, the Buccaneers are probably going to be a tougher team to beat in the playoffs than the Atlanta Falcons, who lead the division. In total, Mayfield has thrown 53 touchdowns for the Buccaneers in just 29 games played. The Buccaneers also have a 15-14 record since the start of 2023 since Baker Mayfield signed with them.
A few additions on defense in 2025 and this team could truly be dangerous.