raw/train/13/1484039113.json

{"source_url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com", "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/in-the-nfl-teams-dont-get-very-far-without-a-good-healthy-quarterback/2019/12/31/aa0e8f5a-21aa-11ea-a153-dce4b94e4249_story.html", "title": "In the NFL, teams don\u2019t get very far without a good, healthy quarterback", "top_image": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/0oDBr81wpZxRNKF4WUHTsZDgTHw=/1484x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/QXMXLHRLJAI6VPFTVRSIFRFJF4.jpg", "meta_img": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/0oDBr81wpZxRNKF4WUHTsZDgTHw=/1484x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/QXMXLHRLJAI6VPFTVRSIFRFJF4.jpg", "images": ["https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/0oDBr81wpZxRNKF4WUHTsZDgTHw=/1484x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/QXMXLHRLJAI6VPFTVRSIFRFJF4.jpg", "https://me.effectivemeasure.net/em_image", "https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/TXJKur-cQ3m4AF9lqk_kkjfemkk=/3x2/www.washingtonpost.com/pb/resources/img/spacer.gif", "https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=3005617&cv=2.0&cj=1"], "movies": [], "text": "\n\nNFL teams count on star quarterbacks, such as Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, to get them to the playoffs. Brees is 40, which is old for a football player, but ESPN ranked him the second-best quarterback in the NFL. (Jacob Kupferman/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)\n\nThere\u2019s an old riddle: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?\n\nIn the past, the riddle for National Football League (NFL) teams appeared to be: Which comes first, the good quarterback or the playoff team?\n\nNow, the NFL is a passer\u2019s league, and it\u2019s clear that a team has to have a good quarterback to make it to the playoffs. Take a look at this year\u2019s crop of playoff teams.\n\nNine of the starting quarterbacks on the 12 teams that made the playoffs are rated among the top dozen NFL passers, according to ESPN. Number 1 is Ryan Tannehill of the Tennessee Titans. Second is Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints); third is Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens); fourth, Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings); fifth, Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks); seventh, Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs); eighth, Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers); 11th, Deshaun Watson (Houston Texans); and 12th, Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers).\n\nOne of the playoff quarterbacks who did not finish in ESPN\u2019s top 12 is Tom Brady (Rated Number 19) of the New England Patriots. Most experts would agree he is a pretty good NFL quarterback.\n\nThe opposite is true, too. If your quarterback does not play well, it\u2019s tough to make it to the postseason. The Cleveland Browns were early-season favorites. But their quarterback \u2014 Baker Mayfield (Rated Number 31) \u2014 flopped, and so did the Browns.\n\n\n\nLamar Jackson (Number 8) helped get the Baltimore Ravens into the playoffs. He started in the first 15 games of the regular season. Jackson didn\u2019t start the final game because he was battling the flu, his coach said. Keeping quarterbacks healthy is very important for NFL teams. (Jason Miller/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)\n\nAnother key to making the playoffs is to keep the quarterback healthy. Nine of the 12 playoff quarterbacks played at least 15 of the 16 regular season games.\n\nThe Pittsburgh Steelers had high hopes for the 2019 season. But their star quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, got hurt in the second game, and the Steelers missed the playoffs.\n\nAge doesn\u2019t seem to be as important for a playoff quarterback. Most of the playoff quarterbacks are in their 20s \u2014 Jackson is the youngest at 22. But two \u2014 Brees and Brady \u2014 are the two \u201cold men\u201d at 40 and 42.\n\nSo why are the quarterbacks so important? Playing quarterback is the most difficult position in football and maybe in all of sports. Think of what a quarterback has to do.\n\nHe has to memorize hundreds of plays and know where every player is supposed to be at all times. He has to read the opposing team\u2019s defense and sometimes change the play at the line of scrimmage. He has to throw passes \u2014 long, short and in between \u2014 on target with 280-pound defensive linemen breathing down his neck.\n\nThat\u2019s a lot for one player. No wonder it\u2019s so hard to find a good quarterback and why teams will do almost anything to keep one.\n\nSo watch the NFL playoffs for the next few weeks. You will see exciting games with the top teams playing for a chance to go to the Super Bowl.\n\nAnd you will see the best quarterbacks.\n\nRead more Score columns:\n\nThe NFL playoffs began in 1932, when the game was held in a hockey rink\n\nThere\u2019s not much college in the College Football Playoff\n\nWhat\u2019s the big football story? Flag is more popular than tackle.\n\nDo you know your Super Bowl history? Take our quiz to find out.", "keywords": [], "meta_keywords": ["kidspost sports", "kidspost score", "fred bowen sports"], "tags": [], "authors": ["Fred Bowen", "January At Am", "Bowen Writes The Sports Opinion Column For Kidspost. He Is The Author Of Sports Books For Kids."], "publish_date": "Tue Dec 31 00:00:00 2019", "summary": "", "article_html": "", "meta_description": "Most of the teams that made the playoffs this year had a top-tier QB.", "meta_lang": "en", "meta_favicon": "", "meta_data": {"object-hash": 1577891649, "viewport": "width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, user-scalable=yes, minimum-scale=0.5, maximum-scale=2.0", "referrer": "unsafe-url", "keywords": "kidspost sports, kidspost score, fred bowen sports", "news_keywords": "kidspost sports, kidspost score, fred bowen sports", "twitter": {"site": "@WashingtonPost", "card": "summary_large_image", "creator": "@\u200bFredBowenBooks"}, "og": {"type": "article", "site_name": "Washington Post", "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/in-the-nfl-teams-dont-get-very-far-without-a-good-healthy-quarterback/2019/12/31/aa0e8f5a-21aa-11ea-a153-dce4b94e4249_story.html", "image": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/0oDBr81wpZxRNKF4WUHTsZDgTHw=/1484x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/QXMXLHRLJAI6VPFTVRSIFRFJF4.jpg", "title": "Perspective | In the NFL, teams don\u2019t get very far without a good, healthy quarterback", "description": "Most of the teams that made the playoffs this year had a top-tier QB."}, "article": {"publisher": "https://www.facebook.com/washingtonpost", "content_tier": "metered", "opinion": "false"}, "fb": {"app_id": 41245586762, "admins": 500835072}, "description": "Most of the teams that made the playoffs this year had a top-tier QB.", "robots": "index,follow", "theme": "normal"}, "canonical_link": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/in-the-nfl-teams-dont-get-very-far-without-a-good-healthy-quarterback/2019/12/31/aa0e8f5a-21aa-11ea-a153-dce4b94e4249_story.html"}