Bryce Young might've had the best Wild-Card QB performance in the NFL

Did Bryce Young have the best game of a quarterback over the first round of the playoffs? There were a lot of games, but there's an argument to be made for the Carolina Panthers quarterback. He was incredible, especially in the second half.

Here's Young's box score: 21/40 passing for 264 yards, one touchdown, and one interception (Jalen Coker appeared to stop running his route too soon) with a 74.3 QBR. He also rushed for 24 yards and a touchdown. The box score doesn't even do it justice, but it's solid.

In the same game, Matthew Stafford was 24/42 for 304 yards, three touchdowns, one interception, and a 48.9 QBR. The basic numbers look good, but the QBR paints a different picture.

People who watched the game would say that Young arguably outplayed Stafford, especially since Young's offensive line was a sieve and he didn't have Puka Nacua and Davante Adams running routes.

Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) drops back to pass against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half during the NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Stafford might've been the best QB in the round otherwise, especially given his fourth-quarter heroics. So if Young arguably outplayed him, he certainly outplayed most of the other QBs this weekend.

Jordan Love has a great case to make. He went 24/46 for 323 yards and four touchdowns. However, his offense was almost totally AWOL in the second half, whereas Young rose to the occasion and delivered in the clutch.

Love's probably the one QB Young didn't do better than. Caleb Williams was 24/48 for 361 yards and two touchdowns, but he had two interceptions as well.

Josh Allen was solid, going 28/35 for 273 yards and a touchdown. His rushing touchdowns were tush pushes, so they're not really all that impressive. Trevor Lawrence was 18/30 for 207 yards and three touchdowns, but he threw two picks, including the game-losing turnover.

Young certainly outplayed both Brock Purdy (60.7 QBR and two interceptions) and Jalen Hurts (40.8 QBR and just 168 yards). He also definitely outdid Drake Maye, who had two turnovers and a 68.8 QBR, and Justin Herbert, who posted a 25.0 QBR and led his team to three points.

And in the finale, Young definitely outplayed both Aaron Rodgers and C.J. Stroud, which is significant because of the connection between Young and Stroud.

Aaron Rodgers had a QBR of 14.3 and turned it over twice. C.J. Stroud had a 62.4 QBR. He also fumbled five times (lost two of them) and threw an interception. It was an ugly game for QB play.

#NFL QB Performances, Wildcard Round
(before HOU @ PIT)

1. Josh Allen
2. Jordan Love (loss)
3. Bryce Young (loss)
4. Drake Maye
5. Brock Purdy

Justin Herbert delivered yet another subpar postseason performance. pic.twitter.com/iBId1oB0ik
— SFdata9ers🏈📊 (@sfdata9ers) January 12, 2026

Context matters as well. The Rams had the fifth-most quick pressures on Young in any NFL game this season, and yet, he was only sacked twice (one happened when his left tackle ruptured his patellar tendon) and carried the offense to 31 points.

Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle combined for 55 yards on 18 carries, so the running game was a no-show yet again. Yet, Young rose to the occasion. Maybe he didn't outplay every other QB, but he outplayed most of them, and he showed he belongs.

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