Inside the Secret Strategies That Make Divisional Playoff QBs Unstoppable—And Completely Unique

The NFL wild-card round made one thing clear: there is no single blueprint for being clutch. The only part that really matters is winning.

Some wowed with out-of-structure plays or found gaps in the defense for huge gains. Others simply executed the offense at a high level and put their teams in a position to win.

Some did both.

What united all of them was timing. Each delivered on the final offensive drive of the fourth quarter on Super Wild Card Weekend, leaving little room for the opposition to respond or allowing their own defense to deliver the final crushing blow that ended the game.

Four of the six matchups were decided in the final three minutes, guided by quarterbacks who led sensational, go-ahead touchdown drives when their teams needed them most.

A quick recap, for those who may have already forgotten:

• Rams 34, Panthers 31: Matthew Stafford led a seven-play, 71-yard drive that ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds left.
• Bears 31, Packers 27: Caleb Williams led a six-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a 25-yard touchdown pass to receiver DJ Moore with 1:48 remaining.
• Bills 27, Jaguars 24: Josh Allen led a nine-play, 66-yard drive that ended with his 1-yard rushing touchdown with 1:04 left.
• 49ers 23, Eagles 19: Brock Purdy led a 10-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Christian McCaffrey with 2:59 remaining.

All four engineered their game-winning drives in different ways, but the result was the same – and that, in itself, showcased how varied the definition of “clutch” can be when it comes to quarterback play on the NFL’s biggest stage.

What’s most interesting, though, is how differently these quarterbacks closed out their wins. Let us explain by looking at the different ideas of clutch that occurred in these four matches.

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: Accuracy

Many will point to Allen’s legs as what separates him from the rest of the winning quarterbacks from this past weekend. The Bills quarterback rushed five times for 22 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter before a couple of kneel downs.

But Allen’s arm put him in a position to score from the ground. He delivered crisp and accurate passes throughout the game, but was especially sharp in the fourth quarter.

He did so both overall and specifically under pressure (like this crucial 38-yard strike to Brandin Cooks) or on late downs.