NFL playoff field has a record 12 quarterbacks under 30. None of them is named J.J. McCarthy.

An NFL playoff-record 12 teams with starting quarterbacks younger than 30 are in the 14-team field that opens the 2025 postseason on Jan. 10.

Great news! The Vikings also have a starting quarterback younger than 30, right?

Right!

Of those 12 teams above, 10 used a first-round draft pick on their starting quarterbacks.

Fantastic! The Vikings also used a first-round draft pick on their guy, right?

Right!

Of those 10 teams, eight had quarterbacks who didn’t miss a game because of injury. And the other two had quarterbacks who combined to miss only four games because of injury.

The Vikings had/possibly still have the right idea. But, so far, their choice at quarterback — 22-year-old J.J. McCarthy, who turns 23 on Jan. 20 — is an injury-prone question mark. He missed almost twice as many games (seven) because of injuries this season than the combined total of the 10 quarterbacks to make the playoffs who are under 30 and were first-round draft picks.

And that, folks, might be the only stat you need to remember if anyone asks why the 9-8 Vikings are watching the playoffs from their couches across America this weekend.

Some more nuggets on the quarterbacks entering the six-game wild-card round this weekend ...

For Vikings fans, that’s probably more than enough nuggets on a bushel of quarterbacks not named McCarthy who are under 30 and were drafted in the first round.

Rams (12-5) at Panthers (8-9)

Line: Rams by 10½

The matchup: Carolina won 31-28 at home in Week 13 as Young threw three touchdown passes with a career-high 147.1 passer rating. Stafford led the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46), but threw two interceptions, including a pick-six, against the Panthers.

Key stat: Carolina, the No. 4 seed, ranks 31^st in third-down defense (47.14%).

Prediction: The fifth-seeded Rams won’t be caught napping against a grossly inferior Panthers team twice in six weeks. The league’s top-ranked scoring attack will roll. Rams 38, Panthers 21

Packers (9-7-1) at Bears (11-6)

Line: Packers by 1½

The matchup: The Bears earned a season split by winning 22-16 at home on a perfectly-thrown-and-caught 46-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Williams to D.J. Moore in overtime in Week 16.

Key stat: Chicago, the No. 2 seed, posted the most takeaways (33) and fewest giveaways (11).

Prediction: Prime-time home-field advantage and the No. 3 rushing attack (144.5) help the takeaway-crazed Bears weather a young team’s playoff jitters and a run defense that’s giving up 5.0 yards a carry. Bears 30, Packers 27

Bills (12-5) at Jaguars (11-6)

Line: Bills by 1½

The matchup: Buffalo’s top-ranked running game (159.6, 30 TDs) faces Jacksonville’s No. 1 run defense (85.6, 13 TDs allowed). Jacksonville has won eight straight. Buffalo has won of five of six.

Key stat: The sixth-seeded Bills rank 31^st in average yards allowed per rush — 5.14, same as the 2008 Lions team that went 0-16.

Prediction: Allen and the playoff-tested Bills won’t let the upstart third-seeded Jags ruin this golden opportunity to reach a Super Bowl without having to beat Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Bills 34, Jaguars 30

49ers (12-5) at Eagles (11-6)

Line: Eagles by 4½

The matchup: The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles have won five straight home playoff games. They’re only 5-3 at home this year after winning 11 of their previous 12, including playoffs. The 49ers are 7-2 on the road this season.

Key stat: The sixth-seeded 49ers have the league’s best third-down offense (49.77%).

Prediction: The third-seeded Eagles aren’t pretty. Their running game ranks 18^th (116.9) a year after ranking second (179.3). And they’re ripe for an upset. But Vic Fangio’s fifth-ranked scoring defense (19.1) will stave off elimination. Barely. Eagles 23, 49ers 21

Chargers (11-6) at Patriots (14-3)

Line: Patriots by 3½

The matchup: Second-seeded New England led the AFC in scoring (28.8) and yards (379.4). The seventh-seeded Chargers, meanwhile, were one of only two teams along with Jacksonville to hold each of their last six opponents to under 21 points.

Key stat: Among the 14 playoff teams, the Chargers are the only one to rank top five in third-down offense (third, 45.82%) and third-down defense (fifth, 35.18%).

Prediction: Maye, a top-two MVP candidate in only his second season, led the NFL in passer rating (113.5) and completion percentage (72.0). But the Chargers’ defense will teach him a hard next-level lesson about playoff debuts. Chargers 24, Patriots 19

Texans (12-5) at Steelers (10-7)

Line: Texans by 3

The matchup: Fifth-seeded Houston is riding a nine-game winning streak, the longest heading into a postseason since the 2022 49ers carried a 10-game winning streak. Fourth-seeded Pittsburgh has lost six straight playoff games, including five one-and-done appearances since 2017. The teams haven’t faced each other since 2023.

Key stat: The Texans rank first in total defense (277.2) and second in scoring defense (17.4).

Prediction: Even with Rodgers in possibly his final game, Pittsburgh faces a tall task in notching its first home playoff win since the 2016 season. Houston’s defense, led by edge rushers Danielle Hunter (15 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (12), travels well and won’t be intimidated by Rodgers, prime time or one of the league’s toughest venues. Texans 24, Steelers 17

Divisional round

Super Bowl LX

Rams over Bills