Which remaining QB would have the best feel-good story with a Super Bowl win?
This year's conference title games involve an unusual trio of quarterbacks that's dominated the storylines leading up to Sunday.
Case Keenum, Blake Bortles, and Nick Foles are all heading into their first appearances in a conference championship game. By going on to win the Super Bowl, any of these three passers wouldn't just overcome the odds - their stories would become the stuff of legends.
Related - The Other Guys: After Brady, remaining QBs are a shocking bunch
Technically, Tom Brady's overcome the odds in his journey from the 199th overall pick in 2000 to a five-time Super Bowl winner, but the New England Patriots quarterback hasn't been an underdog for a long time. Plus, Brady winning a sixth ring isn't quite as special as someone else winning their first.
So let's take a look at which of the three unlikely starters in this Sunday's title games would provide the best feel-good story should they move on to Super Bowl success.
Blake Bortles
The Jacksonville Jaguars' third overall pick in 2014 has certainly experienced some rough patches in his career. Often the butt end of jokes from fans, media, and other players, the 25-year-old has shaken off criticism throughout his tenure in Jacksonville, even as it continued during the Jaguars' 2017 division-winning campaign.
Bortles' everyman characteristics have disappointed some fans hoping their team would get an elite quarterback, though others have embraced him, as demonstrated through social media accounts like the "Blake Bortles wikipedia club" and Blake Bortles Facts.
To beat the Patriots on Sunday or win the big game in Minnesota, the Jaguars need to lean on their top-ranked defense, but they'll also need some plays from the guy who touches the ball every snap.
Seeing Bortles, who almost lost his starting job in training camp, even somewhat light up the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense in the divisional round was astonishing. If he hoists the Lombardi Trophy, we may all turn to stone.
Nick Foles
Foles didn't start for the Philadelphia Eagles this season until after the team lost Carson Wentz and was just one win away from clinching a first-round playoff bye. He can't get full credit for taking the Eagles to the conference championship. However, the 28-year-old's journey to being their starter (again) is unusual, to say the least.
The Eagles drafted Foles in 2012, and in 2013, he made a name for himself by throwing 27 touchdowns against just two interceptions over 10 games. However, by 2015, he'd fallen out of favor with the team and was traded to the Rams in a deal for Sam Bradford (who'd later impact Keenum's journey to this postseason as well). Through 11 starts with the Rams in 2015, Foles didn't manage anything close to his 2013 performance, and he was reduced to a backup role. Foles signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as a coveted second-stringer in 2016, then rejoined Philadelphia before the 2017 season.
Related: Nick Foles missed getting booed by Eagles fans
It's hard to define why Foles - who's now started both Eagles playoff games since 2010 - hasn't been able to recapture his earlier success. If he can play well enough to take advantage of Philadelphia's best record since the team's last trip to the Super Bowl, though, the mystery won't need any solving.
Case Keenum
How did this guy even end up here?
The NCAA's all-time leading passer was never thought to have much pro potential. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Houston Texans, staying in the same city where he attended college, and spent the first four years of his pro career bouncing around between the Texans and Rams as practice squadder, backup, and desperation starter. He lost his starting spot with the Rams in 2016 by going 4-5 to open the season, and then signed with the Vikings as a backup after the campaign.
Related: In a world of star QBs, Case Keenum's comeback story is one to root for
Like Foles, Keenum can thank Bradford for his opportunity to start, as the Vikings veteran injured his knee early in the season. The difference between Keenum and Foles is that the former didn't give his team a chance to pull him out of the lineup once Bradford was healthy.
While the Minnesota Vikings have one of the league's elite defenses, the team's level of comfort with Keenum under center signals he'll be more than a bystander this weekend, and potentially beyond. And hey, Minnesota just so happens to be hosting the Super Bowl.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)