Ranking Josh Allen among dual-threat QBs Bill Belichick has faced in playoffs

4. Steve McNair

In his early years, Steve McNair could flat out fly down the field. Once he surveyed the field and couldn’t find anyone to pass the ball to, he tucked the rock underneath his arm and made a run for it.

In back-to-back seasons, McNair piled up over 500 yards on the ground. But as he got comfortable in the pocket over the years, he became more stationary. In 2003, Bill Belichick wasn’t taking any chances.

Just a few years prior, McNair finished the year with a career-high 674 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. It was clear from the very beginning that Belichick was going to force the former Pro Bowler to beat him with his arm, and he almost did.

All 68,436 fans in Gillette Stadium sat on the edge of their seats as McNair cut through a top-rated Patriots defense like a hot knife through butter. He finished the game with 210 yards while missing only eight total throws.

What did he do on the ground, though? A whole lot of nothing. He rushed only twice for 11 total yards. If McNair took more chances and ran the ball more, there’s a good chance the Titans would’ve gotten the job done.

With the ball game tied at 14 apiece heading into the fourth quarter, McNair simply couldn’t get into the end zone one final time. There were times where he could’ve rushed the ball, but Belichick’s defense kept him in check which led to a 17-14 win.