The SportsHoopla QB Rankings: Part 4

[MHSL82]

This offseason I am intending on doing an ongoing poll rankings of all the expected starting QBs. Our previous poll had Tom Brady (15) beating Drew Brees (7) and Russell Wilson.

I know as the fourth poll, this seems long. You don't need to be in it for the long haul, just vote when you can. The offseason is long and I will space it out. There will come a time where it doesn't matter so I will group, but we'll go as far as we can.

Question: Who is the fourth best QB in the league?

Here are the parameters:

This is just for this coming year. Age can matter as far as current abilities and experience, etc., but don't choose a young QB over Peyton Manning because so and so is younger and can offer more years. Just base it upon who they are now. If younger means better, sure. Otherwise, it's irrelevant.

Assume that each QB is in the optimal system with an equal level of talent around them and coaching. If the current QB of a team does not fit in their current system or on a bad team, imagine them in the right system and average team.

This time, I value postseason wins, so I'm going to add QBs who've gone to the Super Bowl or their respective conference championships onto the poll. I don't expect any non-SB winner to win this poll (i.e. Mark Sanchez, Alex Smith), just trying to add players who have gone that far. Next poll, there won't be as much systematic adding, I'll take a respectable "expert" ranking and use those.

So, please vote.

 

[MHSL82]

So far the list is:

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Peyton Manning
3. Tom Brady
4. This Poll

In the poll, the parenthesis is the number of SBs or the year they went to their respective conference championship game.

 

[JDM]

Damn, the pickings get slim after three.

Probably has to be Brees by default, but he's not honestly all that much better than smith or flacco.

 

[cdumler7]

Brees got my vote as statistically he has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league. Throw in the Saints win or lose by how good or bad Brees plays. Some of the youngsters could easily pass him in the next year or two but at this point he still deserves the vote.

 

[JDM]

Lol at whoever voted for Eli. He's not even top 10.

 

[MHSL82]

Damn, the pickings get slim after three.

Probably has to be Brees by default, but he's not honestly all that much better than smith or flacco.

Yeah, the next poll or the next poll will expand to Jaworski's list or someone else's (any suggestions?). I wanted to put post-season factors in this time, though I know that probably won't affect the winner of the poll. Thought it was better now than when we got to spots 8-12. It would be more forced then.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Lol at whoever voted for Eli. He's not even top 10.

You jealous? The man has two Super Bowl MVP trophies. Both were earned after beating the Patriots.

 

[WizardHawk]

You jealous? The man has two Super Bowl MVP trophies. Both were earned after beating the Patriots.

And we are asked to rank them based on what we think they will do NEXT YEAR. Eli has been crapping his pants for a few years now. Do you really think he bounces back and is the 4th best QB in football next year? Right, neither does anyone else.

 

[cdumler7]

And we are asked to rank them based on what we think they will do NEXT YEAR. Eli has been crapping his pants for a few years now. Do you really think he bounces back and is the 4th best QB in football next year? Right, neither does anyone else.

Well I could see a bounce back year for him. Maybe not quite to 4th best in the league but I guess that depends on what you mean by 4th best. Everybody judges differently. Some on statistics. Others on winning. Some just mostly on playoff success. For Manning it will depend if the Giants can actually fix that horrible OL in front of him. If they can do that then I could see a big bounce back like we saw with Phillip Rivers (my 5th ranked quarterback) this past season.

 

[WizardHawk]

I'm not saying it's impossible for Eli to have a good year next season, but would you honestly put him ahead of everyone else on that list regardless of what criteria you personally use to rank QB's?

I went with RW (No shock), but only because I'm banking on Harvin staying healthy and having a great season. If he and Rice can play at least 10-13 games each RW's numbers should jump substantially. So I'm basing it on my best guess about who is around him. My only hesitation is their pass protection.

I see Brees on the decline, but he is still capable of putting up a quality year. I'd have him well above Eli. In fact I'd probably have at least 3-4 others on that list above ahead of Eli. I might even put Ben ahead of him and I think he is garbage anymore. Hell, I'd put kaepernick ahead of him if that tells you anything.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

And we are asked to rank them based on what we think they will do NEXT YEAR. Eli has been crapping his pants for a few years now. Do you really think he bounces back and is the 4th best QB in football next year? Right, neither does anyone else.

He might. Eli has a tendency to play poorly and then magically turn brilliant. This might be the year, when we see the good Eli. And lets say the Giants make the playoffs in 2014, are you really going to say, I don't him as my quarterback (besides Peyton, Brady, and Rodgers)?

 

[cdumler7]

I'm not saying it's impossible for Eli to have a good year next season, but would you honestly put him ahead of everyone else on that list regardless of what criteria you personally use to rank QB's?

I went with RW (No shock), but only because I'm banking on Harvin staying healthy and having a great season. If he and Rice can play at least 10-13 games each RW's numbers should jump substantially. So I'm basing it on my best guess about who is around him. My only hesitation is their pass protection.

I see Brees on the decline, but he is still capable of putting up a quality year. I'd have him well above Eli. In fact I'd probably have at least 3-4 others on that list above ahead of Eli. I might even put Ben ahead of him and I think he is garbage anymore. Hell, I'd put kaepernick ahead of him if that tells you anything.

I'm not saying that I would rank him there. I'm just saying I can understand why others would rate him there as he does seem to come out of nowhere when everybody is doubting him. Throw in he plays in a pretty weak division giving him every opportunity for a bounce back campaign. And I could see somebody who rates clutch play above all else in a quarterback giving Eli the nod. The guy has shown great ability in the 4th quarter (except this last season) so again I could see somebody giving him a high grade just based on that information alone.

Right now for me my ranking would be...

Aaron Rodgers
Peyton Manning
Tom Brady
Drew Brees
Phillip Rivers
Andrew Luck
Matt Ryan
Ben Roethlisberger
Tony Romo
Cam Newton

So again I don't have Eli Manning on my top 10 list but faulting somebody else for saying he is doesn't make much sense considering how subjective all these rankings are. See you have Russell Wilson at 4 yet again like you can see I don't have him on my list. Part of that being OL worries, WR health worries, and well they are just a running team. So none of that is Wilson's fault just don't think he makes as much of an impact for his team as those 10 I have on my list.

 

[WizardHawk]

cd, I'm neither surprised nor upset over anyone picking their own QB. I simply gave my thoughts on it. Nothing more and nothing less. That you (and others) don't have Wilson in your top 10 doesn't bother me in the slightest. Just like time may be starting to catch up to both Brady and Peyton so it's hard to say if they will both indeed be top 3 next year. Lot of what ifs for such a list. Just doubt anyone outside of a few die hard g-men would take Eli anything in top 10. One of my really good friends is a die hard giants fan who hates both Eli and Coughlin. We all tease her about it often. They aren't even universally loved in their own fan base by any stretch.

 

[cdumler7]

cd, I'm neither surprised nor upset over anyone picking their own QB. I simply gave my thoughts on it. Nothing more and nothing less. That you (and others) don't have Wilson in your top 10 doesn't bother me in the slightest. Just like time may be starting to catch up to both Brady and Peyton so it's hard to say if they will both indeed be top 3 next year. Lot of what ifs for such a list. Just doubt anyone outside of a few die hard g-men would take Eli anything in top 10. One of my really good friends is a die hard giants fan who hates both Eli and Coughlin. We all tease her about it often. They aren't even universally loved in their own fan base by any stretch.

Oh I understand. Like I said Eli is not in my top 10 right now and would struggle to make my top 15. He does have the skills to be top 5 just doesn't always seem to live up to that especially when he doesn't have a ton of talent around him. That is part of the reason I don't have him in my top 10 as those I do have listed are ones that have shown that even when there is mediocre talent around them they have still succeeded (well maybe not Romo and Ryan). Again me not having Wilson in my top 10 is no knock on him just more the offense the Seahawks run and the injury concerns especially at the receiver position. Wilson just isn't asked to do as much as some quarterbacks in the league. I do think if he was he would still do well. I just think because of the talent that Seattle has that if Wilson went down it wouldn't be quite the season ender it would be if those on my top 10 did go down. Those teams depend a lot more on their quarterback to be successful.

 

[sonnyblack65]

He might. Eli has a tendency to play poorly and then magically turn brilliant. This might be the year, when we see the good Eli. And lets say the Giants make the playoffs in 2014, are you really going to say, I don't him as my quarterback (besides Peyton, Brady, and Rodgers)?

He is the opposite of Peyton. So so in reg season , but clutch in the playoffs. Have a Peyton in reg season, and Eli in playoffs have the GOAT

 

[WizardHawk]

Most people forget that the Seahawks lost their #1 and #2 receivers last season in Harvin and Rice. OK, maybe Rice wasn't #2, but with his size he is a unique weapon among the corp they had and he was lost for the year with most of the season left. Harvin was out the whole season.

It's easy to pigeon hole them as a running team only, but they passed when they could and made the most out of what they had.

Of course there is no way to know if either of those guys will be healthy long enough to impact this season, but don't you think Wilson's stats go up substantially if they do? Not just the catches either of them make, but Baldwin should find himself open more when defenses are staying near the line longer to watch for a screen or quick out to Harvin.

 

[cdumler7]

Yes I think his stats go up some. I still think even if those guys stay healthy though Seattle is still a running team. They have no reason not to be. They have a stout defense so they don't have to try and outscore teams. They have a top level running back that is perfect for pounding the football. That combination alone can win them 8 games a year. Then throw in Wilson's ability and it adds a few more. Again I just think for Wilson he is not asked to do as much because he is not needed to to win games. So that is why I put other quarterbacks ahead of him in who I think will have the better year because they have to for their team to succeed.

 

[WizardHawk]

Yes Seattle is a 'running team', but they will use Harvin a lot with swing passes that are really part of the outside running game which will add to Wilson's stats. Just forcing LB's to take a step wide for him will also give Lynch more running room, and when they adjust there is Rice or Baldwin to get a pass.

It's called balance.

Again, you won't be the only one not including Wilson in your top 10 and I have no problem with it. Just a different perspective is all.

 

[SonnyCID]

Yes I think his stats go up some. I still think even if those guys stay healthy though Seattle is still a running team. They have no reason not to be. They have a stout defense so they don't have to try and outscore teams. They have a top level running back that is perfect for pounding the football. That combination alone can win them 8 games a year. Then throw in Wilson's ability and it adds a few more. Again I just think for Wilson he is not asked to do as much because he is not needed to to win games. So that is why I put other quarterbacks ahead of him in who I think will have the better year because they have to for their team to succeed.

What if they are asked to do more and fail? In some cases a lot, like every season?

 

[MHSL82]

I hated when people used total yards against a QB when his YPA and completion percentage was high coupled with low INTs and adequate TDs. Teams have their philosophies. Totals will go up with more throws, efficiency will go down. Look at red zone and third down, if needed. Total yards mean little. Deep attempts can also factor in, but is your offense miving and when they do, do they score (red zone)? When they don't move fast, can they (third down)?