Eli finally in the top 10 QBs according to NFL.com

[Nas]

STILL getting used to that. Just over 2 months ago we were all on the edge of our seats. We all watched Eli throw the most beautiful pass ever to Manningham on the sidelines. The Bradshaw TD. The Tuck sack and the hail mary that stopped my heart until I saw the ball roll out of the endzone. Good Lord... I wish I could go back in time and relive the playoffs.

 

The whole season was surreal.. or unreal. I'm with Joe.. there's isn't a QB out there I'd take over Eli. He beat everyone outside of Brees and the fucking dome. But we will have a shot at them this season.

[gmenroc]

1. Rodgers

2. E. Manning

3. Brady

4. Brees

5. P. Manning

 

Rivers, Roethlisberger, Ryan, Stafford, Newton round out the top 10 for me.

 

Vick, Romo are in top 15

[Allstarjim]

I agree Gmenroc. I think the discussion is the top 10, RIGHT NOW as opposed to top 10 all-time that are still active.

 

If you are talking right now, you have to put Eli ahead of Brady... I realize it's a team game, and Brady is an all-time great, but they've gone toe to toe in 2 Super Bowls and once this regular season and Eli has out-dueled him every time. Right now, for my money Eli is better than Brady. I suppose you could say that Brady led the Patriots to the #1 seed in the regular season, but we all know that playoff games mean so much more.

 

For me, right now, here is my top 20:

 

1. Aaron Rodgers - don't give me crap about it, he is still THAT good, and he won a Super Bowl and then won 15 games, while putting up herculean numbers playing in the NFC North and Lambeau, not dome-aided, like

 

2. Drew Brees - I really can't wait to see how Brees does in Giants stadium, I would like Eli to get the better of him. Right now, Brees owns the Giants. He's got the ring, and he just broke Marino's record. He has Tebow-like leadership qualities. And Alex Smith had to be THAT GREAT to beat him in S.F. Brees was pretty awesome in that game, too.

 

3. Eli Manning - Good numbers, one of the greatest on-field minds in the NFL, complete control and poise when he's out there. And he now has TWO Super Bowl MVP's.

 

4. Tom Brady - He's sliding a little down the list because Eli now owns him, and Eli made the big, perfect throw for all the marbles (Manningham in tight coverage) when Tom couldn't (missing a wide open Welker). But he still gets the Patriots there, and he's still, usually, the best player on the field any given Sunday.

 

5. Ben Roethlisberger - Consummate winner, you can't argue with rings, has all the toughness you could ask for and more, and comes up big, and if he didn't miss 4 games in 2010, he'd have 3 straight seasons now with 20+ TD passes and over 4,000 yards. Puts the Steelers in a good position to make a playoff run every year.

 

6. Peyton Manning - The only reason he slides is because he missed all of last year, and he's 36 years old. But nobody will be surprised when, not if, he comes back next season, puts up 4,500 plus passing yards, 28 TD's or more, and has the Broncos winning at least 10 or 11 games and in the playoffs. It's almost automatic.

 

7. Matthew Stafford - Some might put Rivers over him, but lost in Drew Brees' triumphant season was one of the greatest passing seasons EVER, IN DETROIT! Over 5,000 yards and 41 TD's! Stafford just got a bit unlucky that he had to play the Saints in the first round of the playoffs. It was Stafford's first completely healthy season, this past year, and he delivered 10 wins and a playoff birth. Should be some great duels between him and Rodgers in the coming years. Prediction, one of these days Stafford is going to bring a Lombardi to Detroit.

 

8. Tony Romo - Bottom line, he's come up small in big games, and too many people question if he's the guy that can really win you a championship. He has tremendous skill position players around him, but hasn't gotten it done. But he's tough if not as durable as some of the others on this list, and he commands respect in the locker room and by that of his peers and fans that know the game.

 

9. Phillip Rivers - Not sure if it's Norv Turner or Rivers, but his playoff record is 3-4 (2 of those wins coming in the 2007 season), and no playoff appearances in each of the last 2 seasons. This is a guy that has been the starter for 6 seasons, had one of the best RB's ever, in his prime, Antonio Gates in his prime, not to mention Vincent Jackson... he should have built a better playoff resume by now. For a guy who plays in his division, with no other QB with the talent he has, for years now, he should've owned that division. But he still has immense talent.

 

10. Joe Flacco - He made the throw to put the Ravens back in the Super Bowl, but Lee Evans let him down. While Flacco doesn't have the eye-popping numbers, he's still tough as nails, has one of the best deep balls in the game, and he's a winner. He has to clean up his game a little more and improve his accuracy, and he'll put the Ravens right over the top as the team to beat in the AFC, year after year.

 

11. Matt Schaub - He has all the tools to be a great QB. Really has a wonderful game, but we may never know how good he can be because he can not stay on the field. With him, the Texans are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Without him, they aren't... too bad they are without him so often.

 

12. Alex Smith - He wouldn't be this high except he did have a great season last year, and had an amazing performance against the Saints, and they could've easily been in the Super Bowl. Is it a 1 year wonder? I don't know, but I have to give him respect for what he did this year.

 

13.Cam Newton - He's only had one season, and didn't win, and winning games, to me, is the most important stat for a QB. But you see all this talent is there, enormous talent. Most QB's don't win games in the rookie season... big things ahead, though.

 

14. Carson Palmer - He's led his team deep in the playoffs, and had Oakland close, despite coming in to the season late. He's capable of getting it done and is still a pretty good passer. If he's over the shoulder issues, I would expect him to surprise some people with his productivity and win totals in Oakland this year.

 

15. Andy Dalton - He's changing the culture in Cincinatti. It's CINCINATTI! He stepped in as a rookie and owned it. He's a good one, I wasn't a believer but I am now. Now he has to win the big games, though.

 

16. Mike Vick - In terms of the best athlete at QB he'd be right at the top. But he's only had one really good year as a QB, a legitimate passer. Career playoff record: (2-4). This is a guy with 9 years in the NFL. Yet he's still a threat to defenses, and needs to be accounted for. But the next time he leads his team to more than 1 playoff victory in a season, will be his first.

 

17. Jay Cutler and Matt Ryan (tie) - I'm not sure what either of these guys have done to warrant the yearly hype and expectations. Bears' fans went bananas when Cutler was traded to them and immediately starting proclaiming "Super Bowl!"... Based on what? Braggadocio? You look at the QB's at the top of the list, and they win, even if they don't have elite talent around them... you give Matt Ryan a stud RB, two stud receivers, and arguably the greatest TE of all time... and they still don't win. If that talent was in, say Pittsburgh or in New England, you'd see multiple championships. If you can't get it done with that, you're probably just not that good.

 

19. Sam Bradford - dogged by bad teams and the injury bug, he's a guy that could, and maybe should be several spots higher on this list, at least. He's had nothing but hard luck, but based on talent alone, he's got the goods. But he still has yet to prove anything, and you have to stay on the field, and you have to win games, in order to be a top QB, and he's done neither.

 

20. Andrew Luck - Because he has to AT LEAST be better than Matt Hasselbeck, Kevin Kolb, Matt Cassel, and the rest of the also-rans. Matt Flynn also draws some consideration, because it least he has a couple of very good games under his belt.

[gmenroc]

I really only give Roethlisberger credit for one ring. His first one, it was all about running the ball with Bettis and playing good defense. When a QB averages just over 20 throws per game, while I wouldn't go so far to say that you're winning in spite of him, I would say that he isn't the reason you're winning the game. He's neither winning it for you, nor losing it for you. Add to that his off the field distractions and I don't put him top 5.

 

My top 5 can take receivers and make them better. My top 5 can put the team on their back and deliver the W. My top 5 can play AND be the offensive coordinator when called upon to manipulate defenses. Roethlisberger is close, but not quite over than hump in my opinion.

[Treehugger]

Sorry, but QB "duels" are a load of shit and a poor way to compare players. They're not playing the same D and have little to no influence on the other guy. Eli's never been "toe-to-toe" with Brady. Brady puts up better stats and is more consistant than Eli.

[osi724dasack]

Andrew Luck is already in my top 10.

 

Seems crazy but I think he's atleast better then Romo.

 

We will see.

[Allstarjim]

Sorry, but QB "duels" are a load of shit and a poor way to compare players. They're not playing the same D and have little to no influence on the other guy. Eli's never been "toe-to-toe" with Brady. Brady puts up better stats and is more consistant than Eli.

 

I disagree. The QB has the most impact of any player on the outcome of the game. Being a better QB isn't all about stats. I know it was the Giants vs the Patriots, but Eli has come up big, in the clutch, and Brady hasn't, in games against each other, and it isn't just one time. If anyone said to you, you can have your choice right now between Brady or Eli, I would take Eli right now. He's earned that. I believe Brady isn't as sharp or as dominant as he used to be, and I think Eli has surpassed him.

[osi724dasack]

Eli is definately better then Brady today.

[Treehugger]

Last year Brady had 25% more TDs and 25% less INTs, more yards with a better completion %, yards/attempt, yard/game and passer rating . Eli is definitely NOT definitely better than Brady today.

[gmenroc]

Sorry, but QB "duels" are a load of shit and a poor way to compare players. They're not playing the same D and have little to no influence on the other guy. Eli's never been "toe-to-toe" with Brady. Brady puts up better stats and is more consistant than Eli.

 

I agree with this premise, that each QB has to be evaluated on his own...and over the course of time. However, Brady has shown that with a defender in his face, or after getting hit a few times...he can lose his poise pretty significantly. I think poise is vastly underrated, due in part to its immeasurability.

 

Comparing stats isn't the be all and end all, though it's important just the same. Brady puts up better numbers than Eli, but he also gets to face the Dolphins twice and Bills twice each year. Not to mention, the offense in New England is vastly different than the offense we have. Granted, we've moved more towards a passing offense over the past few years, but we're still not the dink and dunk offense that is New England.

 

I think in comparing QBs, one of the fairest ways to go about it, is to project what each would do on the other's team, all other factors equal. I think Eli would put up Brady-like numbers running New England's offense. I do not think, that Brady would do the same in our offense.

 

I think Brady wins the accuracy battle between the two, though that gap has closed significantly ever since Plax shot himself.

 

Again, I think Eli wins the poise battle.

 

Neither can run for shit. Arm strength is about equal, or at least no sizeable or recognizable difference.

 

In the 4th quarter, I think Eli is about as clutch a QB as I've seen. That is more of a recent development for me and I'm still pissed/depressed when there's 2 minutes left, we're losing by 5, and Eli has the ball...this, because I'm thinking it's not going to happen for us. But Eli pulled us out more than he didn't this season, or so it seemed.

 

Point is, it's close between the two of them and depending upon which attribute you emphasize, one may lead the other. But for me, I'll take Eli by a thread...

[osi724dasack]

Tree I agree that Bradys stats are a little better, but when you account for toughness, clutchness, an overall game I think I'd take Eli.

 

If you can pick one of the two who would you have as your QB?

[Treehugger]

If all else was equal, starting fresh with a new team, I'd choose Brady over Eli to be my QB for the upcoming season. Not by much, I ranked them both top 5, but I think Brady (currently) beats Eli in accuracy and general execution. If Brady had our receiving corps the gap would be even more significant.

 

If we're talking the next 5 years, I don't think I'd pick anyone over Eli except Rodgers.

[Treehugger]

Granted, we've moved more towards a passing offense over the past few years, but we're still not the dink and dunk offense that is New England.

 

i don't think the stats support that, with Brady's yards/completion being slightly more than Eli's.

[Allstarjim]

I think there is this misnomer that the Giants have better weapons than what Brady has. Sure, we had the trio of Nicks, Cruz, and Manningham... but look at our TE's compared to New England's. I think the trio of Gronk, Hernandez, and Welker is a favorable comparison. If it comes down to a comparison after that of 4th options, then I would give the nod to New England with Branch over Jake Ballard.

 

And if you compare things like running game and offensive line, for this year I'd have to side with New England. Their RB by committee was significantly more effective than what we got out of our RB's over the course of last season, although we had a huge running day against Atlanta in the wild card round. And on the Offensive Line, we certainly had some big struggles all year long, while New England had two of their linemen elected to the Pro Bowl and another that they routinely get Pro Bowl caliber play out of (Matt Light).

 

Giants beat them because Eli was better than Brady in that game, just like he was in the earlier meeting, and our defense was better. You can't discount the differential in the play of the defense, for sure, but neither can you discount the fact that Eli was just better.

[Nas]

Last year Brady had 25% more TDs and 25% less INTs, more yards with a better completion %, yards/attempt, yard/game and passer rating . Eli is definitely NOT definitely better than Brady today.

 

Over-ruled

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love the debate between Jim and Tree.