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Tim Cowlishaw / Columnist
Let's play a simple game. You're an NFL GM and you have your pick of quarterbacks. You have no knowledge of whether he plays with great receivers or average ones. You don't know if he's got the luxury of a great defense or a lousy one, either, for that matter.
You want to win a Super Bowl in the next five years or you will get fired. But you also must win a playoff game in the next two years or you will get fired (that probably takes rookies and asking for the future draft rights to Andrew Luck out of the equation).
What does your top 10 look like?
I threw this idea out on twitter last week (in a much condensed form, obviously). I have revised my list due to the "must win in 2 years" rule and because of the number of people that politiely informed me I was an idiot for not having Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman on my list.
I think they might be correct. On both counts. Anyway, here we go:
1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay -- If those two interceptions against the Bears were a sign of things to come Sunday against the Steelers defense, Rodgers is going to fall. I don't expect that and I don't think many others do, either.
Rodgers just seems to have everything you want in a quarterback. His post-season stats are out of this world. He's the only guy other than Peyton Manning this century to reach a conference championship game and have 45 percent of his pass attempts go for first downs.
Now, again, that figure could drop after Super Bowl XLV. Regardless, he makes all the throws, he leads and, yes, I like the belt (even if it's just imaginary at this stage).
2. Tom Brady, New England -- We don't have to spend too much time here, do we? I know it has been six years since he captured a ring. But that regular season just passed was pretty...pretty good.
3. Drew Brees, New Orleans -- He was Aaron Rodgers a year ago. Or Rodgers is Brees now. Either way, you would still take him because of everything he has shown he can do the last five years with the Saints.
4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh -- If he wins his third Super Bowl in six seasons Sunday night, does he need to be elevated on this list? Probably so. Unless he wins it by playing the way he did against Seattle five years ago and that's unlikely.
Roethlisberger benefits by playing opposite that great Steelers defense. But then what would his stats look like if he played in a more pass-happy offense in good weather or indoors?
5. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis -- He doesn't take enough big hits to think he's about done. Declining? Yeah, maybe. But declining from a higher level of regular performance than anyone else on this list has achieved. It would be ridiculous to not think Manning can't lead a team to a playoff win in the next couple of years or to a Super Bowl for that matter.
6. Philip Rivers, San Diego -- He became the people's choice this season while nearly leading the Chargers to the playoffs while throwing to five guys named Legedu Naanee. All that stuff we spent too much discussing early last week with Jay Cutler? It doesn't happen with Rivers.
7. Michael Vick, Philadelphia -- OK, this one makes me GM of the year. Or it gets me fired, I'm not sure which. Are there reasons to think the league "caught on" to Vick after the Bears game and that's why he threw an interception in every game from that point on?
You can say yes, but I would say that's too small a sample of games to know for sure. Obviously, there is an injury risk. I think at this point that's a bigger concern than anything off the field. All I know is that we're at the seventh spot on the list and talking about a guy who was in the MVP discussion in early December. Can't say that about anyone else left to pick.
8. Tony Romo, Dallas -- He wasn't even on my twitter list a week ago, but I think putting in the stipulation of needing to win a playoff game quickly gets him back on over the Bradfords, Flaccos and the rest. Try to remember where you would have ranked him at this time a year ago coming off a 97 passer rating in the regular season and, yes, the Cowboys' only playoff win of the last 14 years.
Then figure out how far this year's injury and his age in 2011 (31) should drop him.
9. Mark Sanchez, NY Jets -- In terms of raw talent, he might not be one of the top 15 passers in the league. Might be borderline top 20 if you look at him statistically.
But I have to give Sanchez real credit for four playoff wins. He did more than just hand the ball to Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson and (last year) Thomas Jones. With nine TD passes and three interceptions, with a 94 playoff passer ratings, with far more 40-yard completions the last two playoff seasons than Aaron Rodgers (5-1), Sanchez makes my list.
10. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay -- OK, I'll be honest. Whether is was from being at Cowboys games or just flipping around the dial when they weren't playing, I didn't see a heck of a lot of Bucs games this season. I wasn't totally ignorant of what Freeman and LaGarrette Blount were achieving, but Freeman's key numbers (25 TDs, six interceptions) are more than just impressive.
This, of course, leaves Matt Schaub, Matt Ryan, Sam Bradford and Joe Flacco off the list. All are deserving, either statistically (Schaub), on potential (Bradford) or because of playoff wins (Flacco) or strong 2010 seasons (Ryan).
More deserving than Freeman? Maybe, but, hey, it's my list and I'm the one getting fired if Freeman doesn't win for me in two years.
That's my top 10. Let's see yours.
Let's play a simple game. You're an NFL GM and you have your pick of quarterbacks. You have no knowledge of whether he plays with great receivers or average ones. You don't know if he's got the luxury of a great defense or a lousy one, either, for that matter.
You want to win a Super Bowl in the next five years or you will get fired. But you also must win a playoff game in the next two years or you will get fired (that probably takes rookies and asking for the future draft rights to Andrew Luck out of the equation).
What does your top 10 look like?
I threw this idea out on twitter last week (in a much condensed form, obviously). I have revised my list due to the "must win in 2 years" rule and because of the number of people that politiely informed me I was an idiot for not having Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman on my list.
I think they might be correct. On both counts. Anyway, here we go:
1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay -- If those two interceptions against the Bears were a sign of things to come Sunday against the Steelers defense, Rodgers is going to fall. I don't expect that and I don't think many others do, either.
Rodgers just seems to have everything you want in a quarterback. His post-season stats are out of this world. He's the only guy other than Peyton Manning this century to reach a conference championship game and have 45 percent of his pass attempts go for first downs.
Now, again, that figure could drop after Super Bowl XLV. Regardless, he makes all the throws, he leads and, yes, I like the belt (even if it's just imaginary at this stage).
2. Tom Brady, New England -- We don't have to spend too much time here, do we? I know it has been six years since he captured a ring. But that regular season just passed was pretty...pretty good.
3. Drew Brees, New Orleans -- He was Aaron Rodgers a year ago. Or Rodgers is Brees now. Either way, you would still take him because of everything he has shown he can do the last five years with the Saints.
4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh -- If he wins his third Super Bowl in six seasons Sunday night, does he need to be elevated on this list? Probably so. Unless he wins it by playing the way he did against Seattle five years ago and that's unlikely.
Roethlisberger benefits by playing opposite that great Steelers defense. But then what would his stats look like if he played in a more pass-happy offense in good weather or indoors?
5. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis -- He doesn't take enough big hits to think he's about done. Declining? Yeah, maybe. But declining from a higher level of regular performance than anyone else on this list has achieved. It would be ridiculous to not think Manning can't lead a team to a playoff win in the next couple of years or to a Super Bowl for that matter.
6. Philip Rivers, San Diego -- He became the people's choice this season while nearly leading the Chargers to the playoffs while throwing to five guys named Legedu Naanee. All that stuff we spent too much discussing early last week with Jay Cutler? It doesn't happen with Rivers.
7. Michael Vick, Philadelphia -- OK, this one makes me GM of the year. Or it gets me fired, I'm not sure which. Are there reasons to think the league "caught on" to Vick after the Bears game and that's why he threw an interception in every game from that point on?
You can say yes, but I would say that's too small a sample of games to know for sure. Obviously, there is an injury risk. I think at this point that's a bigger concern than anything off the field. All I know is that we're at the seventh spot on the list and talking about a guy who was in the MVP discussion in early December. Can't say that about anyone else left to pick.
8. Tony Romo, Dallas -- He wasn't even on my twitter list a week ago, but I think putting in the stipulation of needing to win a playoff game quickly gets him back on over the Bradfords, Flaccos and the rest. Try to remember where you would have ranked him at this time a year ago coming off a 97 passer rating in the regular season and, yes, the Cowboys' only playoff win of the last 14 years.
Then figure out how far this year's injury and his age in 2011 (31) should drop him.
9. Mark Sanchez, NY Jets -- In terms of raw talent, he might not be one of the top 15 passers in the league. Might be borderline top 20 if you look at him statistically.
But I have to give Sanchez real credit for four playoff wins. He did more than just hand the ball to Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson and (last year) Thomas Jones. With nine TD passes and three interceptions, with a 94 playoff passer ratings, with far more 40-yard completions the last two playoff seasons than Aaron Rodgers (5-1), Sanchez makes my list.
10. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay -- OK, I'll be honest. Whether is was from being at Cowboys games or just flipping around the dial when they weren't playing, I didn't see a heck of a lot of Bucs games this season. I wasn't totally ignorant of what Freeman and LaGarrette Blount were achieving, but Freeman's key numbers (25 TDs, six interceptions) are more than just impressive.
This, of course, leaves Matt Schaub, Matt Ryan, Sam Bradford and Joe Flacco off the list. All are deserving, either statistically (Schaub), on potential (Bradford) or because of playoff wins (Flacco) or strong 2010 seasons (Ryan).
More deserving than Freeman? Maybe, but, hey, it's my list and I'm the one getting fired if Freeman doesn't win for me in two years.
That's my top 10. Let's see yours.
at Vick over Romo
