Image via Wikipedia Top Ten QB’s :1. Peyton Manning
2. Tom Brady
3. Drew Brees
4. Phillip Rivers
5. Aaron Rodgers
6. Eli Manning
7. Ben Roethlisberger
8. Matt Ryan
9. Tony Romo
10. Joe Flacco
Criteria: When making this list I didn’t look at a single stat. This list is based a combination of overall skills, responsibilities, leadership qualities, and team performance without them (predicted in many cases). I made this list because all week people are talking about Roethlisberger, of the Pittsburgh Steelers, being a historically elite QB by winning his third ring. Not only is he not elite historically, he isn’t elite in the league right now. Winning Super Bowls can’t be the only criteria for being elite. Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl. Is he a better QB than Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, or even a Donavan McNab? Doubtful, though he was a solid QB.
Ben is also a solid QB, but how can you be elite when your team can win without you? Ben didn’t play for the first 4 games this year and his team won all but one and that game was decided in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. Not only did his team win with a backup, but they also won with a fourth string QB. That’s right; they won with a guy that wasn’t even supposed to be on the roster. I know it is unfair to Ben that his running game and defense are so good, but imagine what the top 3 guys on the list could do with just one of those qualities on their teams.
The only thing that Ben does at an elite level is avoid being sacked. He is very hard to bring down. Some would say that his ability to extend the play is elite, but I don’t see it. Gaining an extra second to allow a route to develop is elite. Running around, waiting for receivers to break off their routes and eventually get open is something most kids do at the local playground. If it were an occasional thing that he did when the situation warranted it then I would feel differently about it, but it appears that he will actually extend plays that don’t need to be extended. Giving up throwing the ball to open short receivers in order to push the ball down field is not good football. I don’t care how often it works out for him; it is a style of play that can’t be trusted.
There are 3 elite QB’s in the league and they don’t rely on the big extended play. They rely on processing information before and after the ball is snapped and making a decision within 3 seconds of the ball getting in their hands. Reading defenses quickly and releasing the ball on time and accurately are what make QB’s elite. That isn’t what Ben does best. Elite QB’s have a great deal of input on the offense as well. Peyton calls the plays, Tom coaches up everyone on that team during the game and on the sideline, and Drew helped develop the offense in New Orleans. You don’t hear about Ben doing any of that.
Ben is a very good QB. Very good is not elite and I think these days we are willing to settle for less because we are in the times of, “everyone’s a winner”. Ben won one Super Bowl despite his terrible play when he was a rookie. He won the last one because the defense for the other team was awful. The Steelers’ defense has been elite for some time and he has been able to rely on the running game for most of his career. That team would be in the playoffs without him and possibly in the Super Bowl. In my mind, if there is that kind of doubt to your impact on the outcome of a team’s season then you aren’t elite.
No comments:
Post a Comment