Jaws' QB Rankings

[AC1]

Ron Jaworski has been ranking the starting QBs in the league. They have been counting down his rankings, revealing one new QB each day. Each segment includes a breakdown by Jaws on why the player is ranked where he is and what the player needs to do to improve and move up the rankings. I've watched most of the clips and his breakdowns are excellent, my favorite being the highly-nuanced and insightful one of Matt Ryan. Jaws, like Greg Cosell, is extremely detailed with his analysis of coaching tape and his rankings carry a lot of weight with many, including me.

By focusing on game-film analysis, Jaws makes it just about the QB. Win-loss records are reflective of the team and stats are influenced by offensive supporting cast, scheme and ran-pass bent etc, and both those parameters dilute the actual impact of the QB. It's also not a popularity contest, where votes don't have to be substantiated.

Here are his rankings so far -

10. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
11. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
12. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles
13. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
14. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
15. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
16. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers
17. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18. Matt Hasselbeck, Tennessee Titans
19. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
20. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams
21. Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders
22. Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs
23. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
24. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills
25. Kevin Kolb, Arizona Cardinals
26. Matt Moore, Miami Dolphins
27. Matt Flynn, Seattle Seahawks
28. Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings
29. Blaine Gabbert, Jacksonville Jaguars
30. Tim Tebow, New York Jets


I see the QBs left being ranked in the following order -

1. Tom Brady
2. Drew Brees
3. Eli Manning
4. Aaron Rodgers
5. Peyton Manning (the injury question drops him; if he's healthy he's number 1)
6. Ben Rothlisberger
7. Jay Cutler
8. Philip Rivers
9. Joe Flacco

What do you guys think about this series? How would you rank the remaining 9?

[samparnell]

Eli Manning
Aaron Rodgers
Drew Brees
Ben Roethlisberger
Tom Brady
Peyton Manning
Jay Cutler
Philip Rivers
Joe Flacco

This is based on the recent past. This coming season will undoubtedly rearrange the order.

[BroncoFanBoy]

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Tom Brady
3. Drew Brees
4. Eli Manning
5. Peyton Manning
6. Philip Rivers
7. Ben Roethlisberger
8. Jay Cutler
9. Joe Flacco

[BroncoFanBoy]

Eli Manning
Aaron Rodgers
Drew Brees
Ben Roethlisberger
Tom Brady
Peyton Manning
Jay Cutler
Philip Rivers
Joe Flacco

This is based on the recent past. This coming season will undoubtedly rearrange the order.

I would easily take Brady over Roethlisberger.

[InElwayWeTrust]

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Tom Brady
3. Peyton Manning
4. Drew Brees
5. Eli Manning
6. Ben Roethlisberger
7. Phillip Rivers
9. Joe Flacco


And that's it.

[PowderAddict]

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Tom Brady
3. Peyton Manning
4. Drew Brees
5. Eli Manning
6. Ben Roethlisberger
7. Phillip Rivers
9. Joe Flacco


And that's it.

I see what you did there

[PowderAddict]

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Peyton Manning
3. Tom Brady
4. Eli Manning
5. Drew Brees
6. Ben Roethlisberger

After that there's a bit of a dropoff

7. Phillys Rivers

Another dropoff

8. Jay Cutler
9. Joe Flacco

That's how I'd rank those 9 QB's anyways. I'd remove Jay Cutler and Joe Flacco and put in Cam Newton and Matt Schaub to round out my top 9.

[samparnell]

I would easily take Brady over Roethlisberger.

Sure, you could flip them. I put Roethlisberger over Brady because he has won a Super Bowl more recently than Brady. That's what I meant by " ... based on the recent past." Roethlisberger is 2-1 in Super Bowls since the last time Brady won one. During that same period, Brady is 0-2. I had to come up with some rationale to rank the nine, and that's it.

[samparnell]

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Peyton Manning
3. Tom Brady
4. Eli Manning
5. Drew Brees
6. Ben Roethlisberger

After that there's a bit of a dropoff

7. Phillys Rivers

Another dropoff

8. Jay Cutler
9. Joe Flacco

That's how I'd rank those 9 QB's anyways. I'd remove Jay Cutler and Joe Flacco and put in Cam Newton and Matt Schaub to round out my top 9.

I don't understand no love for Eli Manning. The Giants have defeated the Pats twice in Super Bowls. In 2007 they went on the road and beat the Cowboys and the Packers in the NFCCG. Last year they crushed the Falcons, beat the Packers 37-20 in Green Bay and defeated the 9ers in OT in the NFCCG where Eli was clearly the guy (32-58-0, 316 yards and 2 TDs). What's up with ranking him behind Rodgers, his brother and Brady? He beat both Favre and Rodgers in their house and Brady in the Super Bowl ... twice.

[BroncoFanBoy]

Sure, you could flip them. I put Roethlisberger over Brady because he has won a Super Bowl more recently than Brady. That's what I meant by " ... based on the recent past." Roethlisberger is 2-1 in Super Bowls since the last time Brady won one. During that same period, Brady is 0-2. I had to come up with some rationale to rank the nine, and that's it.

The Steelers have had a way better defense than the Patriots have had in recent years. The Pats had one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL last year, and still made the super bowl.

Plus Brady still puts up better stats than Roethlisberger.

[samparnell]

The Steelers have had a way better defense than the Patriots have had in recent years. The Pats had one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL last year, and still made the super bowl.

Plus Brady still puts up better stats than Roethlisberger.

I understand the fascination with gaudy QB stats. Bill Parcells' job description of a QB is: Get your team into the EZ. That concept is part of my thinking.

If you like stats, there's always Dan Marino who had awesome stats, but no Super Bowl victories. John Elway was 0-3 in Super Bowls and considered a failure ... by Denver fans, before he closed out his career with a couple of championships behind a solid rushing attack and a solid D.

[PowderAddict]

I don't understand no love for Eli Manning. The Giants have defeated the Pats twice in Super Bowls. In 2007 they went on the road and beat the Cowboys and the Packers in the NFCCG. Last year they crushed the Falcons, beat the Packers 37-20 in Green Bay and defeated the 9ers in OT in the NFCCG where Eli was clearly the guy (32-58-0, 316 yards and 2 TDs). What's up with ranking him behind Rodgers, his brother and Brady? He beat both Favre and Rodgers in their house and Brady in the Super Bowl ... twice.

Eli and Brady could easily be swapped in my rankings, in fact Eli being younger might seal the deal. Brady to me is just a bit more consistent, and accurate. Eli is super clutch though. I do think the Giants have had a better team when they won the superbowls (there's a profound statement eh!). I just think Brady is a better QB overall. But not by much.

Peyton to me is one of the best ever. He has done more with less than any modern QB IMO.

Right now though, I'm going with Rodgers as the best in the NFL. I'm not sure the last playoff game is a great measuring stick, as the team overall was dealing with a ton of crap. If I'm building a team from scratch, I'm going to start with Rodgers.

[#24 Next Champ]

Eli Manning
Aaron Rodgers
Drew Brees
Ben Roethlisberger
Tom Brady
Peyton Manning
Jay Cutler
Philip Rivers
Joe Flacco

This is based on the recent past. This coming season will undoubtedly rearrange the order.

Sam, how in the hell do you have Roethlisberger so high?

To OP, I have loved watching these segments!!

I'll guess

Flacco
Cutler
Rivers
Roethlisberger
Eli Manning
Peyton Manning (he might have bros switched, but I wouldn't, no way in hell)
Drew Brees
Tom Brady
Aaron Rodgers

[samparnell]

Sam, how in the hell do you have Roethlisberger so high?

To OP, I have loved watching these segments!!

I'll guess

Flacco
Cutler
Rivers
Roethlisberger
Eli Manning
Peyton Manning (he might have bros switched, but I wouldn't, no way in hell)
Drew Brees
Tom Brady
Aaron Rodgers

See post #8.

[EvertonBroncos]

Matthew Stafford needs to be much higher. Off the back of a 5000 yard season, comeback player of the year and Rivers/C*tler/Flacco/Ryan are all ranked above him? Regardless, out of that 9 I'd rank them:

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Peyton Manning
3. Tom Brady
4. Eli Manning
5. Drew Brees
6. Ben Rothlisberger
7. Philip Rivers
8. Jay Cutler
9. Joe Flacco