National Football League

Rodgers now among QB elite

Published Jan. 11, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

More than ever before it is a quarterback league.

And after the first round, we’ve seen some great ones exit. Peyton Manning is one of the best ever. He’s done. Michael Vick received my vote for Offensive Player of the Year. Pack it in. Matt Cassel was a top five MVP candidate. Bye-bye. And the great Drew Brees is a distant memory after the upset in Seattle.

We know who is the best quarterback still around in the tournament. So who’s No. 2? Where does Ben Roethlisberger fit in? Should we believe in Jay Cutler?

We rank the remaining quarterbacks and give you our guys and goats, SCHEIN 9 style.

1. Tom Brady, Patriots

In a related story, the sky is blue. He’s the league MVP and the best in the game. Brady’s poise, pocket presence, knack for the moment, ability to spread the ball around, arm and accuracy make him a living legend. I’d argue Brady is playing the best ball of his Hall of Fame career with relatively pedestrian weapons in the passing attack. He makes everyone better.

So we move on to the juicy part of the debate ...

2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers

The numbers are sensational. He has proved to be a consistently great, 4,000-yard passer.

Some wrongful critics argued that Rodgers, before this year, didn’t play his best in the fourth quarter and didn’t have a statement win. Well, this year he beat Brett Favre (which scored huge points with Packers fans), destroyed the Giants to the tune of 404 passing yards and four touchdowns in Week 16 in a “do-or-die" game, beat the rival Bears to earn a trip to the playoffs in Week 17 and played a strong game en route to getting his first playoff win on the road in Philly last weekend. That’s taking a stereotype, which frankly was wrong, and absolutely squeezing it by the throat.

Rodgers is a flat-out stud. He has, according to scouts, great mechanics. His arm is strong and his passes are super accurate. Receivers love playing with him. And his most underrated ability is his knack of moving out of the pocket, running for a first down and keeping plays alive. Do you realize that Rodgers was third among quarterbacks in rushing yards this year?

He shares a brain with head coach Mike McCarthy and the pair loves to work, study and practice, equaling precision on game day. Rodgers has grown from last year, when his lone weakness was the mental clock, holding the ball too long and taking sacks.

3. Matt Ryan, Falcons

There’s a reason he’s been dubbed “Matty Ice.” He’s unflappable. You want this cat on your side when it matters the most. Since 2008, “Ice” has led the Falcons on an astonishing 13 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. This includes a phenomenal six this season, where he has played his best ball.

Included on the Matt Ryan hit list this year — the final drive against the Packers on Nov. 28, where he calmly responded to Rodgers tying the score late by making clutch throws to put Atlanta in field-goal range to win 20-17.

It’s a mental edge Ryan has over the incredible Packers defense this weekend and an edge that strikes fear in opponents on a weekly basis.

4. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

I asked Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin for his take on Ben’s season Monday on Sirius NFL Radio. Tomlin said, “The arrow is pointing up.”

He didn’t mean it as a remote slight, but it speaks to Roethlisberger’s season. He’s having a good year but certainly not a great one by any stretch.

I am on record saying that when Big Ben is at his best, he is a top five quarterback in the NFL. He keeps plays alive with his tree-trunk legs and pure strength. But the early season suspension hurt him, no question about it. He’s playing better and has established a nice rapport with Mike Wallace.

But, as Hines Ward pointed out to us on Sirius NFL Radio last week, Ward’s numbers are down and so are Heath Miller’s. Ben still holds onto the ball too long, and his rust, plus the relatively weak play of the offensive line, has been counterproductive. He hasn’t had the classic drive or eye-popping game we’ve been accustomed to in previous seasons. Thus, he gets ranked appropriately at No. 4, behind Rodgers and Ryan.

5. Joe Flacco, Ravens

Flacco once again rocked steady in a big spot Sunday in Kansas City, taking advantage of a Dawan Landry pick and tossing a touchdown to Anquan Boldin to put the game out of reach at 23-7. It was a vintage Flacco day at the office, with 265 passing yards on 25-for-34 passing.

This is who Flacco is: a reliable, winning quarterback with the ability to take over when needed. He has taken the passing attack to heights never seen in Ravens history. Flacco has a gigantic arm and beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh at the gun with a late strike to T.J. Houshmanzadeh. Flacco has made the playoffs in three straight years. And with exception of the turnover against Troy Polamalu and the Steelers the last time Baltimore and Pittsburgh played, he doesn’t make the big mistake in the big spot. It’s the sole reason I put him ahead of ...

6. Jay Cutler, Bears

Joe Flacco had 400 more passing yards than Cutler this year, a higher completion percentage and six fewer interceptions. And while I credit Cutler and the Bears for running the ball more and creating higher-percentage plays for the quarterback, I still don’t completely trust him in the big spot. I don’t trust Cutler to avoid the big mistake in the face of adversity.

When he’s on, like Cutler was in Week 16 against the Jets, he is beautiful to watch — a combination of Sandy Koufax and Greg Maddux with his fastball and accuracy. But when he is off and his body language sags, Cutler can be his own worst enemy and tough to watch.

7. Mark Sanchez, Jets

You give the kid a ton of credit for having the great knack of eradicating poor sequences from his memory, like he did on Saturday night, overcoming a dreadful first three quarters to lead the Jets on a game-winning, season-saving drive to beat the Colts. And we’ve seen this before against the Broncos, Browns and Lions earlier in the season.

Talking with offensive linemen Brandon Moore and Damien Woody on Sirius NFL Radio over the past two days, they say Sanchez’s flair for the fourth quarter — even in games when his play is uneven — is a sensational trait, making him the unquestioned leader of the team. When Sanchez is on, his accuracy is superb, like it was against the Steelers and Bears. When he is off, like he was during a three-game stretch earlier in the year against the Bengals, Patriots and Dolphins, it is an eyesore.

At some point, Sanchez can be Matt Ryan when he evens out his play.

8. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks

The struggles this year have hardly been all Hasselbeck’s fault. But it was a bad regular season, perhaps his last as the clear-cut guy in Seattle.

We interrupt the Seahawks’ euphoria to remind you that Seattle had issues all year long in every single area. The savvy veteran endured his toughest campaign in a great career in the great Northwest, throwing 17 picks against 12 touchdowns this regular season. Heck, some Seattle fans wanted the immortal Charlie Whitehurst to start against the Saints.

Good thing Pete Carroll didn’t listen. Hasselbeck was the Seahawks’ MVP in one of the biggest, if not the biggest, upset in playoff history, throwing for four touchdowns to eliminate the defending Super Bowl champions.

9. My guys and goats

Marshawn Lynch — What a magical, exclamation point run by the Seahawks back, breaking seven tackles in the process. I don’t think Tracy Porter has gotten up yet!

James Starks — The Packers eschewed a trade for Marshawn Lynch in part because they believed in the big back from the University of Buffalo. Starks rewarded Ted Thompson with 123 hard-earned yards on the ground.

Tramon Williams — The Packers' budding star at cornerback sealed the deal for Green Bay with his game-saving pick of Michael Vick in the end zone. Or as Williams told us Monday on Sirius NFL Radio, “I just went up and made the play.” Yes, you did Tramon. Yes, you did.

Darrelle Revis — The Jets cornerback turned Reggie Wayne into a frustrated non-factor and freed up safeties Eric Smith and Brodney Pool to have their best games ever as Jets.

John Harbaugh — Shhhh. He never gets the credit. Heck, his brother is more popular right now. But chalk up yet another playoff win for the Ravens coach, who has made the playoffs in all three of his seasons coaching Baltimore.

Stephen Ross — The new Miami owner embarrassed himself, the league, the organization by trying to hire Jim Harbaugh while still employing Tony Sparano.

Jim Caldwell — That was the single worst time-out I’ve ever seen. You have to put the pressure on Nick Folk, who’s been shaky all year, and make him kick from beyond 40! You can’t let the Jets run more plays! Caldwell told us on Sirius NFL Radio on Monday that Folk can kick from anywhere, citing a 56-yarder he made earlier in the year. Come on! And he was looking for a defensive play, like a sack or a fumble. Really? Wow. Brandon Moore assumed the Jets called the timeout. And Damien Woody told me, “Thank you, Jim Caldwell!”

Todd Haley/Charlie Weis — The 4th-and-1 pitch outside was foolish. The report that coach Haley stripped coordinator Weis of play-calling duty shows immaturity. This leaves a bad taste for the Chiefs after a great season.

Sean Payton — His play selection, kickoffs and game management were goofy. And for a coach who threw the ball all game, you run with Wynn instead of throwing with the great Drew Brees on a late 2-point conversion?

Eagles defense — James Jones dropped a touchdown at the end of the first half that should have ended the game after 30 minutes. Philly allowed Starks to look like John Riggins. Unacceptable finish.