Part three of ranking the starting QBs in the NFL (10-1). Part one is available here and part two here. Last years rankings are in bold next to the players name.
10 Russell Wilson (12)
Wilson come close to becoming the first QB since Tom Brady to win 2 Super Bowls in a row. But like Brady back then it far more of the credit deserved to go to the defense rather than the young QB. Wilson offers a lot especially with his mobility and is constantly improving but as of now he still has plenty of work to do in the pocket. Too often Wilson makes just one read and either forces it or gets antsy and runs. If you want an example just have to look at Seattle’s last play in the Super Bowl.
9 Drew Brees (3)
New Orleans is in an awkward situation right now as they try to escape salary cap hell while also trying to remain competitive in a weak division. Caught in the middle of this is Drew Brees. With All Pro TE Jimmy Graham gone along with Kenny Stills, Brees receiving corps has been decimated without having any real replacement. Now Brees who is 36 will be relied on to do more with less despite a clear regression since his Super Bowl winning years.
8 Matt Ryan (6)
Matt Ryan is every inch the franchise QB but plays on one of the worst offenses in the league. Seriously, bar him and Julio Jones how many other guys on that offense would be starting on other teams? Even on this shoddy team, Ryan continues to show shy he is one of the best in the league with 28 TDs last season.
7 Tom Brady (5)
Fresh off a fourth Super Bowl win, Brady will be out to prove his doubters wrong when he comes back from his four game suspension. While Brady is no longer the same QB he was when he threw for 50 TDs a couple of years ago, he is still among the best in the league. With Gronk or Edelman, not going anywhere anytime soon, Brady should be primed for another couple of successful years.
6 Phillip Rivers (4)
If last season had ended week 8, Philip Rivers would surely have been the frontrunner for MVP. Unfortunately for San Diego LA fans, it didn’t but there still should be plenty of optimism as the franchise relocates to their new home. RB Melvin Gordon gives Rivers a partner in the backfield that he has been missing since LT retired. This coupled with Antonio Gates and Keenan Allen means that the Chargers should be as loaded ever on offense.
5 Peyton Manning (1)
This was one of the toughest calls in the whole process as I tried to view Manning without rose tinted glasses. While his performance in the latter half of last season was impacted by injury. With that considered I thought around 5 was the fairest place to put him. Manning as ever remains highly talented and has most defenses pegged before the ball is even snapped but no longer has the same arm since his surgery in 2011.
4 Tony Romo (9)
Behind a dominant line and paired with the defensive nightmare that is Dez Bryant, Romo proved all his doubters wrong as the Cowboys finally got over their 8-8 hump and made the playoffs. Although people like to credit DeMarco Murray for creating balance, its really the other way round with Romo’s ability to pick apart a defense that let Murray face so many 6 men fronts. One quick fact about Romo that never ceases to amaze me is that he has the second highest passer rating of all time behind only Aaron Rodgers.
3 Ben Roethlisberger (7)
The man who is behind from a top 10 to an elite QB, Ken Whisenhunt, very nearly got fired for how bad it looked at first as Roethlisberger was going through some growing pains. Unfortunately for the Browns and the rest of the NFL, the Steelers stuck by Whisenhunt and have seen Roethlisberger become even better. No longer relying just on his strong arm and his ability to avoid getting sacked, Roethlisberger has developed more touch and skill as he comes to master Whisenhunt’s West Coast offense.
2 Andrew Luck (10)
Coming into the league, Luck was heralded as a once in a generation passer and so far he has lived up to the hype. Despite being only in his third season, Luck managed to throw for 40 TDs and 5000 yards. With the Colts offense only getting better with the acquisition of Phillip Dorsett and Andre Johnson, Luck will only get better. With the Colts playing 10 games indoors this season, Peyton Manning’s record of 55 TDs may not be out of reach.
1 Aaron Rodgers (2)
NFL MVP for the second time and owner of the best QB rating of all time, Rodgers is firmly entrenched as the class of the NFL. In complete control of what really is a pseudo-spread offense in Lambeau, Rodgers makes plays regardless of who is playing receiver and seems to know exactly who is open before the play begins, for me Rodgers is the number one QB in the league for 2015.
Irish Browns fan 