Authored by Rodney Southern in American Football
Published on 05-20-2009
Any top five list involving sports is sure to draw some criticism, and this list of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL today is sure to be no exception. When it comes to picking the best, it is really quite subjective. With that said, these are the top five quarterbacks in my estimation. It is based on quarterback rating, wins, and current playing ability. This is not based on future potential or what has been done historically. It is purely a “right now” type of list. If I could only pick one NFL quarterback in the NFL for this upcoming season, these are the five that I would pick first.
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers – Big Ben is sure to make most anyones list of top quarterbacks for a number of different reasons. The primary reason I put him on the list is because he has a rocket arm, and an almost magical way of avoiding the rush. It is one thing to be elusive, but Ben Roethlisberger is not exactly a very quick individual. He is actually downright slow by NFL standards. That is far from a problem for him, however. He still finds a way to kill the opposition with his feet as well as his arm. Roethlisberger is as likely to burn the defense with a five yard touchdown run as he is to light them up for seven with a pass. One other very important detail is that he is a winner. That can not be overstated.
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints – Brees may not be the first person to top these types of lists but it is certainly not because of numbers. Year in and year out, Brees puts up sterling numbers regardless of what is going on around him. Since coming to the Saints from the Chargers, Brees has single handedly put New Orleans back on the NFL map. They now are the team that nobody wants to face simply because Brees is likely to go off at any time. Brees has all the intangibles to be a top notch NFL quarterback, and is likely to be among the league leaders for a very long time to come. I would take him under center any day of the week.
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts – Who among us has not considered what our favorite NFL team might be like with Manning under center? I know I have. Manning is simply surgical with his passing. Add to that fact that he has a stable of receivers that are likely to burn you even on a short slant route, and you have a quarterback in position to dominate. Manning does just that year in and year out. The NFL standard among quarterbacks, Manning is sure to put up his numbers every single season.
Tom Brady, New England Patriots – Though he was out of action for most of the NFL season, Brady has not lost his place among NFL elite quarterbacks. Any quarterback that puts up the types of wins and numbers that Brady has is a lock for any top five list. Brady simply hits the open man, and can produce when it matters the most. His Super Bowl trophies are more than enough evidence that he is the elite quarterback in the NFL today. It will be interesting to see how he and the Patriots respond to his season ending injury in the upcoming NFL season. I suspect it will be business as usual for Brady and the Pats.
Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals – Warner simply will not fade away. After a number of very mediocre seasons recently, the incredible Warner rebounded and took the Cardinals all the way to the Super Bowl. His numbers were worthy of MVP status, and he did it even with a defense that was quite bad the majority of the year. The bottom line was that Warner and fellow superstar Larry Fitzgerald refused to let the Cardinals lose. With all the incredible skills that Warner possesses, his will to win still tops the list. I will take Warner as my quarterback any day of the week.
