Tom Brady Might Be Greater, but Carson Palmer Is a Better Quarterback

Everyone these days have become so fixated with comparing Tom Brady and Peyton Manning that I feel there has been another quarterback who is often overlooked. Many of you might think I've lost it, and perhaps I am getting a bit crazy in my old age, but I have come to the conclusion that Carson Palmer (yes, Carson Palmer) is a better quarterback than Tom Brady.

Now don't worry, I did not start writing this article without any point and it really isn't meant to bash Tom Brady either. It just occurred to me that often times the line between "greatness" and actual god given ability can sometimes be blurred. Thus I feel is the case if one were to compare Tom Brady and Carson Palmer.

To those who feel that this debate should not even be made, such a comparison was not uncommon after the 2006 season. Carson Palmer at that time was red-hot and Tom Brady had not even made the Pro Bowl. He was given the invitation to come play as a reserve but instead opted to play in a celebrity golf tournament.

Carson Palmer, on the other hand, played and earned MVP honors.

So please, save your Pro Bowl bashing for another time because the comparison between Brady and Palmer should be the main focus here.

Since that time in 2006, Tom Brady went on to have one of the greatest seasons in NFL history.

This season both quarterbacks sustained season-ending injuries. Tom Brady's knee was torn up and Carson Palmer ripped a tendon and ligaments from the bone of his elbow.

So essentially, Tom Brady went out on top and Carson Palmer went out on the bottom which would lead many mis-guided fans to believe that this comparison does not have the merit to be made.

Well Brady-faithful, it does.

For a moment now please analyze the title of my article. Strange how I proclaimed Tom Brady to be greater but insisted that Carson Palmer to be better. Let me explain what I meant by that.

Greatness can be analyzed in many different ways. Usually people will view a great quarterback as someone who has won a lot of Super Bowls, put up a lot of big numbers, broken a lot of records and won a lot of games.

Any combination of the above mentioned usually translates to a quarterback's title of greatness.

Certainly, this is something that Tom Brady has personified. He is the biggest winner of our generation, has put up good numbers and has awards to boot. Simply put, Tom Brady is great and a first-ballot Hall of Famer in my opinion.

So how is Carson Palmer better?

Well you have to think about the factors that would make one quarterback better then another. If I were to ask you what makes Tom Brady better, you would probably say something along these lines...

1. Tom Brady is a winner

Yes, Tom Brady is a winner. He's won three Super Bowls and has the best winning percentage in NFL history. At the same time, you have to consider the circumstances that surrounds those victories.

He's played with one of the greatest coaches of all time. Every coordinator to come through New England was so good they became head coaches elsewhere. He's played with a top-tier defense for most of his career. His offensive line has been one of the best of the generation. He's played in the weakest division in modern memory.

Those are all things to consider when taking into account everything Brady has accomplished.

Carson Palmer on the other hand was drafted by the worst team in the past 20 years. You couldn't name one coordinator to have coached in Cincinnati. He's played with a relatively weak offensive line and an atrocious defense.

The circumstances are monumentally different therefore the "team" accomplishments are going to be vastly different as well.

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