Ben Roethlisberger and the Great Debate: Is It the System or the Quarterback

It's an argument as old as the game itself.

It's one of the greatest debates in sports right alongside the designated hitter in baseball, the shootout in hockey, or which football defense is better, the 4-3 or 3-4.

This debate revolves around the quarterback and the age old question of whether it's the system or the quarterback that wins games.

People have argued that Ben Roethlisberger, who is appearing in his third Super Bowl in seven seasons, isn't so much a great quarterback, but rather the product of a great team. He's Trent Dilfer to the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, people argue. They aren't winning Super Bowls because of him, but in spite of him. They might even point to the tremendous start the Steelers got off to this season without Big Ben, who was serving a suspension for off the field shenanigans.

Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch filled in for Roethlisberger and got the Steelers off to a 3-1 start before Big Ben made his return in Week 6.

Roethlisberger isn't a good quarterback this group of fans argue, he's just on a great team.

Across the field on Super Bowl Sunday stands a quarterback who many consider to be the best in the league right now. Aaron Rodgers they argue, is a good quarterback, a playmaking quarterback who enters Super Bowl XLV with a 3-1 record in the playoffs, including three straight road wins against the No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles, the No. 1 ranked Atlanta Falcons, and the No. 2 Chicago Bears.

He is the complete opposite of Roethlisberger the fans argue. By their logic, the Steelers are in the Super Bowl in spite of Big Ben, not because of Big Ben. The Packers on the other hand, are in the Super Bowl exactly because of Aaron Rodgers.

This is the debate. Is it the system or the quarterback?

Take the following example of Quarterback A and Quarterback B.

In his first five seasons, Quarterback A went from starting as quarterback, to being replaced by a wiley veteran, then having his starting job in jeopardy when his team spent a first-round pick on a young gun, slinging quarterback. Over the next two seasons, Quarterback A lead his team to a division title and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.

Quarterback A was always considered to be a good quarterback, but not an elite quarterback. After being traded, he tore up the league. In five seasons with his new team, this quarterback has thrown for no less than 4,300 yards a season while averaging 31 touchdown passes a year. He's also lead his team to three playoff appearances, winning the division twice and the Super Bowl.

Unlike Quarterback A, Quarterback B never needed a change of scenery. This quarterback has flourished from the day he set foot in the National Football League. In his time in the league, he has set numerous passing records and has lead his team to division titles, appearing in the playoffs most of his career. And like Quarterback A, he's got a Super Bowl ring as well. This quarterback is considered one of the finest quarterbacks in the league.

Who is Quarterback A, and who is Quarterback B?

If you haven't guessed it by now, Quarterback A is New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Quarterback B isn't Tom Brady, it's Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

In his first two starting seasons in the league, Brees threw 26 touchdowns to 31 interceptions and lost his starting job in 2003 to 40-year old backup quarterback Doug Flutie. The Chargers were so uncertain about Brees that they drafted Philip Rivers in the first round of the 2004 draft. Brees responded with a Pro Bowl season and lead the Chargers to the AFC West division title. In 2005, Brees and the Chargers regressed. His overall quarterback rating dropped from 104 to 89 and his interceptions doubled. More importantly, the Chargers lost three of their last four games and missed the playoffs.

In 2006, Brees was traded to the New Orleans Saints, where he teamed up with head coach Sean Payton and an explosive offense that featured Reggie Bush and wide receivers Marques Colston, Devery Henderson and Joe Horn. The receivers offered Brees something in New Orleans that San Diego never offered: a vertical passing game. In later years, the Saints added tight end Jeremy Shockey, wide receiver Robert Meachem and got Lance Moore involved in the passing attack.

The result?

Five straight seasons of 4,300 passing yards or more, including 5,069 yards in 2008, the second highest total in NFL history. His touchdown passes exploded, from 80 in his first five seasons, to 155 in his last five with the Saints.

Peyton Manning on the other hand, never needed a change of scenery. He's been one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks from the day he was drafted, where he rewrote rookie passing records, including tossing 26 touchdowns in his first season in the NFL. Manning has been named NFL MVP four times and broke Dan Marino's touchdown passing record, with 49 in 2004. Whether he's throwing to Edgerrin James or Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark or Jacob Thame, Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison or Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, it doesn't really matter because Peyton Manning is that good. He's an elite quarterback.

In the final analysis, Drew Brees isn't a good quarterback, he's a great quarterback. In five seasons, he's lead the Saints to the playoffs three times and helped them win a Super Bowl last season. He's also one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league, but that wasn't the case when he was in San Diego, where Philip Rivers has flourished. And like Manning, it doesn't matter who's at wide receiver; chances are he'll end up in the end zone (I think I've even caught a touchdown pass from Philip Rivers this season).

Drew Brees is the perfect example of a system quarterback. In San Diego, they were a heavy run team with LaDanian Tomlinson. In New Orleans, they are a heavy pass team, and Brees has shown this is his calling card.

Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger has a chance to become only the third quarterback in Super Bowl history to have won three titles. Also, he would tie Joe Montana, Troy Aikman and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks with three or more Super Bowl rings as starting quarters who also never lost a Super Bowl.

Is it the system, or is it the quarterback?