Philip Rivers: Will He Go Down As the Most Overrated QB in NFL History?

Philip Rivers is the kind of quarterback who has begun stirring debate because of his monster stats, but has no championship to show for it.

The inevitable comparisons arise, and we have a debate over whether Rivers is as good as his stat line, or if it is artificially inflated because the win/loss record is what it is. Also, the Chargers have no championships with Rivers behind center.

So let the debate begin. The two sides are taking the podium.

Yes 5. Philip Rivers Has Not Won a Championship

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

NEW ORLEANS - SEPTEMBER 09: Harry Connick Jr. leads a float out onto the field which carried the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Trophy which was won last year by the New Orleans Saints prior to the Saints playing against the Minnesota Vikings at Louisiana Sup

At the end of the day, Philip Rivers does not have any Super Bowl rings.

This is not a debatable point, and it's up to Rivers and the Chargers to change that.

No 5. Rivers Is Getting Big Numbers With Backups

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 31: Patrick Crayton #12 of the San Diego Chargers plays in the game against the Tennessee Titans at Qualcomm Stadium on October 31, 2010 in San Diego, California. The Chargers defeated the Titans 33-25. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Ima

Vincent Jackson has been absent all season and tight end Antonio Gates has been the touchdown king.

The Chargers have Patrick Crayton and Malcom Floyd, but these guys were not considered elite receivers coming into the season.

Rivers is turning them into elite receivers, though, and good players make the other players around them better.

Yes 4. The Peyton Manning Factor

Elsa/Getty Images

FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 21: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots on November 21, 2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Colts 31-2

What's the difference between Peyton Manning and a Three-Ring Circus? The circus still has two more rings than Manning does.

See? That's what not winning a Super Bowl for a huge chunk of a career does to a quarterback, especially signal-callers like Rivers and Manning, who put up great numbers all year long.

Manning shook the Super Bowl monkey, but he still gets the criticism because of his poor record against Tom Brady.

Why should Rivers be any different? He doesn't even have a ring right now.

No 4. Special Teams

Bob Levey/Getty Images

HOUSTON - NOVEMBER 07: Head coach Norv Turner of the San Diego Chargers looks on during game action against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on November 7, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

No matter how good Rivers is, he doesn't play on special teams, the Achilles heel of the San Diego Chargers this year.

The continuous poor play of the Chargers' special teams unit is not Rivers' fault.

Yes 3. His Draft Situation

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

NEW YORK CITY - APRIL 24: Quarterback Eli Manning (Mississippi) was selected first overall by the San Diego Chargers at the 2004 NFL Draft on April 24, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Manning was later traded to the New York Giants in exc

Remember this guy?

Eli Manning was drafted by the Chargers No. 1 overall and then traded to the Giants for Philip Rivers after Manning refused to play for San Diego.

Manning has a Super Bowl ring. Rivers doesn't.

Point to Eli.

No 3. Carson Palmer Is Overrated

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

CINCINNATI - NOVEMBER 21: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals walks off of the field after throwing an interception late in the fourth quarter of the Bengals 49-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Paul Brown Stadium on November 21, 2010 in Cincinnati,

You want to talk about a No. 1 draft pick that's really overrated? I give you Carson Palmer.

Palmer will put up some great fantasy numbers on any given week, but how many playoff appearances have the Bengals earned under his watch?

Two. Both losses.

That's overrated. (Yes, he was knocked out of the first one with the knee injury, point conceded.)

Yes 2. Stats Lie

Bob Levey/Getty Images

HOUSTON - NOVEMBER 07: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers throws over defensive end Antonio Smith #94 of the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on November 7, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Rivers has put up some incredible stats over the last few years, and his 65.3 completion percentage is hard to argue with, but stats don't always tell the whole story.

For example, Rivers had a 68 percent completion percentage and 336 yards against the Patriots a few weeks ago, but he only had one touchdown and the team lost.

So in the areas where he needed to excel at stats, he didn't, and the team lost.

No 2. Stats Are What They Are

Bob Levey/Getty Images

HOUSTON - NOVEMBER 07: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers looks for a receiver as linebacker Brian Cushing #56 of the Houston Texans applies pressure at Reliant Stadium on November 7, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Gett

While you can pick the stats apart all you want, Rivers has a high completion percentage, scores touchdowns and moves that offense up and down the field.

What the defense or special teams do is out of Rivers' control. He goes out on the field every week and does his job, and that's all you can ask. He can't jump out and play cornerback or safety to try and stop the other team from driving down the field in the fourth quarter.

If Rivers is on the sideline, it means the game is out of his hands.

Yes. 1. Boomer Esiason

Theo Wargo/Getty Images

NEW YORK - DECEMBER 01: Former NFL player Boomer Esiason attends the 2009 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Celebration at The IAC Building on December 1, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Look no further than Boomer Esiason, who put up spectacular numbers in his time at Cincinnati and received many records, accolades and praise.

How many Super Bowls did Esiason win?

Unless we've slid into an alternate universe, that number would be ZERO.

No 1. Dan Marino

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CANTON, OH - AUGUST 7: Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins hugs his son Daniel following Daniel's presentation speech during the 2005 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony on August 7, 2005 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Jona

Dan Marino is widely recognized as the best quarterback to never win a Super Bowl, and that didn't stop him from getting into the Hall of Fame.

No one ever says Marino was overrated, and the Dolphins did not win a Super Bowl with him because they had mediocre running games and defenses while he was there. That's not Marino's fault.

Conclusion: Not Overrated

Bob Levey/Getty Images

HOUSTON - NOVEMBER 07: Quarterback Philips #17 of the San Diego Chargers gives a thumbs up to he bench after a touchdown against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on November 7, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

At the end of the day, if the worst thing you can say about Rivers is that he's the Dan Marino of our time, that's not a bad thing.

Rivers has lived up to every expectation the Chargers had for him, and there's not much he can do if other parts of the team break down. Rivers does the best with what he has, stays cool under pressure and it would not be surprising at all if Rivers does get that elusive Super Bowl one day.

Rivers will continue to succeed, and if there are any critics out there, he will continue to prove them wrong.