NFL Week 16 Power Rankings of the 32 Starting QBs: Tom Brady Breaks Record
With NFL Week 15 in the books and the 2010 NFL playoff picture breaking down with every passing game, the playoff teams are starting to take shape. It's no surprise that most of the teams that are playoff bound feature a franchise quarterback.
But which quarterbacks are playing the best football right now?
Follow me as I power rank all 32 quarterbacks in the league.
Please keep in mind that these rankings are not based on careers, including what the quarterbacks have done in the past. For example, Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb may be better quarterbacks than Michael Vick, but in all reality, if those guys aren’t as productive as the other guys are, then they are going to sit lower on this poll.
In addition, we aren’t looking at potential; instead we are looking at real, tangible production.
We just need to keep in mind that this is not an “overall” talent poll. What Peyton Manning did last year was incredible but doesn’t factor into this poll. He may be more gifted than a guy like Vick, but if Vick is more productive and means more to his team, then he will rank higher.
Let the debate begin...
The Bottom Of The Barrel
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32. John Skelton
I said it once, I'll say it again: Someone in Arizona must still have Kurt Warner on speed dial.
31. Carson Palmer
You don't move up spots on this chart for not sucking.
30. Jimmy Clausen
Was he stellar? No. Did he show improvement? Sure. Could he be the quarterback of the future? Not if the Panthers draft Andrew Luck.
29. Joe Webb
Just when you thought the performance from the quarterback couldn't get much worse with Favre at the helm, in comes Tarvaris Jackson, and then third-stringer Joe Webb, and suddenly it's not all bad for old No. 4 anymore...
28. Matt Hasselbeck
After throwing two interceptions and just 71 yards on 10 completions, he was outperformed by his replacement, Charlie Whitehurst, in less time. Ouch.
27. Alex Smith
The past two weeks have been a microcosm of Smith's career with the 49ers. Just when you thought he'd shown potential, he does something to prove you wrong.
The Creme Of The Crap
2 of 22
26. Tim Tebow
At this stage, we can officially call Tim Tebow "the starter." But as mentioned earlier, you don't get a high spot on this list for not sucking. And one game simply isn't enough of a body of work to judge Tebow. Was he efficient? Sure. Was he dominant? Not at all. Have we seen the end of Tebow? Absolutely not.
25. Chad Henne
One reason I have a hard time buying into Chad Henne as an NFL-caliber quarterback is that even when he plays marginally well, his team still has a hard time winning games. 33-for-45 for 297 yards, a touchdown and an interception is nothing to brag about, even for Henne who has struggled.
24. Rex Grossman
Grossman's big performance is probably a bigger indictment of the Cowboys defense than it is an indication of his talent. 322 yards and four touchdowns? Really, guys? It's Rex Grossman.
23. Kerry Collins
Collins really isn't much more than an average quarterback. He's clearly as his best, though, when the Titans are moving the ball on the ground. They were able to do that on Sunday against the Texans.
22. Jason Campbell
The Raiders quarterbacks refuse to let us find out if any of them are any good because they continue to show us that they're just plain inconsistent.
21. Drew Stanton
Passing with efficiency and for some good chunks of yardage helped the Lions earn their first road win in three years. Stanton doesn't climb up the list, but he doesn't care, because he helped break the historic losing streak.
20. Mark Sanchez
3 of 22
After several weeks worth of proving he was the "real deal" were followed by some epic struggles against the Patriots and the Dolphins, Sanchez has reverted to the game manager he became toward the end of the 2009 season. As long as the Jets defense holds up, that's all he needs to do. It just won't get him very high on this ranking.
But doing it against the Steelers, a team that is known for its hard-hitting defense which creates confusion in opposing quarterbacks both young and old, is no small feat...no pun intended, Rex.
Last week: 22
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19. Colt McCoy
4 of 22
The Bengals aren't exactly the most fearsome defense, but 19-for-25 for 243 yards and two touchdowns aren't numbers anyone's used to seeing from a Browns quarterback.
There's still not enough of a body of work to crown him a legitimate starter just yet, and it may be pouring salt on an open wound to remind Browns fans of the early successes of Derek Anderson before his storied struggles. But there's more than enough reason for hope in Cleveland.
Last week: N/A
18. Sam Bradford
5 of 22
Well, ladies and gentlemen, it was bound to happen eventually. Sam Bradford was bound to have two bad performances in a row, even in spite of his success in his rookie year.
Take nothing away from the rookie, he is still the future of the franchise, and the Chiefs' pass defense has proved troublesome for even Peyton Manning this year. Completing less than 50 percent of his passes and throwing two interceptions, though, has to move him down a few spots on this power ranking.
Last week: 15
17. Jon Kitna
6 of 22
I'd have more respect for Kitna's performance against the Redskins were it not for two factors: 1) They almost gave up a big lead at the end of the game thanks to the ineptitude of the offense. 2) They were playing the Redskins, who rank 30th in the league against the pass.
I know he's not more than a back-up for the Cowboys, and so does he, but that doesn't excuse his performance late in the game.
Last week: 17
16. Ryan Fitzpatrick
7 of 22
Fitzpatrick had a solid performance against a frighteningly good Miami defense, which ranks sixth in the league against the pass. Of course, beating the Dolphins at home has been easy this year, and it wasn't always pretty, but Fitzpatrick and co. were able to do enough to come out of Miami with a win.
223 yards, two touchdowns and an interception aren't the best numbers, nor are they cause for bragging rights, but winning is the most important thing. It seems that Fitzpatrick has taken the Bills out of the "Andrew Luck sweepstakes" with his play this season.
Last week: 16
15. Jay Cutler
8 of 22
What Cutler was able to do to the 10th-ranked pass defense in the league is pretty amazing, also considering the conditions at TCF Bank Stadium on Monday night. The big win for the Bears helped erase the memory of their blowout loss at home just last week to the New England Patriots.
We continue to get back-and-forth good and bad performances from Cutler, but more like this will help his team go deep into the playoffs, especially if the Bears defense continues to play up to snuff.
Last week: 18
14. Josh Freeman
9 of 22
With yet another efficient performance, Josh Freeman maintains his role of the game manager. 21-for-32 for 251 yards and a touchdown doesn't make him the greatest quarterback of all time, but he's certainly not costing his team any games. In fact, he's putting them in the best position possible to win.
Too bad the Bucs couldn't do that on Sunday...against the Lions...at home.
Last week: 14
13. Matt Cassel
10 of 22
Thankfully for Chiefs fans, Matt Cassel returned to action, or Brodie Croyle's record may have fallen to 0-11 as a starter.
The Chiefs didn't get anything more than a mediocre performance out of Cassel, who completed just over 50 percent of his passes for one touchdown and one interception, but they would have fared much worse with Croyle at the helm.
Last week: 12
12. Matt Schaub
11 of 22
Schaub has been a much better quarterback this season when Arian Foster is accumulating yards. He's fully capable of carrying the offense, but with two touchdowns and an interception on Sunday, he proved he can't do it all by himself.
He's not like Peyton Manning, where the team is actually better off with him throwing at least 45 passes a game. It's time to get this man a competent defense.
Last week: 11
11. David Garrard
12 of 22
Garrard completed over 60 percent of his passes for 294 yards and threw for two touchdowns against the Colts. Despite his interception, he was the reason the Jaguars were in it for as long as they were. This was also without a very productive day from Maurice Jones-Drew.
It's not his fault the Jaguars were unable to convert an onside kick...and unable to stop a linebacker from running it back 41 yards for the winning touchdown.
Last week: 13
10. Joe Flacco
13 of 22
The Ravens offense can hurt you through the air and the ground, but they're much better when they're doing it on the ground. Flacco may have thrown two touchdown passes for 172 yards, but only completed 10 of his 20 attempts.
Of course, we can't accost Flacco for not throwing, especially if it wasn't in the game plan. Still, questions remain about his ability to truly lead this offense on the strength of his play alone if the running game doesn't get moving.
Last week: 9
9. Ben Roethlisberger
14 of 22
Roethlisberger barely completed 50 percent of his passes and only threw one touchdown pass. Yes, this came against one of the better defenses in the league, but the Jets have been susceptible against the pass this year.
Blame it on the offensive line, but even with a highly productive day out of Rashard Mendenhall, Roethlisberger still had a hard time putting drives together.
Last week: 8
8. Eli Manning
15 of 22
Eli Manning put the Giants in a great position to win, fourth-quarter melt down notwithstanding. Four touchdowns, just one interception, a 58.97 percent completion ratio and 289 yards should have been more than enough to get the job done, but several defensive and special teams meltdowns led to a big collapse.
Still, this game should give the Giants some measure of confidence in their quarterback, who only threw one of his trademark interceptions.
Last week: 10
7. Aaron Rodgers
16 of 22
There was just no way I was taking Rodgers off this list for Matt Flynn. Rodgers will get his job back this week now that he's been cleared to play.
Last week: 6
6. Matt Ryan
17 of 22
Ryan got it done against the Seahawks, but we must remember...it's the Seahawks. He's surrounded by one of the most complete offenses in the league.
That shouldn't count against him, but other quarterbacks higher on this list have made their case in much tougher scenarios and against much tougher competition. Still, Matty Ice continues to be one of the best clutch-time quarterbacks in the game.
Last week: 5
5. Peyton Manning
18 of 22
No matter who the competition, completing almost 75 percent of yoru passes is no small feat. Especially on almost 40 pass attempts. Two touchdowns isn't exactly what we're used to seeing from Peyton, but we're also not used to seeing him when he's not surrounded by star talent at receiver. Needless to say, with one injury after another decimating this offense, that's been the case all year long.
After a short "bizarro Peyton" stage, he's gone back to putting the "man" in Manning.
Last week: 7
4. Drew Brees
19 of 22
Drew Brees hung in despite a vicious pass rush from the Ravens, and delivered 63 percent completions with three touchdowns and just one interception.
It's been the case all season long, but now it's clear that the Saints always have a chance with Brees at the helm of the offense.
Last week: 4
3. Philip Rivers
20 of 22
After several weeks of fading from his record-setting pace, Rivers seemed to pick back up right where he'd left off these past two weeks. It's only been the Chiefs and the 49ers, but we must remember that he's been doing it mostly with a patchwork receiving corps.
This Chargers team lives and dies by the performance of Rivers.
Last week: 2
2. Michael Vick
21 of 22
Vick proved exactly what makes him such a deadly quarterback, aside from the fact that it took him until eight minutes remained in the game to do so. Along with completing exactly 60 percent of his passes for 242 yards, his four total touchdowns lifted the team to victory.
It's truly a 1 and 1a race for the MVP between Vick and the man at No. 1 on my list...
Last week: 3
1. Tom Brady
22 of 22
Yes, this season is officially on par with Brady's record-setting season of 2007. He set an unprecedented record Sunday night by going seven games with at least two touchdowns and no interceptions, besting Don Meredith's record.
He has done it against seven of the league's top ten defenses, too. Sure, the Patriots were "only" able to put up 24 points against the Packers' no. 1-ranked defense, but keep in mind that they only held the ball for just over 19 minutes on offense.
Last week: 1
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