Top 10 NFL QBs Heading into the 2nd Week

The opening weekend of NFL action was business as usual as Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady posted their usual Madden game-like numbers, but which quarterback leads the list of top 10 quarterbacks in the league today?  

No, Peyton Manning is not on this list as he’s presumably out for the rest of the year, so the top of the heap will be represented differently than recent years.  

Will Cam Newton break the top-10 list after only playing one game in the NFL? How far did Matt Ryan fall after a forgetful season-opener against the Chicago Bears?  

With so many great quarterbacks in the league, it isn’t possible for Sam Bradford, Joe Flacco, Tony Romo, Mark Sanchez, Eli Manning and Josh Freeman to all make the list.  

After one week of play, these are the quarterbacks that separated themselves from the rest of the pack.

10. Joe Flacco

Can Joe Flacco get a little respect?  

Sure, he inherited a great defense and an all-around great team when he was drafted to Baltimore, but he has improved every year that he’s been in the NFL.  

Last year, he had a career-high 3,622 yards and a career-high 25 touchdown passes to go with a career-low 10 interceptions.

The Ravens certainly turned some heads in their first game of the season as they blew out the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-7 where Flacco contributed by throwing for three touchdowns and 224 yards.

Thus giving Flacco the credentials needed to break this top-10 list.

9. Eli Manning

It’s getting harder and harder to keep Eli Manning in the top 10 quarterbacks list, as he is becoming notorious for turning the ball over.  

Manning didn’t help his case Sunday against the Washington Redskins when he didn’t throw any touchdowns and threw an interception. It’s not the start that Manning wanted, but I still have faith in his abilities.  

Manning has shown in the past that when he takes care of the ball, he can be as good as any quarterback in the league. I mean, he was the quarterback that led the New York Giants down the field and brought the New England Patriots' road to perfection to a halt.

Manning turns things around in Week 2 and gets a couple of touchdowns against the St. Louis Rams.

8. Matthew Stafford

I’m really high on Matthew Stafford, and maybe too high.  

If he can stay healthy, I truly believe he will be a top-10 quarterback this year and lead the Detroit Lions to a memorable season.  

He’s still relatively unproven because of all the injuries he’s sustained in his young NFL career, but last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he threw for 305 yards including three touchdowns and one interception.  

Stafford gets the nod over the other younger quarterbacks like Cam Newton, Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford to break the top eight.

7. Matt Schaub

Matt Schaub’s performance in the Houston Texans' victory over the Indianapolis Colts Sunday was rather lackluster.  

Schaub threw for two interceptions and only one touchdown in a Texas-sized beat down over the Colts. But don’t get it twisted—Schaub is still one of the better quarterbacks in the league.  

He leads a dangerous offense and has the best wide receiver in the league in Andre Johnson as his No. 1 target.

Schaub will post gaudy stats against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 and will get his numbers looking more like they did a year ago.

6. Ben Roethlisberger

Like Schaub, Ben Roethlisberger’s numbers Sunday against the Ravens were not impressive to say the least.  

Roethlisberger threw for three interceptions in the lopsided defeat. Big Ben and the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t lose often and when they do, they usually come out fired up to play in the next game.

Roethlisberger will have a much better day in Week 2 when the Steelers take on the Seattle Seahawks. Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl rings, and has been atop of the heap for the past seven years in the NFL.  

One bad game won’t change that. 

5. Michael Vick

Michael Vick worried a few fans with some preseason performances that saw him throw multiple picks, but Vick threw for two touchdowns and no interceptions in the Philadelphia Eagles' victory over the St. Louis Rams in Week 1.  

Vick’s completion percentage was a low 44 percent, however, and he only threw for 187 yards Sunday. Even with Vick’s mediocre performance Sunday, he still is a premier athlete that can defeat opponents with both his legs and feet.  

Don’t worry fantasy owners, Vick is returning to Atlanta in Week 2 to take on the Falcons and I expect him to bring his A-game for this one.

4. Philip Rivers

When you’re talking about the elite group of quarterbacks, it’s hard to talk about Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees without mentioning Philip Rivers.  

Last season, Rivers led the league in passing yards as he threw for 4,710 yards and 30 touchdowns with only 13 interceptions.

In the first game of the season, Rivers had 335 yards passing to go along with two touchdowns and two interceptions.  

Rivers is a great quarterback that can go off on any opponent at any time. The New England Patriots better keep Rivers in check Sunday if they want to defeat the San Diego Chargers. 

3. Drew Brees

Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers showcased last Thursday night how to play the quarterback position the right way. Brees threw for 419 yards and three touchdowns in the loss to the Green Bay Packers.  

The past three seasons, Brees has thrown for 14,077 yards, 101 touchdowns and has a completion percentage of 67.9. Adding and averaging quarterback stats for the past three seasons, no other quarterback had better numbers than Brees.  

He has been the glue that has held the New Orleans Saints together, and I expect him to have another great year for the Who Dat Nation.

2. Aaron Rodgers

There’s no denying the ability of Aaron Rodgers, and Rodgers showcased his precise delivery when the lights shined the brightest in the Super Bowl last year.  

Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers brought home the Lombardi Trophy as Rodgers passed for over 300 yards including three touchdown passes.  

Rodgers picked up right where he left out in the first game of the season against the Saints as he threw for 312 yards with three touchdowns.  

Rodgers has solidified himself as one of the big four quarterbacks in the league. Whether you have Rodgers, Brees, Manning or Brady as the best, it’s no denying Rodgers belongs in the group.

1. Tom Brady

Brady had an average Monday night game as he only threw for 517 yards and four touchdowns (insert sarcasm here).  

Brady, along with Peyton Manning, has been considered to be the best quarterback in the league and if not No. 1, then 1-A.

Brady’s performance Monday night will go down in the history books as Brady’s 517 yards ranks fifth as most yards in a game in NFL history and is a franchise record.  

With no Manning in this list, Brady easily takes the No. 1 spot.