5 Best Backup Quarterbacks in the NFL

As the 2011 NFL season continues to unfold, we'll take a look at the NFL's top backup quarterbacks.

With injuries to players like Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub and Jay Cutler—all out for the year—backup quarterbacks have been forced to step up and start for their respective teams.

Now that players like Dan Orlovsky, TJ Yates and Caleb Hanie will be starters for the rest of the year, they were not considered for this list. So, what players made the cut?

Vince Young, Philadelphia Eagles

I'll probably get a lot of hate for this pick, but Vince Young really hasn't been all that bad filling in for Michael Vick despite having a 4:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Young led the Eagles to an upset win over the New York Giants and, though he threw four picks against the Seattle Seahawks, he received very little help from his wideouts, who seemed to be disinterested in the game at times.

Young has won a lot more games than he has lost in his career, and the Eagles really weren't any better when Vick was starting.

Matt Flynn, Green Bay Packers

Matt Flynn has a small body of work for us to look at, but watching him play last season when Aaron Rodgers was out, he looked very promising.

He's played very little this season but completed almost 61 percent of his passes for 433 yards with three touchdowns and two picks in limited action last year.

Flynn is no Rodgers, but again, he's played very well from what I've seen.

AJ Feeley, St. Louis Rams

AJ Feeley has filled in well for an injured Sam Bradford, and he really hasn't missed much of a beat.

He's completed just 55 percent of his passes for 392 yards with a touchdown and a pick, but he did lead the Rams to an upset victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Feeley is playing about as good as the Rams could hope with the team he has had to work with.

Kyle Orton, Kansas City Chiefs

I cheated a little bit with this pick, because Kyle Orton would more than likely be the starter in Kansas City at this point if he hadn't dislocated his finger on his first drive as a Chief.

Still, Orton is still technically a backup. Orton struggled with the Broncos earlier this year, but the Chiefs have as good a running game as the Broncos, and significantly better receivers, so Orton could really be successful.

He has been a backup for most of his career, but he may be starting soon if his injury isn't too serious.

Jon Kitna, Dallas Cowboys

John Kitna was a great pickup for the Cowboys, because he is a veteran that can step in successfully in the event of a Tony Romo injury.

Kitna filled in for Romo for much of last season and finished the year with 2,365 yards, 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on a 66 percent completion rate over a 10-game span, helping the 'Boys finish strong despite a nightmarish start to the 2010 season.

Among current backups, it's tough to think of someone who I'd rather have as my second-string quarterback.