 Peyton “The Man”-ning |
I have fun watching football each season, and I’m sure some of you do too. Just wanted to point out that ESPN has a 2010 Quarterback Rankings article up. At the end of the article you can rank the quarterbacks yourself.
For those who feel inclined, go ahead an comment on the ESPN post and let me know who you think the best quarterbacks are. Here, I’ll post my completely unresearched full rankings from what I can remember about last year and the 2010 preseason off the top of my head.
The Project Swole 2010 NFL Quarterback Rankings
- Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
I’m a Patriots fan but I can’t dispute that Peyton is probably the best NFL quarterback to ever play the game. I’m sure he’ll win at least one or two more Superbowls before he’s done. This year his team is even better than last year, if that’s possible. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t toss 40+ touchdowns and win nearly every game in 2010.
- Tom Brady, New England Patriots
The Golden Boy. Tom is the man with his 3 Superbowl wins and that sick 2007 season, which should have given him a 4th. This year he could have the second best season of his career, unless Moss quits on 50% of the plays again. Then again maybe the new tight end scheme will make up for it. It shall be an exciting year for Pats fans.
- Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
I remember when Brees sucked for the Chargers and almost played himself out of a starting role. Then suddenly he “got it” and now he’s a superstar. Anyone think he can pass for 5000 yards and 40+ touchdowns? I don’t think he will, but it would be fun if he did. The Saints won’t win the Superbowl again though.
- Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
I think this guy has some sick numbers and will most likely get to a Superbowl in his career. Definitely will throw for more than 4000 yards and will probably toss 30+ touchdowns. In the long term he won’t surpass Farve, but he should have a better year than his mentor in 2010.
- Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
What can I say? I hate to rank this guy near the top but he’s almost as much of a Golden Boy as my boy Tom. Two rings and counting, but lets see if he can stay out of trouble. Fortunately he won’t be able to play for the first 4 games, and with Leftwich starting I don’t think the Steelers can start the season with more than 1 win and 3 losses. The Steelers could make the playoffs, but it’s going to be tough.
- Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings
Here’s another guy I hate to rank near the top, but Favre had arguably his best career year last year. With the same staff this year, who’s to say he won’t do it again?
- Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
I want to rank Rivers higher than Favre but Rivers can’t even seem to get himself to an AFC playoff game. This year or next, he could be a top 5 quarterback, but for now I rank him #7.
- Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
Remember when he had 4000+ years and 30+ touchdowns? With his receivers this year I bet he’ll do it again.
- Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
Pretty good player with pretty good stats. If he could string together some playoff wins, he could probably make it to the big game.
- Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins
I always thought McNabb was a top 10 quarterback. I’m surprised he didn’t win a Superbowl with the Eagles… oh that’s right, the Patriots beat his ass good and made him vomit the one time he made it. Haha! In Washington he’ll have good stats but they will be luck to make the playoffs, never mind the Superbowl.
- Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
Call me nuts, but I love this guy. I think he might make it into the top 10 this year. Unfortunately Peyton plays in his division so he won’t be going to the Superbowl anytime soon.
- Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Regressed a bit last year, but with this year’s offense he should thrive. 3500+ yards and 25+ touchdowns are not out of the question.
- Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Same as Flacco, I expect more this year out of the Boston College alum.
- Eli Manning, New York Giants
Eli is getting better but he’s just an above average quarterback in my opinion. Should throw for 3000+ and 25 or so touchdowns. He will not be going back to the Superbowl. Sorry Giants fans.
- Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos
This may be more wishful thinking than anything else, but I am a Kyle Orton fan and I want him to kick ass this year. Honestly, his team looks pretty good and I think he’ll throw for 3000+ and at least 20 touchdowns. I feel Orton could continue to improve and could very possibly be a top 12 quarterback with the right team around him. Hopefully Tim Tebow can take some pressure off by running a sick Wildcat formation from time to time. 😉
- Vince Young, Tennessee Titans
As far as personal statistics go, this guy might never get higher than #14 or #15. However, he continues to find ways to win and I’d like to see him rack up 10 or more wins this year. The Colts and the elite play of Schaub could end up holding him back.
- Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
Used to be pretty good but now he’s a chump with the Bears. Look for 3000+ yards but 20 or more pics.
- David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
Underestimated and under appreciated. Garrard is actually a pretty decent passer and if he has a “good” season he could definitely perform better than everyone below him on this list, and possibly better than Young, Cutler, and Orton. The Jaguars are so obscure though… I forget if he even has a good team behind him this year.
- Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins
I hate the Dolphins even more than I hate the Jets, and I hope Henne falls on his face. However, they picked up Brandon Marshall in the offseason and the team itself is actually pretty good. Thanks entirely to Marshall, Henne probably throws for 3000 yards this season and might approach 20 touchdowns, much to my chagrin.
- Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks
He’s only rated in the top 20 because he used to be good. I don’t know, maybe Pete Carroll will help him get back to his old self, but I doubt it. Especially now that Shaun Alexander is long gone. He should probably be somewhere below Sanchez, but I’ll give him a chance.
- Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers
Alex Smith is neither great nor bad;he’s about average. If he pulls a Drew Brees and suddenly “gets it”, then I predict he could be a top 15 quarterback and the 49ers could potentially finish with 10 or more wins. Otherwise he’ll throw about 2500 yards and 18 touchdowns, and the they will finish about 7-9 or 8-8. If he regresses this year though, I don’t see him sticking around as a starter for that much longer. So much for the #1 draft pick.
- Jason Campbell, Oakland Raiders
The Raiders stink, but Campbell is an upgrade from Jamarcus Russell. He had his best NFL season last year with the crappy Redskins so if he duplicates that effort I see him tossing 3500 yards and and 22 touchdowns. But if just being a Raider makes him worse, which is what I expect, then he’ll throw about 3000 yards and fewer than 20 touchdowns.
- Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles
I only have Kolb ranked this low because I haven’t seen him play more than 2 games. In those two games though, he rocked it. If this is a guy that throws 300+ yards and 2 or more touchdowns in 75% of his games, then he’ll soon be a top 10 quarterback and the Eagles will go to the post season.
- Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
Definitely will perform better than last year. Although he looked like Rex Grossman last year, with 3 TDs and 0 INTs in some games but 0 TDs and 3 INTs in others, in his second year he will have a positive TD to INT ratio and could break 3000 yards passing. Loudmouth Rex Ryan really attempted to improve this team in the offseason, and if the Jets live up to Ryan’s expectations I expect to see them in the postseason defeated by the Patriots or Colts in the second round of the playoffs.
- Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs
I wish I could say good things about Matt Cassel, if only because he performed well for the Patriots in 2008. Realistically, he’s not an elite quarterback and his team is average at best. The Chiefs will be a better team this year than they were last year, but Cassel still won’t throw more than about 3200 yards, nor will he break the 20 touchdown mark.
- Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
Stafford should be good and I’m excited to see if he can turn it around this year. The Lions used to be horrible but they are getting better and Calvin Johnson is The Man. In his second year I’d like to see Stafford breach the top 20 and he probably will.
- Matt Moore, Carolina Panthers
I don’t see why everyone is so down on Matt. He looked good last year and now that he’s the starter I’d like to see him take over this team. Rookie Clausen won’t be starting this year unless Moore stinks it up, so Moore has a chance to rock it. He’ll probably end up doing better than at least some of the guys I ranked in the low 20s.
- Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams
I’m only ranking Bradford this low because he’s never played an NFL game. I think he’ll have a rookie season like Stafford and Sanchez did performance wise (minus getting to the playoffs). The Rams are a pretty bad team but if Steven Jackson tears it up again, maybe, just maybe, he’ll throw more than 2500 yards and 18 touchdowns. In time I feel Bradford will be in the top 15, if not the top 10.
- Derek Anderson, Arizona Cardinals
If he sucks again this year I feel his days as a starter are over. In fact he’ll be lucky to win the starting job from Leinart. If he does, I don’t see him tearing it up like he did in 2007, but he might be OK. IF he starts every game, maybe he tosses 2500 yards and 15 touchdowns with just as many INTs than TDs.
- Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Freeman was not good last year and the Bucs are not a good team. He should improve but I don’t see him being anywhere near elite. I wish the guy all the luck in the world and I feel he will at least toss as many touchdowns as interceptions this time around.
- Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills
This is a horrible team. They are worse than last year and possibly on par with the Raiders and Browns. Not sure how he could possibly toss more than 2500 yards and 15 touchdowns. Actually, he’ll probably end up injured halfway through the season or something.
- Byron Leftwich, Pittsburgh Steelers
Leftwich is a better NFL quarterback than me, but he’s far from elite. The guy has heart but he doesn’t have mobility. There is a reason he is a backup quarterback, and I don’t expect him to play much better.
- Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals
A good college quarterback, but a bad NFL quarterback. Leinart is not going to be great and he probably won’t even be good. With him and Derek Anderson under center, the Cardinals are in for a long season. The only good news is that Anderson will not play for the Cardinals after this year, so Leinart might get one more chance in 2011.
- Jake Delhomme, Cleveland Browns
Stunk last year, stinks now, is going to continue to stink for the horrid Browns. Will not be a starter next year. Bring back Jeff Garcia!!! (or Doug Flutie)
Please don’t feel like you have to post explanations for all of your rankings, but I’d like to see a couple readers at least rank their top 10, and maybe rag on some of the players they think will suck. What do you think?
Tags: football, nfl, quarterbacks, rankings, Sports
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