Usually any sort of playoff QB ranking has Tom Brady at the top of the list. But there’s an exception to every rule. Consider this one the exception. NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal has an interesting article out that ranks each of the remaining playoff QBs but their “trustworthiness,” And it’s Ben Roethlisberger, not Brady, capturing the top spot.
Rosenthal writes:
“The deep attempts he was just missing early in the season are now on point. His touch passes are sublime and he’s done an excellent job getting his secondary receivers — like tight end Vance McDonald — involved.”
He concludes by saying Big Ben has “best mix of electric current play and playoff experience of any quarterback left.”
Brady comes in at #2 with Rosenthal concerned by how poorly he has performed over the last month as speculation ramps up about all the injuries he’s dealing with.
Obviously, this list means little. But it’s nice to see Roethlisberger get the big-media recognition that’s usually been fleeting throughout his career, especially when matched up against the likes of Brady and Drew Brees, the later coming in third place on this list.
Maybe it’s because Roethlisberger’s game has evolved into something that looks more traditional. Much more of a pocket passer now, he’s come close to shaking the reputation of a backyard quarterback, a guy who draws everything up in the sand. Now, there’s a focus on his accuracy, his decision-making and football IQ that wasn’t respected, or at least didn’t appear to be, before.
If you’re curious, Blake Bortles came in at 7th place of the eight quarterbacks on this list for predictable reasons. Rosenthal sums it up well.
“It’s hard to trust a quarterback whose team own doesn’t trust him.”
That was on full display in Jacksonville’s Wildcard victory over the Bills. They kept the ball on the ground and when they had to throw, even on third down in a close game, generally looked for screen and swing passes to get the ball out quick. The only time they went vertical was off playaction. Bortles only finishes ahead of the Eagles’ Nick Foles, who has struggled in trying to replace Carson Wentz.
