Elite Quarterback Guideline

[SteelersFreak]

Quote: Originally Posted by Brandon13

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/...252/joe-flacco He's been very consistent statistically throughout his career and has made the playoffs in all five years he has played. I think it's difficult at this point to separate Flacco from Eli, and Roethlisberger from the both of them, when looking at the totality of each's current abilities and career resumes.

Yes, by season his statistics are consistent, but I'm talking on a game to game basis, you're never sure which Flacco you're going to get.

[GrizzlyJuler]

Quote: Originally Posted by Brandon13

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/...252/joe-flacco He's been very consistent statistically throughout his career and has made the playoffs in all five years he has played. I think it's difficult at this point to separate Flacco from Eli, and Roethlisberger from the both of them, when looking at the totality of each's current abilities and career resumes.

Your the coach and your down by 1 with a 1 minute and half to go who would you have at quarterback to win you the game Ben, Eli or Flacco?

[Brandon13]

Quote: Originally Posted by GrizzlyJuler

Your the coach and your down by 1 with a 1 minute and half to go who would you have at quarterback to win you the game Ben, Eli or Flacco?

Probably Ben.

But I tend to give Flacco extra points for consistency in reaching the postseason and never having a one and done, while Eli and Ben both had multiple seasons in the same stretch where they didn't make the playoffs.

I just think he's already done enough to belong in that grouping.

[RJTurneR]

Quote:

Probably Ben.

I'd do the same. He extends plays as well as making big plays. His one of those QB's where you always have to account for him being able to escape pressure, take off, or give his WR enough time to get open.

On the subject of of my own QB, I believe Stafford most certainly has the talent to become an elite QB. People say his made better by Calvin, but we can say that for a lot of QB/WR combos. His arm strength certainly stands out from other QB's despite mutliple injuries, and although he is just able to throw it up there and let Calvin play fetch, he puts where only Calvin can grab it. I reckon if he can become more consistent, more of a leader, and stop with those crazy side arms throws, he should be up there in the 2nd tier.

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by SteelersFreak

Flacco isn't in the near elites for me because he hasn't been consistent enough in the regular season. Let's face it, Flacco has had his moments and he was really great in the playoffs the last two years obviously, but is anyone really certain if he's going to be playing at that level during the regular season next year? If he does, to me, he's moved up into that near-elite level with Ben. Totally agree with you on Ben though.

Definitely understand where you're coming from. I personally feel Cam has a lot more to do with what you saw than we can know though. If I go back to last year the team went 12-4 (widely successful in the regular season) and I believe all of their loses were to teams that didn't make the playoffs. In addition they had to make a great comeback (on Flacco's arm) against the Cards to get that win. Watching those games, the offense just didn't look... right. It really felt like they were experimenting in those games, almost using them as live practices.

It's reasonable to say you'll wait to see if he'll maintain this now that Cam is gone, but for those who actually have been paying attention for a while, he's been playing VERY well for 3 years now, just not as consistent as some would like. But even with that lets keep in mind the team has gone 12-4, 12-4 and then 10-6 (with the SB) the last three years. That's not a lot of loses to throw a lot of criticism at. I think people have over-analyzed the few loses where he's had bad performances. And around here, I think that's stemmed from us Ravens fans harping on the games, but most of us assumed Cam was the puppeteer creating those situations... we'll see.

[ProfessaPackMan]

I'm trying to figure out what Philip Rivers has done to go from being "near elite(and in some cases "elite")to all of a sudden now a "3rd tier QB".

Outside of Gates, he doesn't have a reliable WR, RB or O-Line and he's done as well as you can ask from a franchise QB all things considered.

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by ProfessaPackMan

I'm trying to figure out what Philip Rivers has done to go from being "near elite(and in some cases "elite")to all of a sudden now a "3rd tier QB". Outside of Gates, he doesn't have a reliable WR, RB or O-Line and he's done as well as you can ask from a franchise QB all things considered.

I'm still a big fan, but don't have much tangible to back it. This last year was the first I remember seeing his game drop so much mentally, but I think he'll be back in the conversation again next year.

[rangerrick012]

Quote: Originally Posted by Brandon13

Probably Ben. But I tend to give Flacco extra points for consistency in reaching the postseason and never having a one and done, while Eli and Ben both had multiple seasons in the same stretch where they didn't make the playoffs. I just think he's already done enough to belong in that grouping.

But again, how much of that is on Flacco and how much of that is the team surrounding him? I know that argument can be made for any QB, but people seem to be wanting to put this all on Flacco. He's been more of a game manager than anything before the OC change, when admittedly yes he did step up and take the reigns. That's still not enough of a sample size for me to say he can do it consistently in the regular season and become a top 5 QB now.