Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Another episode of the Sunday matinee that is the rematch of the 2004 NFL Draft is upon us as the San Diego Chargers will travel to Heinz Field to do battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The marquee will once again light up brightly as it features the names of the two teams' draft mate quarterbacks: "Big" Ben Roethlisberger and Philip "Whiskey" Rivers.

This duel between the two gunslingers, their fourth showdown, has added edge because of events that have transpired over the last week. Events that affect each paladin differently. Events we'll refer to as: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

The Good: Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin Wednesday on his quarterback Ben Roethlisberger: "I'll see how his body responds in the morning and we'll go from there." - http://blog.steelers.com/2012/12/05/tomlin-it-was-a-positive-day-for-ben/

Big Ben Wednesday on his arm: "Getting there. I have to talk to Heath Miller. He's my barometer. He tells me how close I am to 100% on velocity and stuff."

Per Bob Labriola of Steelers Digest on Thursday on his Twitter (@BobLabriola) account: "Tomlin tells Teresa Varley of Steelers.com that Ben (Roethlisberger) will start on Sunday: http://blog.steelers.com/2012/12/06/roethlisberger-will-start-vs-chargers/"

This assures the two gunslingers will face each other for the fifth time since their draft in 2004. They're four shootouts (three in the regular season and one in the postseason) have seen Big Ben still standing three times. One time leading to the Super Bowl in 2008.

The two have similarities between them that can't be ignored, either. These are their statistics averaged out over a 16-game regular season through their nine years in the league as of the start of this season:

Big Ben:

Completion percentage: 63.1
Yards: 3,862.9
Touchdowns: 25.1
Interceptions: 14.0
Y/A: 8.0
Y/C: 12.7
QB Rating: 92.1

Whiskey Rivers:

Completion percentage: 63.5
Yards: 3,933.3
Touchdowns: 26.6
Interceptions: 12.5
Y/A: 8.0
Y/C: 12.6
QB Rating: 95.5

Fairly even, thought Whiskey Rivers pleases the fantasy numbers, fancy pants types. That's when things change.

The Bad: When you get down to brass tacks, the two riflemen start to look a little different. Like which one is Wyatt Earp and which is Billy Clanton at the O.K. Corral.

As mentioned earlier, Big Ben has ridden off into the sunset three of the four times. The average head-to-head is as follows:

Big Ben:

Completion pct: 71.4
Yards: 1,048
Touchdowns: 4
Interceptions: 2 (both in 1 game)
Record: 3-1

Whiskey Rivers:

Completion pct: 60.4
Yards: 968
Touchdowns: 8
Interceptions: 4
Record: 1-3

Then things change even more. Big Ben and the Steelers have gone on to take home two Super Bowl trophies, going through Whiskey Rivers to get one of them, and have fought for a third.

Whiskey Rivers? Well, shucks, he hadn't even russled himself up an AFC Championship game.

Now, things get even worse. With his team already sitting at 4-8 and Whiskey Rivers trying to help his team prepare for Sunday, he has to hear this...

The Ugly: According to Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego, head coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith are to be fired at the end of the season: http://tinyurl.com/a2kvqjh

Sources told Acee that Chargers owner Dean Spanos has “resigned himself to the fact that Smith can’t be kept in the current environment of plummeting performance and fan unrest.”

Then, later, Spanos himself comes out and says that this is not actually the case.

As quoted by Adam Schefter on his Twitter (@AdamSchefter) account: "Dean Spanos: 'I haven't shared my thoughts with anyone. I will make my evaluations at the end of the season. Anything coming out now, from sources or otherwise, is pure speculation.'"

Nah...that won't be a distraction.

We'll leave all that to Judge Roy Bean. Because, whatever ends up happening there, the two quarterbacks will still face each other again for 2004 NFL Draft bragging rights and another notch in their belt come high noon Sunday.

Well, 1:00 p.m. EST at least.

~

TIDBITS: Steelers injury/practice report: DNP: Mike Adams, Drew Butler (illness), Ryan Clark (hip), Byron Leftwich (shoulder), Troy Polamalu (not injury related), Ike Taylor (ankle) and Woodley (hamstring); LIMITED: Emmanuel Sanders; FULL: Antonio Brown, Willie Colon, Jerricho Cotchery, Will Johnson, Mike Wallace and some guy named Ben.

~

Speaking of Troy...
Per Ed Bouchette from his Twitter (@EdBouchette) account Thursday: "#Steelers Polamalu said today the calf injury that cost him 7 games was to a different muscle than the one in the first game of the season."

So much for them taking it slowly with Troy, as he played in 50 of 64 defensive snaps (78%) against the Ravens Sunday.

Up until that game, Troy had missed nine games and had played five total quarters of football.

~

What to expect from Ben Roethlisberger according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/60711/what-to-expect-from-roethlisberger

~

The last time Plaxico Burress wore a Steelers uniform inside Heinz Field was the 2004 AFC Championship game.

Burress will make his return Sunday, but it may not be a triumphant one. It could be a dud, per Mark Kaboly: http://tinyurl.com/bmtw6af

For Roethlisberger and Eli Manning Sunday, Ten is Significant Number

It was the 2004 NFL Draft and there was a debate over which young quarterback, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers or Big Ben Roethlisberger, would be taken first.

In a quarterback draft class that could be compared to those in 1971 and 1983, not only was Manning taken first, but there was a trade between he and the second player taken, Rivers, making Roethlisberger the third. Yet, it's the number ten that keeps popping up when considering the two quarterbacks.

Ten players ended up being taken before Big Ben, something which he hasn't forgotten. - http://t.co/SmevZNyY

When Big Ben and Eli, No. 10 in your New York Giants program, take the field at the Meadowlands Sunday, it will be yet another act in the dramatic play that has been unfolding in front of us ever since that April day in 2004.

When you look at the accomplishments, the numbers and the hardware, Big Ben and Eli remain at or near the top of the class.

If It Ain't Steel wrote an article back in February about the connection between the two, and many others have written articles comparing the two as well. It seems they can't escape comparisons of late. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2012/02/another-gratuitous-ben-vs-eli-article_16.html

The comparisons having grown especially strong with Eli matching Big Ben with his second Super Bowl win, as well as second comeback victory and game MVP, last season.

How similar their paths have been can be detailed in various ways, including each winning on the other's home field. They met in '04 with the Steelers winning 33-30, and then the Giants returned the favor in '08 with a 21-14 victory.

Both quarterbacks are also very clutch.

Eli has led the Giants to 10 fourth-quarter comebacks over the past two seasons. While Big Ben set a record for most fourth-quarter comeback victories (19) and game-winning drives (25) through a QB's first seven seasons. He now sits at 21 and 27 respectively.

ESPN's Jamison Hensley even tells the tale of the tape, charting even more similarities, in an article he recently wrote on the two heavyweights: http://t.co/bJ44e69p

As Hensley points out in his piece, Big Ben does have the edge in wins. However, in the tenth month of October, Big Ben has a 25-8 record. An admirable record, but one that has him third among active quarterbacks. Who's directly ahead of him? Eli with a 26-5 record.

When all things are laid down, it simply put is hard to separate the two quarterbacks in terms of their intangibles too.

Big Ben is a barn-strong man who is hard to bring down and fits the blue-collar mentality of Pittsburgh.

Eli represents New York well-enough as well, known for its toughness. Ripping away from a sure sack to throw the famous helmet catch by tight end David Tyree keeping the drive alive in Giants-Patriots I solidified that.

Don't sleep on Big Ben's pump fake ability, either. Ask any NFL defensive back, it can be deadly. A fact that was evidenced again last Sunday against the Redskins.

Also underrated is Eli's escapability. His footwork allows him to maneuver in and out of the pocket to make plays. It is something the Steelers must respect this Sunday.

All things considered, consistency and playoff wins are what will generally define a quarterback, especially if you are truly of the elite. In this, Big Ben holds the edge with 10 playoff wins to Eli's eight.

Ultimately, though, the pinnacle of those achievements is the Lombardi Trophy. And since it has been pointed out that Big Ben and Eli are even in that category, the most important number for them may in actuality be three.

If It Ain't Steel's Top 12 QB Rankings

It’s that time of year again that we at If It Ain’t Steel are doing our NFL quarterback rankings. When choosing our rankings we didn't look at their being fantasy darlings, we looked at their overall work and what we think they will do this season. We didn’t go by the sexy picks of the Top 100 or any other so-called expert picks, we went by our opinion of their overall career and what we project they will do the upcoming season. This ranking is solely based on that. (Addendum: For a breakdown of the criteria of our Top 12, refer to last season's Top 12 QB blog)

1. Tom Brady

He last season had a rating of 105.6 and threw for 5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Why did we choose Brady? Let’s look at last season. The Patriots had one of the worst defenses in the league-they were good at manufacturing turnovers, but not much else. He led the Patriots to a 13-3 record in the regular season. He carried that team on his arm and led them to a Super Bowl with that same defense. Though they ultimately lost, he still got them there. He did what needed to be done to make up for his suspect defense, which is what Brady does: he finds that drive to carry his teammates and win when it counts. In that SB, some like myself, believe that Brady was only a few dropped passes away from winning his 4th Ring. Face it, whether we like Brady or not, as long as he is healthy, he is always going to be right there in the thick of things come the postseason. So we give props where props are due and he gets our highest honor this year.

2. Drew Brees

Brees had a rating of 110.6 and threw for 5,476 and 49 TDs to 14 INTs. Brees gets the second nod because personally we believe, even with all the Bounty Gate suspensions, Brees will still be right there as one of the top ranked QBs in the NFL. He broke Dan Marino’s passing record last season and we look for more the same this season. Brees, like Brady, has that will and drive to win, no matter what it takes. The Saints do have a lot of obstacles to overcome this season, with the loss of their head coach and defensive players to suspension, but that does not change the fact that Brees is one the premier QBs in the league. We believe the play of Brees will put the Saints right into the thick of things come postseason.

3. Aaron Rodgers

Had a rating of 122.5 and he threw for 4,643 yards with 45 TDs to 6 INTs. I know what you are thinking, "Why isn’t Rodgers #1?" Well, I'll tell you why. Yes, Rodgers led the Packers to a 15-1 regular season, but was one and done in the playoffs. Unlike Brady who made up for his suspect defense, Rodgers didn't when it counted. Rodgers won the NFL MVP of the year and was named the No. 1 player in the NFL’s Top 100 list, but as I pointed out, we don’t just look at stats, but at overall play. That is the only reason that Rodgers is below Brees and Brady. We feel Rodgers will have another great season this year and put up much of the same numbers, making him on the top tier QBs in the league.

4. Ben Roethlisberger

A passer rating of 90.1 and he threw for 4,077 yards and 21 TDs to 14 INTs. Big Ben has proven year in and year out that he deserves to be in the Top 5. We at If It Ain’t Steel think that Ben will take another step forward this season. The Steelers lost in the wildcard round of the playoffs, but the team was plagued with injuries, even Big Ben was playing hurt. That is no excuse and we're not making any, just stating fact. We believe Ben will take his play to the next level and move up the rankings with his play. There is talk of there being issues with him and new offensive coordinator Todd Haley, but we do not see it-it's a media fabrication. Big Ben and Haley share a common trait, and that is that they both like winning. Each has a true drive to get to the top of the NFL world again. We look for this to be one of Big Ben’s biggest seasons yet and for him to lead the offense to being one of the top ranked units in the league. He has all the requisite weapons around him and a solid offensive line in the making. We feel this could be Big Ben’s best season yet.

5. Eli Manning

Passer rating of 92.9 and he threw for 4,933 and 29 TDs and 16 INTs. We are well aware that Eli is the reigning SB MVP and all that other stuff. Remember, though, we don't only look at things like that. Don't get it twisted, we respect what Eli has accomplished over the past 8 seasons. So, since we look at overall play, realize that there were times that Eli didn't look so good. He turned it on in the postseason, when it counted, and won the Super Bowl. They barely made the post season in the first place, though. We felt last year’s SB could have gone either way (and was the most boring SB we have ever watched). Eli will have to show that fire this season because he and the Giants have a tougher schedule in front of them. Let’s see if he can be the first QB to get to the big show in back-to-back seasons in a long time. Then maybe he will move up our list.

6. Peyton Manning

There are no stats for Peyton because we are all aware he did not play last season. He gets the No. 6 nod because, c'mon, he's Peyton Manning. Peyton will be with a new team this season, but I believe that we will see the same Peyton we've seen in the past. He may not have the likes of Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clarke around him, but he can make any average receiver look very good. Eric Decker and Damarius Thomas and Jacob Tandee are more than capable of filling those roles. His ability to read defenses and shred them makes him one the best to ever lace them up. I think he will make the Broncos look a lot better than they did with Tebow, even though that wouldn't take much. Peyton can actually throw the ball.

7. Joe Flacco

His passer rating was 80.9 and he threw for 3,610 yards and 20 TDs and 12 INTs. Joe Flacco jumped our list this year because of his play last season. He starting out benefiting from a great defense and really did not have to do much. Last season, though, Flacco took a step forward by twice beating his arch nemesis, aka the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger. He also showed his moxy in the playoffs by showing that he can lead the Ravens when needed. His play in the AFC Championship game was very good, and while we hate to admit it, he had us cheering for the Ravens to take the Patriots out. It was one of those moments where, being a Steelers fan, we were rooting for the lesser of two evils. For so many seasons Flacco got blamed for the Ravens woes, that he was the reason they didn't make it to the Super Bowl. This past season, though, he put that team on his back in the championship game and took them right down into a winning position. He was NOT the reason they lost, he did everything to set them up to win. This season will be the next step for Joe Flacco-with the defense getting older and with injuries to key players as well as losing some other key players to injury, he must take on a greater load. Time will tell if he can handle that task.

8. Philip Rivers

Rivers had a passer rating of 88.7, he threw for 4,624 yards and 27 TDs with 20 INTs. Rivers had one of the worst seasons of his career last season. At times we were wondering if we were watching Rivers or Jamarcus Russell. He still deserves to be in a Top 12 list, though, because, we think he has a bounce back season this year. Yes, he lost most of his go-to weapons, but his coach and general manager are on the hot seat. If Norv Turner and A.J. Smith get sent packing because you have another bad season, then you may be next. So, he has a little thing called "incentive," because we don't see that happening. We get the feeling we'll hear yet again the nauseating fantasy geeks proclaiming that "Rivers is the best." We won’t (ever) say he's the best, but he is mid-to-top tier.

9. Matthew Stafford

Passer rating of 97.2, he threw for 5,038 yards and 41 TDs with 16 INTs. You may ask why, with stats like that isn't Matthew Stafford higher. Well, last season was a look at things to come. It was the first full season of his career and he showed that he is the real deal. He played solid all season and led the Lions to the playoffs and out of the ashes of being the step-child of the NFL. Stafford showed finally last season why he was a No. 1 draft pick. We see no reason why he can't repeat that performance this season.

10. Matt Ryan

Passer rating of 92.2 and he threw for 4,177 yards and 29 TDs with 12 INTs. Ryan, aka Matty Ice, comes in at 10 in our list. He has shown consistency over the course of his career in Atlanta and has had, much like Flacco, winning seasons every year. Ryan, however, has not had the success in the playoffs that Flacco has had. They both entered the NFL the same year and numbers wise, Ryan is better. Numbers can be misleading, though. Ryan, we think, will step over the playoff hump and get a win this season. He has all the pieces around him to take the next step forward. He plays in a tough division, but he holds his own with the big guns of the NFC South.

11. Tony Romo

Romo had a passer rating of 102.5, he threw for 4,184 yards, and 31 TDs with only 10 INTs. Romo has shown without question that he can win regular season games. It is his record in December and January when Romo gets more blame than he deserves. The playoff losses haven't been only the fault of Romo. We believe this season is going to be make or break for Romo. Jerry Jones has put a lot of pressure on Romo and the Cowboys this season by coming out and saying that “their window is closing." Romo, like Flacco, gets the blame for a lot of the Cowboys woes, which is just not the case. That should have been evident when he went down with injury in 2010. The play at QB is not the problem. Romo can play, plain and simple. If he gets over the hump and wins some playoffs games, then this will not even be a discussion. We could even see putting him in our Top 6 if he does. Will he get there next year? The season will tell.

12. Cam Newton

Passer rating of 84.5, he threw for 4,051 yards, for 21 TDs and 17 INTs. Newton is the real deal. Plain and simple. No one thought he would come out and have the rookie season that he had, us included. But, he went out and played with a fire that most players do not possess until their second, third, even fourth season. The only thing that hindered Newton last season was the lack of weapons around him. He ran the ball for 706 yard and an additional 14 TDs. If the pocket broke down around him he just ran. I think he will only be better this season and move up the list. Though a sophomore slump is possible, we don't see one in his future. Will he get the Panthers to the playoffs? Probably not this season, but he will lead his team to an improvement in the win-loss column.

Honorable Mention:

The honorable mentions are guys we believe will have good seasons and could possibly make the list next season, depending on how they do this season.

Jay Cutler: Cutler is being reunited with his buddy Brandon Marshall and that should only improve his numbers and play. I think Jay will move up to the Top 12 next season if he stays healthy.

Andy Dalton: Dalton shocked the world last season with his play at quarterback. No one gave the Bengals a chance last season and Dalton, along with A.J. Green, proved the doubters wrong. He helped lead the Bengals back to the playoffs, but he and the Bengals were beaten by the Texans. He had a great rookie campaign and we look for him to improve on it.

Josh Freeman: Freeman, had a not-so-good season last year, and, with the Buccaneers' additions this offseason, this could be a great year again for Freeman. We think he only gets better over the season. No Barney Stinson this year, but we still expect Freeman to football suit up!

If It Ain't Steel’s Watch list:

Andrew Luck: Luck is getting ready to start his rookie season with the Colts, replacing some guy named Manning. We think Luck will surprise a lot of people this season and will be better than expected. Not predicting he will get the Colts to the playoffs, but we think he will fill the shoes of that guy in the Direct TV ads well enough to make Indy fans forget sooner than later.

Russell Wilson: I (specifically Jayden) was big on this kid in the draft, I actually had him ranked higher than Tannehill, though he went later to the Seahawks. He was recently named the starter, beating out Matt Flynn, and has sparks of being a good quarterback. I will be keeping my eye on these two rookies and, you never know, they may crack our Top 12 next season.

Robert Griffin III: I (specifically Jason) was big on this kid ever since college. He has all the skills needed to be great in the NFL and more. I was never concerned about his size, unlike Russell Wilson, nor about his having happy feet and leaving the pocket too quickly. He definitely has pocket-presence, but also the pocket-awareness that allows him to use his escapability. Watching him in college I couldn't help but think of other college and NFL quarterbacks with requisite skill sets. Namely Randall Cunningham (multiple playoffs, athletic, 1998 NFL Comeback Player of the Year), Mark Malone (trust me on this, Malone was a hell of an athlete and very good QB at Arizona St. and a promising NFL QB before knee injuries derailed his career-he even filled in at WR for Lynn Swann and held the Steelers' record for longest TD reception for 30 years) and Steve Young (though, admittedly, Young took off and ran more quickly than RG3 does). I will be keeping my eye on this one as well as the other two and see if he cracks the Top 12 next season.

Ben Roethlisberger Doesn't Always Win Pretty, But He Wins.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's that time of year again: FOOTBALL IS BACK:

We at If It Ain’t Steel are doing our annual defense of our elite, Hall of Fame-bound-when-he-hangs-up-his-cleats quarterback. Yes, I said Hall of Fame bound, haters. Anyone would be foolish to think otherwise. And I have every intention of being in Canton in my Big Ben No. 7 jersey and with my Terrible Towel in hand, watching in five years after he retires, being inducted. He's goin', haters, get over it. He may not always be pretty, but he gets it done.

I say that because there have been a lot of questions raised this offseason about Big Ben, namely his Hall of Fame credentials, his relationship with new offensive coordinator Todd Haley and his age and health\durability. To all of the that I say HOGWASH. (I'm from West Virginia and my partner is from Mississippi, I'll say "hogwash" if I want to say it.) Big Ben has proven time and time again that he is the toughest quarterback playing today. How many other quarterbacks have played with and through injuries like Big Ben has? He has always played the John Wayne role ("John Wayne with a football" as I like to say it): he takes a pounding, but routinely has "dead indians in his cowboy movie" as head coach Mike Tomlin has said. Big Ben’s toughness has never been an issue, even though he will play up the drama now and then.

There is the also the hullabaloo that he is getting older and has seen better days because he takes a lot of hits. Yes, he has taken a lot of hits, some of which, though, even he admits are his own doing. The Steelers addressed that this offseason in part by drafting two offensive linemen in David DeCastro and Mike Adams. Injuries, age and a certain lack of talent have plagued the offensive line for the past few seasons, so adding more youth and pedigree to the OLine will hopefully plug those holes and eventually return it to a unit worthy of past Steelers lines.

There was also the media-induced issue of Big Ben and Todd Haley not being able to coexist. Again, hogwash. Big Ben and Haley are adults and, no, may not always agree or get along. But why do people think this anyway? It's because of Haley's history of being a hardcase and his rocky reputation with wide receivers and quarterbacks. Why, though? Let's have Mike Prisuta answer that. He offered this on the most recent edition of "Agree to Disagree" on Steelers.com. When Haley joined the New York Jets in 1997, they had gone 1-15 the year before. When Haley joined the Chicago Bears in 2001, the year before that they'd gone 5-11. In 2007 when Haley joined the Arizona Cardinals, they had also gone 5-11. And in 2009 when Haley joined the Kansas City Chiefs, they had gone 2-14 the year before. Like Prisuta asked, "Do you think maybe he was a hard guy and he was in people's faces BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO BE YELLED AT, 'CAUSE THEY WEREN'T DOING IT RIGHT?!" Hmm...could be!

At that the end of the day they both have a common drive: to win. As far as I'm concerned, this is a marriage made in football heaven. A top tier OC and top tier QB uniting for one common goal: the Lombardi Trophy. Since Big Ben ripped one out of Haley's grasp a few years ago, you know he has extra incentive to get back to the Super Bowl to get one of his own.

We also have had to endure the talk of Big Ben not being elite or Hall of Fame worthy. Same *ahem* stuff, different offseason. I am here to rectify that little miscarriage of football justice and enlighten the masses who seem to love to trash my quarterback (I'm just not gonna cry like Terrell Owens).

Ben has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL and is one of only three quarterbacks to have been to and won the Super Bowls multiple times in the last decade. Joe Flacco hasn't done it. Peyton Manning hasn't even done it. Philip Rivers can't even spell Super Bowl. So, how is Big Ben not elite again?

Big Ben's playoff record is impeccable, second only to Tom Brady who has three rings. His record is also better than Eli Manning's, the quarterback who has been the darling of ESPN and the NFL Network of late. Eli may also have two Rings, but Big Ben has appeared in more playoff games and has won more than Eli.

Here are the playoff numbers for the only current multiple Super Bowl winning quarterbacks:

Ben Roethlisberger Playoff record: 10-4
Home playoff record: 5-2; Road playoff record: 3-1; Non-wild card playoff record: 9-2; Playoff points per game average: 26.5; Super Bowl appearances: 3; Super Bowl rings: 2

Eli Manning Playoff record: 8-3
Home playoff record: 1-2; Road playoff record: 5-1; Non-wild card playoff record: 6-1; Playoff points per game average: 19.82; Super Bowl appearances: 2; Super Bowl rings: 2


Tom Brady Playoff record: 16-6
Home playoff record: 10-2; Road playoff record: 3-2; Non-wild card playoff record: 14-5; Playoff points per game average: 24.55; Super Bowl appearances: 5; Super Bowl rings: 3

I found this very interesting because Big Ben is not being considered elite or Hall of Fame worthy, yet Eli is. His numbers are comparable or better across the board, yet Eli is a Hall of Famer and Big Ben isn't? We all know Tom Brady punched his ticket to Canton a long time ago, I admit, but I think it's funny how none of the media or so-called experts want to point out that Big Ben and his offense have scored more points on the average than Brady. I will, though.

People want to downplay Big Ben’s play in the Super Bowl’s in which he's appeared. No, his first Super Bowl performance was hardly, well, super. The second time, though, was very good as he orchestrated arguably the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. I choose to look also at his play in the playoffs overall. His play was stellar in those playoff games and it is that play that got them to the Super Bowls. His play in 2005 was some of the best that I have seen. If it wasn't for his excellent play in those playoffs the Steelers never would have made it to Detroit that year.

Big Ben’s record during the regular season is 80-33 (.708), that is second in the NFL among active starting QBs. Not too shabby for a QB who some say is not elite and is "done." I look at Ben like fine wine, he gets better with age. I look to imbibe a little bit more this season too.

Big Ben does not actually have to prove anything to anyone, his records speak for themselves. At the same time, Ben does not care about records-all he cares about is winning and winning Super Bowls. He was recently a guest on the Vinnie and Cook Show on Sports radio 93.7 The Fan, and this is what he said about stats and getting older:

"The only stats that matter to me are wins and losses and that usually correlates into Super Bowls. I don’t know how much longer I have left, but I’d like to think that I’m entering into the prime of my career, and that’s obviously why I was a little frustrated early on with the new offense because you feel like you’re just getting ready to go and then they change it on you. But I just feel like we took a quick step back but now we’re moving full steam ahead and I’m just really excited. I hope my best football is yet to come, and I hope that leads to more Super Bowls."

Wins and SBs are a big part of what define a QB, not just stats. So many, though, lose sight of that with fantasy points and the rest of that nonsense. I mean, yes, Drew Brees and Aaron Rogers are great fantasy guys, but fantasy numbers alone don't mean SB wins. Ask Rivers.

Eli deserves the credit that he's getting, yes, but it's mainly because he won the MVP in both SBs. One could argue that the reason for that was because he did not have any marquee talent around him and was the only real choice, where one could also say that Big Ben deserved to be MVP in SB 43. Not taking anything away from Santonio Holmes, but it was No. 7 who was more consistent throughout that game.

Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski had this to say in his top QB list regarding Big Ben and his not getting enough credit. He called him "the strongest QB in the NFL. He not only extends plays with movement out of the pocket, but also with his natural strength in the pocket. He's 'barn strong.'"

Going further Jaworski commented on Big Ben's "ability to make throws consistently from the pocket. I charted all 60 of his 20-plus yard completions in 2011. Only five came outside the pocket. In fact, time and time again he showed one of the most central attributes necessary to play at a high level in the NFL: the willingness to look down the gun barrel and deliver the football."

Is it just me or did he just describe the final drive of SB 43?

I will just end this by saying, talk all you want, mainstream media and so-called experts. Because at the end of the day, your talking doesn’t mean a whole lot when John Wayne and the Steelers will leave dead indians in their wake AGAIN. He and Haley will coexist and will make it work, the Steelers offense will click on all cylinders they will get another one or maybe even two SBs wins before all is said and done. Maybe he won't be pretty doing it, but he'll do it. What will you say then? Will you give him his due? I doubt it.

IfItAintSteel's Top 12 NFL Quarterbacks

   I decided to do a Top Quarterback list of my own because, well, there seemed to be so many of them this offseason. I thought to myself, "Mr. Goodbar, why don't you do a list of your own? You're almost as smart as most of those guys, you could easily do this. You could get paid to watch film and evaluate. Hell, you do it now for free!" And I decided that I was right. So here it is, with my evaluation criteria being as follows:
‎1) Overall Ability
2) Leadership/Elevating Players
3) Wins
4) Mental Toughness/Comeback Ability
5) Accuracy
6) Pocket Presence
7) Toughness and Escapability.
I'm not considering SB wins very much at all and I'm only looking at the QBs as they are now and projecting what will be. I've taken out all bias in making this list because I believe objectivity would be key in doing this properly. So don't flip if something doesn't trip your trigger. Ready? Let the debates begin:
1-TOM BRADY: For those who haven't stopped reading and started to form voodoo dolls with which to torture me, I'm sorry, but the reasons are all there: wins, win percentage, playoff wins, completion percentage, low INT %, comebacks/game-winning drives and All-Pros. *sigh* Ok, now I need a shower...
2-AARON RODGERS: He just has it all: leadership, toughness, accuracy...the list goes on and on. There's nothing about him I don't like. Well, except for that whole, "the freakin jagoff beat us in the SB" thing. For that I hope he chokes on his SB ring. Other than that...
3-PEYTON MANNING: This one was actually tough because I believe this year we will start to see a decline in his surgeon-like execution. He has WR issues and OLine issues to face this year, not to mention his own neck issues, so we will see chinks in his armor. I have seen enough, though, over the years to believe he'll still be elite.
4-BEN ROETHLISBERGER: I almost put Ben at 3 considering what I said about Peyton's potential decline, especially since I believe Ben's going to be even better this year. He only had 5 INTs last year which projects to 7 over 16 games-the best INT percentage in his career. He's focusing on being a better teammate and QB, and, especially now that he has a wifey, being a better person. I happen to know a little something about wanting to be a better person because of the love of a beautiful woman, but I digress... Ben's toughness and comeback ability are unparalleled. He has the top 4th quarter comeback percentage of the top QBs on this list/in the NFL & 2nd highest percentage of game-winning drives, as well as some of the best all-time comeback numbers based on his number of starts. If he continues on this path he'll be top three in no time.
5-DREW BREES: I actually take offense with people who claim he's better than Big Ben. Brees is damn good, yes, but he just barely reaches top 5 considering he actually has a low winning percentage and relatively low QB rating. He is a tough competitor, though, who has a never-say-die attitude despite his small stature (small for an NFL QB, that is).
6-PHILIP RIVERS: At the risk of my girfriend, Jayden, breaking up with me, I had to give this numbnut his due- the boy is GOOD. He has all the tools to be in the top three, he just forgets how to use them in the playoffs. Until he learns how to use them at the most critical moments, he won't break the top five.
7-MICHAEL VICK: I'll be doggone if Vick didn't come back as a better QB. He showed dogged determination to get back onto a roster. Tomlin actually wanted him in the Burgh, but the Rooneys put a collar on that. Besides, Vick wanted to be top dog and that wasn't happening with the Steelers. Regardless, he wasn't about to play dead, he was always gonna prove he belonged. I guess every dog really does have his day.
8-MATT RYAN: This is easy-Ryan is just the real deal. Easiest way to put it out there is this: in just 3 years & 46 games, he has 13 game-winning drives-the highest percentage of the top 10 QBs. He also is credited with eight 4th quarter comebacks and has a very low INT percentage. Simply put: Matty Ice.
9-JOSH FREEMAN: Big, strong, durable, good leader, toughness... Sound familiar? I. Like. Josh. Freeman. He almost had Tampa in the playoffs last year after leading them to a 7 game turnaround, while only throwing SIX interceptions all season. I'm gonna bring in Barney Stinson to explain Freeman's future. Barney? "He's going to be legend...wait for it...ary! Now football suit up!" Thanks, Barney. 'Preciate it.
10-JOE FLACCO/ELI MANNING: I consider them a tie because Flaccid has the tools to be good, but he fizzles when it counts like Phyllis Diller, er uh, Philip Rivers does. Manning has the misfortune of being compared to his brother. Eli is a different QB from his brother in that he's much more gritty. He can mix it up and come out on top...ask the Cheatriots. Can he do it again, though? I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
11-MARK SANCHEZ: He could be a force to be reckoned with now that he has the Steelers' WRs.
12-TONY ROMO: He actually a pretty good... Oh, wait...sorry the pen fell outta my hand. Wow...that was slippery...

There you have it: my Top 12 Quarterback list to start off the 2011 NFL season. Let the debate begin.