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  • November 06, 2009 05:10 PM ET

Big Ben is a Top 5 QB.

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**Disclaimer- In the past I have never considered Ben a Top 5 QB. Top 10 *low top ten* but never top 5.***

Pittsburghs Ben Roethlisberger is playing out of his mind. I often hear people chuckle myself included when someone says "hes a Top 5 QB in the NFL" right now Im not laughing.

He is having his best statistical season to date. Through 7 games and 8 weeks his stats are:

2227 pyds (2nd only to Peyton)
70.4 Cpct (2nd only to Peyton)
8.85 yds/A (1st)
11 Tds (tied for 12th along with 4 others)
6 Int (tied 15 along with Brees and only 2 less than Peyton)
102.6 Passer Rating (6th ahead of Brady and Rivers)
295 YDS/G (Second only to guess who?)

All while still being sacked 4th most in the NFL with 20. Peyton has been sacked 5 times. 5!!!

That being said Ben is putting up Peyton, Brady, Brees like numbers while having pressure in his face. It also helps that he's got a skill set unlike the others--the ability to escape pressure and extend plays. Matter of fact he's the best in the league at doing so.

Im not trying to be a homer just think its time to give the man his respect.


The five that I say are hands down better are:
1. Peyton Manning
2. Tom Brady
3. Drew Brees
4. Aaron Rodgers
5. Phillip Rivers

Ben falls into the next category. He is in there with Carson Palmer, Romo, and a few others. But that isn't the point. The 5 above mentioned is what we are arguing.

I know you'll probably use the what has Rivers, Rodgers, and Brees won argument. That is all you get from Pitt fans. But if you gave them the keys to Pitts defense they would also have 2 super bowl championships to their credit.

To start there is no way you can say Ben is above Manning, Brady, and Brees. At least I wouldn't think. So we wont argue them.

So the argument comes down to Ben vs Rivers and Rodgers.

After the year Rodgers is having and his 14 touchdowns to 2 picks while being sacked more times, 11 more to be exact, than Ben I don't know how you can say Ben is the better QB.

So that leaves us with Phillip Rivers vs Ben Roethlisberger unless you want to argue a different one.

Both have comparable numbers this season. Roethlisberger is more accurate but I think that can be attributed to his shorter passing game.

More to come out of room now.


Both have comparable numbers this season. Roethlisberger is more accurate but I think that can be attributed to his shorter passing game.

Yeah Id say so for the fact that Ben is completing almost 11% more of his passes. But his shorter passing game really he leads the league in yards per attempt so I dont know how you can call it "short".

As far as Rivers goes in no major passing statistical catagory does Rivers beat Ben except interceptions, and Ben only has two more. So I would conclude that Ben is better than Rivers statistically.

Ben has two more SuperBowl rings than Rivers. Ben won OROY, Rivers barely played. Ben set a record for most wins as a Rookie. Rivers didnt. Ben has 20 comeback/game winning drives. Ben holds an NFL Record for best NFL start as a rookie with 15 consecutive wins. Has the most wins in his first 5 seasons in the NFL with 51. Ben is the first QB to start two Conference Championship games in his first two seasons in the NFL.

Ben has accomplished more in 5 years than most QB's do in their careers. Rivers hasnt really done anything even with a high caliber team.


Everything you bring up is pretty much irrelevant. The wins are nice but its a team game. Ben has all of those comebacks because he couldn't put the game away earlier. You can't tell me those wins are in high scoring affairs. Those wins come because he doesn't put teams away earlier on.

All Ben has to do is score around 20 points and the game is won. Especially in those super bowl years. Rivers on the other hand has to out score the other team.

You mentioned Rivers sitting out one year but he sat out two. Still though Rivers has managed to only trail Ben by 5000 yards passing and 23 TD's in their career. That is nearly a seasons worth of stats. Not counting the first two years of Bens career he has 36 more INT's then Rivers. Those stats tell the whole story. If you project out Rivers full career he would statistically be dominating Ben in TDs and INTs.

It's a team game. Ben has to manage a couple of scoring drives Rivers has to out score opponents. Bens team has carried him. You saw the first super bowl and in the second the pick for a TD before half time was huge. The defense won those games. Not Ben. Rivers would have put them away early.


"You mentioned Rivers sitting out one year but he sat out two. Still though Rivers has managed to only trail Ben by 5000 yards passing and 23 TD's in their career."

The Steelers have always been until late a running game supplemented by the pass. Ben hasnt really got his time to shine until now. Bruce and Tomlin are letting him air it out and it is working better than I think anyone would have suspected.

Bens team has carried him.

Do you watch football? Super Bowl XL would not have included the Steelers had it not been for Ben. The three playoff games leading up to that game Ben played lights out as a second year starter might I add.

Here is Bens Sack ranks for his career:

06- 4th
07- 2nd
08- 2nd
09- currently 4th

Would it be crazy to say that he has maybe not carried his team but has def carried the Offense?

Ben is also currently 2nd among active QB's in Yds per attempt and yards per completion. And has a perfect passer rating on playaction passes.

You have Rodgers as a top 5 Qb yet he couldnt beat a winless team. He actually helped them coughing it up 3 times not to mention on a twon minute drill down by 3 to win the game. Ben's forte.


Jesus Christ you Pittsburgh people really are as stupid as you look.

Take todays game for example. There was a play when Ben had over 7 seconds and yet just stayed in the pocket. Of course a sack followed. He gets sacked as much as he does because he doesn't leave the pocket. When coverage isn't there down field he doesn't roll out and throw it away he just waits for someone to get open. Of course he is going to get sacked a lot that way.

No you're wrong yet again. Look at the passing attempts of just the last 4 years. In 2 of those years Ben actually leads Rivers. So you can't say Pitt is a ground and pound team compared to Rivers.

Now you want to bring up Rodgers? And you talk about offensive lines? Kinda pathetic if you ask me. And what Rodgers is doing with a absolutely horrible offensive line and defense is keep Green Bay competitive.

As stated before Rivers and Rodgers have to outscore their opponents. Ben just has to manage a couple of scoring drives here and there.

Ben stepped in the league and was given the keys to a special team. The others haven't had a top notch defense to rely on.

Comments (132) Add A Comment

November 6, 2009  05:16 PM ET
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chuckles

November 6, 2009  05:16 PM ET
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Correction 3rd in Passing with with 2062 yds.

November 6, 2009  05:29 PM ET
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i will soon get to this.

November 6, 2009  05:30 PM ET
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QUOTE(#3):
Originally posted 05:29 PM ET  11.06 by jdsjets: 4-5 and getting worse

i will soon get to this.

take your time you got 24 hours dude.

November 6, 2009  05:30 PM ET
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statisticly yeah he is in the top five but in my oppinine i dont like the guy

November 6, 2009  05:31 PM ET
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QUOTE(#5):
Originally posted 05:30 PM ET  11.06 by tater salad

statisticly yeah he is in the top five but in my oppinine i dont like the guy

As a QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers love the guy.

As a person I think hes an arrogant pri ck hate the guy.

But thats why he gets a bad rap because people just dont like him.

November 6, 2009  05:32 PM ET
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Depends, if you want a QB with amongst the highest winning percentage, YPA, a QB Passer rating that he has exceeding his average in 4 of his 6 years (Brady, for example, has exceeded his avg qb rating twice {and one of those was by .01 pctg points}), then he's your guy.

If you want someone who can only play on turf in nice weather who puts up gaudy stats when they don't mean anything, then he's not your guy.

November 6, 2009  05:32 PM ET
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Never was, never will be.

November 6, 2009  05:45 PM ET
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Tough quarterback to bring down, but I still don't see sacks as a positive number for the guy.

November 6, 2009  05:46 PM ET
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QUOTE(#9):
Originally posted 05:45 PM ET  11.06 by SoCalBroncosFan

Tough quarterback to bring down, but I still don't see sacks as a positive number for the guy.

Didnt use it as a positive note, used it to compare.

November 6, 2009  05:47 PM ET
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dont really expect to win this TD i know from exp. anytime the words "ben" and "Top 5" are in the same catagory peoples heads explode.

November 6, 2009  05:54 PM ET
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I don't consider him a top 10 QB because he mostly only throws to wide open targets. I mean ward and holmes are 90% open every time he throws. I rarely see him thread the needle and make some difficult passes. That's why I think he gets sacked so much. He holds the ball waiting for someone to get a decent cushion.

November 6, 2009  06:32 PM ET
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top ten in... QB height? QBs that are #7 from Pittsburgh?

November 6, 2009  06:51 PM ET
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QUOTE(#7):
Originally posted 05:32 PM ET  11.06 by clouts

Depends, if you want a QB with amongst the highest winning percentage, YPA, a QB Passer rating that he has exceeding his average in 4 of his 6 years (Brady, for example, has exceeded his avg qb rating twice {and one of those was by .01 pctg points}), then he's your guy.If you want someone who can only play on turf in nice weather who puts up gaudy stats when they don't mean anything, then he's not your guy.

what a stupid premise

he has exceeded his passer rating 4 of 6 years, and you compare that to brady, whos only done it twice. you know what that means? big ben is a lot more volatile and inconsistent, while brady is the definition of consistent.

ive never seen someone stretch more for an argument then that

November 6, 2009  06:52 PM ET
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QUOTE(#12):
Originally posted 05:54 PM ET  11.06 by themage78

I don't consider him a top 10 QB because he mostly only throws to wide open targets. I mean ward and holmes are 90% open every time he throws. I rarely see him thread the needle and make some difficult passes. That's why I think he gets sacked so much. He holds the ball waiting for someone to get a decent cushion.

ive actually noticed that a lot. whenever i see him on tv, i feel like his targets are really open. its almost like they give up those short and medium passes and wait for him to throw a pick or force a long throw. i dont see him make many great throws, just good decisions to throw to open targets

November 7, 2009  02:48 PM ET
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sorry didnt have the time.

Comment #17 has been removed
November 7, 2009  03:07 PM ET
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According to QB ratings, no he isn't.

Comment #19 has been removed
 
November 7, 2009  03:19 PM ET
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Big Ben is a great QB don't get me wrong but i still don't think he is a top 5 QB, i would rate him a 7 or 8

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