Shutdown Corner - NFL

Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:31 am EDT

The Week 7 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings

Shutdown Corner is proud to present the weekly quarterback power rankings. They're just as arbitrarily decided as normal power rankings, except they rank quarterbacks, not whole teams. Rankings are based on play this year alone and meant to represent who is playing the best football at the current moment.


1. Peyton Manning(notes), Indianapolis Colts
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-24738635-1256637318.jpg?ymGeFHCDDW7gG0ms
Again, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees(notes) trade spots. What did Peyton do against the Rams? Nothing too special: 235 yards passing, three touchdowns, no interceptions. Nothing that set the world on fire, but nothing to dispel the notion that he's the best quarterback in football, either.
2. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-563005588-1256637318.jpg?ymGeFHCDHasQ3g.S
Besides, it was more about what Brees did than what Manning did. I don't want to send the message that a game-winning second half is outweighed by a horrendous first half, but if you want the top spot, you can't have one touchdown, three interception days. You just can't. He might've even fallen out of the top two if he didn't lead that tremendous comeback.
3. Aaron Rodgers(notes), Green Bay Packers
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-343475244-1256637318.jpg?ymGeFHCDNtPOlfH8
Making the biggest jump this week is Aaron Rodgers, who benefits from a week where a lot of the top guys weren't overwhelmingly awesome. Rodgers -- and this is a sick statistic -- has a quarterback rating of over 110 in each of his past four games. And he does this while leading the league in number of times sacked. Incredible.
4. Matt Schaub(notes), Houston Texans
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-261080313-1256637318.jpg?ymGeFHCDR4sieKHK
He leads the league in yards passing, and he leads the league in touchdown passes. Whether or not your brain is ready to accept it, Matt Schaub is one of the NFL's most dangerous offensive weapons. Riding Schaub's arm, the Texans are winners of three of their last four.
5. Ben Roethlisberger(notes), Pittsburgh Steelers
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-666407078-1256637318.jpg?ymGeFHCD7TR2T.lY
There is one quarterback in the NFL completing more than 70% of his passes (actually, there are two, but Peyton Manning doesn't count, because I believe he's actually half robot), and his name is Ben Roethlisberger. He slides a tad, because he didn't have a great day against a tough Vikings defense: 14-of-26, 175 yards, one touchdown.
6. Brett Favre(notes), Minnesota Vikings
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-320785594-1256637318.jpg?ymGeFHCDAvOYs_gk
Likewise, Favre also slides a bit because he didn't have a great day against a tough Steelers defense. He had a touchdown taken away from him on a phantom leg-whip call, and the interception bounced off of Chester Taylor's(notes) palms, but still, he didn't do enough to win. 
7. Philip Rivers(notes), San Diego Chargers
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-203531488-1256637318.jpg?ymHeFHCDOrI2KBUj
Rivers jumps back up the list a little bit after a week of feasting on the Chiefs secondary: 268 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Even better news for Rivers is that the Chargers showed some slight signs of maybe doing some things that might help him, like, oh, I don't know ... blocking and having a running game.
8. Eli Manning(notes), New York Giants
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-892957649-1256637319.jpg?ymHeFHCDld6kzD7w
Poor Eli continues to tumble down the list. Giants everywhere are tumbling down all kinds of lists, as we see that maybe their dominant start had something to do with the meatballs on their schedule: Washington, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Oakland to start the season. All the sudden, Eli plays two good defenses, and he has two bad games. Perhaps this is not a coincidence.
9. Tom Brady(notes), New England Patriots
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-194313405-1256637319.jpg?ymHeFHCDkUgvMkcD
Handsome Tom drops two spots in the rankings: One for each interception he threw this week. I'm not going to get too down on the guy, though, as he also threw for 308 yards and three touchdowns. He's had big games in the last two weeks against bad defenses, while struggling a bit earlier in the season against some good defenses. He's sort of the anti-Eli, in that way.
10. Joe Flacco(notes), Baltimore Ravens
http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__17/ept_sports_nfl_experts-508908714-1256639578.jpg?ymaBGHCDcSpufzdg
I kept going back and forth here between Kyle Orton(notes) and Joe Flacco. Orton's doing a fantastic job with the Broncos this year, but here's the question that decided it for me: If I had to pick one guy to take his team the length of the field in 60 seconds, where there's no time for screens, slants, or dump-offs, who would I take? I take Flacco. Orton's doing great in a take-care-of-the-ball, don't-risk-much offense, but I see Flacco as the more dangerous quarterback.

Noses pressed against the glass: Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos; Tony Romo(notes), Dallas Cowboys; Carson Palmer(notes), Cincinnati Bengals; Donovan McNabb(notes), Philadelphia Eagles; Matt Ryan(notes), Atlanta Falcons; Jay Cutler(notes), Chicago Bears
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196 Comments

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  1. Tim V
    1. Posted by Tim V Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:44 am EDT

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    http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/65955372.html
    Good call. I appreciate that you, unlike boomer, put Rodgers in the top ten.
  2. Big Al
    2. Posted by Big Al Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:44 am EDT

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    "All the sudden" is not proper English.
  3. Bob Biv
    3. Posted by Bob Biv Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:51 am EDT

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    Do you even watch Football? I hate the Patriots, but putting Eli ahead of Cindy Brady is simply ridiculous. Dropping him two spots because he had his 3rd and 4th Int of the year? Dude, you get paid to do this.. step it up.
  4. Carlton W
    4. Posted by Carlton W Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:56 am EDT

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    Dallas Comp Att Yds Pct Y/A Sack YdsL TD Int Rating T. Romo 21 29 311 72.4 10.7 2 12 3 0 141.6
  5. leonard.dawsey
    5. Posted by leonard.dawsey Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:07 am EDT

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    Orton should be at least 10
  6. bla bla
    6. Posted by bla bla Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:07 am EDT

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    This is garbage.. Where is Palmer? He should at least be at #10 from last weeks performance...
  7. Matta G
    7. Posted by Matta G Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:11 am EDT

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    MJD you are such a bandwagoner. Last week you didn't even have Schaub in your stupid rankings, despite the fact that he led the league in TD passes and was second in yards. Now all of the sudden, because other media types are paying attention to him, you are too. HACK.
  8. Lolol
    8. Posted by Lolol Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:12 am EDT

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    jeez y not drop brees for every pick he threw...he had 3 and how not the dolphins collapsed the game would be on him. Brady still only has 4 picks on the season which is tied with manning so dropping is rankings for int is just plain stupid. Favre and Manning cost thier team the game yet they are still higher than brady which is ridiculous. ALso why isn;t palmer on the list? His team has a better record than flacco not to mention the ravens had a bye week yet, flacco gets a boost?
  9. Mr
    9. Posted by Mr Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:19 am EDT

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    WHO IN HELL DID THIS SORRY RANKING Peyton Manning #1 are you kidding me.
  10. thomas b
    10. Posted by thomas b Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:19 am EDT

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    How can you leave out Derek Anderson of the browns, He is my Hero.
  11. Matthew
    11. Posted by Matthew Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:20 am EDT

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    Can you honestly lump the Cowboys into the "Meatballs" category with Oakland, KC, Tampa and Washington? Dallas's two losses came against the Giants and Denver (still undefeated), and both games were effectively decieded on the last drive. I'm just sayin'.
  12. Chris1982
    12. Posted by Chris1982 Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:20 am EDT

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    Where is Carson Palmer at? 5 TD's against the Bears. Leading a 4-2 team and coming back into his prime. You would take Joe Flacco over Palmer right now? Crazy. He's getting back into his pre-injury form and can be just as good as the top of the league. BTW Orton has been putting together a pretty good offense. He did throw the ball well against San Diego and put the game away in the second half with his arm.
  13. pak7man
    13. Posted by pak7man Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:22 am EDT

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    This list continues to suck on a weekly basis.... how do you get paid to do this? Absolutely horrible.
  14. tall john
    14. Posted by tall john Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:25 am EDT

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    No Palmer?... This guy's been having a great year so far!..
  15. the head of ted williams
    15. Posted by the head of ted williams Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:28 am EDT

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    #2 big al, It ain't good gramma neither!!
  16. Jay
    16. Posted by Jay Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:30 am EDT

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    Where's JaCrapus? I thought he would be top three?
  17. Z-child
    17. Posted by Z-child Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:32 am EDT

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    yeh MJD is a joke, he knows nothing about sports, he just goes by what someone did for a week or who he likes or dislikes, you could pick a dude off the street that could write better stuff then this guy
  18. Scott M
    18. Posted by Scott M Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:35 am EDT

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    pathetic list...eli and ben should not even be considered...
  19. buff_daddy4life99
    19. Posted by buff_daddy4life99 Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:38 am EDT

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    Aaron Rodgers moved way up because he beat the Browns???? Are you kidding me??? Three of his last four opponents would make JaCrapus Russell look good. Plus he lost to the Vikings. Ouch that has got to hurt. And no Carson Palmer who beat the Packers??????? At this rate I am surprised you don't have Jay Cutler on there.
  20. Dan R
    20. Posted by Dan R Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:59 am EDT

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    This idiot loves Rodgers!!!!!
    #3 give me an f in break
  21. RobertV
    21. Posted by RobertV Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:05 pm EDT

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    Instead of saying something negative about this list, I am going to make a general observation. The league has an amazing number of quarterbacks with ratings at or above the 100 mark. It feels like the talent is really pushing the standard for greatness upward.
  22. R B
    22. Posted by R B Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:11 pm EDT

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    Palmer is a joke and the bungles are going to choke at some point. They always do!
  23. It never counts
    23. Posted by It never counts Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:14 pm EDT

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    Vikings fan much? At least put in an effort to be unbiased.
  24. Scott E
    24. Posted by Scott E Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:16 pm EDT

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    #19 - while I struggle to root for Jason Campbell, who takes half of the shots that Aaron Rodgers takes, and not do one tenth as well, I see the merits of what Rodgers is doing performance-wise by putting the offense on his shoulders. Were you the only one who did not see Rodgers nearly come back against Favre in the hostile Metrodome with NO blocking. He was incredible.
  25. jer.burton
    25. Posted by jer.burton Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:20 pm EDT

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    here is a stunner....Good list except Orton should be 10 palmer 9 Brady 8 Eli and Joe OUT

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