I promise I will get off of my football kick after the Pro Bowl. I mean does anyone really pay any attention to anything else this time of year? Well, other than Maria Sharapova, but she doesn’t play until 3:22 am Eastern, trust me, I know.
First off, I know, I was wrong. I had the Chargers-Pats game nailed down to a L.T. (lame?) except the Bolts, like a sophomore on a prom date, choked and couldn’t punch it in past the goal line. And never in my life have I ever overestimated a team (Packers) and quarterback (Eli Manning) so grossly as I had last Sunday. To Manning and the Giants, you’ve proved yourself and paid your dues, even if you lose in February, you’ve earned a nation’s respect. We’ll get to Super Bowl predictions next week though. This week, we are going to analyze and rate all 12 playoff QBs and rate them. It’s kind of like rating a Hooters’ walk off, just less hot.
12. Vince Young (Titans)
Boy, the sophomore and Madden curse all in one year. The Titans were one of the better teams to make it into this year’s postseason, however their drawback was their quarterback. V.Y. failed to take the next step as the franchise QB and had nearly twice as many interceptions (17) as touchdown passes (9). Young’s passes sail as far off course as Columbus’ ships heading for North America. And quite frankly, Vince Vaughn did a better job leading a job in Wedding Crashers than Young did on any drive against San Diego.
11. Jeff Garcia (Buccaneers)
Can Garcia lead a team to nine or 10 regular season victories and get them into the playoffs? Yes. Will he ever lead a team into a conference championship? No. Garcia is to any franchise what Vinny Testaverde was: consistent, good enough not to lose, but not good enough to win. The dude has a Playboy model, retire already.
10. Todd Collins (Redskins)
Admirable job. No quarterback was put in a more pressure filled situation than Todd Collins. In the wake of the Sean Taylor tragedy and the injury to Jason Campbell, Collins came in and played like a Pro Bowl quarterback. Problem was, in the playoffs, you have to play like a Super Bowl quarterback. The future is bright in Washington, but you have to beat the Seahawks first.
9. David Garrard (Jaguars)
Light years ahead of Byron Leftwitch. Coach Jack del Rio made the gutsy call of the year on that one. The problem in Jacksonville is as long as the Jaguars play in the AFC, especially in the AFC South (which reminds me, please explain to me how geographically, Indianapolis plays in this division?) the Jags will always be the first to be second or third best. David Garrard is a smart quarterback, but at 29 and as a first year starter, his chances of developing into a great one are slim.
8. Tony Romo (Cowboys)
Well send me the crap to hell for putting him so low until the guy proves something. He’s proved to us on two occasions now that he cannot handle postseason pressure. Tony Romo has glamorized the fact that when the media puts the squeeze on him, he chokes. He may be the Dan Fouts of the 00s. I link him very much to Joe Namath for being a playboy at his position. The difference between Romo and Namath though is that Namath delivered, and Romo and Terrel Owens just cry together, emooooo.
7. Matt Hasselbeck (Seahawks)
Coach Mike Holmgren put this team on Matt Hasselbeck’s shoulders once the ground game and Shaun Alexander couldn’t function, and he delivered. The quarterback’s version of Mr. Clean, Hasselbeck came through this year with career highs in both touchdowns (28) and yards (3,966). He’s been a reliable source of consistency for the Seahawks for years. However, with an aging Alexander and Holmgren unsure of his future, Hasselbeck’s chances for a ring may have been blown clear out of the stormy skies of Seattle.
6. Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Having already won a title, Big Ben could coast the rest of his days in Pittsburgh and fans would still have him immortalized. His 5-2 postseason record is impressive for a QB as young as Roethlisberger. His two losses, though, have been two of the ugliest games of his career. Excusing the 2004 season AFC Championship game against New England, his first half performance against the Jags this past January was dreadful. However in the blink of an eye, Roethlisberger erased an 18-point fourth quarter deficit. He may have had an off game, but only one other quarterback could score that quickly to win in the playoffs, and his name is Mr. Gisele … er, Brady.
5. Brett Favre (Packers)
The dream matchup was set. That’s the way the Packers took it. Super Bowl XLII Green Bay Packers vs. New England Patriots. Looks like the Pack already had their bags packed. Brett Favre is either the best quarterback you’ve ever seen, or the dumbest and luckiest simultaneously. Corey Webster’s overtime interception of Favre shouldn’t have happened, but then again Fergie should’ve never been allowed a recording contract, but we’ve all seen the tragic end of both of these messes.
4. Philip Rivers (Chargers)
This kid has guts, plain and simple. Hate him all you want for being a brash, trash-talking QB, but you try almost leading to team your victory DAYS after having knee surgery. Philip Rivers impressed me this postseason by putting his team on his back after LaDainian Tomlinson was either ineffective (21 rushes for 42 yards against the Titans) or out of the game (two series, 2 rushes for 5 yards, 1 catch for 1 yard against the Patriots). Rivers and San Diego will win a Super Bowl, it’s only a matter of time.
3. Peyton Manning
An off year or playoffs for Peyton Manning is still better than most of the league. He didn’t have the supporting cast this year, yet still almost managed to lead his team past the upstart Chargers.
2. Tom Brady
Tom Brady is granted clemency on account of his three previous Super Bowl titles. But if he plays the way he did against the Chargers in the Super Bowl, mark my words that the Giants will not allow the Patriots not pay for their mistakes.
1. Eli Manning
Eli Manning gets the top billing spot this year because he has played mistake-free football through three weeks. Manning hasn’t had mind blowing numbers, but he has yet to put the Giants in a position where they will lose the game on his account. Brady’s three interceptions last week nearly cost the Patriots their perfect season. Manning’s flawless play has New York on the verge of a Super Bowl title.
Top five things that annoy me in sports this week:
5. Joe Buck
I cannot listen to him without thinking “slam-a-lamma ding dong!!!”
4. LaDainian Tomlinsin
I’m not one to speculate on injuries, but when you are in the game of your career, you are your teams’ biggest supporter. You don’t mope on the sideline for four quarters while your quarterback who just had surgery limps down the field trying to lead your team to victory.
3. Fox Broadcasting
Is there anything more painful than watching Howie Long, Terry Bradshaw and Jimmy Johnson (still one of the funniest names in sports) hold a conversation that actually stimulates you. Johnson’s water test in Green Bay stands by one of the dumbest coverage moments of the new millennium.
2. Randy Moss
Biggest non-factor this postseason. I think my girlfriend’s cat has more catches during these playoffs, and her name is Tinkerbell.
1. NBA
Aside from the Celtics, does anyone care about any team this year?