Bill Brasky Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 http://www.grantland...l-qb-power-pollIt's a long read (7,000+ words) but it's pretty good. I think Cutler could have been a little higher, but overall his rankings are solid.For those not wanting to read the entire thing, his top ten are1A. Brady1B. Rodgers3. P. Manning4. E. Manning5. Brees6. Roethlisberger7. Ryan8A. Luck8B. Griffin III10. Freemanon Ryan:6. Ben Roethlisberger7. Matt RyanRoethlisberger is Bizarro Matt Ryan — whatever happens in the regular season and no matter how banged up he is, his reputation for coming through in big games will always prevail. (Two rings and one of the greatest throws in Super Bowl history will do that for you.) Meanwhile, Ryan might be the first "Nobody Believes In Me!" QB. He's headed for something like 4,800 yards, 33 TDs, 13 wins and a no. 1 seed. He's made the playoffs in four of his five seasons (counting this one). He has led an astonishing 22 game-winning drives in five seasons, and his pseudo–Hail Mary from his own 1-yard line to Roddy White against Carolina had to be the single best throw of the season. And as Barnwell pointed out two weeks ago, the only real criticism against Ryan (his poor playoff performances) can be flipped with one good postseason.So why are the Giants fans, Packers fans and Niners fans dying to play Atlanta in the playoffs? Why doesn't Ryan strike fear into the hearts of anyone? Why did I have him at no. 9, behind two rookie QBs, before ultimately thinking better of it? I asked Grantland's Rembert Browne, a die-hard Atlanta fan, why outsiders don't believe in Matty Ice yet. His response …"Matt Ryan doesn't strike fear in the hearts of potential playoff opponents because there's no reason to be afraid of him yet. If he wasn't my quarterback and all of my emotions weren't wrapped up in his every football field action, I'd rag on him like big-playoff-game LeBron, pre-2012. Or big Grand Slam–match Andy Murray, pre-2012. Yes, both have long been otherworldly talents, but even non-gamblers would bet on an underwhelming performance when it really counted."(Translation: We're kinda, sorta, maybe behind you, Matt Ryan!)If you read it all the way to the end there is a mention of the 1974 Falcons QB trio of Lee, Sullivan, and McQuilken. It's not a positive one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atljbo Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 I dont disagree.... Until we win a playoff games... Fans and Experts will feel that way... **** even other teams players (The reason why Matt Ryan didnt make the top 100) ....Thats why i laugh that ppl put such importance on this Giants game... Yes i want to win this game... Yes i want to win this game so we can secure Home Field ... But in the grand scheme of things is it that Huge... No... Ppl will still doubt our team until we win in the playoffs.... The Giants will still think "They beat us not but we know what we did to them when it counts" (post season) ... They will hang their hat on that if they have to see us again in the post season.The only thing this W gets us is confidence for our players and a W towards home field.... The respect comes when we win in the playoffs.Ive learned to face that fact.. We can beat the saints or broncos but once we lose a game to the panthers... We are frauds.... It is what it is... Face the situation and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis York Morgan Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Playoffs are all that matter now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Topdrew Bottom Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 (edited) If Ryan and the Falcons can get it done this post season(a SB win) he will jump to 4th or 5th on that list.Freeman was a little high for me on that list, still not sure about him, but other then that it is hard to complain. As good a list and reasoning as you will find. Edited December 15, 2012 by Cam Topdrew Bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Brasky Posted December 15, 2012 Author Share Posted December 15, 2012 Playoffs are all that matter now.For sure, I just thought this was fun read if you have the time. Movie references and football make for an entertaining column.If anyone has the time, I also suggest reading his column on Remember the titans he links to in this article. HIs review is spot on imo about why the movie kinda sucks. http://sports.espn.g...memberthetitans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskokas finest © Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Luck is too high. Great talent, but careless with the ball. Down the road Andrew will certainly be in the discussion.Lol at the description of Matt Ryan as an otherworldly talent. Ryan is a durable, efficient, cerebral QB who plays at a high level much of the time. There is no next gear, waiting to be unlocked by a playoff win. He is what we see - a consistent winner who will need a strong supporting cast to succeed at a higher level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Brasky Posted December 15, 2012 Author Share Posted December 15, 2012 Luck is too high. Great talent, but careless with the ball. Down the road Andrew will certainly be in the discussion.Lol at the description of Matt Ryan as an otherworldly talent. Ryan is a durable, efficient, cerebral QB who plays at a high level much of the time. There is no next gear, waiting to be unlocked by a playoff win. He is what we see - a consistent winner who will need a strong supporting cast to succeed at a higher level.The description of otherworldly talent was given to Lebron and Andy Murray, not Matt Ryan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskokas finest © Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 The description of otherworldly talent was given to Lebron and Andy Murray, not Matt Ryan.By comparison he was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice5303 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 If your a movie buff, this is the article for you, A couple of years back he did an article about the rocky movies, Hilarious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuego Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Simmons is always my favorite read on ESPN.com. I actually was going to post it myself until I saw the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falc_Fan_Since_Six Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 I get so tired of the people who want to lay all of the blame for the playoff failures at Ryan's feet. It's not just Matt. Turner has all but disappeared every time we have been to the playoffs and that was even when he could strike fear in an opposing defense. Also, I bring it up over and over but it bears repeating again, if that idiot Brooking doesn't bite on a play fake on third and forever against Arizona in 2008, I have full confidence Ryan would have driven us down the field for the winning score. Somehow though, with a lot of fans on this board and with a lot of national media... it's always all Matt's fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconofShadows Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 We are frauds.... It is what it is... Face the situation and move on.So now we are frauds...... we lose to 1 bad team so we are frauds. The Patriots lost to the Cardinals so they must be frauds as well The Giants who everyone is scared of have lost to the Eagles and the Bengals so they must be frauds as well. San Fran lost to the Vikings and Tied and lost to the Rams so Frauds they are.Makes sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
octoslash Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Andrew Luck? After week 12 his actual QB rating was #31 in the NFL.That's right...#31.What geniuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuggle'2 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Luck is too high. Great talent, but careless with the ball. Down the road Andrew will certainly be in the discussion.Lol at the description of Matt Ryan as an otherworldly talent. Ryan is a durable, efficient, cerebral QB who plays at a high level much of the time. There is no next gear, waiting to be unlocked by a playoff win. He is what we see - a consistent winner who will need a strong supporting cast to succeed at a higher level.I disagree with the whole next gear thing in part. I think finally winning in the playoffs dramatically reduces the pressure and in turn would make the playoffs just like the regular season for him. That is all it is. Its simply the pressure of the game , if he can play as well in the playoffs as the regular season then its all good. As far as a supporting cast , every QB in the league needs a supporting cast. I don't care who you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rajhae Battle Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 I don't really disagree with his list, but i'm so tired of the "playoffs" as the only thing people can use. Matt lost to 3 sure-fire HOF's , there is no shame in that, Matt's time will come, but he is a great QB just look at this guy's own list well Matt has defeated 4 of them this year with the opportunity to make it 5, I don't mind any critic stating his weaknesses but the playoffs are not one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcons007 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 How many play off wins did Brady,Manning(Eli and Peyton) have when their defense gave up more than 21 points? Its a QB driven League right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trudweathers Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 "• The three QBs for the 1974 Falcons (Bob Lee, Pat Sullivan, Kim McQuilken) finished with 4 touchdown passes, 31 picks, 50 sacks and a collective 27.8 QB rating"^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Anyone remember or miss this kind of action? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butudontseeme™ Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 I disagree with the whole next gear thing in part. I think finally winning in the playoffs dramatically reduces the pressure and in turn would make the playoffs just like the regular season for him. That is all it is. Its simply the pressure of the game , if he can play as well in the playoffs as the regular season then its all good. As far as a supporting cast , every QB in the league needs a supporting cast. I don't care who you are.Yep. And some folks are ignoring the elephant in the room as well. The fact that our defense hasn't been able to "make plays" in the playoffs has hurt this team. When you look at teams who are successful in the playoffs, you almost always see defenses that may not necessarily be ranked highly, but they rush the passer consistently, and create turnovers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falc_Fan_Since_Six Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 So now we are frauds...... we lose to 1 bad team so we are frauds. The Patriots lost to the Cardinals so they must be frauds as well The Giants who everyone is scared of have lost to the Eagles and the Bengals so they must be frauds as well. San Fran lost to the Vikings and Tied and lost to the Rams so Frauds they are.Makes senseAll those teams get mulligans. Don't you know that? The Falcons can't have a bad day or they are frauds....it's ridiculous. This is still an 11-2 football team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuggle'2 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Yep. And some folks are ignoring the elephant in the room as well. The fact that our defense hasn't been able to "make plays" in the playoffs has hurt this team. When you look at teams who are successful in the playoffs, you almost always see defenses that may not necessarily be ranked highly, but they rush the passer consistently, and create turnovers.This goes back to my point that every QB needs a "supporting cast". I mean just look at Drew Brees this year. He might have some crazy azz numbers offensively but their team as a whole sucks. I don't know where people get the idea that a QB of any caliber can win alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butudontseeme™ Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 This goes back to my point that every QB needs a "supporting cast". I mean just look at Drew Brees this year. He might have some crazy azz numbers offensively but their team as a whole sucks. I don't know where people get the idea that a QB of any caliber can win alone.Totally agree. It's a stupid notion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcons007 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 (edited) Here are the play off records of QB when defense gave up 21 points or more in last 7 years. All these QB are great guys but how come they didn't win the game when the defense gave up 3 or more scores.Brady:1-5Peyton manning:1-4Eli Manning:0-3Only Kurt Warner had a winning record even when the defense gave up ton of points. Edited December 15, 2012 by falcons007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconsAboveBoard Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 No. . . .Luck over RGIII?Rodgers over P. Manning or even E. Manning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconsAboveBoard Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 This goes back to my point that every QB needs a "supporting cast". I mean just look at Drew Brees this year. He might have some crazy azz numbers offensively but their team as a whole sucks. I don't know where people get the idea that a QB of any caliber can win alone.T-E-A-M . . . . .which I will never understand this "elite" thing . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcons007 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Defenses win Championships ask Peyton Manning,Tom Brady and Eli Manning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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