Where does Ben Roethlisberger rank among the elite quarterbacks in the NFL?
As a Steelers fan, it’s hard to be impartial on Roethlisberger’s status among the league’s top-tier quarterbacks. We all bring our own biases into play, so I’ve often wondered if my disgust at Roethlisberger not being included in the Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers (and now) Aaron Rodgers class of the NFL’s best, is rational or influenced by my love of the black and gold.
So when I see a story like the one Jason Cole wrote for Yahoo this weekend, it makes me feel a whole lot better. Apparently, Steelers fans aren’t the only ones wondering if Roethlisberger is being overlooked.
Cole talked to several NFL experts, including a couple of ex-quarterbacks turned analysts. And he spells out several reasons why Roethlisberger is overlooked, led by the fact that he doesn’t put up the fantasy numbers that some other quarterbacks do. The analysts came away thinking that it’s wrong not to include him among the NFL’s elite.
Trent Dilfer explained it best:
“I watched 20 of his games. I took two days and watched him really play, studied what they were trying to do and really came away understanding how great this guy is,” Dilfer said. “I appreciate what he does now. He takes poise to a whole different level. By poise, I mean that we all know what it’s like to stare down a pass rusher and deliver the ball. I get that. But with him, you have a defensive lineman dragging you down and he’s still reading coverage. It’s unreal.”
Roethlisberger may never put up the gaudy yardage numbers of some other quarterbacks, but his yards per attempt have always been among the elite (something Cold, Hard Football Facts has explained consistently).
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