Strackbein Says: Correcting David Carr’s quarterback rankings

After days of the world bagging on David Carr for his miserable quarterback rankings, it’s time to tackle the disrespect that was thrown at Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger.

The only joke I’ll make about David Carr’s quarterback rankings was that it was about as good as his NFL career (okay, I’m done). The NFL Network analyst recently gave his take on the league’s best gun slingers, and somehow, screwed up the whole thing.

From start to finish, this list is as wild as choosing a Fresno State quarterback first overall (last one I promise). The names within the list may not be all that out of place but there are people missing. And the ranks, well, they are pretty far fetched for most NFL fans.

His list reads as followed: 

1. Tom Brady
2. Aaron Rodgers
3. Drew Brees
4. Derek Carr
5. Russell Wilson
6. Matthew Stafford
7. Phillip Rivers
8. Matt Ryan
9. Cam Newton
10. Jimmy Garoppolo

We’ll talk about the looming question of Ben Roethlisberger, first. Missing the top ten isn’t something that’s a shock to people who follow NFL media. Big Ben has been misplaced by analysts for years.

For one reason or another, people don’t want to give him credit in this league. A two-time Super Bowl champ and a man who led his team to a 13-3 record last season isn’t a top ten quarterback? Oh, his 4,251 yards and 28 touchdowns must have been a fluke, then? Wrong.

Roethlisberger is by no means a worse quarterback than Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford or Jimmy Garoppolo. There’s an argument to be made for the remaining seven, but by no means should anyone believe Big Ben isn’t on the level of these three.

The three of them shouldn’t even be on the list, though. The five games Garoppolo played last season were impressive, but you’re willing to award him a top ten quarterback because of them? The man looks good, but if the 49ers start the season 0-5, he’s now .500 in San Fransisco.

There was not even close to enough play to have a real sense of him. He has all the talent and promise you want in a franchise quarterback. San Fransisco should be thrilled to have one of the league’s brightest young passers leading their team. But to say he’s already amongst the best is a very far stretch.

Then, the favoritism towards his brother strikes you. Derek Carr number four? No. He may slip into the bottom of the top ten, but by no means is he the fourth best quarterback in the NFL.

This is what Carr’s top ten should’ve looked like:

1. Aaron Rodgers
   • Aaron Rodgers has outlasted father time to beat out Tom Brady. A few years ago, Brady was the clear choice, and despite not being the league’s top quarterback at 40-years-old, he’s still the greatest to ever play the position. But Rogders can do things no other QB can, and it’s very obvious he’s the league’s best.
2. Tom Brady
   • He may have gotten passed as the league’s best, but Brady can still do it all. Even at his age, he’s winning games single-handedly, and unless his fountain of youth ran out, no one should expect the Patriots to be on the downslide in 2018.
3. Carson Wentz
   • Really? David Carr really didn’t have Carson Wentz in his top ten? The man may not have been on the field to win the Super Bowl, but he did everything this team needed before he went down. I wouldn’t expect anything less than another MVP candidate year from Wentz, even with the ACL injury.
4. Drew Brees
   • Drew Brees is going to break another passing record this season, and by the time he retires, we should just hand him the record book. The man still completes passes no one thinks are possible, and he’s probably the best leader in the NFL. He’s still a top four quarterback, and if it wasn’t for the rise of Wentz, he’d be right there with Brady and Rodgers.
5. Russell Wilson
   • This is the only ranking Carr got correct. Wilson remains a top five quarterback, despite the Seahawks troubles. His offense deteriorates more by the year, but that never stops Wilson from finding ways to win. He’s a do-it-all player who will put his body on the line to win a game. A lot of respect for what he does, and it certainly doesn’t go unnoticed.
6. Ben Roethlisberger
   • Are you kidding me? Big Ben not in the top 10? The man put up another Pro Bowl year in 2017, and Carr still found a way to misplace him. He may be on the backend of his career, but he can still play with the best of them. Without him, Pittsburgh isn’t a Super Bowl favorite. He’s still a top ten QB, and everyone except Carr should know that.
7. Matt Ryan
   • He may not be a Super Bowl contender anymore, but Matt Ryan has always been an elite quarterback. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always transition to wins, but it doesn’t mean you can’t be considered one of the best. His new weapon of Calvin Ridley is going to make him even more dangerous. Number seven can be a little low for Ryan by the end of the season.
8. Cam Newton
   • Cam is still a do-it-all monster on the football field. He’s a prime example of the magic arm strength can bring you in the NFL. He can launch a ball as far as anyone, but never seems to let you forget that he’s just as accurate as the rest of them. He remains a top ten quarterback despite the team’s rebuild since their Super Bowl loss. Last season he led them to a promising 11-5 season, and should do even more this year.
9. Derek Carr
   • This is where Carr comes in. David may be a little bias when talking about his brother, as we all would, but to have him fourth is absurd. Derek has an All-Pro NFL career ahead of him, but right now, he’s still riding the ship behind the legends, waiting his turn. One day, expect Carr to be in the top five, but right now, he’s the bottom half of the top ten with more potential to bring to the field.
10. Phillip Rivers
    • There are few things in football more pretty than watching Phillip Rivers. You feel bad that he’s spent his career on a team with no Super Bowl shot. The man continues to prove he’s one of the best, and with a solid team around him, he probably would’ve made a playoff run or two during his career. Either way, he’s still a top gun slinger and one of the most fear QBs in the AFC.

Next: 30 greatest Steelers in franchise history

Not everyone has the exact same rankings, but this is about as accurate as it gets when talking about the league’s best play callers. I don’t know what Carr was doing, or where he got his reasoning, but his list was pretty out there. But no worries, it just allowed everyone else to give their corrections on a list that was way out there.