Top 5 Quarterbacks in the 2011 NFL Playoffs

The 2011 playoffs are now set. As everyone knows the NFL is a quarterback driven league and good quarterback play is essential to advance in the playoffs. How do this year’s quarterbacks stack up? Here are my top five for this year’s playoffs.

1. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers. Rodgers had an incredible year for the Packers. Even though he sat out the final game, Aaron finished with 4,643 yards passing and 45 TDs while only throwing six interceptions. Rodgers also improved upon his NFL record for QB Rating finishing 2011 at 122.5. The Packers meanwhile finished the season 15-1 and claimed the top spot in the NFC playoffs. Combine this with the fact that Green Bay is the defending Super Bowl champion, and you see why Aaron Rodgers is my top quarterback in this year’s playoffs.

2. Tom Brady – New England Patriots. Brady is a three-time Super Bowl champion and the Patriots (13-3) have the home field advantage in the AFC playoffs. In case these facts alone are not enough to warrant Brady’s inclusion, the Patriots’ signal caller had a very impressive year. Brady surpassed Dan Marino’s passing mark with 5,235 yards passing this year. He also threw 39 touchdown passes and only 12 interceptions.

3. Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints. Brees just completed one of the great seasons in NFL history. Most everyone knows that Brees set a new single season mark with 5,476 yards passing breaking Marino’s record from 1984. However, Brees also set new marks for completions with 468 and completion percentage at 71.6%. New Orleans also set NFL records for offensive yards, team passing, and first downs. Add to this that Brees also has a Super Bowl ring and it is clear that he belongs in the top tier of playoff quarterbacks this year.

4. Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburg Steelers. Roethlisberger does not have the gaudy statistics of Rodgers, Brees and Brady. However, what he does have is two Super Bowl rings and that weighs heavily in his favor. The Steelers (12-4) will have to go on the road to win but they have done that in previous years. While Big Ben is not in the best of health, he is still one of the top quarterbacks in the playoffs this season.

5. Eli Manning – New York Giants. The Giants (9-7) already have a playoff game under their belt as they had to defeat the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night in order to extend their season. Eli Manning is the primary reason why the Giants find themselves in the playoffs. While overshadowed by Brees and Rodgers, Manning had the best statistical season of his career. Eli actually threw for more yards this year than older brother Peyton ever has. He has also been clutch in the fourth quarter this year. These facts, combined with his Super Bowl title, place Eli Manning on this list ahead of relatively unproven quarterbacks such as Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco.


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