Through five weeks of the 2015 NFL campaign, several quarterbacks have shined and some have staged remarkable fourth quarter comebacks to propel their team to victory. Here's a list of my top five quarterbacks heading into Week 6:
1. Aaron Rodgers
As the face of the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers is hungrier than ever after his team fell short to the Seattle Seahawks in last year's NFC Championship game. Backing-up legendary quarterback Brett Favre for his first three years was probably the best scenario for Rodgers' development.
Rodgers began his duties as the starting quarterback in 2008 and learning from Favre really paid off. The 31-year-old star has a Super Bowl victory under his belt from 2010 where he was named MVP. Another thing that Rodgers does to separate himself form most quarterbacks is his high-IQ of the game and having very low turnover numbers. Rodgers was named NFL MVP in 2011 and 2014, and he's one of the early front-runners to win the award in 2015, as he's already thrown 1,236 passing yards on 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Look for Rodgers and the Packers to be serious contenders once again this year even without their top wide receiver Jordy Nelson.
2. Tom Brady
Even with all the controversy surrounding him in regards to last season's deflate gate, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks to have ever stepped on to a football field. At 38, Brady has won four Super Bowls and brought his team to six. He and Hall of Famer Joe Montana are the only two players in NFL history to win Super Bowl MVP and NFL MVP multiple times. His emotion and passion for the game are two traits that one must admire as he always leaves it all out on the field.
Brady also became the first player to throw for at least 50 touchdown passes in a single season. In addition to his six Super Bowl appearances, Brady and his Head Coach, Bill Belichick have won 21 career postseason games, which is the most for any quarterback-head coach duo in NFL history. Brady is another candidate in the early conversations for MVP as he's played lights out so far, throwing 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions.
3. Ben Roethlisberger
Big Ben is just another guy who's knows how to win games, even ugly ones. Roethlisberger is one of the biggest quarterbacks in the league and defenses have always feared him. Each year, Roethlisberger has only gotten better playing in his 12th season. He has already played in three Super Bowls, winning two. In addition, he became the youngest quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl at the age of 23.
In 2014, Big Ben had a career-high 103.3 passer rating a threw for nearly 5,000 yards. However, injuries and off-the-field issues have been an Achilles heel for Roethlisberger. The Pittsburgh Steelers hope he can return within the next week or two after spraining his medial collateral ligament in his left knee back in week 3.
4. Andrew Luck
Entering his fourth season in the NFL, Luck has brought the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. After Peyton Manning signed with the Denver Broncos, Luck has had big shoes to fill in. Whenever Luck is operating the offense efficiently on the field, the Colts can beat any team in the league. He's had monster numbers up to this point and threw a league-high 40 touchdowns in 2014. Although Luck has thrown so many touchdowns, he also has one of the league's worst turnover numbers so far in his career, which is why I cannot rank him any higher.
Luck is only 26, so he has time to cut down on his interceptions, which is probably what kept the Colts from contending with the Patriots in last year's AFC Championship game. The Colts expect him to return this week when they host the Patriots in a classic showdown on Sunday Night Football.
5. Drew Brees
Although the Saints are struggling, Brees still has the arm of a gunslinger at 36-years-old. He may have lost his top target in tight end Jimmy Graham, but Brees still knows how to toss the pigskin and win ball games. I'm still not entirely sold on the Falcons and Panthers yet. Although both teams have looked sharp, Brees has enough left in the tank to lift the Saints atop the NFC South. Through six games, Brees already has 1,616 passing yards, which is impressive for a team that's 2-4 and hasn't found their main go-to-guy on offense. The Saints are 1-2 in their division with tough losses to the Buccaneers and Falcons, but there is a lot of season left to be played. Handing the Falcons there first loss of the season was just a small step in the right direction for Brees and the Saints. Brees has a solid career resume with one Super Bowl MVP when the Saints edged out Peyton Manning and the Colts in Super Bowl XXXXIV and he's the All-time leader in completion percentage.
Honorable mentions include: Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan, Russell Wilson, Peyton Manning, and Eli Manning.
