Machota: Top 10 QB ranking - How many will have a better year than Tony Romo in 2015?

Top 10 QB ranking: How many will have a better year than Tony Romo in 2015?

Jon Machota

I’ve done several quarterback rankings over the past year, so I decided to switch it up and have a little fun with this one. This top 10 is in order of who I think will perform the best over 16 games in 2015.

Tony Romo had himself a top five season in 2014. Will he do the same, take a step back or be even better this year?

Here’s my list.

1.) Aaron Rodgers. Even when he wasn’t healthy down the stretch, Rodgers was still playing as well as any QB in the league in 2014. Throwing 38 touchdowns to only five interceptions is definitely worthy of the MVP honor he received. And he’s in his prime.

2.) Andrew Luck. The 25-year-old has significantly improved each season and appears to be the NFL’s next Peyton Manning. He led the league last year with 40 touchdown passes and was third in yards (4,761). And we still haven’t even seen his best football.

3.) Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben is arguably the most underrated quarterback in the league. The two-time Super Bowl champ had a great year in 2014, completing 67 percent of his passes for a career-high 4,952 yards. Having Antonio Brown obviously helps.

4.) Peyton Manning. Even at 39 he’s still capable of putting up huge numbers. Last season, Manning threw for 4,727 yards and 39 touchdowns. He also set a new NFL record for career touchdown passes with 530. A happy Demaryius Thomas should help those stats be elite again in 2015.

5.) Tony Romo. Romo had his best season in 2014. He was very accurate, posting a league-high 113.2 passer rating. His yards were down but that had a lot to do with a dedication to DeMarco Murray and the running game. Without Murray, Romo will likely go to the air more often in 2015, and that could lead to a career-year for Dez Bryant.

6.) Drew Brees. A little low for Brees, who tied for the league-lead in passing yards last year. However, I think the Saints will lean more on the run and Brees’ numbers will dip a bit without Jimmy Graham. With that said, he’s still capable of putting up huge passing stats.

7.) Philip Rivers. For nine consecutive seasons he has been one of the most consistent QBs in the game. Most years you can pencil Rivers in for at least 4,000 yards, 30 touchdowns and a 65 percent completion percentage. I expect the same in 2015.

8.) Eli Manning. After a disastrous 2013 season that included a league-high 27 interceptions, Manning bounced back. He threw for over 4,400 yards with 30 touchdowns while cutting his INT total in half. It’s safe to say Odell Beckham Jr. gives Manning some extra confidence.

9.) Russell Wilson. With the addition of Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham, Wilson has a chance to have his best overall season. He set career-highs last year with 849 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns and 3,475 passing yards.

10.) Matthew Stafford. Entering his second season with Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator, Stafford’s stats should get closer to where they were when Scott Linehan was running Detroit’s offense. I’m thinking something like 4,500 yards and 30 TD passes. But more throws could also lead to higher interception numbers. He had only 12 INTs last year.

I admit, I have been as harsh on Romo as any. In my eyes, he's a lot like Danny White. Not good enough.

But like White, if the team building around him were a touch smarter, he could have done it.

Romo showed me last year, that if he is not asked to carry the O, he can win games.

That has been the biggest issue since he took over from Bledsoe.

We kinda had it right with the running game in his early years, but we got away from it. The Felix Jones bust did not help.

Nor did the Roy Williams trade.

I just think it is a little sad he didn't get the chance Elway got.

The running game has to be productive and I don't think he was done any favors.

Last season was a golden opportunity for him. He stands a chance if we can produce more QB
pressure, I think the running game will be adequate to support a strong passing game.

boozeman said:

I admit, I have been as harsh on Romo as any. In my eyes, he's a lot like Danny White. Not good enough.

But like White, if the team building around him were a touch smarter, he could have done it.

Romo showed me last year, that if he is not asked to carry the O, he can win games.

That has been the biggest issue since he took over from Bledsoe.

We kinda had it right with the running game in his early years, but we got away from it. The Felix Jones bust did not help.

Nor did the Roy Williams trade.

I just think it is a little sad he didn't get the chance Elway got.

The running game has to be productive and I don't think he was done any favors.

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The lack of pass blocking until recent years just about killed him, as well.

Iamtdg said:

The lack of pass blocking until recent years just about killed him, as well.

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While that is true, the game plans were as much responsible for Romo not getting much protection as well. Everyone knew he was the primary point of most plays either because of the play caller at the time or the option Romo had to check off and do his own thing. The level of OL player quality wasn't as good but that could have been mitigated some if the running game was utilized more.

Iamtdg said:

The lack of pass blocking until recent years just about killed him, as well.

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And that is not his fault.

He got big time yips and that is because of what I have said all along.

He is a little Cinderella kid that hit it big. But he was not ready to be another Brady.

How many fricking years did we hear about him being that and the even more retarded "Romo-friendly" mantra?

Now his career is winding down, I can appreciate him a little more.

And realize how that short span with Power Jerry and Garrett too, wore him down.

L.T. Fan said:

While that is true, the game plans were as much responsible for Romo not getting much protection as well. Everyone knew he was the primary point of most plays either because of the play caller at the time or the option Romo had to check off and do his own thing. The level of OL player quality wasn't as good but that could have been mitigated some if the running game was utilized more.

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Sure, the play calling had something to do with it, but he ran for his life even when the pass wasn't imminent for many years.

boozeman said:

And that is not his fault.

He got big time yips and that is because of what I have said all along.

He is a little Cinderella kid that hit it big. But he was not ready to be another Brady.

How many fricking years did we hear about him being that and the even more retarded "Romo-friendly" mantra?

Now his career is winding down, I can appreciate him a little more.

And realize how that short span with Power Jerry and Garrett too, wore him down.

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Not saying it was his fault. And, he got big time yips because he was constantly running and getting pummeled. I would get the yips, too.

Iamtdg said:

Not saying it was his fault. And, he got big time yips because he was constantly running and getting pummeled. I would get the yips, too.

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Actually I think Romo was a courageous QB because he would try to tmake a play work at the risk of his own safety. In the last couple of years he has become a better QB simply because he now realizes it's smarter to shut down rather than risk injury or turn over. Some criticized him for going to the
survival curl but he is still playing because of it. He is now a mature QB.

boozeman said:

I admit, I have been as harsh on Romo as any. In my eyes, he's a lot like Danny White. Not good enough.

But like White, if the team building around him were a touch smarter, he could have done it.

Romo showed me last year, that if he is not asked to carry the O, he can win games.

That has been the biggest issue since he took over from Bledsoe.

We kinda had it right with the running game in his early years, but we got away from it. The Felix Jones bust did not help.

Nor did the Roy Williams trade.

I just think it is a little sad he didn't get the chance Elway got.

The running game has to be productive and I don't think he was done any favors.

Click to expand...

blame jerruh and the hiring of wade Phillips.

So after 2010, if Jerry had fired everyone and begged Jim Harbaugh to come to Dallas for all the money in the world, don't you think Romo would have a SB by now?

Romo's YPA was insane every year the team committed to running the ball.

townsend said:

So after 2010, if Jerry had fired everyone and begged Jim Harbaugh to come to Dallas for all the money in the world, don't you think Romo would have a SB by now?

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Harbaugh is a hard bastard to read, Miami's owner basically did that and Harbaugh didn't sign up.

townsend said:

So after 2010, if Jerry had fired everyone and begged Jim Harbaugh to come to Dallas for all the money in the world, don't you think Romo would have a SB by now?

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Yes.

L.T. Fan said:

While that is true, the game plans were as much responsible for Romo not getting much protection as well. Everyone knew he was the primary point of most plays either because of the play caller at the time or the option Romo had to check off and do his own thing. The level of OL player quality wasn't as good but that could have been mitigated some if the running game was utilized more.

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Absolutely true.

Genghis Khan said:

Absolutely true.

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Damned true. Honestly we didn't need Harbaugh, anyone with a clue would have been fine. Gary Kubiak would have been a more successful HC with Romo than Garrett from 2011-2013 and he's the definition of mediocre.

townsend said:

So after 2010, if Jerry had fired everyone and begged Jim Harbaugh to come to Dallas for all the money in the world, don't you think Romo would have a SB by now?

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Hairball inherited a team loaded with young talent and didn't win a Superbowl despite being set up perfectly three years in a row. Had the lights not gone out, he'd have been blown out in the one Superbowl he played in.

His act wears thin at the professional level and he belongs in college where he's got guys for just three to five years.

ravidubey said:

Hairball inherited a team loaded with young talent and didn't win a Superbowl despite being set up perfectly three years in a row. Had the lights not gone out, he'd have been blown out in the one Superbowl he played in.

His act wears thin at the professional level and he belongs in college where he's got guys for just three to five years.

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He inherited a team that had been a joke for over a decade and took it to 3 consecutive NFC championships, now that he's gone it's a sure bet they'll be a joke again. Considering what he did for Alex Smith/Kaepernick, Romo might have gone three years without throwing an interception.

townsend said:

He inherited a team that had been a joke for over a decade and took it to 3 consecutive NFC championships, now that he's gone it's a sure bet they'll be a joke again. Considering what he did for Alex Smith/Kaepernick, Romo might have gone three years without throwing an interception.

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I can't say how Harbaugh would have done in Dallas but he apparently has a problem dealing with ownership and management. I think he would have clashed big time in Dallas with the Jones.

ravidubey said:

Hairball inherited a team loaded with young talent and didn't win a Superbowl despite being set up perfectly three years in a row. Had the lights not gone out, he'd have been blown out in the one Superbowl he played in.

His act wears thin at the professional level and he belongs in college where he's got guys for just three to five years.

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I don't think Smith or Kaepernick are anywhere near as good as Romo and no matter how much talent you have on the rest of the team, SF was well short of good enough at the most important position on the field.