2013 NFL Predictions: Top 5 Quarterbacks – Rodgers, Brady, Manning the NFL’s Best

2013 NFL Predictions: Top 5 Quarterbacks – Rodgers, Brady, Manning the NFL’s Best: While quarterback has been the most important position in football for quite some time, the value of a strong QB has never been higher. With more and more teams using up-tempo, pass-happy offensive systems, a good QB can be the difference between a team being a playoff team and missing out on the postseason. Last season alone, five quarterbacks threw more than 30 touchdowns, six attempted more than 600 passes, 11 QBs topped 4,000 passing yards. The pass-first trend isn’t likely to change any time soon, and with that in mind, here is a closer look at the top signal-callers in the NFL heading into the 2013 season.

1.      Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

In the two years since winning the Super Bowl, Rodgers has added the MVP Award to his resume and helped the Packers win back-to-back NFC North titles. He has also led the NFL in quarterback rating and touchdown percentage in each of the past two seasons while throwing 84 touchdowns compared to just 14 interceptions. Blessed with a cannon for an arm and pinpoint accuracy, Rodgers has established himself as the most efficient QB in the NFL today.

2.      Tom Brady, New England Patriots

The pieces around him change, but Brady makes sure the Patriots are Super Bowl contenders every year. He has averaged more than 5,000 yards per year over the past two seasons, and three years ago, he threw 36 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions. We are talking about a guy that has averaged 4,100 yards and 30 touchdowns per season for his career, and four of his five-best seasons have come in the last four years.

3.      Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

Manning bounced back nicely from a neck injury that sidelined him for the entire 2011 season. Not only did he lead the NFL in completion percentage, but he actually threw for the second-most yards and touchdowns of his illustrious career. Yes, his arm strength has dipped a bit, but he is still a master of pre-snap reads, and he still can dissect just about any defense. More importantly, Manning showed in 2012 that he still has the ability to turn any team into a title contender as he helped the Broncos finish with the best record in the NFL.

4.      Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

In terms of numbers, no quarterback has been as prolific as Brees in recent years. In fact, he has led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns in each of the past two seasons, setting the single-season record for passing yards in 2011. Granted, he does play in a pass-happy offense that inflates his numbers to a degree, but his quick release, decision making and accuracy play a much larger role in his success. He does tend to perform much better indoors than he does on outdoors, but Brees is definitely one of the elite QBs in the NFL today.

5.      Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

A lack of playoff success has to be corrected eventually, but for now, Ryan’s impressive regular season numbers will do. After all, Atlanta has gone 54-24 since drafting Ryan in 2008, and he has improved his quarterback rating and increased his yardage and touchdowns total in each of the past three years. Ryan had by far his best overall season in 2012, completing more than 68 percent of his passes for 4,719 yards and 32 scores. The Falcons have been a perennial playoff team since Ryan has been under center, and at the end of the day, winning games is what matters most of a quarterback.

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