As soon as Todd Collins entered Sunday's NFC Championship Game at quarterback for the Chicago Bears in the third quarter, it was obvious what would happen—and no, I'm not talking about the Packers winning. It became immediately clear Jay Cutler would get trashed by the Bears' faithful fans and any number of media outlets (Chicago outlets in particular) for not trying to tough it out and finish the game.
It's interesting to me because now, even after an MRI revealed Cutler suffered a sprained MCL, the vitriol from the fan-base hasn't subsided as much as I would have thought. Maybe it's pent-up frustrations with the quarterback play in the Windy City finally spewing out, and maybe as football fans we just have unrealistic expectations in regards to playing through injuries.
Either way, I've been saying for the last two years that we've seen enough of Cutler to know that he just doesn't have the make-up of a franchise cornerstone. The dude has a major-league arm, but for whatever reason, he just hasn't put it together.
The Bears aren't alone in their search for the ever-elusive ‘franchise quarterback.' Many teams have spent years hoping to strike gold on a signal-caller. Cutler certainly has the talent, but other things about him—namely reputation and a sense of disconnect when he plays—seem to have gotten in his way. The bottom line is that it takes more than one area of excellence to be considered a franchise-making quarterback.
Another guy I would omit from a list of franchise quarterbacks in the NFL is the Packers' next opponent, Steelers field-general Ben Roethlisberger. Yeah, he became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl in 2006, and yes, he has a chance to add a third world title before his 29th birthday. The problem is last summer's sexual assault allegations (regardless of what came of them). The problem is the off-seasons motorcycle accident over the 2006 offseason that included serious injuries and no helmet.
Big Ben has repeatedly said he's a new man, but it will take more than that for me to believe it. If I was starting a football team, I would take Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Phillip Rivers before Roethlisberger. There is at least a chance that Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford and Josh Freeman could add their names to that list in the next three or four years, though they do not make the cut today.
Here's the big difference between Roethlisberger and a guy like Cutler, though. It scares the daylights out of me to have to go up against Big Ben for one game, with everything on the line.
For all the questions I have about his maturity and decision-making that might keep me from making him my first long-term solution, he has the guts, moxie and play-making ability to make him the most feared single-game opponent in football. Bar none.
He puts ridiculous numbers in the clutch.
This past regular season (12 starts, after being suspended the first four games), Big Ben posted a 110.3 passer rating in the fourth quarter. That number was even better on third down (114.2). In situations when the Steelers were ahead or behind by eight points or fewer, Roethlisberger tossed eight touchdowns, ran for another and only threw one interception.
Those kind of numbers are not unique to 2010. Roethlisberger has 19 come-from-behind wins in 99 career starts (for reference, Peyton Manning has 35 in 210). His career record in the postseason is 10-2, whereas Manning is 9-9.
More than anything, though, Roethlisberger just has an aura about him and a knack for making memorable plays in key moments. The throw he made to Santonio Holmes in Super Bowl XLIII in the final minute had such pinpoint accuracy that it appeared to be a once-in-a-lifetime strike, except that he made a nearly identical throw to beat the Packers in the following regular season. Even when the Ravens jumped out to a 21-7 lead against the Steelers in the AFC Divisional playoffs two weeks ago -- did you really think Big Ben would go down quietly?
Between him and Rodgers, this Super Bowl is almost sure to be decided by two quarterbacks who are masters of improvisation. Aside from Michael Vick, these two might be the most dangerous quarterbacks once a play breaks down. With the way each defenses put pressure on the passer, both will have to continue to have success on the run in order to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 6.
Rodgers is one game away from his first championship and in charge of an organization that looks poised to challenge for more in the yearsahead. Roethlisberger is already there, though, and despite his past personal problems, he is a formidable opponent in Super Bowl XLV.
Where would you rank Big Ben on a list of NFL quarterbacks? E-mail Parker at pjgabriel@dailycardinal.com
