Aaron Rodgers (by Nathan Manickavasagam)

After watching Aaron Rodgers, all I can say is "wow." He made some ridiculous throws and he was almost always right on the money. He can throw it short, deep, or to the sidelines. He consistently puts his receivers in a position to make a play, but he does it in such an odd way. He and Jay Cutler are similar in this regard.

They both have some weird motions and they tend to throw off-balance, but somehow they have figured out how to make it work. I am not saying that Rodgers's mechanics are as bad as Cutler’s, but they are definitely not perfect (not that it really matters, the dude is insanely talented). Although I have not finished watching every quarterback yet (NFC South and West to go), Rodgers will likely be my No.2 ranked quarterback.

The reason I have Peyton Manning ahead of Rodgers is because Manning is just a tad more consistent. Having said that, they are both top-tier quarterbacks and the difference in play is marginal. You can argue for days about how one is better than the other, but the fact is they are both great, and you can make a case for both being the best quarterback in the league at the moment.

Above is a collection of four games; two from the beginning of Rodger’s games (vs. SF, Washington) and two near the end (vs. Minnesota, Chicago). (107/130; 82.31% accuracy)

Above is a collection of the four middle games of Stafford’s games (vs Cincinnati, Detroit, Baltimore, Cleveland). (97/135; 71.85% accuracy)

(Total: 204/265; 77%)

Although it is not exactly apparent, Rodgers was money on the sidelines. He places the ball so well, effectively putting where only the receiver can get it. The games I watched were filled with countless tip-toe catches. All in all, it was a fun watch. I was constantly impressed by the throws he was making. Probably the biggest thing that Rodgers could improve on is decision making.

Like most quarterbacks, he makes some bad throws that are clearly forced. Looking back, he probably realizes that he should have made a different play, but in the moment it looks like he was trying to do too much. The talent around Rodgers has been inconsistent so it is reasonable that he felt he had to make something happen.

I will show a GIF of this, but it is not a huge issue, everyone makes bad decisions sometimes, even the best. The other thing Rodgers could work on is not making so many off-base throws. Most of the time it works out, and I can not explain why. The times where it does not work are pretty few but it is still something he can work on.

Here we have got an example of a bad decision. Like everyone else does, Rodgers made a bad decision. Throwing his receiver into double coverage, and it was not even a good throw at that. The thing that separates Rodgers from the others who make this throw, is that he does not do it nearly as often.

He is very safe with the ball and he rarely puts his throws in dangerous areas unless he feels he can complete them. Like I said, this particular throw is bad, but it is not too much of an issue for him. On to the next.

In this play, Rodgers is pressured early, but manages to avoid it. He gets the throw off, but from a completely off-base position. A lot of the time, he gets away with it, but in this case it is an incomplete. I showcased this particular play because I want people to understand that he does have his bad moments.

Yes, there was pressure, but you can not convince me that this was not a completable pass. Rodgers does not make bad throws often, but they happen, just like every other quarterback. His bad throws are just much less common.

And here is the good. There is a lot of good when it comes to Rodgers. I can tell you he has great arm strength, good mobility, great accuracy, good pocket presence, good vision, etc., but most of you already know that.

He is a top-tier quarterback, so I do not need to showcase him doing all the little things right, so I decided to show off one of his sideline money-passes. You can see that it’s a good pass, but the replay has a better view below.

I kept going “wow” when watching Rodgers. Throw after throw, completion after completion. He makes quarterbacking look easy, and is clearly in that top tier of quarterbacks only matched by Manning (not including NFCS or NFCW). He makes all of the throws, and does it consistently.

He does not need a great team around him to lead the Packers to another Super Bowl. The thing is, the Packers have a decent team, and, in my opinion, made some really good moves this offseason. Right now, the Packers are probably my favorites to win this highly competitive division.

Jay Cutler (by Derrik Klassen)

Cutler’s 2013 campaign was cut short, but do not let that detract from how well he played. When healthy, Cutler was a top notch quarterback with absurd play making ability. He had a handful of ugly throws and decisions, but Cutler is a prime example of “taking the good with the bad.” Cutler’s “good” side is one of the most fascinating players in the league. He can string together a handful of throws that only he and a select few others can complete. Granted, it does not hurt to have arguably the best supporting cast in the NFL, but that too should not detract from Cutler’s own talent and performance.

Above is a collection of four games from the middle part of Cutler’s 2013 season (vs Detroit, New Orleans, NYG, Detroit). (112/156; 71.8%)

Above is a collection of four games from the beginning/end of Cutler’s season (vs Cincinnati, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Green Bay). (80/103; 77.7%)

(Total: 192/259; 74.1%)

Cutler’s footwork was vastly improved in 2013 as compared to previous years, but that was no strike of luck. Marc Trestman, who’s first year as Chicago’s head coach was 2013, is a quarterback mastermind and he instilled much better footwork in Cutler. As a product of Trestman’s work (in just one offseason, mind you), Cutler’s drop backs were cleaner and he more often set his feet correctly when setting up to throw. That said, Cutler still has a few faulty habits.

At the end of his drops, Cutler often gets flat-footed. If the defense happens to not generate pressure, then being flat-footed is not much of a problem in regards to getting yourself sacked. Although, if the defense is able to collapse the pocket, Cutler’s flat feet make it tough for him to quickly move from his spot and reset. Even if pressure is not there, being flat-footed slows the quarterback down after his first progressions because his feet have to move with the reads. Cutler’s footwork has certainly improved, but he still has some work to do.

Although Cutler’s tendency to get flat-footed should get him in trouble often, it does not. Now, that is not because the defense so happens to fail to generate pressure every time he gets flat-footed. Instead, it is a testament to Cutler’s sixth sense for defenders around him. It is almost as if he knows that the rusher is there before he actually is. Likewise, Cutler is a quick thinker that has the arm talent to throw from odd platforms, such as flat feet. Below, Cutler sees interior pressure, quickly looks to his second read, and completes a short pass for a first down, all while having his feet locked flat on the field.

On a tangent to Cutler’s sixth sense for pressure, he handles pressure wonderfully as well. Defenders do not shake Cutler one bit. He has no problem recognizing pressure but still keeping his eyes down field in search of a receiver. If a defender happens to get near Cutler, he does a surprisingly impressive job of keeping himself clean and escaping trouble. If need be, Cutler then moves away, resets, and fires downfield as if the pocket had never been broken. Among the likes of Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning, Cutler arguably has the best pocket presence in the league.

Along with one of the best pocket presences, Cutler has what may be the best arm in the NFL. Cutler can launch the ball 40-plus yards down the field and still hit his receiver in stride with ease. As touched on earlier, it can also make up for poor mechanics because the sheer arm strength makes up for the loss of power through improper form. Similarly, his striking arm allows him to fit the ball into tight windows, even 30-plus yards down the field. Below, Cutler threads the needle on a 30 yard pass over the middle to Brandon Marshall.

That said, Cutler likes to get too confident in his arm at times and it does not always turn out well. Sometimes, Cutler is able to squeeze the ball into the window. Other times, Cutler is bailed out by one of his two marvelous receivers. Although, more often than not, it leads to a mistake. Now, this over-confidence seemed to be less of an issue under Trestman, but nonetheless, it is a lingering issue that lead to a number of Cutler’s interceptions.

Some love the big playmaker in Cutler, while others only see the shaky decision maker. Prior to Trestman, Cutler was closer to the player in the latter claim. Under Trestman, Cutler has gravitated to being the player from the former claim. On top of being a stunning playmaker, Cutler has become much more mechanically consistent, mainly in his footwork. Although, Trestman’s work is not finished. With another full offseason to work with Cutler, expect Cutler to propel himself into the top ten quarterback discussion, especially considering the weapons he will have at his disposal.

Matthew Stafford (by Nathan Manickavasagam)

Matt Stafford is as good as any when he is on, but the problem is he has not been able to keep that “switch” on. He has gotten better since coming into the league, but he still has a little bit to go before he solidifies himself as a top quarterback. He is pretty much exactly what I thought he would be: an inconsistent quarterback with a big arm who makes a lot of really good throws mixed in with some really, really bad ones. He has always shown the good, he has just been working to reduce the bad.

As far as improvement, I believe he has gotten better, but he has still got some work to do. Having Calvin Johnson definitely makes him look better, but the argument that Calvin Johnson makes Stafford is wrong, it is a mutually beneficial relationship. While his placement was not great, Stafford did deal with a lot of drops, so it makes sense that they went after Golden Tate in the offseason. 

Above is a collection of four games; two from the beginning of Stafford’s games (vs. Cleveland, Cincinatti) and two near the end (vs. Dallas, Chicago). (122/163; 74.85% accuracy)

Above is a collection of the four middle games of Stafford’s games (vs Minnesota, Chicago, Baltimore, Minnesota ). (104/139; 74.82% accuracy)

(Total: 226/302; 74.8%)

Looking at the charts above, you can tell that Stafford was pretty consistent all over the field. He did notseem to have one area that he struggled with. On the flip side, there was not an area of the field where I thought he excelled. From what I watched, Stafford’s main problem was handling pressure. He doesn’t have very good pocket presence, and when he gets pressured, his mechanics get really sloppy. There a million plays I could have pulled exhibiting this, but here are just a few.

Here, Stafford is only feeling a little bit of pressure, and feels hesitant on a throw. The problem is not the hesitation (Trust me, he will throw into anything), it is the fact that he does not reset well. He loses his form, and stays that way for the throw that he actually lets go of. Obviously it is a completion on this play, so I can not be too harsh, but on many other plays, it was an incompletion or an interception, which obviously warrants criticism. He needs to get better at keeping his composure and resetting his body when he’s pushed out of position.

On this play, Stafford feels pressure coming fast from his right side. He has a target who is very open with a few yards between him and the defenders. I do notknow why he does not just step into this throw for an easy completion, but he does not, and he fades back for an incompletion. This is what I was referring earlier. As long as it works, who cares how he gets it done? It only matters when it is not working, and that is what Stafford has got to work on.

With all that said, he is still a solid quarterback and one I would love to have on my team. He is still relatively young so he can still improve. Here is an example of a better throw from him.

One of Stafford’s best throws is the fade to the corner of the end zone.  The Lions love this play, and I can see why. Stafford throws it very well, and Joseph Fauria (shown in the GIF) and Calvin Johnson love 1 on 1 matchups that allow them to go up and get it. It was a very successful play in the games I watched. On this specific occasion, Stafford throws a beauty right where only Fauria can get it, and of course, Fauria gets it. It may be a tad gimmicky, but it works, and like I said earlier, if it works, it does not matter how it gets done.

I would say I am a pretty big fan of Stafford compared to most. He is a good quarterback with a few kinks to work out. In the past, quarterbacks have struggled to just “learn” pocket presence, so I am not sure he will get much better in that regard. Despite that, I am confident that Stafford has enough good in him to lead a team to the Super Bowl. As we come down to the final quarterbacks, I have realized there is somewhat of a “line” that you have to cross to be able to compete for a Super Bowl, quarterback-wise, and Stafford is definitely above that threshold. That is not saying he will win a Super Bowl, but I definitely think he has it in him. Detroit made some upgrades that I think will help him next year, so look for him to have another good year (talent-wise, maybe stat-wise).

Christian Ponder (by Derrik Klassen)

In 2011, the Minnesota Vikings spent the 12th overall pick on Ponder. Tragically enough, Ponder never lived up to being a first round selection and his 2013 season, at least the nine games that he played in, was another testament to his inability as a starting quarterback. Some point to the fact that he is only 26 years of age and may still develop, but he evokes being “maxed out” as a passer.

Then again, that is not entirely negative. Ponder is still capable of being a top notch backup quarterback and spot starter, but starting him in hopes of improvement is a disgusting miscast that will end in a mediocre season. 2013 was what will likely be Ponder’s last season being forced into a starting role for an extended period of time.

Above is a collection of four games from the middle of Ponder’s 2013 games (vs Cleveland, Green Bay, Dallas, Washington) (87/117; 74.4%)

Above is a collection of four games from the beginning/end of Ponder’s 2013 games (vs. Detroit, Chicago, Seattle, Green Bay) (72/98; 73.5%)

(Total: 159/215; 74%)

More so than anything else, Ponder’s arm is what holds him back from being a starting caliber NFL quarterback. Generally, the low velocity makes Ponder’s job much tougher because he can not fit tight passing windows, but at the same time, he does not have the anticipation to make up for his lack of arm strength. When throwing more than roughly 20 yards downfield, Ponder’s mechanics are thrown out the window in exchange for an ugly motion that, in theory, helps him sustain velocity for a longer period of time. The problem with that is that not only does he still underwhelm with velocity, but due to the lack of proper form, his ball placement is horrendous.

Likely a product of his already poor arm strength, there is a noticeable struggle when Ponder is forced to change his release point. Of course, this is not an every-down issue, but when lineman are in the way of his passing lane, Ponder is much less accurate when changing (often widening) his release point. This is because it is more difficult to generate velocity when throwing from an unfamiliar arm slot, which is even more problematic when your arm is subpar as is.

Continuing on about Ponder’s arm strength, his lack of ability to be accurate more than 20 yards down the field puts major restrictions on the offense. In the eight games charted, only 10 of Ponder’s 29 throws past 20 yards were dubbed as “accurate” (33.5%). Of those 19 “inaccuracies,” three of them were interceptions. Without the ability to throw down the field, the offensive structure is forced to be more conservative. With Ponder at the helm, screens, bubbles, and short dump-offs were the bulk of Ponder’s throws because, well, they had to be.

Despite his arm strength being a major problem that is the root to a handful of other deficiencies, Ponder has his fair share of areas of strength. Ponder’s pocket presence is surprisingly impressive. It is not on the level of, let’s say, Jay Cutler or Philip Rivers, but Ponder has shown poise when the pocket begins to collapse. If the pocket closes around him, Ponder stands in the pocket and does his best to deliver a throw. Reversely, if Ponder is flushed out of the pocket, he keeps his eyes up in search of a receiving option.

On a tangent to being flushed out of the pocket, Ponder is a wonderful athlete. His speed and short burst can allow him to turn an unsuspected quarterback draw into an easy six points. If he does not see an open receiver, Ponder can take off into open field and pick up a first down all by himself. Athletically, he is arguably more impressive than Andrew Luck, who is also a wonderful athlete.

It really should not be as simple as having a poor arm, but in Ponder’s case, his arm alone almost makes him unserviceable as a starter. The lack of strength alone is problematic, let alone all the tangented struggles and restrictions that it brings. It truly is a shame that his arm is such a detrimental flaw because aside from that, he is a solid quarterback. His pocket presence and athleticism are wonderful, but without the arm to make the all necessary throws, his other skills are near obsolete. Ponder should no longer be considered a starting quarterback, mostly because it is unlikely that he ever gets much better than he is. That being said, he is smart and poised enough to be a very capable backup quarterback.