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ESPN Radio had a segment on Saturday morning discussing the NFL's top five quarterbacks under 30 years of age. NFL Draft guru and Baltimore's own Mel Kiper, Jr. along with host Dari Nowkhah ranked their own top five and agreed in order on the top four. However, they disagreed on the fifth best QB under 30 years old, with Kiper pegging Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco for that spot but Nowkhah tabbing Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman.
Both guys top four were in order from #1 to #4, Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger, San Diego Chargers' Philip Rivers and Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan. Personally, I have to disagree with the top spot, as difficult as it it for me being a Ravens fan to state that I would rank the Steelers' Roethlisberger over the Packers' Rodgers. While Rodgers did beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl, Ben still has two rings and three Super Bowl appearances and Rodgers really only has had one or two great seasons in his career. His numbers are good, but all Big Ben seems to do is find a way to win, as ugly as it may seem.
At the same time, I just don't get he Josh Freeman over Joe Flacco justification in any way, shape or form. Freeman is a good young QB, but has done absolutely nothing in his two seasons. The argument to place Flacco ahead of Ryan is legitimate as well, as their statistics are virtually identical other than Joe's four playoff victories versus zero for Ryan.
To me, I place Flacco and Ryan far ahead of the next tier, which includes in my opinion, Freeman, New York Jets' Mark Sanchez, St. Louis Rams' Sam Bradford and Detroit Lions' Matthew Stafford. To rank Flacco out of the top five of this group is ludicrous and unacceptable.