Mikey wrote:He's got his faults. Too small for one thing, and he has games where he can't seem to get it done. But really, you can't argue with the stats. He has the third highest rating in the league right now. He does have great players around him in LT and Gates, and an outstanding OL, but the WRs have been inconsistent at best.
I'm not saying, and never have said, that he's the best in the league, but I do think he belongs in the top 5 right now.
This is where the wheels come off a bit, Mikey. On one hand, you admit he has faults and games where he can't seem to get things done ... and then you place him in the top five based on stats.
Stats can support an argument; however, they shouldn't be the primary basis for one. That's where FFL has contributed to an overall jading of our discussions.
If you want to base your thought process on quarterback rating then, yes, Brees is a top-five quarterback, but stats only make you look good on paper ... and for all its luster, QB rating is an overhyped stat that has lost a great deal of its relevance in today's game.
While you can say you'd only swap Brees out for two players on that list, I think you're extremely short-sighted in your opinon.
There are players on that list without the faults Brees carries and, while hypothetical, I could make a strong case that many (if not most) would surpass his accomplishments in a similar situation.
Given time to operate, a strong running game and a beast at tight end, you simply can't leave players off the list who have put up those kinds of numbers for years in less-desirable situations.
That said, whether you win or lose this type of argument, you still have the situation ... and you still have a quarterback that has, for the most part, played mistake-free ball.
If he's able to get it done and lead you to a Super Bowl, who the hell cares what he's ranked?
Honestly, this argument is happening several years too early. Let's see a few more peaks and valleys before we decide where Brees fits on the QB food chain.
