This article consists of starting NFL Quarterbacks that I feel just don't get the credit they deserve for whatever reason. I base my opinion on several different factors, maybe they just don't have a good enough team around them to go far or the coaching doesn't work well with their style? The QBs on this list are the ones I feel play good football, are consistent, and do the best with the situation their in. This article is purely my opinion and journalistic point of view. I'm not really counting rookies or first year QBs due to not having long enough to prove whether their over or underrated or just haven't had time to develop fully yet. I enjoy all feedback, whether its good or bad.
Honorable Mentions:
Andy Dalton, Russell Wilson, & Tyrod Taylor.
5. Case Keenum - Denver Broncos
and most career passing touchdowns and to many more records to list. In his first 4 seasons He bounced back and fourth from the Texans to the Rams played for both and in his 2nd stint with the Rams he was named starter and didnt to well and ended up being replaced by
#1 overall draft pick in 2016 draft QB Jared Goff. He then left the Rams and went to Minnesota to be a back up. 2nd game into the 2017 season Starting QB Sam Bradford went down with an injury and it was up to Keenum to lead the offense the rest of the season. After a slow start he heated up and took lead Minnesota to a 13-3 record and clinched the NFC North Division. He then played the Saints in the divisional round and with only 10 secons in 4th quarter was able to complete a pass to Stefon Diggs who took it 61 yards to the score the game winning touchdown. The next week they were beat up by the eventually super winners the Philadelphia Eagles. After the season ended he became a free agent and in March of this year signed with the Denver Broncos and has started the entire season so far.
He's currently 3-4 as starter and ranked 7th in passing statistics. With 2 young QBs
behind Keenum on the depth chart this is his make or break year to stay a starter or to be a backup. He's proved he has what it takes to start, can he continue to prove he does?
4.Alex Smith - Washington Redskins.
190 passing touchdowns . He holds numerous passing records in the both the 49ers and Chiefs franchises record books. Hes one of the few QB's to have a game with a perfect passer rating and has one of the best TD to Interception ratios ever.
He confirms that with holding the record of most passes to start a season without an interception. But he is starting to show his age in his play recently. His post season record isn't great at 2-5. He averages over 3,000 passing yards a season with 65% pass completion percentage. Every team he's played at he's has started and lead then to above average record. He's also been selected to 3 pro bowls all as a Chief. He just an all around solid veteran QB that any team would be lucky to have.
3. Philip Rivers - Los Angles Chargers.
You could argue Philp Rivers isn't that underrated, but lets be honest. When you're watching NFL Live and the conversation of best QBs in league come up hes usually mentioned last or sometimes
not at all? If you just take a look at his statistics throughout his career, it isn't hard to tell that Rivers is a really good QB.
Its not a mistake Rivers has started for the Chargers for 12 straight seasons now.
With him being only 36 years old I feel he at least can produce 3 - 5 more productive seasons.
He has over 106 Wins as a Starter in his career. He ranks 4th all time in consecutive starts as a Quarterback and has currently the longest active streak for it as well. 7x Pro Bowl Selection and holds the record for most consecutive games with a passer rating above 120. For the last 5 seasons he's finished the season in the top 10 in passing statistics, 3 outta 5 of them he finished Top 5. He's no doubt a first ballot Hall of Famer.
He played a good part in the making Antionio Gates arguably the Best Tight End to ever play.
With Him and Gates holding the record for the most touchdowns between a
single quarterback and tight end. One word to describe Philip Rivers is Consistent.
I'm not trying to convince you that Rivers is on the level of Brady, Brees, or Rogers.
But he definitely needs to be taken more seriously then he has been off his stats alone.
Just look at the season were in right now. Were half way through the 2018 Regular Season and he currently has 15 - 3 TD inception ratio and the 2nd highest passer rating in the league at 115.1 behind only the Elite Drew Brees who is having a record setting year.
The one thing that has stained Rivers career and kept him out of the talk of being
an elite QB is his post season resume. He has an all time post season record of 4-5.
The furthest he has ever made it is to the AFC Title game and thats when he had one of the worse years of his career but fortunately had probably the most talented team he ever had around him with LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, & Shawne Merriman all on the same team and lost to the undefeated New England Patriots. But over all Rivers may not be as underrated as he use to be. But he definitely is one of the more underrated QBs of all time.
2. Matthew Stafford - Detroit Lions.
Matthew Stafford has one of the strongest arms in the NFL today and is not afraid to use it. He played his college career at SEC powerhouse Georgia and was drafted to the Lions in 2009 where hes currently starting in his 10th season for the franchise.He holds every Detroit Franchise Passing Record to be held. He also holds the NFL records for Fastest player to reach 15,000 career passing yards, Fastest player to reach 20,000 career passing yards,
Fastest player to reach 25,000 career passing yards, and the Fastest player to reach 30,000 career passing yards. You could argue that the Franchise records aren't that big due to the Lions don't really have a memorable quarterback before him. But when it comes to his NFL records you have to give the man props. If he keeps playing this way he'll be a HOFer. Whats hurt him Hes played in a extremely tough division compared to the rest of the NFL as well and ever since Calvin Johnson retired hes had trouble finding another high caliber receiver. He signed an 135 million dollar extension in 2017 which makes him the highest paid player in NFL history. What tends to make most QBs underrated is their post season resume and Stafford has one of the worse with only making it to the post season 3 times and losing the 1st game they play each time making his post season record 0-3. At 30 years old if you no major injures happen, Stafford could probably play another 5 - 10 years. So he still has plenty of time to build his legacy.
1. Kirk Cousins - Minnesota Vikings.
Kirk Cousins was those most valuable free agent QB this
off season and the deal he got from Minnesota was excellent. Cousins has went from a 4th round draft pick to the highest paid player on per year basis in
NFL history. Before starting his 7th season this year with Minnesota he played for the Washington Redskins 6 seasons. Being drafted to the Redskins in 2012 his first 3 seasons with Washington he played backup for former Heisman trophy winner and Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin III aka RG3. Even tho RG3 played well as starter he had injury issues and every year he continued getting worse until he was deemed injury prone and Cousins was given the starting job in 2015. In 3 seasons as starter for the Redskins, he played at decently high level averaging over 4,000 yards a season and set multiple Redskins franchise passing records.
He has only started one game in the post season and did lose, but really had no team around him. Half way into his first season at Minnesota and hes ranked 5th in passing statistics in the NFL with over a 70% pass completion rate and has taken the Vikings to a 3-2-1 record so far and has the potential to be a top QB in this league for years to come.
