SI Ignores Numbers and Intangibles; Crowns Aaron Rodgers Best QB in NFC North
The media has always had a bias against Minnesota sports teams. In a playoff run, a record-setting game or stand-out play, Minnesota seems to get the short end of the stick. That trend is not ending anytime soon.
In an article written for Sports Illustrated, Will Ragatz (a Vikings writer) ranked all quarterbacks in the NFC North. He broke down all numbers, which unanimously crowned Kirk Cousins as the division’s best quarterback, and handed it to Aaron Rodgers, anyway. I am here to break down his horrible take.
Whenever an athlete is “proven” to be better than the rest, statistics are used as the biggest comparator. Passing, rushing, receiving, return, defense…you get the gist. I don’t recall numbers like most sports fans, I remember moments, games, and dynamics. As it turns out, though… Cousins was the better quarterback in 2019, no matter how you look at it.
Leadership
Since I can remember, Packers teammates (nor family members) respond well to Rodgers, due to his whining and attitude. On the other hand, if there is any quarterback in the division with unwavering patience and dedication with no drama, it’s Matthew Stafford. According to his old back-up, he’s hard working, has integrity and he’s content in who he is.
Who cares about the Bears? Jay Cutler had no clue what was going on. Mitch Trubisky… well, all of Chicago has give up on him. Cousins proved a lot of haters wrong in this category last season. We saw his ability to rile the guys up, get them ready for a game, and give them something to BELIEVE in.
The numbers
In this same article, Ragatz shows that Cousins had the best overall passing numbers in 2019. Yep, sorry Packer fans, but it’s true. Kirk was better in just about every statistical category, including passer rating, touchdowns, interceptions and yards/attempt.
In the 2019 season, Rodgers’ passer rating was 83.6 and Cousins’ was 84.1. This is consistent across their careers, not just last year. I mean… we talked about the importance placed in numbers earlier… so what else do you need? Kirk takes the lead.
| Player | PFF Grade | Passer Rating | ESPN QBR | Adjusted Expected Points Added (EPA) Per Play | Completion Percentage Above Expectation (CPOE) | Yards/Attempt (Y/A) | Adjusted Net Yards/Attempt (ANY/A) | Touchdown Percentage (TD%) | Interception Percentage (INT%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirk Cousins | 84.1 | 107.4 | 58.4 | 0.25 | 6.5 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 5.9 | 1.4 |
| Aaron Rodgers | 83.6 | 95.4 | 50.4 | 0.14 | 1.7 | 7.0 | 6.7 | 4.6 | 0.7 |
| Matthew Stafford | 82.6 | 106.0 | 69.6 | 0.28 | 4.8 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
Accomplishments
If you are looking at rings, fine, Rodgers pulls the lead in that aspect. In 2011, Rodgers managed to win the Super Bowl against the Steelers, pulling 24 of 39 passes, 309 yards and 3 touchdowns. Certainly not a whooping, but enough to pull off a win.
Since 2011, Rodgers has continually declined and finally in 2019, we saw what is probably some of the worst playing by Rodgers in a long time. While their record showed them in first place and they made their way to the Conference Championship, they were stomped by the 49ers in a miserable loss.
Management has continued that downward spiral since, drafting Jordan Love in the first round, in a move that shocked not only the nation, but Rodgers as well. So, good, he has a ring, but that does not make him the best overall QB in the North. His own team doesn’t even believe in him anymore…
Once again, a main-stream media article says that Rodgers should be the number one quarterback in the NFC North, giving no specific reason, other than things that have happened years ago. But when we look at all around leadership, motivation, RECENT stats, and integrity, it’s clear that Kirk Cousins is the best quarterback in the NFC North.
Sherry Cerny | Minnesota Sports Fan
More About:Minnesota Vikings