Flacco most overrated QB in AFC according to ESPN's Joyner

When I think of an overrated player, I think of someone who consistently garners media attention and accolades regardless of their mediocre on-field performance. Apparently, KC Joyner of ESPN has a different definition of the term 'overrated.'

No, 90's haircut guy, you're wrong.

Joyner explains that, "Flacco put himself on this list by saying in an April radio interview that he thinks he is the best quarterback in the NFL." If I understand the English language correctly--and I think I do--Flacco's assertion would make him 'overconfident,' not 'overrated.'


Out of the 20 articles we've written so far, this is at least the second addressing how ESPN casually takes quotes from players or coaches out of context and manipulates them to fit some sort of controversial article (See my breakdown of Hensley's comments on Harbaugh).

Joyner continues to explain:

"That he isn't the best field general in the league comes as no surprise, but Flacco's 2011 season doesn't even place him in the upper half of the league. His 9.6 vertical yards per attempt mark (VYPA -- which measures success on passes 11-plus yards downfield) ranked tied for 25th, and his 10.7 stretch vertical YPA (SVYPA -- passes over 20 yards downfield) ranked 26th.

To get an idea of just how bad those totals were, they each ranked dead last or tied for last in the AFC North. That's right, the Browns' passing offense of Colt McCoy and a bunch of underachieving wideouts posted equal or better downfield productivity passing numbers than Flacco did while throwing to a wide receiving corps that included Anquan Boldin and standout rookie Torrey Smith."

Firstly, the fact that Joyner doesn't rank Flacco in the top half of the league's signal-callers based on two extremely narrow statistics is a bit ridiculous. That would be like saying Suggs isn't a great pass-rusher because 7 of his 14 sacks during the regular season came against teams with losing records. It's ludicrous.

He also points to Boldin and T. Smith as if they're Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, or Roddy White and Julio Jones, or even Brady's tight ends Hernandez and Gronkowski. Boldin was coming off an injury-marred season and Flacco helped Smith put up rookie record-breaking numbers despite not having an off-season of work with him due to the lockout.

I lauded Flacco's accomplishments a few months ago when I took a look at his contract situation. His numbers and wins speak for themselves. He also outplayed Tom Brady in the AFC Championship game last year and well enough for a trip to the Super Bowl, despite his wide receiver and kicker blowing the game for him.

Here are five other quarterbacks who are far more overrated than Flacco:

#5.  Mark Sanchez -- "Sanchize" is starting to lose the confidence of pundits all over, but for the first three years of his career, he could do no wrong in the eyes of the media.

#4. Tony Romo -- Say what you will about regular season stats--Romo's are impressive--but when the game is on the line, no one crumbles under pressure more quickly than the Romo Cop.

#3. Michael Vick -- If Vick ever stayed healthy enough to play a full season and compete in the playoffs, he'd be a force to be reckoned with. But he can't. He's brilliant when he's healthy, but there are few games where he isn't playing through a concussion or rib injuries.

#2. Andy Dalton -- OK, I may have to eat my words on this one after this coming season, but I think Dalton will have a serious sophomore slump in 2012. Dalton and wideout A.J. Green took the NFL by surprise last year, but with opposing teams having a full offseason to prepare combined with the Bengals' inability to repeat as a playoff team, Dalton will no longer be the next best thing.

Exactly

#1. Philip Rivers -- The most overrated quarterback, if not player, in the NFL as far as I'm concerned. Much like Romo, Rivers lights up the scoreboard during the regular season and then flames out when he gets a shot at the Lombardi trophy.