This has to easily be Rivers and I think it honestly is in most all circles. I think those analyst are under the spell of championships make players and not teams.
To win a championship, you need a team. It doesn't matter how SD ranks in the regular season. Or the talent. It's how they play in the playoffs. It's about matchups, coaching, health, getting calls, lucky bounces, momentum, depth.
It's funny people say Rivers is great and elite in the regular season but not the playoffs. Yet they want to point to SD's talent or team regular season numbers as to why SD should win. Ignoring what they do or how they play in the playoffs.
In 2 of Rivers 4 playoff losses, Kaeding missed 4 kicks. It took 3 kicks for Brady to win 3 rings.
People say Rivers with a 10th ranked scoring defense is good enough? Rivers went 13-3 without a top 10 scoring defense. Meanwhile Ben is 0-2 in playoff berths without a top 3 defense in points. Only QB to ever make the playoffs with a top 3 scoring defense, every single year.
I think the better question is how many rings would Rivers have in PIT and NYG and if Ben or Eli would even make the playoffs in SD.
You talk about division, but Rivers is 4-0 vs the NFCE.
Rivers is 10-5 vs NFCE and AFCN.
Ben is 12-8 vs NFCE and AFCW.
Eli is 8-7 vs AFCN and AFCW.
So there goes that argument..
Rivers also has the best numbers in the NFL vs top 10 defenses in PPG.
He has a 99.08 QB rating. Eli 71 and Ben 82. - I have a link for this, but it's on a different message board so I am not sure that is allowed.
So it comes down to play. Rivers is clearly better at everything over Eli and Ben. Accuracy, vertical pass, pocket presence, reading defenses, explosive plays, consistency, efficiency in QB rating, TD%, INT%. Better pre snap at audibles, adjustments, hot routes.
Ben is better at broken plays, scrambling and breaking tackles.
Eli is not better at anything.
Rivers has led FIVE top 5 scoring offenses, something Ben has never done. You know a QB's job, leading a offense to score points.
Eli has done it 2 times.
So Rivers is superior by a huge margin at his job. Scoring points, leading the offense, controlling TOP, converting 3rd downs and getting 1st downs and control field position with yardage, stretching the field, scoring and limiting turnovers. Isn't that what you want from your QB?
You say he had the best defense, but he had an even better offense. So how did he fail if he led his direct unit to a top 2 unit in the league?
QB's job is not momentum, matchups, defensive stops, special team plays, coaching, health, depth, controlling lucks and beneficial ref calls, etc.
It's to lead the offense and Rivers is as good as anyone who has ever played at that. Also leadership, it's not close. Ben and Eli have had team mates and former team mates question their leadership, plus suspensions for one of them and off field issues. Scared frail demeanor. verse a guy who never had any team mate question him. Took over leadership from Brees and LT.
Also while Ben and Eli had great SB game winning drives, lets not ignore the plays that happened before those.
I honestly can't see how any thinks this is close. Rivers is fighting for the #1 spot. Not with two bottom half top 10 guys.
I just want a legit argument against Rivers. Superbowls are seasonal team achievements, not assessments of skill and player impact and value.
Because prior to Ben, Pit had alot of playoff berths and AFCC game berths with below avg QB's like O'donnell and Stewart. Meanwhile SD had 1 playoff berth and no wins the previous 12 years to Rivers.
Also lets not forget Tomlin vs Norv and Cowher vs Marty. Oh as for that play vs Indy that Ben made the tackle on.
This is Rivers in a preseason game to boot..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0ZrS-7ZXTM