It's All About the Quarterbacks

When you look at a football team the first thing you look at to determine their success is the signal caller, the guy you hope to be your leader, your quarterback. You want them to be able to put guys on their backs and take them into each game and lead them to victory, be able to adapt and persevere in any condition. These four teams remaining, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears all have quarterbacks that have been through many things, and are being looked at to lead them. So, who is the best equipped?

1. Ben Roethlisberger

Is Ben Roethlisberger the most talented of the four quarterbacks? You will have some that say yes, but it might be the majority that says no. In terms of pure quarterback skills and essentials. But in terms of winning, you can not put any of the other three ahead of him, and in the Conference Championship stage of the season, that is all you are looking for.

In Roethlisberger's career he is 9-2 in the playoffs, and in case you forgot 2-0 in Super Bowls. What other quarterback, especially of these last four, would you want leading your team at this time of year? Maybe just one or two others in the whole league, if that. Roethlisberger has that drive and ability to win any sort of game, whether it be a defensive struggle or a shootout, and he proves that time and again, year after year.

He has all the intangibles you want, he can make the deep throws, knows when to check down, great pocket awareness, and the ability to shrug off the rush and get you yards on the ground. Ask AFC North defenders how difficult it is to bring him to the ground. In last week's game against the Baltimore Ravens, one of the top defenses in the league, he was able to come from 21-7 down, and with the game tied late at 24 all, and win 31-24. He only threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns, no big deal right?

Big Ben is able to shine at the most necessary times, just ask the Arizona Cardinals of a couple years ago on that final drive. He is a proven winner that will just simply make the plays needed, and that is why he has to lead these quarterbacks.

2. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers came into these playoffs without winning a playoff start to this point in his career, and now he has won two against two of the toughest teams in the NFL this year. By the way, he has had a quarterback rating of over 130 in these playoffs doing it. He has been scary good. Against the Falcons, who are almost unbeatable at their place, he was able to go a measly 31-36 for 366 yards and three touchdowns, plus a rushing touchdown on top of it. Yeah.

Like Roethlisberger Rodgers has all those intangibles, a strong arm, ability to know what the defense is doing and where to go with the ball, experts say quickest release since maybe Dan Marino, and the ability to scramble and add that other dimension to frighten the defense that much more. With everything that Rodgers can do, and has done this season, it is tough to not put him at number one, but that just means he has to be number two.

3. Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler is what you would call a feast or famine quarterback. You are going to love what he brings, or probably hate what he brings. But for the Bears lately they have been enjoying what they see from Cutler. The quarterback who had a league leading 26 interceptions last year, was able to cut that number by 10 and just cracked the top 10 in the category this year (behind guys like Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, who are pretty good).

Cutler has really sharpened his game, and a lot of that credit should go to himself, but Mike Martz has also been a wonderful hire for the Bears and Cutler's maturation. Since they have gotten comfortable and in sync with one another the Bear's offense and Cutler have been very fluid and successful (though they did only score three points in a defensive battle that they lost to Green Bay 10-3 week 17). Cutler has arguably the strongest arm in the NFL, and rushing for 43 yards and two touchdowns last week, proved he can also run like Rodgers and Roethlisberger.

Cutler has the ability to reach that level that these first two quarterbacks have, and a win to get the Bears into the Super Bowl with a solid performance this week could get him that much closer to that top tier of quarterbacks.

4. Mark Sanchez

The New York Jets love their young quarterback, and while he makes mistakes sometimes how can you blame them right now. In his two years he is 4-1 in the playoffs, beating the likes of Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. All on the road. Not a bad resume he has built so far in his career.

Sanchez has a great record, and he has definitely made plays when he has to, just look at that pass to Braylon Edwards on the last drive against the Colts. Or the pass to Santonio Holmes when the Patriots had cut the Jets lead to 14-11. While he may not be the best scrambler, have the strongest arm, or asked to do too much by his team he does get the job done.

The only reason he can not be ahead of fourth at this time is because he has only been asked at this time in his career to manage a game rather than win a game, have the team really rely on him to make the plays to win. Unfortunately the time they truly felt that way was last year in the loss to the Colts. Win this weekend at the Steelers though, and you will not be able to rank him fourth next week.

All of these quarterbacks have shown they can make plays, they can win in the playoffs, and they have teams that can be confident going into Sunday. Right now, these are the order I have to place them and want them if I am leading my team into the conference championship, but come Monday morning, I might be singing a different tune.