QB No. 16: Philip Rivers

Philip Rivers comes in at number 16 on my pre-season NFL quarterback rankings. The general feeling I get is that people don't believe Rivers is that good anymore. It's true, he had a fairly disastrous 2012 season, throwing for only 3,600 yards with 26 TD and 15 INT. If I were ranking quarterbacks strictly after last season's performances, then Rivers would clearly be outside my top 20. But these rankings aren't solely based off of last year. Sure, it's a "what have you done for me lately" league. But you also have to use good judgment. Use the eye test. Analyze stats, and see how players actually get their stats.

The biggest reason for last year's debacle in my opinion was the ineptitude of the supporting cast around Rivers. First and foremost, the offensive line was atrocious, allowing 49 sacks. He also had lost his best receiving option in Vincent Jackson to Tampa Bay, and saw former star TE Antonio Gates turn into a shell of his former self. Each of these reasons contributed to Rivers forcing more throws into tight coverages, and really just making poor judgments overall. He accounted for 28 turnovers, the most by any quarterback in the NFL. His throws were woefully inaccurate at times, and it seemed he didn't have his normal zip on the ball. Now, the lack of talent around him could be a viable excuse, but truly great quarterbacks don't need loads of talent around them to succeed. Take Tom Brady for example. For many years, the Super Bowl years for New England, most people had no idea who the receivers were that Brady was throwing to (Deion Branch? Troy Brown? David Givens?). What last year proved was that Rivers needs help, like most quarterbacks, but the biggest concern is that he resorts to high-turnover tendencies when things aren't right around him.

But I believe in Rivers. I admire his guts and leadership qualities, which were certainly evident in his playoff appearances. In fact, Rivers is well known for playing the entire 2007 AFC Championship game on a torn ACL. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune said, "To go out there and put his knee, and utlimately his career, on the line. It has to go down as one of the gutsiest performances." You also have to love that Rivers has never missed a game in his NFL career due to injury.

So, yes, last year was awful for Rivers. Perhaps with the departure of Norv Turner, and his aggressive down-field passing attack, Rivers can become more accurate and smarter with the throws he makes. People forget that for several years he was considered a top-10 QB, and I don't think his game has deteriorated so much to the point where he can never regain that status. The bottom line for me is that Rivers, with equal talent around him, is better than Schaub, or Dalton, or Cutler with that same talent. And I think that's been proven over the years.

Projections: 4,200 yards, 29 TD, and 13 INT