I must have misunderstood this.
FIRST TIME CALLER wrote:
seems like top 5 to me
At least you acknowledge that he wasn't in any way top 5.
I was wrong about the interception number. I don't know why I cited 2009's number. Sorry.
I think you overrate total yards. Cutler may have been third in total yards that year but this year Orton is 2nd in total yards, and not even me will say he's doing better than Manning, Brees, and Aaron Rodgers.
Here is my case why Cutler was borderline top 10 that year.
Clearly better(5):
Drew Brees
Philip Rivers
Kurt Warner
Aaron Rodgers
Peyton Manning
Most would agree they were better(3):
Donovan McNabb- 3916 yards, 23 tds, 11 int
Tony Romo- 3448 yards, 26 tds, 14 ints
Eli Manning- 3238 yards, 21 tds, 10 ints
Debatable who was better(2):
Chad Pennington- 3653 yards, 19 tds, 7 int
Matt Cassel- 3693 yards, 21 tds, 11 ints
Notice that everyone on that list has a better td/int ratio while throwing a similar number of tds. Many of them had higher yards an attempt meaning that Cutler's higher total yardage is as much of a function of the number of attempts and less of his actual play.
That is why it's borderline. Also, while not a perfect metric, he did end up 16th in QB rating that year.
If your point is that Cutler was the third best QB in the league that year I will accept it because of passing yards alone. I like you First Time Caller. You think that Kyle Orton is the second best QB in the league this year. Even I won't be willing to say that.