The NFL awards were handed out yesterday, so now is as good a time as any to reflect on the past season. This article will cover the top five quarterbacks of the 2015 NFL season; it is not, as some may contend, a list of the five best quarterbacks talent-wise. The criteria is simply based upon how well each player performed given the context of their season in 2015, and nothing else. Obviously, guys like Cam Newton and Tom Brady are on this list, but who else made it?
5. Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
I've gotta give some love to Cousins here. It was a tough choice between him, Drew Brees and Andy Dalton, and the ultimate deciding factors was simply that he stayed healthy all year -- unlike Dalton -- and led his team to the playoffs -- unlike Brees.
The MSU product put up 29 touchdowns to only 11 picks and led the NFL in completion percentage at 69.8. He had an excellent campaign as he started every game for Washington this year, and is expected to be re-signed for a pretty penny this offseason.
4. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
Palmer truly had a renaissance year. After battling injuries and struggles on the field for much of the past 7-8 years, he stayed healthy all season long and had arguably the best performance of his career. While he fell short in the NFC Championship game, the other 17 contests were excellent.
His 35 TDs and 11 INTs were fantastic, and was awarded FedEx Air Player of the Year, deservingly.
3. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
After the start he had, going on a rampage following his near-suspension offseason, it's surprising that Brady comes in at only No. 3. However, there are a couple of guys more deserving.
That said, Brady was amazing once again in 2015. His 36 touchdowns to only seven interceptions was very Brady-esque, and was the best ratio among NFL starters this year. If not for a poor finish by his standards (lost 4-of-6 final games of regular season; only one TD and one INT in final two games -- both losses), he may have ranked higher.
2. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
What more can you say about this guy that hasn't already been said? The 5-foot-11 quarterback has already been to two Super Bowls in his first three seasons, but this article obviously isn't about the past.
When the Seahawks were 4-5 and on the outside looking in to the playoff pictures, it was Wilson who stepped up and went on an amazing seven-game run that saw him throw 25 TDs to just one interception, as Seattle went 6-1 to make the postseason. That amazing stretch helped him to finish with the best passer rating in 2015, and he even won a playoff game on the road in frigid Minnesota conditions.
This truly was a spectacular season for Wilson, and he continues to grow as a quarterback.
1. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Finally, is this really a surprise?
Newton made the leap from good to elite at the quarterback position in 2015. He was always a guy you could count on to put up fanasty-type numbers, but never make everyone around him better. This season, though, that changed.
The former BCS Champion with Auburn proved that his championship pedigree is most certainly carrying over to the pro level, and he flat out dominated even though his No. 1 receiver this year was Ted Ginn Jr. -- brutal.
Newton led the Panthers to a 15-1 record, and now they're in the Super Bowl, which begins in about an hour of this writing. On the year, he put up 35 passing touchdowns, just 10 interceptions and also ran for another 10 touchdowns (only four fumbles lost). Between his ability to run and pass, Newton combined for over 4,500 total yards, 45 touchdowns and just 14 turnovers. An amazing ratio, that led to him deservedly winning the AP Offensive Player of the Year and NFL MVP awards.
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