Whether or not Russell Wilson is the best quarterback of his rookie class will be debated for as long as he and Andrew Luck continue to play at a high level. And Whether or not Wilson is a top-5 or top-3 or top-whatever-level-people-are-arguing quarterback isn’t going to be definitively solved.
But early into his third season, it is clear that regardless of what pundits or fans think about Wilson, he definitely has earned serious respect from his peers.
“We got beat by a better team,” Washington safety Ryan Clark told the Washington Post after Seattle’s 27-17 victory Monday night. “We got beat by, as far as I’m concerned this weekend, the best player in the NFL. Russell Wilson made every play he had to make for his team to win, and we didn’t.”
Best player in the NFL — Cark actually said that about Wilson, who threw for 201 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for a career-best 122 yards and a score. Clark later clarified on Twitter that he meant Wilson was the best player Washington had faced this season, on either side of the ball, which still puts the quarterback in pretty good company considering Washington opened its season against J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans.
And two weeks earlier, after Seattle beat Denver when Wilson led an overtime touchdown drive, Broncos cornerback Chris Harris told reporters in Denver’s locker room, “Keep talking up Andrew Luck. Russell Wilson is better than Luck. No question.”
That comment from Harris stirred up another Wilson-Luck debate, one that can’t definitively be solved, and Clark’s comments will almost certainly lead to more how-good-is-Wilson talk, another largely subjective argument. However, that won’t keep a whole lot of people from coming up with absolute answers where they don’t exist.
There are few more popular — or pointless — debates in NFL circles than the continuous argument over what quarterback is best, which ones are elite, most valuable, etc. Peyton Manning or Tom Brady? Is Eli better than his brother? (No, really, that was a thing once). Is Joe Flacco elite? Is Peyton Manning the best ever? Who’s better, Wilson or Colin Kaepernick? Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III? Luck or Wilson? What’s sexier, Charlie Whitehurst’s hair or Kyle Orton’s mustache? (OK, I made that one up). The list goes on and on.
With each Seahawks victory and each impressive performance by Russell Wilson, the debate only grows as to just how good Wilson is relative to current and even past quarterbacks. After a Super Bowl title and a very good start to this season, Wilson is getting more and more respect from the rest of the country after earning it as a rookie around these parts. And at this point, almost everyone realizes that Wilson is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL — except traditionalists who believe that top-level quarterback play can only come from a 6-foot-4 statue who stays in the pocket.
But these days, “one of the best” isn’t good enough anymore. People want definitive rankings. We must know if Wilson is better than Luck or better than Manning or even a top-five quarterback.
In case the sarcasm hasn’t come through by now, I’m obviously not that concerned about who is the consensus No. 1 or 2 or 6 or 10 quarterback right now. The point is that regardless of what outsiders think about Wilson, the players facing him are consistently impressed. That’s nothing new, but it’s been very evident after two great games by Wilson, and two headline making quotes from opposing defensive backs.
Best player in the NFL, Clark says.
Hyperbole from a player who just watched Wilson work his magic? Probably a little bit. Even so, it’s a good reminder that Wilson, while a somewhat divisive player among fans and media trying to calculate his value, clearly has earned the respect of his peers.
Herald Columnist John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com
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