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If you've ever found yourself wondering aloud who the top three quarterbacks in franchise history are, well, Elliot Harrison at NFL.com has your answer. He actually nails it, in my humble opinion.
Ryan is right on the cusp of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL right now, and frankly, has been a quality starter since the day he stepped on the field in 2008. Bartkowski did not get off to as fast a start, but became one of the league's best in the early '80s. He logged the NFL's highest passer rating in 1983. Everyone wonders what might have been with Vick had he not lost two years of his prime to the dog-fighting scandal.
Ryan's playing in a numbers-inflated era, but I think you can make a reasonable case for him being the best quarterback in franchise history now, and if he's around another five years and playing at a high level, it won't even be a debate. Bartkowski fought through some truly mediocre teams to put together a fine career, and despite the grim way his Falcons career ended, Vick was a thrilling quarterback whose success is somewhat underappreciated now. This is the best possible list.
The rest of the list vacillates between reasonable and stupid. Having the Rams quarterbacks as the #6 group because they won titles is atrocious, and the author says things like "if winning is your criteria," which made me quietly close out the window. But he did nail the best three Falcons quarterbacks to play, so we tip our cap to him in that regard, at the very least.
Would you agree?