John Madden

Each week John Madden answers readers questions. To ask Coach a question, e-mail him at:

Coach, would you rank Ben Roethlisberger among the league's top five quarterbacks right now?
Tony from Reading, Penn

Madden: Tony, yes I would right now.  He can just do so much and he is the greatest at keeping plays alive.  There are some guys who are rhythm throwers you know one, two, three throw or one, two, three, four, five throw and there have been a lot of great quarterbacks who were that. Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and then you get Ben Roethlisberger he goes one, two, three, four, five get away from a tackle, six, seven, eight, nine, get away from another tackler, ten, eleven, twelve and the higher up the better he gets because he keeps plays alive.  In doing so he takes a lot of hits, but I just love the way he plays.  He is a tough guy and he's as hard to get to the ground as anyone and he will never ever give up on a play and that's part of the reason he is banged up.  The answer to the question is yes. He is one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL right now.

Coach, how much does Bill Parcells have to do with the Dolphins 2-2 start?
Vic from Boca

Madden: I think he has a lot to do with the turnaround of the organization Vic.  That is what he was brought in there to do. He was brought in there for the big picture. The Miami Dolphins were in a spiral just going down and Bill Parcells' job was to come in there and stop it, change it around, get a good organization and get it bouncing back and going upwards and I think he has done that.  It was at a point that the Miami Dolphins needed something or someone and I think they got the right guy in Bill Parcells.

In your opinion, are the Bucs better off with Brian Griese or Jeff Garcia at quarterback?
Chris from Tampa

Madden: Health is such a big thing in the NFL, Chris.  We start off every sentence with, "If healthy..." no kidding if healthy we all know that.  Having said that I am not sure how healthy Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese are.  I would think everything being equal they are probably better off with Jeff Garcia.  He has proven over the years by taking teams to playoffs. He has been a Pro Bowl quarterback and even though he does it a little different and it's not a pretty site when he is out there, but he can get the job done.

I know the NFC West is down, but who would you favor to win it this year?
Doug from Seattle

Madden: Doug, that changes every week and up until this last week I would have said Seattle, but the more I have looked I am not sure.  I would probably still say Seattle, but I would give a pretty close look to Arizona because as you say the NFC West is down and has been down and the last few years it has been a one team race with the Seattle Seahawks. But this year again it is not going to the 49ers, it's not going to be the Rams but the Arizona Cardinals have a shot I think.

Are the Vikings good enough to live up to expectations with Gus Frerotte and make a strong playoff run?
Martin from Minneapolis

Madden: That is going to be close Martin.  I think you have to compare them and how they are playing with Chicago and Green Bay and how they are playing.  I see only one team coming out of that division into the playoffs.  If Frerotte can make enough plays in the passing game against that single high safety when they put eight men in the box to challenge the run, you have to be able to throw them out of that.  Your passing game has to be able to get them to back off, and if they don't back off then the passing game has to make them pay for it.  I will say this, I like their defense, their running game, their offensive line and I think the one thing that I am not sure of across the entire season is if Gus Frerotte can take advantage of defenses when they gang up on the run.  If he can do that then the Vikings may have a shot to make the playoffs.