The deep ball is a huge weapon in the NFL. It flips the field, creates scoring opportunities and puts points on the board. From the bucket throw on the deep fade route to the straight dimes that split the safeties in Cover 2, a quarterback's ability to create explosive plays in the vertical passing game impacts defensive call sheets and secondary techniques.
Who are the deep ball passers NFL defenses fear most? Using game tape and the numbers, here are the quarterbacks who sling the ball with the arm strength, anticipation, touch and placement to threaten defenses deep on a weekly basis.
Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Palmer has already thrown 11 touchdown passes this season on throws that traveled 15-plus yards in the air (best in the NFL). That shouldn't be too surprising, given Arizona's offense under Bruce Arians. This is a vertical system, one that creates big-play opportunities for Palmer both in the drop-back game and on play-action. With Larry Fitzgerald and his smooth route-running ability working underneath, Palmer can look down the field to target John Brown, Michael Floyd and the blazing speed of rookie J.J. Nelson. Palmer, who is excellent at anticipating deep throwing windows, shows the ability to consistently drop the ball over the upfield shoulder of the receiver on the straight "go" routes. The veteran is the perfect match for Arians at this stage of his career and is putting together an MVP-caliber season, thanks to his prowess with the deep ball.
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Based on tape alone, Roethlisberger might throw the most catchable deep ball in the entire league -- and he can do it inside or outside the pocket, due to his rare ability to extend plays. With the legit deep ball speed of Martavis Bryant and the electric skill set of Antonio Brown, Roethlisberger can toss the deep fade against Cover 1, work the deep 7 cut (corner route) versus 2-Man or challenge a safety in Cover 2. Want proof? Check out the tape from the Steelers' matchup with the Seahawks this past Sunday. Roethlisberger completed three passes for 167 yards on throws 30-plus yards downfield against that vaunted Seattle secondary. The Todd Haley offense in Pittsburgh still has some of the same concepts Roethlisberger used under Arians. That means the Steelers have no fear of taking shots over the top with Roethlisberger throwing the ball.
Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
Carr came into the league with comparisons to guys such as Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, due to his big-time arm, which was evident on the practice field of the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. You could hear his passes as they whistled by your ear. Frozen ropes. While that arm velocity allows Carr to produce numbers throwing the deep ball (10 touchdown passes and the league's best Total QBR on throws 15-plus yards), he has also developed some really nice touch to his game. That shows up on the seam route or the deep fade route on which Carr drops the ball right out of the sky and into the bucket. With rookie receiver Amari Cooper, Carr has a true No. 1 guy who can go get the ball. Cooper is a stud, but Carr can also target the tight end position or get the ball to Michael Crabtree in the Raiders' offense. He is a developing star in the NFL with the complete toolbox in the passing game.
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
With eight TD passes and the NFL's second-best QBR on throws of at least 15 yards, it's easy to put Wilson on this list when applying the numbers to the tape. Now, some of these throws come after Wilson buys time due to his unique skill set at the position. He is magical when he evades pressure, extends the pocket and gives his wide receivers time to convert vertically on the scramble drill. But don't discount Wilson's ability to throw the ball with great touch from the pocket. In Sunday's matchup against the Steelers, Wilson completed nine of his 10 passes that traveled 10-plus yards in the air for gains of 251 yards and scoring four TDs. You can't sit back in a zone shell all day versus Wilson. He will eat you up.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
During the 2014 season, Rodgers threw a league-leading seven TDs on throws of 30-plus yards. But that was with a healthy Jordy Nelson hitting home runs on the deep fade or the deep double-move. This year, it's a different story with Nelson on the shelf and a Green Bay offense that looks almost broken at times. But even with the limitations, Rodgers has impressed with knowing when he can and can't take chances downfield. He is one of only two qualified QBs this season to not throw an interception when attempting a throw of 15-plus yards. No one in the NFL throws the back-shoulder ball better than Rodgers, and his deep ball accuracy is as good as it gets. Plus, Rodgers has that special ability to execute from multiple platforms, and he is a nightmare for opposing secondaries when he gets outside the pocket. The Green Bay offense needs to find some rhythm for a playoff push, but Rodgers is always a threat. A flick of the wrist, and that ball is launched down the field.
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Yes, Jimmy Graham is gone, and we don't see the deep seam route to Marques Colston on a consistent basis like we did in past. But don't sleep on Brees. The vet still has amazing touch on deep throws down the middle, his ball placement is top-notch, and he is outstanding at moving the free safety with his eyes. Plus, with Brandin Cooks starting to stretch the field more in New Orleans, Brees finally has a target. This year, Brees has tossed seven touchdowns on throws of 15-plus yards (tied for eighth overall), thanks to his ability to anticipate even the smallest windows on deep passes.
Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
Some might be surprised to see Bortles on this list, but the second-year quarterback has developed his overall game in Jacksonville -- and that includes the deep ball. A league-leading 1,468 of Bortles' passing yards this season have come via passes of 15-plus yards. With Allen Robinson (16.9 per catch) and Allen Hurns (15.8 yards per catch), Bortles has weapons defenses need to be aware of at all times. Plus, the hope here is tight end Julius Thomas continues to progress in the Jags' offense to give Bortles another key target, especially in the "shot zone" (20-35-yard line). Bortles is never going to be mentioned with some of the more accurate quarterbacks in the NFL, but he has a legit arm, the athleticism to throw outside the pocket and the pieces around him to facilitate his development.
Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Flacco is on the shelf for the rest of 2015, but he might have the NFL's best deep-ball arm. He can launch the ball over the top of any secondary in the NFL. The numbers this season? They were down, and Flacco's situation is very similar to Rodgers' in Green Bay. When Steve Smith was healthy, he served as the pit bull for that offense, but where was the speed over the top? After Torrey Smith walked in free agency, the Ravens drafted rookie Breshad Perriman to play that role. But Perriman has yet to see the field this year due to injuries. That resulted in Flacco's throwing only four TDs on throws of 15-plus yards in 10 games this season. That's a steep drop from his 13 scores last season (tied for third-best overall).
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
With Kelvin Benjamin out for the season, Newton doesn't have any receivers who are going to consistently scare opposing defensive coordinators. But it's fun to watch Cam throw the skinny post on tape. Off play-action or the zone-read look, the Panthers create an inside throwing window for Newton, who puts some serious heat on the pass to squeeze it between defenders. Newton's ability to thread the needle is evident in his stats on passes deep down the seam (25 air yards or more inside the numbers); he leads the league with 307 passing yards, three TDs and no interceptions on such throws. From a mechanics standpoint, Newton's footwork and release point can be all over the place, but his natural arm strength takes over.
Tom Brady, New England Patriots
I hesitated to put Brady in this group because the Patriots quarterback is truly a short-to-intermediate passer on Sundays. But Brady is in the mix for this discussion because of his ability to find TE Rob Gronkowski down the seam or his RBs on wheel routes out of the backfield. On throws of 15-plus yards this season, Brady is sixth overall in passing yards (1,100) and ninth in Total QBR (93.4). Even if he prefers to work underneath most of the time, Brady is the master when it comes to manipulating safeties over the top. Eyes and shoulders, get the safety to move, and attack the empty space to create an explosive gain. Brady is a perfect example of a "deep-ball" passer who doesn't have to launch it 60 yards to produce a big play.
Eli Manning, New York Giants
The Colts' Andrew Luck, the Bears' Jay Cutler, the Bengals' Andy Dalton or the Bills' Tyrod Taylor could all be in this final spot on the list, but I'm going with Manning because of his ball placement on deep throws. Although Eli can sometimes get bailed out on ridiculous grabs by Odell Beckham Jr., the Giants QB has thrown eight touchdown passes this season on throws of 15-plus yards (tied for fourth overall). He can get hot in a hurry, and when he does, Manning usually starts throwing dimes all over the field. Think of the deep throws outside the numbers, the corner routes in the end zone versus man-coverage or the back-shoulder seam against a two-deep shell. The ball placement and the throw beat the coverage with Manning.