So you're saying there's a chance ...: Cavs-Magic stuff and ranking the top 5 QBs in the NFL

Cavs-Magic game tonight

* The Cavs can tie a franchise record of 13 straight wins if they can beat the Magic tonight at The Q. This may not be an easy task. Orlando is fully healthy, has won 10 of 12 games and has surpassed the Celtics as the clear No. 2 seed in the East.

* Last week, I wrote on Vince Carter hurting the Magic more than helping. But, I also wrote that he is starting to get comfortable and the wins could start piling up. That has happened, folks. Carter is averaging 24 points per game over his last five, four of which have been wins. He dropped 48 on the Hornets earlier this week. The Cavs will more than likely put Anthony Parker on him tonight.

* The Cavs beat the Magic 102-93 in the teams' first meeting in November. In that game, Shaquille O'Neal did exactly what the Cavs are paying him for: stop Dwight Howard, who was held to just 11 points and seven rebounds in that game. If Shaq and the Cavs other big men can corral Howard like this again, it will mean a win.

* Also, the Cavs get their first look at Rashard Lewis this season, as he missed the teams' first game. Lewis killed the Cavs in the playoffs last year and I'll be very curious to see how he plays tonight (too bad I am working and won't get to see it live, thank God in Heaven for the DVR).

* LeBron is playing at a very, very high level right now and I don't see any reason why it won't continue tonight. He knows this significance of this game and will respond accordingly. I'm thinking 38 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, three steals. Just a guess.

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Ranking my top 5 QBs in the NFL

Peyton Manning. Despite his costly interceptions in the Pro Bowl, if I had to start an NFL team from scratch I would still take Manning over any other QB. His numbers this season: 4,500 yards, 33 TDs, 99.9 rating, 68.8 completion percentage, 16 INTs. Oh yea, and he won his fourth career MVP. And speaking of the Super Bowl, he put up good numbers, completing 31 of 45 passes for 333 yards and a TD (yes, and two INTs). You could argue that Manning is not only the best current QB in the NFL, but the best of all-time. This will definitely be the case if he wins another Super Bowl ring in his career, which could happen next year as the Colts are going to be loaded even more offensively, with the return of Anthony Gonzalez at receiver. Manning is a 10-time Pro Bowl, a 5-time first team All-Pro, has one Super Bowl ring, nine playoff victories, 50,000-plus career passing yards, 366 career TDs, has played in 192 straight games, and on and on and on and on…..the numbers don't lie. He is durable, reliable, and consistent and showed a remarkable ability this season to bring his team back from deficits late in the game. Easily the best.
Tom Brady. After having possibly the best season ever for a QB in 2007, Brady missed basically all of 2008, but came back this past season and hardly skipped a beat, throwing for 4,398 yards and 28 TDs while completing 65.7 percent of his passes. The Patriots had a down year as a team, getting bounced in the divisional round of the playoffs by the Ravens, but much of that blame goes to everyone but Brady. He's capable of winning games himself, has all the weapons he needs (aside from a good RB) and his best ability might be how he dissects the defensive schemes thrown at him with amazing precision. He has three Super Bowl rings, is 14-4 in the playoffs, is a five-time Pro Bowler, a first-team All-Pro selection, has 30,000-plus career yards and 228 TDs with a career passer rating of 93.3 Like Manning, it's easy to see Brady adding a couple more Super Bowl rings to has Hall of Fame career. One of the best winners the NFL has ever seen and I think he is in store for a monster 2010 season.
Drew Brees. The Super Bowl MVP last week, Brees cemented his status among the NFL's top QBs this season. Not only with his amazing performance in Miami, but he completed an NFL single-season record 70.6 percent of his passes this season to go along with 4,388 yards, 34 TDs and just 11 INTs. Oh, he also wins games. He threw for over 5,000 yards in 2008 and has accumulated over 4,000 yards and 25 TDs in each of the four seasons. Brees is a four-time Pro Bowler and a first team All-Pro. He also has successfully comeback from major shoulder surgery. Just to show I'm not all stats and numbers, Brees also took the city of New Orleans on his back and was the major reason why the Saints are the champs. That demonstrates his leadership and the respect he has amongst his teammates.
Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben already has two Super Bowl rings and has the potential to get some more. He is 8-2 in playoff games and has a Pro Bowl appearance. He had a good statistical year in 2009, totaling 4,328 yards, 26 TDs and just 12 INTs. He also completed a career-high 66.6 percent of his passes. He also had a 503-yard, 3 TD game to his credit. Roethlisberger is young, a proven winner and is becoming a precision-accurate passer. He has injury concerns but is poised to have some big seasons in the next few seasons as the Steelers are becoming a pass-first offense.
Philip Rivers. In Rivers' four years as a starting QB for the Chargers, he has already accumulated some impressive stats: a career 95.8 passer rating and a 63.1 completion percentage mark and a 46-18 record. Last season, Rivers threw for 4,524 yards, 28 TDs compared to just nine INTs and completed 65.2 percent of his passes. He's a confident player who is fun to watch. He has huge targets in Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson and the Chargers' offense could get a new weapon this offseason if they select a running back in the first round of the NFL Draft. Rivers is a gamer who plays through injuries, such as a torn ACL in the 2008 AFC title game. His stock is on a continual rise.

Others considered: Aaron Rogers (who could easily be No. 4 or 5), Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb.