Why does it matter what quarterback is starting across from C.J. Stroud?

Bad takes are as American as apple pie. If you put enough NFL pundits and critics in one room, they'll eventually all sync up on talking points. It's not exactly a hard industry to break into, you just have to be very good at rage bait. Enter Warren Sharp.

Sharp tried to take an ill-advised shot at Josh Allen on July 17, by pointing out that the Bills didn't play the greatest opposing quarterbacks. Now, he's not wrong. If you look at the nine names mentioned (of 17), you can see many weren't good. This, therefore, is supposed to lead you to believe that Allen isn't that good.

Except, Allen has never played against another quarterback. No quarterback in the history of football has ever actually played against another quarterback. That is a position that does not share the field. Quarterbacks, and I can't believe this needs to be said, play against the defense.

The Bills faced six of the Top 15 best passing defenses in the league across eight games, five of whom in the top 10. They went 6-2. It doesn't matter how good the opposing quarterback is, it matters how good the opposing defense is. So why are we talking about a trash take about the Buffalo Bills' quarterback?

Simply put, you can use the same argument to diminish Stroud's success. If you only look at who the opposing quarterbacks were that Stroud "faced" in 2023, there are a lot of bad apples here.

• Week 1: Lamar Jackson (L)
• Week 2: Anthony Richardson/Gardner Minshew (L)
• Week 3: Trevor Lawerence (W)
• Week 4: Kenny Pickett (W)
• Week 5: Desmond Ridder (L)
• Week 6: Derek Carr (W)
• Week 7: BYE
• Week 8: Bryce Young (L)
• Week 9: Baker Mayfield (W)
• Week 10: Joe Burrow (W)
• Week 11: Kyler Murray (W)
• Week 12: Trevor Lawerence (L)
• Week 13: Russell Wilson (W)
• Week 14: Zach Wilson (L)
• Week 15: Will Levis (W)
• Week 16: Joe Flacco (L)
• Week 17: Ryan Tannehill (W)
• Week 18: Gardner Minshew (W)
• Round 1: Joe Flacco (W)
• Round 2: Lamar Jackson (L)

If we're being honest, only really four, maybe five "good" to "great" quarterbacks here. Jackson is on the list, as is Burrow. Then you have Lawerence who's pretty solid. Mayfield is on the come-up and Minshew got to a Pro Bowl in 2023. The rest though? Either declining in quality, aren't producing, or are the Arizona Cardinals quarterback. Not exactly a who's who of top talent.

Yet, if you look at the defenses Stroud faced, you'd know how good he was. He had nine games against teams with the 16th best passing defense, or higher. Seven of whom are against top 10 defenses or higher. His record was 4-4. He missed the first game against the Browns, so the club's record was 4-5.

So if we apply the same logic to Allen to Stroud, then one could argue Stroud is overrated as well. Now, we don't believe he is. We also don't believe that Allen is. Opposing quarterbacks don't play against other quarterbacks, so trying to decide who is good and who is bad based on that concept is a narrow-minded and short-sighted exercise.

When judging quarterback play, it doesn't matter who is throwing the ball on the other side of the field, it matters who the defense is. If you have a quarterback who can beat good defenses, that's all that matters.