Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme has had a long honeymoon with fans because of his humble beginnings. Damian Strohmeyer/SI
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When you really look at it, there are only three types of quarterbacks who don't face the scrutiny that these quarterbacks have endured once they've played well: 1) those who turn around losing franchises (like Cincinnati's Carson Palmer), 2) those who are the offspring of Archie and Olivia Manning and 3) those who've struggled early in their careers before finding a place to thrive in the league. When it comes to that last group, we can't get enough of those guys.

A player like Carolina's Jake Delhomme -- who toiled in obscurity as a New Orleans Saints backup before leading the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2003 -- has had a long-standing honeymoon with his fans. He's been an underdog throughout his entire NFL career, a classic overachiever, a humble-yet-competitive type who is basically playing with house money every time he steps under center. The average fan understands this sort of quarterback, roots for him through good and bad times, even cuts him some slack when mistakes add up. These guys, in the eyes of their followers, have paid some major dues.

Kansas City's Trent Green is a hero in that town because fans recall the moment a gruesome hit tore his ACL and ended his tenure in St. Louis before it even started back in 1999. Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck, a former Favre backup in Green Bay, has a similar love-fest brewing with the Seahawks faithful because of his perseverance. And Arizona's Kurt Warner, now contemplating the end of his career, probably still has several fans cheering his name back in St. Louis, where he led the Rams to their first Super Bowl win after Green went down seven years ago.

These players get the benefit of the doubt more often than men like Roethlisberger because they've waited patiently for their chances and done everything they could to make the most of them. That doesn't mean that those players who impress earlier in their careers don't work as hard. It just means that their efforts often don't generate the same compassion among fans.

The only quarterback I've seen who has managed his early success without facing any criticism is New England's Tom Brady. Granted, he has more hardware in his house than you'll find in your local Home Depot, but he has also managed his career in a way that young quarterbacks should emulate. He hasn't written any books. He didn't do many endorsements early in his career, Even his current ads downplay his personality. Brady has carefully manipulated his image so that it doesn't conflict with his team's perception of him. Today he's as close to being "one of the guys" as a rich, handsome, three-time Super Bowl champion with a hot actress girlfriend can be.

Of course, Roethlisberger won't be so lucky as to follow Brady's path. For one, he lives in a town with a long history of pummeling its quarterbacks when they struggle. Even with his star power, he knows that another losing streak will cause more of an outcry. Besides, he's already indulged in his success too much to turn back: He's shown up at music-awards show, had his bushy beard shaved on national television, done one too many Fathead commercials. Most important, he's won too many games -- the expectations of him have reached insane levels.

Once you strip away all the notoriety, Roethlisberger is just like any other quarterback. He's going to be as good as the people around him and he's going to be at his best when those people are playing at the tops of their games as well. It's that understanding that helped him become the beloved Big Ben in Pittsburgh, and it's the same wisdom that will help him handle the scrutiny that follows quarterbacks who have such early success.