What's the most important thing that makes a qb great?

[Trace Pyott]

After watching great qb play for the colts over the years I have began to ask myself the question what is the most important factor that makes a qb great. I'm talking top 5 qb year and year out. The mannings, lucks, Bree's, Brady's and Montana's. Do you think it is arm strength (deep ball skills and ball velocity), pocket presence, throw accuracy, intelligence, work ethic or something I have not mentioned. Name the most important one in your opinion. What do you think makes manning and luck so great and what separates them from everyone else. It's hard to say which one is the most important. I would say accuracy but then again work ethic and intelligence are prob just as important. There are thousands of Mensa members who can't throw a football 10 yArds so that's why i give the edge to accuracy. Then again if you are dumb you could just throw accurate interceptions lol. Such a hard question!

[pgt_rob]

All of that definitely helps. A well rounded O-Line does amazing things for the QB though.

[chad72]

Football awareness to know where pressure is coming from, being able to read Ds, quick decision making, accuracy, good but not necessarily great arm strength, chemistry with pass catchers and help of O-line to hold the fort just long enough for routes to develop.

[Trace Pyott]

Yah but what is the MOST important? I know it's extremely tough let's say you are creating a future qb in a videogame. Let's say the 1st attribute you choose is the highest. Like attribute 1 is worth 100 points. Attribute 2 is worth. 90 and so on. So let's say I choose accuracy as my most important. It's 100 and I choose intelligence as number 2 it's 90 and so on you get the point. Were not including things like online and all that. Just the makeup of the qb.

[21isSuperman]

I would say the two most important things are intangibles (work ethic, leadership, toughness, intelligence) and throw accuracy.  Toughness is a good 3rd.  I don't think having a cannon arm or being able to scramble is all that important

[Moose Of Woe]

A brain. All the physical talent in the world will only get you so far if you lack the IQ to utilize it to the fullest.

 

That applies to every position, not just QB. Prime example of being intelligent and a physical specimen = JJ Watt. He's only in, what, his third season? Gross.

[BloodyChamp]

Luck and Brees haven't been top 5 year in and year out

[amfootball]

Pre-snap recognition.

[NewColtsFan]

His brain.

 

It's what makes Luck great.

 

It's what makes Peyton great.

 

It's what makes most (but possibly not all) great QB's great.

[BOTT]

A questionable beard

[Buck Showalter]

Funny–

I can look back on a life of achievement, on challenges met, competitors bested, obstacles overcome.

I’ve accomplished more than most men, and without the use of my legs.

What?

What makes a man, Mr. Lebowski?

[jvan1973]

Funny–

I can look back on a life of achievement, on challenges met, competitors bested, obstacles overcome.

I’ve accomplished more than most men, and without the use of my legs.

What?

What makes a man, Mr. Lebowski?

No man, you're Mr Lebowski, I'm the dude

[Synthetic]

A coach that is super pass happy

 

 

 

If we didn't live in the era where any QB can throw for 300 yards and where penalties literally walk them down the field, no one would be saying any of this. You would all be wanting your Barry Sanders/Emmitt Smith/Marshall Faulk on a team.

[BloodyChamp]

Normally I would argue but penalties, wrongfully called penalties even, did literally walk Drew Brees down the field in the 2009 NFCCG.

[GoPats]

Seeing the field. Both pre and post-snap. (Just another way to say "intelligence" really.) 

 

Arm strength only needs to be adequate. Accuracy is probably more important than arm strength. 

[shakedownstreet]

a really hot girlfriend (preferably a gymnast) 

[oldunclemark]

After watching great qb play for the colts over the years I have began to ask myself the question what is the most important factor that makes a qb great. I'm talking top 5 qb year and year out. The mannings, lucks, Bree's, Brady's and Montana's. Do you think it is arm strength (deep ball skills and ball velocity), pocket presence, throw accuracy, intelligence, work ethic or something I have not mentioned. Name the most important one in your opinion. What do you think makes manning and luck so great and what separates them from everyone else. It's hard to say which one is the most important. I would say accuracy but then again work ethic and intelligence are prob just as important. There are thousands of Mensa members who can't throw a football 10 yArds so that's why i give the edge to accuracy. Then again if you are dumb you could just throw accurate interceptions lol. Such a hard question!

The ability to make your teammates believe that whatever you tell them will work.

Its what seperates good from great

[HtownColt]

His brain.

It's what makes Luck great.

It's what makes Peyton great.

It's what makes most (but possibly not all) great QB's great.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is one exception lol

[NewColtsFan]

Ryan Fitzpatrick is one exception lol

 

 

Very good point!    

 

 

Although,  I guess the counter-argument is that it's his brain that got Fitzpatrick this far -- not his physical skills.......

[oldunclemark]

Seeing the field. Both pre and post-snap. (Just another way to say "intelligence" really.) 

 

Arm strength only needs to be adequate. Accuracy is probably more important than arm strength.

The ability to make decisions and change them quickly

..from plays to progressions..

[Gavin]

His ability to remain calm under pressure and digest things quickly

[SteelCityColt]

Facial hair... it's all about the facial hair...

 

 

 

[Gavin]

Ability to remain calm under pressure, you can learn the playbook(A lot of QB's can), make all the throws(Many QB's can...Backups included and even plenty of 3rd stringers) but if you cant remain calm when ya have someone breathing down your neck or ya have controlled chaos going on all around ya and a D Lineman or Linebacker having a straight line at ya  then ya just cant play QB no matter how much talent ya have.....More QB's fail because of this then any other reason in my opinion