Another QB ranking piece -- with a twist

[Superman]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9488632/bill-barnwell-names-best-qbs-nfl-history

 

First, let's make sure that we're all talking about the same thing here. When I talk about a guy holding the Quarterback Championship Belt, it's the guy who would be considered by most fans of the league as the best quarterback in football at the time, the guy who would pass the Bob Ryan test of being the person you would nominate to play quarterback against a group of alien invaders. That doesn't mean that he has to have the best statistics in the league, although good numbers obviously help. He doesn't need to play for the Super Bowl winner, but that also doesn't hurt. One superb year from one guy isn't always enough to knock another guy down; if Tony Romo had marginally better numbers than Tom Brady next year, that wouldn't be enough for most people to say that Romo was a better quarterback than Brady, so he wouldn't take the belt away from Brady next year (were he the titleholder). Finishing high up in the balloting for Pro Bowls and the All-Pro Team is usually a good hint of a player's reputation. I'll throw in a little bit of hindsight to help pick between relatively close battles, too.

 

 

I like this. I generally like Barnwell's stuff anyways, but I really like the concept and structure. It acknowledges that there's an ebb and flow to these rankings, while giving credit to players for what they do. 

 

To steal a line from my bud NCF -- your mileage may vary.

[Dustin]

Good list. I disagree with his assessment that Brady's 2007 season was the best ever bar none. Mannings 2004 season was the most efficient season by a QB in the history of the league.

Just a small gripe in an otherwise solid peice.

[21isSuperman]

Good list. I disagree with his assessment that Brady's 2007 season was the best ever bar none. Mannings 2004 season was the most efficient season by a QB in the history of the league.

Just a small gripe in an otherwise solid peice.

I agree.  Manning's 2004 season was unreal.  In regards to the article, I gotta give a lot of credit to the writer.  To go back that far in NFL history and do a regime-by-regime analysis of who was at the top is pretty impressive.  Good article.

[stat2883]

that's a pretty solid website in my opinion....have a lot of good articles on the X's and O's too for those interested. I'd put more weight on their opinion than a lot of writers/websites.

[crazycolt1]

If the writer is going back to pre super bowl one days maybe a little more searching should have been done. Sammy Baugh and Otto Graham not only played QBs but also play other positions on the field. If we were to say greatest of all time you can't limit the list to the QBs you or your father remembered.  

[BOTT]

Good list. I disagree with his assessment that Brady's 2007 season was the best ever bar none. Mannings 2004 season was the most efficient season by a QB in the history of the league.

Just a small gripe in an otherwise solid peice.

I still think Marino's season trumps both

[Superman]

If the writer is going back to pre super bowl one days maybe a little more searching should have been done. Sammy Baugh and Otto Graham not only played QBs but also play other positions on the field. If we were to say greatest of all time you can't limit the list to the QBs you or your father remembered.  

 

I don't think it matters that they played other positions. His piece is about quarterbacking.

 

I'm not sure why he started in '59. Another ten years back and Baugh and Graham would no doubt have been included. 

[Superman]

I still think Marino's season trumps both

 

The raw numbers and efficiency favor Brady and Manning, but the league was different in '84, and no one seriously threatened that record (other than Marino in '86) for twenty years. The closest was Kurt Warner's '99 season, with 41 touchdowns, on 65 fewer attempts (Warner's TD% was 8.2; Marino's was 8.5; Brady's was 8.7; Manning's was 9.9, and I believe that's the record for the SB era). Marino's season was probably more impressive, because of how he blasted past everyone that came before him (Y.A. Tittle's record was 36; Dan Fouts had recently done 33), and how different the league was, and how long his record stood untouched.

[bayone]

Good list. I disagree with his assessment that Brady's 2007 season was the best ever bar none. Mannings 2004 season was the most efficient season by a QB in the history of the league.

Just a small gripe in an otherwise solid peice.

 

 

I agree.  Manning's 2004 season was unreal.  In regards to the article, I gotta give a lot of credit to the writer.  To go back that far in NFL history and do a regime-by-regime analysis of who was at the top is pretty impressive.  Good article.

 

especially in in basically didnt play for over 2.5 games, and last game Vs Denver just a series and right after that 4 TDS Vs Denver in plaayoffs , or on thanksgiving torching Lions for 6 TDS and taken out early