"Best" Post Seasons By SB Winning QBs (1 Viewer)

[Anarchy99]

I compiled a list of all 50 (actually 51) SB winning QBs and how well they fared in their title winning post season. There is an extra QB, as the 72 Dolphins used two QBs, The list is ranked by QB Rating, which is only a so-so metric, but at least can be used as a starting off point.

Part of the reason it is not a great evaluation tool is it will reward guys that complete 7 passes to win a game, so the actual QB contribution will be more open for debate. The average QB rating for these players is 98.2. I will try to remember to update each year after the SB.

Player	        Team	Year	Games	Comp	Att	Yds	TD	INT	RatingJoe Montana	SFO	1989	3	65	83	800	11	0	146.4Bart Starr	GBP	1966	2	35	51	554	6	1	135.6Phil Simms	NYG	1986	3	38	58	494	8	0	131.8Troy Aikman	DAL	1992	3	61	89	795	8	0	126.4Joe Flacco	BAL	2012	4	73	126	1140	11	0	117.2Steve Young	SFO	1994	3	53	87	623	9	0	117.2Joe Montana	SFO	1988	3	56	90	823	8	1	117.0Drew Brees	NOS	2009	3	72	102	732	8	0	116.1Joe Theismann	WAS	1982	4	58	85	716	8	3	110.7Aaron Rodgers	GBP	2010	4	90	132	1094	9	2	109.8Tom Brady	NEP	2004	3	55	81	587	5	0	109.4Brett Favre	GBP	1996	3	44	71	617	5	1	107.5Jim McMahon	CHI	1985	3	39	66	636	3	0	106.6Troy Aikman	DAL	1995	3	53	80	717	4	1	106.1Terry Bradshaw	PIT	1978	3	44	78	790	8	4	104.1Ken Stabler	OAK	1976	3	41	67	501	4	0	104.1Troy Aikman	DAL	1993	3	61	82	686	5	3	104.0Eli Manning	NYG	2011	4	106	163	1219	9	1	103.3Bart Starr	GBP	1967	3	44	71	615	4	1	102.7Big Ben	        PIT	2005	4	58	93	803	7	3	101.7Russell Wilson	SEA	2013	3	43	68	524	3	0	101.6Tom Brady	NEP	2014	3	93	135	921	10	4	100.3Kurt Warner	STL	1999	3	77	121	1063	8	4	100.0Roger Staubach	DAL	1971	3	31	51	321	3	0	98.6Terry Bradshaw	PIT	1979	3	53	82	758	6	4	98.5Jim Plunkett	OAK	1980	4	49	92	839	7	3	96.2Eli Manning	NYG	2007	4	72	119	854	6	1	95.7Bob Griese	MIA	1973	2	11	16	158	1	1	95.3Terry Bradshaw	PIT	1974	3	29	50	394	3	1	94.9Joe Montana	SFO	1981	3	56	88	747	6	4	94.3Doug Williams	WAS	1987	3	41	84	666	7	2	93.7Jeff Hostetler	NYG	1990	3	45	76	510	3	0	92.5Big Ben	        PIT	2008	3	54	89	692	3	1	91.6Mark Rypien	WAS	1991	3	44	79	690	4	2	91.2Joe Montana	SFO	1984	3	67	108	873	7	5	89.8Roger Staubach	DAL	1977	3	37	61	482	3	2	88.3Bob Griese	MIA	1972	3	20	31	266	2	2	86.2John Elway	DEN	1998	3	45	86	691	3	1	86.0Jim Plunkett	OAK	1983	3	54	83	618	2	2	85.3Tom Brady	NEP	2003	3	75	126	792	5	2	84.5John Elway	DEN	1997	4	56	96	726	3	2	83.9Trent Dilfer	BAL	2000	4	35	73	590	3	1	83.7Len Dawson	KCC	1969	3	31	61	472	2	1	80.8Brad Johnson	TBB	2002	3	53	98	670	5	3	79.9Tom Brady	NEP	2001	3	60	97	572	1	1	77.3Johnny Unitas	BAL	1970	3	20	56	478	4	2	76.3Peyton Manning	DEN	2015	3	51	92	539	2	1	75.4Joe Namath	NYJ	1968	2	36	77	472	3	1	74.2Peyton Manning	IND	2006	4	97	153	1034	3	7	70.5Terry Bradshaw	PIT	1975	3	32	57	527	3	5	68.4Earl Morrall	MIA	1972	2	13	24	139	1	1	67.9

 

[BigSteelThrill]

Joe Cool.

 

[Run It Up]

Someone bump the Flacco is elite thread, we need reminded that he isn't.

 

[cstu]

Someone bump the Flacco is elite thread, we need reminded that he isn't.

How does this thread diminish him in any way? 11 TD, 0 INT with two road wins.

 

[cstu]

Joe Cool.

Picked apart the Bears' #1 defense on the road in the NFC championship despite freezing conditions. This is the same Bears team who they lost to at home 10-9 earlier in the season.

http://articles.latimes.com/1989-01-09/sports/sp-134_1_super-bowl

"It might have been his greatest game, under the conditions," 49er Coach Bill Walsh said.

 

[FUBAR]

Someone bump the Flacco is elite thread, we need reminded that he isn't.

How does this thread diminish him in any way? 11 TD, 0 INT with two road wins.

It doesn't, I think that's his point.

All the other QBs near him on this list are HOFers.

 

[fantasy stud]

Montana in 88-89. 19 td , 1 int. Doesn't get much better than that.

 

[Anarchy99]

And here are the points allowed per game in the post season by those QB's defenses in their SB run . . .

Team	Year	PPGCHI	1985	3.33BAL	2000	5.75DAL	1971	6.00KCC	1969	6.67NYG	1986	7.67DAL	1977	7.67SFO	1989	8.67SFO	1984	8.67SFO	1988	9.33BAL	1970	10.00DEN	1998	10.67OAK	1983	11.00PIT	1974	11.00MIA	1973	11.00NYG	1990	11.67WAS	1982	12.00TBB	2002	12.33WAS	1987	12.33PIT	1975	12.33MIA	1972	12.67GBP	1967	12.67SEA	2013	13.33WAS	1991	13.67NYG	2011	14.00OAK	1980	14.00OAK	1976	14.00DEN	2015	14.67NYJ	1968	15.00PIT	1979	15.33PIT	1978	15.33PIT	2005	15.50NEP	2001	15.67DAL	1992	15.67GBP	1996	16.00NYG	2007	16.25IND	2006	16.25NEP	2004	17.00DAL	1993	17.00SFO	1981	17.33DEN	1997	18.00DAL	1995	18.33GBP	1966	18.50GBP	2010	19.00NEP	2003	19.00NOS	2009	19.67STL	1999	19.67PIT	2008	20.33NEP	2014	20.67BAL	2012	22.00SFO	1994	23.00

 

[TobiasFunke]

The answer here is 1994 Steve Young.

Just the above-listed numbers alone would probably put him second after 1989 Montana, but consider that he also rushed for 20 times for 128 yards and two TD over the three games.

Despite ranking dead last in PPG allowed by defense as noted in the previous post, the Niners were never in any real danger of losing a game because of Young's efforts on offense. All of their playoff games were effectively over at halftime. Dallas was the only team to get within two scores of them in the second half ... and then Young scored a rushing TD to put them away for good.

 

[Anarchy99]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

 

[Steelers4Life]

Any exercise comparing how QBs performed or how many points were scored/given up by teams in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's, and 2010's is useless.

The game is 100% different today. More points are scored now, it's easier for QBs now, and comparing a QB from the 80's or a QB from the past 10 years based on numbers or ratings is comparing apples to cars.

 

[fantasy stud]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Shows how complete those niners teams were and why there were considered a dynasty.

 

[voiceofunreason]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

 

[fantasy stud]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

I guess you could say the same about Brady then. I have to disagree about that young team. They were loaded

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Any exercise comparing how QBs performed or how many points were scored/given up by teams in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's, and 2010's is useless.

The game is 100% different today. More points are scored now, it's easier for QBs now, and comparing a QB from the 80's or a QB from the past 10 years based on numbers or ratings is comparing apples to cars.

Making Bart Starr's accomplishment still unparalleled when era adjusted.

 

[Deamon]

Peyton: 5 tds and 8 ints over his 2 super bowl winning playoff runs. 47th and 49th all time out of 51. Wow.

 

[CalBear]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

There was precisely one HoFer on the Niners offense in 1981 and 1984: Joe Montana.

 

[Workhorse]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

There was precisely one HoFer on the Niners offense in 1981 and 1984: Joe Montana.

True, but that 1984 team had some talent in the trenches: Fahnhorst was first-team All Pro at RT with Randy Cross and Fred Quillan both making the Pro Bowl that year. Plus, Wendall Tyler and Roger Craig were probably the best backfield combo in the league that season. That '84 team was loaded on both sides of the ball and is still one of the best teams I've ever seen. People forgot that team missed out on a perfect season thanks to a missed 37 yard FG by Ray Wersching that would have sent that game against the Steelers into overtime.

 

[msudaisy26]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

I guess you could say the same about Brady then. I have to disagree about that young team. They were loaded

Brady had great to elite defenses when he won titles, but all the years he won titles he never had the offensive fire power that Montana had.

 

[CalBear]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

There was precisely one HoFer on the Niners offense in 1981 and 1984: Joe Montana.

True, but that 1984 team had some talent in the trenches: Fahnhorst was first-team All Pro at RT with Randy Cross and Fred Quillan both making the Pro Bowl that year. Plus, Wendall Tyler and Roger Craig were probably the best backfield combo in the league that season. That '84 team was loaded on both sides of the ball and is still one of the best teams I've ever seen. People forgot that team missed out on a perfect season thanks to a missed 37 yard FG by Ray Wersching that would have sent that game against the Steelers into overtime.

Erik Dickerson ran for 2105 yards that year.

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

I guess you could say the same about Brady then. I have to disagree about that young team. They were loaded

Brady had great to elite defenses when he won titles, but all the years he won titles he never had the offensive fire power that Montana had.

In 1981, Montana had:

RB Ricky Patton (543 yards, 4 TD, the best season of his career)

WR Dwight Clark (1105 yards, 4 TD, his only 1000-yard season)

WR Freddie Solomon (969 yards, 8 TD. Solomon never had a 1000-yard season)

In 2001, Brady had:

RB Antowain Smith (1157 yards, 12 TD)

WR Troy Brown (1199 yards, 5 TD)

WR David Patten (749 yards, 4 TD)

The WRs are comparable, the RB favors Brady.

 

[Anarchy99]

I guess we should define what a "great to elite defense" actually means. A Top 5 defense that year? A Top 5 defense of a generation? The best defense of a generation?

The 2000 Ravens defense was uber elite. The Seahawks defense the past few years has been elite. IMO, the Denver defense was great during the regular season but elite in the post season.

The years NE won the SB, their defenses ranked 6th, 1st, 2nd, and 8th in points allowed. Does 6th or 8th make your defense elite? The Steelers ranked #1 in fewest points allowed 4 times in the past 10-12 years. Would that make them great or elite? (They won a SB and lost a SB in those seasons.) From the list I posted above, in their 4 title winning seasons, their defenses in the playoffs all ranked in the Bottom Third in terms of points allowed of the 50 SB winning teams. Was the NE defense really that stellar in the post sesaon in those years?

As I see it, people will perceive things differently. Some will say the Patriots defense was elite because others have said it. The Colts with Manning had seasons where they ranked #1 and #2 in points allowed (and didn't win anything, both years going one and done in the playoffs). Were those defenses great or elite?

Speaking of the Ravens, they had a Top 3 defense 5 times in the late 2000/early 2010's, but didn't win a title. Then they had a season when they actually won a SB . . . and their defense ranked 12th. Were they great or elite?

Not trying to be a jerk, just trying to figure out what defines great or elite.

 

[Anarchy99]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

There was precisely one HoFer on the Niners offense in 1981 and 1984: Joe Montana.

True, but that 1984 team had some talent in the trenches: Fahnhorst was first-team All Pro at RT with Randy Cross and Fred Quillan both making the Pro Bowl that year. Plus, Wendall Tyler and Roger Craig were probably the best backfield combo in the league that season. That '84 team was loaded on both sides of the ball and is still one of the best teams I've ever seen. People forgot that team missed out on a perfect season thanks to a missed 37 yard FG by Ray Wersching that would have sent that game against the Steelers into overtime.

Erik Dickerson ran for 2105 yards that year.

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

I guess you could say the same about Brady then. I have to disagree about that young team. They were loaded

Brady had great to elite defenses when he won titles, but all the years he won titles he never had the offensive fire power that Montana had.

In 1981, Montana had:

RB Ricky Patton (543 yards, 4 TD, the best season of his career)

WR Dwight Clark (1105 yards, 4 TD, his only 1000-yard season)

WR Freddie Solomon (969 yards, 8 TD. Solomon never had a 1000-yard season)

In 2001, Brady had:

RB Antowain Smith (1157 yards, 12 TD)

WR Troy Brown (1199 yards, 5 TD)

WR David Patten (749 yards, 4 TD)

The WRs are comparable, the RB favors Brady.

Hard to compare teams and players from 30 years apart.

In 1981, the 49ers passed for 8.3% more passing yards than the league average and ran for 6.8% fewer yards than league average. SF ranked 2nd in points allowed

In 2001, the Pats passed for 6.2% fewer yards than the league average but ran 4 yards more than league average (essentially 0.2% above average). NE ranked 6th in points allowed.

I don't see a ton that makes one stand out by leaps and bounds over the other, but if I had to give an edge, to me it looks like Montana had a smidge better situation.

 

[msudaisy26]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

There was precisely one HoFer on the Niners offense in 1981 and 1984: Joe Montana.

True, but that 1984 team had some talent in the trenches: Fahnhorst was first-team All Pro at RT with Randy Cross and Fred Quillan both making the Pro Bowl that year. Plus, Wendall Tyler and Roger Craig were probably the best backfield combo in the league that season. That '84 team was loaded on both sides of the ball and is still one of the best teams I've ever seen. People forgot that team missed out on a perfect season thanks to a missed 37 yard FG by Ray Wersching that would have sent that game against the Steelers into overtime.

Erik Dickerson ran for 2105 yards that year.

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

I guess you could say the same about Brady then. I have to disagree about that young team. They were loaded

Brady had great to elite defenses when he won titles, but all the years he won titles he never had the offensive fire power that Montana had.

In 1981, Montana had:

RB Ricky Patton (543 yards, 4 TD, the best season of his career)

WR Dwight Clark (1105 yards, 4 TD, his only 1000-yard season)

WR Freddie Solomon (969 yards, 8 TD. Solomon never had a 1000-yard season)

In 2001, Brady had:

RB Antowain Smith (1157 yards, 12 TD)

WR Troy Brown (1199 yards, 5 TD)

WR David Patten (749 yards, 4 TD)

The WRs are comparable, the RB favors Brady.

That is just one year you are comparing, and I would still give the advantage to Montana that year, not by a lot though.

 

[CalBear]

Hard to compare teams and players from 30 years apart.


In 1981, the 49ers passed for 8.3% more passing yards than the league average and ran for 6.8% fewer yards than league average. SF ranked 2nd in points allowed

In 2001, the Pats passed for 6.2% fewer yards than the league average but ran 4 yards more than league average (essentially 0.2% above average). NE ranked 6th in points allowed.

I don't see a ton that makes one stand out by leaps and bounds over the other, but if I had to give an edge, to me it looks like Montana had a smidge better situation.

You're begging the question. If the hypothesis is that Montana was better than Brady, you can't use the fact that Montana passed for more yardage relative to his peers as an argument against him. It seems highly unlikely, looking at the talent, that Montana's supporting cast on offense in 1981 was at all better than Brady's in 2001.

 

[Workhorse]

Interesting that as good as Montana was, in three of the SF title runs the defense only allowed roughly 9 ppg. You'd have to try really, really hard to lose with the defense and Montana playing that well.

Montana was great but he played with an elite defense, a bunch of HoFers on offense and one of the greatest coaches ever. Not to say he wasn't a great qb but he wasn't way better than anyone else. The team Steve Young took to the super bowl was a shadow of the team built around Montana.

There was precisely one HoFer on the Niners offense in 1981 and 1984: Joe Montana.

True, but that 1984 team had some talent in the trenches: Fahnhorst was first-team All Pro at RT with Randy Cross and Fred Quillan both making the Pro Bowl that year. Plus, Wendall Tyler and Roger Craig were probably the best backfield combo in the league that season. That '84 team was loaded on both sides of the ball and is still one of the best teams I've ever seen. People forgot that team missed out on a perfect season thanks to a missed 37 yard FG by Ray Wersching that would have sent that game against the Steelers into overtime.

Erik Dickerson ran for 2105 yards that year.

In 1984, Tyler and Craig had 2,793 yards from scrimmage.

Dickerson and Crutchfield had 2,592.

 

[The Big Donkey]

Look at Eli with the most passing yards for a SB run. Didn't realize that. Thanks for posting this.

 

[cstu]

Look at Eli with the most passing yards for a SB run. Didn't realize that. Thanks for posting this.

That was a very impressive run (included two road wins) but I have to give the 2nd best post-season (behind Montana) to Flacco:

- two road wins against the #4 defense (Broncos) and #9 defense (Patriots)

- beat the #2 defense (49ers) in the Super Bowl

- his team allowed 35, 13, and 31 points (Broncos, Patriots, and 49ers, respectively)