The Current Generation of QBs (1 Viewer)

[LarryAllen'sJockstrap]

I put together a list of top 20 QBs all time in terms of TD/INT ratio. The only qualifiying criteria was that the QB had to have at least 50 career TDs. I also included the year in which each QB first qualified for a season.

Name TD/INTs Ratio Year Qualified

1. Tom Brady 197/86 2.29 2001

2. Steve Young 232/107 2.17 1986

3. Phillip Rivers 78/36 2.17 2006

4. Donovan McNabb 194/90 2.16 2000

5. Peyton Manning 333/165 2.02 1998

6. Joe Montana 273/139 1.96 1980

7. Jeff Garcia 161/83 1.94 1999

8. Neil O'Donnell 120/68 1.76 1991

9. Tony Romo 81/46 1.76 2006

10. David Garrard 51/29 1.76 2006

11. Rich Gannon 180/104 1.74 1990

12. Mark Brunell 182/106 1.72 1995

13. Drew Brees 168/99 1.70 2002

14. Dan Marino 420/252 1.67 1983

15. Chad Pennington 101/62 1.63 2002

16. Carson Palmer 107/67 1.60 2004

17. Kurt Warner 182/114 1.60 1999

18. Matt Hasslebeck 147/94 1.56 2001

19. Randall Cunningham 207/134 1.54 1987

20. Jake Delhomme 115/76 1.51 2003

- No QB on this list started their career before 1980.

- Only 4 QBs started their career between 1980-1989.

- 6 QBs started their career between 1990-1999.

- 10 QBs have started their career since 2000.

 

[David Yudkin]

17 of the top 21 QBs in terms of career passer rating are active players (there's a tie for the #20 spot). Enough said.

 

[Chase Stuart]

Most efficient ever is a bit misleading. They certainly have produced the best numbers, and passing efficiency league-wide has increased pretty consistently since the early '70s. QBs, on average, have much more efficient numbers (as measured by anything, including TD/INT ratio) now than they did in the past.

But are the top QBs more efficient than the top QBs of yesteryear? I don't think so. If the league average TD/INT ratio is 3:2, and a top QB is at 6:2, that's not any more efficient than a QB at 2:1 when the league average is 1:1.

 

[heidbrink]

The rules have been adjusted since the 70's to be more qb friendly.

 

[Matt Waldman]

Excellent post about the changing of the rules. Back in the day, CBs could mug WRs off the line of scrimmage by comparison and DL's could head slap and encroach the LOS, giving them an advantage. The NFL is still a very physical game, but it is more finesse than it was in the past. This gives a big advantage to QBs. Throw in the development of the West Coast offense, which incorporates a more horizontal spreading of the field and I think the ratings are a bit misleading.

All said and done, there are great QBs right now, but I don't think they erase the crop of guys that played before them who were also great for different reasons.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Today's athletes are the best ever at every position in every sport.

 

[dgreen]

17 of the top 21 QBs in terms of career passer rating are active players (there's a tie for the #20 spot). Enough said.

Active players tend to be at the top of lists (other than career totals). I can immediately think of two reason.1) The game progresses and we figure out betters ways to do things. This gives active players advantages.2) Active players haven't had their bad years at the end of their careers yet, while retired players have. Sometimes, you are comparing peak performance of an active player with career performance of a retired player.

 

[dgreen]

Today's athletes are the best ever at every position in every sport.

Including the defensive players. So why such good offensive numbers today?

 

[TheWheel]

It is playcalling manipulated by rule change. With pass friendly rules comes more plays to take advantage of the rules. The West Coast offense would not have worked with WRs getting beat up every play. And considering what exactly a WCO entails, an accurate QB can dominate.

 

[jurb26]

The rules have been adjusted since the 70's to be more qb friendly.

This is the answer. But it's not just more QB friendly, it's scoring and total offense friendly.