Top 5 QBs all time? (1 Viewer)

[shakeybarn]

Im not sure how Id order them but right now Id say the top 5 areMontanaElwayFavreBradyManningand thenMarino

Elway was MEDIOCRE to "GOOD" for so many years... until he got TD. Typical (and I'm not a Fins or Marino fan) to drop Marino (guessing because he doesn't have the ring). Elway had three shots at the ring, and FAILED miserably... until he got TD. Marino with a 2,000 yd back, wins 2 Super Bowls. Period.

 

[Tau837]

Otto Graham

Any top five without this guy in it is flawed.His team played for a championship every single year of his 10-year career. I'm not big on judging QBs by team accomplishments, but that one's hard to ignore.His stats were also by far the best of his era. They'd hold up pretty well in this era. Graham and Bobby Layne were the Manning/Brady of the 50's, but compare their numbers side-by-side and it's not even close. It's Graham in a landslide.

While I agree Graham should merit strong consideration, and I listed him in my post, to be fair, he also played for a stacked team and in a much smaller league. These are things that IMO make it tough to compare between eras...

 

[Tau837]

Im not sure how Id order them but right now Id say the top 5 areMontanaElwayFavreBradyManningand thenMarino

Elway was MEDIOCRE to "GOOD" for so many years... until he got TD. Typical (and I'm not a Fins or Marino fan) to drop Marino (guessing because he doesn't have the ring). Elway had three shots at the ring, and FAILED miserably... until he got TD. Marino with a 2,000 yd back, wins 2 Super Bowls. Period.

Disagree. The key statistically wasn't getting TD, it was getting a head coach other than Dan Reeves, who clearly held Elway back. Just look at Elway's numbers through 1992 vs. 1993 and later. But he was always great when needed - see all the 4th quarter comebacks and the 5 Super Bowls, including 3 without TD and with a fairly poor supporting cast, at least on offense.As for your hypothetical about Marino, that's all it is - hypothetical. You can't judge players on what they could have done, only on what they did.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Add another win, another fourth quarter comeback, a few more T.D.'s and a few hundred more yards to Favre. Dude is aging like fine wine. Marino went out like an over ripe head cheese.

 

[SR388]

1. Dan Marino

.....after that I don't care.

Team accomplishments are always part of this discussion and they shouldn't be. The quickest most accurate release ever belongs to Dan Marino. If I'm picking my all-time team I'm selecting Dan #1.

Dan is a fine passer, but he doesn't make my top 5. He's immobile. He had zero touch when it came to short passes.

If the fins would have surrounded him with a OL and a few Rec's he would have put up numbers that were more obscene then he already has.

I wanted to let that statement go. I even tried to just go right past the post and continue reading the thread and pretend I did not see it. It is just so blatantly false though that I could not allow myself to get past it. The only glaring flaw in Dan's game (aside from his lack of rushing yards) was that he could not sell a play action pass for the life of him. He was fine on short passes, had as much touch as anyone who has ever played the game, and was the best pure passer of my lifetime. He was not immobile either until after his knees failed him. He was not a rushing QB by any means, and he did not gain yards with his legs, but his pocket presence and excellent footwork bought him time in the pocket and helped to make him consistently the least sacked QB in the league.I think people forget how spectacular he was. It was a long time ago already. The guy was amazing to watch.

I disagree.I watched him for years and years throw 700 mph rocket balls to HB's. Granted, this is the NFL level and these guys should be able to catch anything that comes near them, but reality is not all guys are blessed with all skill sets.

Marino could make ever throw in the book faster and just about as hard as anybody. But he threw horribly overpowered screens and check downs.

 

[shakeybarn]

Im not sure how Id order them but right now Id say the top 5 areMontanaElwayFavreBradyManningand thenMarino

Elway was MEDIOCRE to "GOOD" for so many years... until he got TD. Typical (and I'm not a Fins or Marino fan) to drop Marino (guessing because he doesn't have the ring). Elway had three shots at the ring, and FAILED miserably... until he got TD. Marino with a 2,000 yd back, wins 2 Super Bowls. Period.

Disagree. The key statistically wasn't getting TD, it was getting a head coach other than Dan Reeves, who clearly held Elway back. Just look at Elway's numbers through 1992 vs. 1993 and later. But he was always great when needed - see all the 4th quarter comebacks and the 5 Super Bowls, including 3 without TD and with a fairly poor supporting cast, at least on offense.As for your hypothetical about Marino, that's all it is - hypothetical. You can't judge players on what they could have done, only on what they did.

Negative!!!!!!!!A good QB the game away early.So let's discuss Brady '07 vs Elway in the 80's... grrrrreat... Elway makes this heroic 4th qtr comeback via a 13-10 deficit... while Brady (and I hate the Pats)... takes care of bizness in the first half... The comeback stat is THE MOST OVERRATED STAT IN ALL OF FOOTBALL.GOOD OFFENSES/QBs BURY THE GAME BEFORE IT'S EVEN AN ISSUE

 

[stevegamer]

Brady & Manning are out of my top 5 & top 10, and they need to get very near the end of their careers before they will enter the discussion.

 

[TheGreatest]

1. Montana

2. Unitas

3. Marino

4. Favre

5. Manning

6. Elway

7. Bradshaw

8.Tarkenton

9. Brady

10. Staubach

Honorable mention: Young, Graham, Starr, Moon, Fouts, & Namath.

 

[ChuckLiddell]

1. Dan Marino

.....after that I don't care.

Team accomplishments are always part of this discussion and they shouldn't be. The quickest most accurate release ever belongs to Dan Marino. If I'm picking my all-time team I'm selecting Dan #1.

Dan is a fine passer, but he doesn't make my top 5. He's immobile. He had zero touch when it came to short passes.

If the fins would have surrounded him with a OL and a few Rec's he would have put up numbers that were more obscene then he already has.

I wanted to let that statement go. I even tried to just go right past the post and continue reading the thread and pretend I did not see it. It is just so blatantly false though that I could not allow myself to get past it. The only glaring flaw in Dan's game (aside from his lack of rushing yards) was that he could not sell a play action pass for the life of him. He was fine on short passes, had as much touch as anyone who has ever played the game, and was the best pure passer of my lifetime. He was not immobile either until after his knees failed him. He was not a rushing QB by any means, and he did not gain yards with his legs, but his pocket presence and excellent footwork bought him time in the pocket and helped to make him consistently the least sacked QB in the league.I think people forget how spectacular he was. It was a long time ago already. The guy was amazing to watch.

I disagree.I watched him for years and years throw 700 mph rocket balls to HB's. Granted, this is the NFL level and these guys should be able to catch anything that comes near them, but reality is not all guys are blessed with all skill sets.

Marino could make ever throw in the book faster and just about as hard as anybody. But he threw horribly overpowered screens and check downs.

You were watching different games than I was.Not only did I never see this with my own two eyes as an avid fan of the Fins who watched them with every possible opportunity, but I have never heard this criticism of him from any other person in all of the hundreds of Dan Marino debates that I have been involved in. I have heard the no ring argument (a popular one), the no mobility argument (partially true), and the no play action argument (right on) all several times. Never have I heard Dan accused of having no touch on short passes until your post.

 

[hove]

10. Staubach

Wow, had to go to the second page to even see a mention of the guy that took the Cowboys to four Super bowls in the 70s....

 

[SR388]

10. Staubach

Wow, had to go to the second page to even see a mention of the guy that took the Cowboys to four Super bowls in the 70s....

No you didn't.

 

[SR388]

1. Dan Marino

.....after that I don't care.

Team accomplishments are always part of this discussion and they shouldn't be. The quickest most accurate release ever belongs to Dan Marino. If I'm picking my all-time team I'm selecting Dan #1.

Dan is a fine passer, but he doesn't make my top 5. He's immobile. He had zero touch when it came to short passes.

If the fins would have surrounded him with a OL and a few Rec's he would have put up numbers that were more obscene then he already has.

I wanted to let that statement go. I even tried to just go right past the post and continue reading the thread and pretend I did not see it. It is just so blatantly false though that I could not allow myself to get past it. The only glaring flaw in Dan's game (aside from his lack of rushing yards) was that he could not sell a play action pass for the life of him. He was fine on short passes, had as much touch as anyone who has ever played the game, and was the best pure passer of my lifetime. He was not immobile either until after his knees failed him. He was not a rushing QB by any means, and he did not gain yards with his legs, but his pocket presence and excellent footwork bought him time in the pocket and helped to make him consistently the least sacked QB in the league.I think people forget how spectacular he was. It was a long time ago already. The guy was amazing to watch.

I disagree.I watched him for years and years throw 700 mph rocket balls to HB's. Granted, this is the NFL level and these guys should be able to catch anything that comes near them, but reality is not all guys are blessed with all skill sets.

Marino could make ever throw in the book faster and just about as hard as anybody. But he threw horribly overpowered screens and check downs.

You were watching different games than I was.Not only did I never see this with my own two eyes as an avid fan of the Fins who watched them with every possible opportunity, but I have never heard this criticism of him from any other person in all of the hundreds of Dan Marino debates that I have been involved in. I have heard the no ring argument (a popular one), the no mobility argument (partially true), and the no play action argument (right on) all several times. Never have I heard Dan accused of having no touch on short passes until your post.

So because you have never heard it before means what?It's not a big knock. I also think his immobility is overplayed. He was renowned for years at being able to avoid sacks. Sure he wasn't going to break one for a long TD or buy a huge chunk of time, but he was extremely adept at sidestepping to buy more time.

Great QB. The only two knocks I'd even give him are the no touch on the passes to the back and the fact that he was really slow.

 

[schooner44]

Some of the rankings here are insulting. Elway isn't even a top 10 QB no less any where near top 5.

1) Marino

2) Unitas

3) Manning

4) Montana

5) Brady

 

[scooterg61]

I realize some people may laugh at me, but:in addition to Manning and Brady, I believe there is a third QB playing right now who by the time his career is over will be considered one of the greatest of all time: he starts for the Steelers...

You're right - some people will laugh at you.

you may laugh.. but.. big ben has record for most consecutive wins as a rookie.. youngest qb to win SB...i mean..hell.. you guys give all this man love to brady and manning.. yikes.. what has manning done.. 1 ring(SAME AS BEN).. WITH ALL THAT TALENT???? SHOULD HAVE 3.. brady is awful good yes.. now he has talent around him and god knows 72 dolphins best beware.... but QUESTION WAS OF ALL TIME... unitas,starr, favre should be in the top 5.. not manning or brady.. their careers arent over yet.. wait til they are done.. than compare them to the likes of favre, montana,starr,baugh,unitas etc etc..