Greatest quarterback you have seen?

[familytoad]

Ok, so to simplify the answer I am going to give...Dan Marino is the greatest QB to ever play in the years I watched football.

He was the best pure passer in an era not protected with "Peyton Rules". I don't want to belabor that discussion but passing in today's NFL is not the same as it was. Simply compiling "Peyton Stats" wouldn't be that difficult if you had an average team around you in today's game (see Philip Rivers for example)

Other QB's:

Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr are personal favorites too, but they were in the last years of their careers when I watched them play, so I have to set them aside for this purpose.

I thought Steve Young was better than Joe Montana, but the whole idea that you could plug in another QB into that system and succeed made me think it was the system and not the man.

Question for Bill, what made you call out Drew Brees as someone who "pads their stats"? I think his numbers are obviously terrific, his defense is historically terrible, running game nothing better than mediocre and his team must pass a lot to win. Sounds like he's playing to the situation. Not many better passers in the game past or present in my opinion. What stood out to you that he's padding any differently than say "Peyton"?

Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre. Great quarterbacks on a fun team to watch. They are in the discussion as "my" best ever, especially Favre. He led the team with a certain gusto that's unmatched. Packers football history is the NFL. Watch how those GB teams specifically changed from the 60's to the current era and you'll see a good example of the NFL transition. Max McGee to Jordy Nelson, nuff said.

Not much mention above for Tom Brady. Granted, he plays in this passing friendly era and he certainly benefits from the rules (even the bent ones)
He is an all-time great. His records and wins are not flukes. Sometimes you just have to give credit where it's due.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by familytoad

Question for Bill, what made you call out Drew Brees as someone who "pads their stats"? I think his numbers are obviously terrific, his defense is historically terrible, running game nothing better than mediocre and his team must pass a lot to win. Sounds like he's playing to the situation. Not many better passers in the game past or present in my opinion. What stood out to you that he's padding any differently than say "Peyton"?

I have always liked Brees because he can do so much with the height disadvantage, but I would put him in a class with Dan Fouts and Jurgensen (out of the ones I've seen). I remember thinking Favre was right up there, but Rodgers made me forget him. You guys are helping me come up with a better list: Montana, Young, Staubach, Rodgers, Marino. Then Manning and Brady. Then Elway and Favre. I have to admit that I also loved Don Meredith, but I was a Cowboys fan and he was the leader when I was a kid.

Very interesting the choices being made. I love that Unitas is the favorite of many who have also seen today's stars. I'm dying to re-watch some old Colts film. I think if you watched Bart Starr play, you'd also be impressed.

GO HAWKS!!!

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by familytoad

Question for Bill, what made you call out Drew Brees as someone who "pads their stats"? I think his numbers are obviously terrific, his defense is historically terrible, running game nothing better than mediocre and his team must pass a lot to win. Sounds like he's playing to the situation. Not many better passers in the game past or present in my opinion. What stood out to you that he's padding any differently than say "Peyton"?

Brian, I'd have to go back and look for other examples, and there have been many. But the one that stands out the most was the final game of the 2011 season. Rodgers sat out the final game of the season, ending with 45 TD passes. He was leading the NFL. Well, Drew Brees had 41 TD passes, and in a completely meaningless game (the Saints came in at 12-3), and against an opponent with nothing to play for (the 6-9 Panthers), Brees came out airing it out because he wanted to set the all-time single season passing yards mark, AND he wanted to lead the NFL in touchdown passes. He threw 35 passes, and many of them 30-40-50 yards downfield, trying to pad his stats, and late in the game, after the game had already been won. With his team up by 2 touchdowns, and the Panthers showing no signs of life, Brees was still in there throwing bombs. He had three touchdown passes, but was still behind Rodgers. So, after a couple deep passes, he moves the Saints down the field to the 1 yard line, and gets a dinky little pass for #45 to tie Rodgers. Now they're up 21 points. Instead of getting the backup some work, with the Saints securing a 13-3 record, and the #2 seed, the highest they could get, as the Packers came in to the day at 14-1, out came Drew Brees, wanting that TD pass #46. And he's throwing the ball all over the field, and my friend, Chris, a huge Saints fan, is sitting there saying "why is he still out there?" And I told him "he wants to lead the NFL by himself. It's not enough to tie for the NFL lead in TD passes. He has to lead by himself." Sure enough, down in the red zone, they set up a little dink pass to Sproles, and he scoots in. And afterwords, Drew Brees is mugging for the camera, saying "but it's all about my teammates. I didn't care for the records." LOL, what a bunch of bullshit.

Here are some other posts on other forums, people doing a better job than I can:

Drew Brees' history as a stat padder during his tenure as a Saint

Just Google it. Funny the things you find. SOme other guys in the league obviously don't like Drew.



"Hey Drew, go ask the league if Sean Payon can get a night off from his season-long suspension to watch you break a record NOW!"

I don't know if Peyton is worse than Brees. I've seen him do it, too. But Brees has never seen a pass he didn't like. The guy will throw 700 times in a season, if they let him. Then he'll blow wind up everybody's ass about how "it's all about the team."

Yeah, right.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Here are some other posts on other forums, people doing a better job than I can:

Drew Brees' history as a stat padder during his tenure as a Saint

I agree that Drew is a stat padder but that article doesn't really help the case. I mean, he includes stuff like this:

"Winning by 11 points in the 4th quarter, Brees throws a TD to Heath Evans to go up by 18 points with 8:38 remaining."

Cuz, yeah, you shouldn't throw TDs when you're only up 2 scores.

[clydepepper]

Hey, where have all the Ryan Leaf fans gone?

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Tabe

I agree that Drew is a stat padder but that article doesn't really help the case. I mean, he includes stuff like this:

"Winning by 11 points in the 4th quarter, Brees throws a TD to Heath Evans to go up by 18 points with 8:38 remaining."

Cuz, yeah, you shouldn't throw TDs when you're only up 2 scores.

I only skimmed the post. I agree after looking at it in a little more detail there are some points made that are not good examples of stat padding. Up by 11 with 8 + minutes to go, you should go for the kill shot. I felt that way before the NFC Championship Game, and I definitely feel even more so, now.

But there are clear examples when the Saints are up big, where the other team is clearly inferior, and out of the game, where Brees is throwing the deep ball looking for more yardage and touchdowns to make his box score look better. Then he has the nerve to say "it was all about my team, not me" after the game.

Please.

By the way, I am not meaning to suggest Brees is the only one that does this. But it sure seems to me that Brees has done it more often than the other quarterbacks I've watched.