- So, wait, Montana lost eight playoff games? We all know he's 4-0 in Super Bowls, so that means Montana-led teams that made the playoffs were 4 for 12 in making it to the Super Bowl, compared to 4 for 8 for Brady. Can't argue with Montana's place as the best Super Bowl QB ever, but the notion that he never lost a big game (such as playoffs) seems not quite accurate.
The '87 49ers 13-2 (10-2 if you don't count the 3-0 record with strikebusters) and were #1 on both offense and defense. They were the runaway favorites to win SB22. They ended up one-and-done as Montana got *benched* in favor of Steve Young in a blowout home loss to the Vikings. This was the 3rd straight year of one-and-done...
In '86, the 49ers got demolished by the eventual champion Giants, putting up a measly 3 points in the process. Montana got knocked out of the game by Jim Burt (while throwing a pick-6 to LT). They just didn't have the team to win it all that year.
In '85, the defending champion 49ers made the playoffs as a wildcard, but went to NY and bowed out meakly 17-3. Montana had a rough day.
His 49ers also had some close calls (a la 2006 Pats) to making the big game:
In '83, they lost a heartbreaking NFCCG in Washington when Ronnie Lott got called for a *very* questionable PI (or hold) call away from the play. Although many 49ers attributed this loss as the motivator for their 18-1 title season the next year so maybe the '84 title doesn't happen if they win in '83.
In '90, they were one Roger Craig fumble away from going to their 3rd straight SB and attempt a 3-peat. It should be noted that Montana may not have played in SB25 as he got knocked out of this one, too (what's up with the Giants knocking him out?) and there was only 1 week between games.
In '93, he *again* got knocked out of a conference championship game as his Chiefs fell to the soon-to-be-four-time-loser Bills.
- A further look at Montana in the post-season: He had 11 TDs and 0 picks in the 4 SBs, the stuff of legends. But that leaves him with 34 TDs and 21 INTs in his other 21 playoff games. Still very good ( see Brady's stats in 19 games), but not as perfect as some would say.
In the '81 NFCCG, everyone remembers "The Catch" which was indeed a clutch play to finish off a clutch drive. What everyone forgets is that the rest of the game was a turnoverfest on both sides*, with Montana partaking a-plenty. He had 3 picks, two of which were outright ugly throws.
* Even after The Catch, Dallas got the ball to midfield before they fumbled it away. Remember, they only needed a FG to win.
Bottom line for me is that Montana's perfection in Super Bowls was phenomenal and that keeps him a notch above TFB. But he wasn't a perfect post-season QB. One more ring for Brady pulls him even and two put him at the top.
They are really close and one can make good arguments either way which one edges out the other...and it's edging out as there is no clear-cut favorite.
Regards,
Chris