PREDICTION: Top 10 SB-era QBs via NFL

[RecoveringCowboy]

what they said about Peyton:

Even assuming the afore(head)mentioned inflation of numbers here in the 21st century continues, Peyton's combo of statistical production and longevity...

 

[jmt57]

I think that's an acknowledgement of the difficulty of getting an even evaluation process for both sides of that cutoff. Here's an example:

Yards passing per game:
Starr - 126.1
Manning - 270.5

Career high passing TDs in a season
Starr - 16
Manning - 55

Career high yards passing in a season
Starr - 2438
Manning - 5477

Manning threw fewer than Starr's career high in yards per season only once in his career, and that was this past season, when he was arguably the worst starting QB in the NFL. Even Manning's numbers this year, this year, at 2249 yards, would stand as Starr's 4th best season, just 8 yards shy of his 3rd best year.

When we add in what could be done before and not now, and what can be done now and not before, we've really got a wildly different game. I think a lot of people just acknowledge that by using the SB era as a cutoff.

While it is true that comparing the raw statistics of Starr versus Manning is meaningless, the way the game is played did not suddenly change from 1965 to 1966. It is much more a marketing and promotional footnote in the history of professional football as opposed to a point in time when the game changed.

If one wants to mark off a time when the game (or more specifically, the passing game) changed then I would look at three points of time:

1. 1940: the Bears and Sid Luckman run the T-formation and beat Washington 73-0 for the NFL title.
2. 1978: defensive backs could not contact a receiver more than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, and offensive linemen were allowed to extend their arms and use open hands to pass block.
3. 2004: Bill Polian used the Competition Committee to make a 'point of emphasis' to officiating crews about illegal contact in an attempt to undermine the effectiveness of the New England Patriots; Peyton Manning sets a new (since broken) NFL record with 49 touchdown passes.

I agree that comparing passing and receiving statistics over different periods of time is an exercise in futility. I just don't believe that is a valid reason to create a wholesale omission of a group of players from a 'greatest ever' discussion.

The 'Super Bowl era' is a convenient line in the sand, but the way the game is played did not change that year.

 

[Deus Irae]

While it is true that comparing the raw statistics of Starr versus Manning is meaningless, the way the game is played did not suddenly change from 1965 to 1966. It is much more a marketing and promotional footnote in the history of professional football as opposed to a point in time when the game changed.

If one wants to mark off a time when the game (or more specifically, the passing game) changed then I would look at three points of time:

1. 1940: the Bears and Sid Luckman run the T-formation and beat Washington 73-0 for the NFL title.
2. 1978: defensive backs could not contact a receiver more than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, and offensive linemen were allowed to extend their arms and use open hands to pass block.
3. 2004: Bill Polian used the Competition Committee to make a 'point of emphasis' to officiating crews about illegal contact in an attempt to undermine the effectiveness of the New England Patriots; Peyton Manning sets a new (since broken) NFL record with 49 touchdown passes.

I agree that comparing passing and receiving statistics over different periods of time is an exercise in futility. I just don't believe that is a valid reason to create a wholesale omission of a group of players from a 'greatest ever' discussion.

The 'Super Bowl era' is a convenient line in the sand, but the way the game is played did not change that year.

While I agree that the SB era is a hazy demarcation line, every line is going to be a hazy demarcation line, so the SBs are as good a place to start as any. When all of the 'adults' (Those of us have seen most of the SBs) are dead, the next group of people will be talking about the cutoff being Peyton Manning's first year, or the start of free agency, or 2005, or something like that.

That's assuming football is still played at that time, of course.


Brady
Montana
Starr
Baugh
Graham
Unitas
Staubach
Young

Seems obvious enough right now, anyway...

 

[DarrylS]

Always felt it was folly to compare NFL QB's as the game has changed so much over the years, noticeably absent is Otto Graham, except for post #23, who has been considered one of the best all time, but how would he do in this day and age???.. the same with Johnny Unitas.. would he be as great today.. not sure.

This is the typical off season activity that creates interest by the sports talk mediots..

Having a difficult wrapping my brain around how well Unitas or Graham would do in this day and age, the game is completely different.. the rules are completely different.