Quarterbacks - Current and Recent Best

DirtyHarry

I was watching the HBO football weekly last night and Bob Costas posed an interesting comparision. Modern day - who do you consider as the better QB - Tom Brady (with the rings) or Peyton Manning (with the stats)?

Previous era, he posed the same comparision with Montana (the rings) and Marino (the stats). And Dan is on the show!

Of course, you may have opinions on best QB's other than these guys. But, given the choices posed....who do you want on your team as the QB - current and recent - between these guys?? Regards.

Edited - Peyton (doh).

CardsFan

I assume you meant Peyton not Eli. Tough call - but even though Brady has the great team around him he is the man that makes it all happen and I'd go with him.

DirtyDog48

The question to settle this matter is really "With the game on the line, who would you want as your QB?" That makes it a no-brainer.....Brady and Montana are the clear-cut answers.

Bottom line is, it's still about putting numbers in the "W" column.........a lot of people, both fans and TV talking heads alike, seem to be forgetting that fact lately and looking at the NFL season the way it relates to their fantasy football team. If that were the case, then I'd give Peyton and Danny Boy the nod.

DirtyHarry

DirtyHarryDog - you either saw the show or are extremely perceptive. That is along the lines of Peyton's view when interviewed. But I can't see the wins as being the only criteria. Every QB has a coaching staff and teammates surrounding him that impact the success of the team.

1420sports

Brady hands down. Yes, because of the rings but also because of what he does with a good solid group of okay receivers

Sometimes it appears that Peyton "outthinks" himself with his audibles. Last season opener against the Pats, it cost the Colts field position for a FG, as Peyton changed the play twice - leaving an LB (?) with a straight shot for the sack.

ArnyVee

I would tend to lean towards Brady for the current due to the fact that he's done it all with decent and less than decent receivers. P.Manning has a future HOFer in Harrison and two decent options with Wayne & Stokley. And Brady, until this past season, did it with decent, not great RBs as well. Manning has had Edgerrin James...a great back. So, I give it to Brady there.

I'm really not a huge fan of J.Montana, but I respect his accomplishments. I still think that Dan Marino was a better passer and I would take either of those guys with the game on the line. Marino had Duper/Clayton and Montana had Rice/Taylor....Montana with the edge there a bit, but it's close. Montana did have R.Craig and Marino had no one. So, that gives you an indication of what he had to work with. But, I'm a bit biased (see what player sets I'm collecting ) on this matter.

Axtell

If Marino had a running game, he'd have had a much better shot of winning a title. His wide receivers were far from all time super stars too. Much like Elway had no rings before he got a top flight running back.

Of today's quarterbacks, there's no other QB I want under center than Brady. Look at the adversity his offense has gone through...and yet they continued to win.

Recent history, it's tough to argue against Montana, as he did more with less than Aikman. Aikman had the fortune of having Emmit and Irvin (not to say that's the only reason he was successful).

JoeBanzai

Growing up watching Tarkenton, I would take the guy with the rings. Fran was a great QB and set many records. His leadership was also obvious. He was never able to win the big one, even though he had a solid offense and some of the greatest defenses in the league.

As Bud Grant used to say "statistics are for losers". Bud never won the Super Bowl but he was a winner.

Just win baby!

JoeBanzai