Best QB to ever play in the NFL Super Bowl era

[doggystyle99]

Tom Brady VS Joe Montana
Watching both of these guys play in the NFL there is no doubt in my mind that Tom Brady is just as good if not better than Joe Montana and the statistics prove the same. There are no other QB's in the NFL in the super bowl era that compare to these two in achievements in both categories (statistics regular season, statistics post season)

Joe Montana
Seasons: 16
Passing Yards: 40,551
TD: 273
INT: 139
Passer Rating: 92.3
SB Wins: 4 NFL record
SB Appearance: 4
Playoff Wins: 16 NFL record

Tom Brady
Seasons: 12
Passing Yards: 39,979
TD: 300
INT: 115
Passer Rating: 96.4
SB Wins: 3
SB Appearance: 5 NFL record
Playoff Wins: 16 NFL record

 

[mur11]

I agree with you that when you factor in both regular season and playoff records that Montana and Brady are the two best QBs of the modern age. I still think Montana's a hair better than Brady is, although if Brady can win SB XLVI, that will probably put him ahead of Montana
Elway's is up there as well. If you based it purely on regular season then Peyton Manning has an argument for being the best, but I agree you can't just rely on regular season stats, and Manning hasn't been as good in the playoffs

 

[mjg1]

Well Terry Bradshaw has 4 SB wins, but not the numbers. So I say Joe Montana is still the best now.

 

[HOF]

I agree with you that when you factor in both regular season and playoff records that Montana and Brady are the two best QBs of the modern age. I still think Montana's a hair better than Brady is, although if Brady can win SB XLVI, that will probably put him ahead of Montana
Elway's is up there as well. If you based it purely on regular season then Peyton Manning has an argument for being the best, but I agree you can't just rely on regular season stats, and Manning hasn't been as good in the playoffs

In my opinion Joe Montana is the best of the last century and Tom Brady is the best of this century. Terry Bradshaw quarterbacked the greatest team to win.

Troy Aikman is next with Big Ben right behind.

Aaron Rodgers will win one more.

The Giants will beat the Patriots and Eli Manning will be the guy that Brady's bunch couldn't beat.

Yes, John Elway went 2 for 5 in superbowls and was crowned a champion but he wasn't in the same league.

Mark Sanchez will be this centuries Bernie Kosar close but no cigar.

 

[doggystyle99]

I agree with you that when you factor in both regular season and playoff records that Montana and Brady are the two best QBs of the modern age. I still think Montana's a hair better than Brady is, although if Brady can win SB XLVI, that will probably put him ahead of Montana
Elway's is up there as well. If you based it purely on regular season then Peyton Manning has an argument for being the best, but I agree you can't just rely on regular season stats, and Manning hasn't been as good in the playoffs

I have Tom Brady over Joe Montana for a few reasons.
1. Montana played with a lot of great players on his offense: Roger Craig, Jerry Rice, Dwight Clark, John Taylor
while Brady won the 3 SB's with no name guys on offense like: David Patten, Reshee Caldwell, Troy Brown, Deion Branch and a couple of fill in RB's. Wes Welker and Randy Moss only came to NE in 2007

2. Montana did it in 16 seasons and Brady is in his 12th and possibly has the chance to go to SB again in the near future with this team and his numbers regular season and post season are just as good as Montana in a shorter span of time.

I believe non of the other QB's compare because they don't have the same regular season numbers as well as post season numbers.

John Elway played 16 seasons threw for 51,475 yards had thrown for 300 TD but threw nearly twice as much INT as Brady 226 INT went to 5 SB and only won 2 his regular season numbers are just average compared to Montana and Brady.

Terry Bradshaw played 14 seasons threw for 27,989 yard and 212 TD and 210 INT although he did win 4 SB his regular season numbers are below average.

Peyton Manning has 54,828 yards 399 TD to 198 INT in 14 seasons he has only 1 SB ring and been to 2 super bowls and has a record of 9-10 in the playoffs. In regular season has better numbers than Montana and Brady but Brady is in the league 2 years less than Manning and is not far behind. In postseason Manning is way behind both Montana and Brady and does not compare.

 

[Safdar]

I have Tom Brady over Joe Montana for a few reasons.
1. Montana played with a lot of great players on his offense: Roger Craig, Jerry Rice, Dwight Clark, John Taylor
while Brady won the 3 SB's with no name guys on offense like: David Patten, Reshee Caldwell, Troy Brown, Deion Branch and a couple of fill in RB's. Wes Welker and Jerry Rice only came to NE in 2007

Do you mean Randy Moss?

 

[doggystyle99]

Do you mean Randy Moss?

Yes fixed it.

 

[customer]

What about Kelly?
He went to the show 4 years in a row.

 

[Dawgger]

What about Kelly?
He went to the show 4 years in a row.

And the Bills won, HOW MANY?

 

[torontochris]

and how many times did they pull kelly

 

[rld]

This is a very vexing question, but one that is great to kick around. I played football (LB and OL) for 14 years and coached for about a dozen and have seen many games by all of the QBs discussed above.

First thing first is that it is impossible, and perhaps unfair to compare all of the Superbowl era QBs together. When the SB era started and until 1977 (I think) they only played 14 regular season games.

Perhaps more importantly the passing rules were greatly liberalized around 1978 or so. The passed the Mel Blount rule that prohibited downfield contact and changed the rules for holding on the O-line that made it a great deal easier to pass block. It is no surprise that almost all of the names mentioned played in the 16 game, liberalized rules era. The game has really changed.

But having thought about it I could put together a list of QBs that I think are truly elite, having seen them all play at least 20 games. They would include:

Bradshaw
Staughbuck (sp?)
Marino
Brady
Manning
Elway
Young

I think Warren Moon is on the edge of the group, as is Tarkenten, but I did not see Tark enough to come to a good conclusion about him. The only reason Fouts is not on my list is that I think some mobility is required to make the greatest all time list.

There are some guys playing right now who we might be able to add to the list, but it is too soon to say.

You will notice Montana is not on the list. I watched him play for years, and despite his success I never saw him as being really talented. He was to my mind a real dink and dunk QB and never impressed me.

Statistics are useful but for a number of reasons quite limiting. And personally I think the NFL passer rating system is deeply flawed.



Now picking the all time best out of that list is almost impossible for me.

 

[Dawgger]

Go back far enough Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas, Broadway Joe. I agree a case can be made for pretty well every QB to play in the SB.

 

[doggystyle99]

Go back far enough Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas, Broadway Joe. I agree a case can be made for pretty well every QB to play in the SB.

I was talking about SB era QB's.
Johnny Unitas only won 1 SB the other 2 were NFL championships in 18 seasons threw for 40,239 YDS 290TD and 253INT

Bart Starr only won 2 SB the other 5 were NFL championships played 16 seasons threw for 24,718 YDS and 152TD and 138INT

Joe Namath only won 1 SB and his regular season numbers are just average played 13 years and threw for 27,663 YDS and 173TD and 220INT

 

[doggystyle99]

What about Kelly?
He went to the show 4 years in a row.

You are kidding right?

 

[doggystyle99]

This is not a comparison between all the NFL QB's only between Montana and Brady since they are way better than the rest in both regular season and playoffs combined

 

[party_guy49]

But having thought about it I could put together a list of QBs that I think are truly elite, having seen them all play at least 20 games. They would include:

Bradshaw
Staughbuck (sp?)
Marino
Brady
Manning
Elway
Young

I think Warren Moon is on the edge of the group, as is Tarkenten, but I did not see Tark enough to come to a good conclusion about him. The only reason Fouts is not on my list is that I think some mobility is required to make the greatest all time list.

I would put Favre up with that group.

 

[Ironhead]

Comparing QBs for the purpose of trying to pick the best all round QB is pointless really.
You cannot just say this guy played with stars while this guy had to deal with also rans. You have to consider the offenses the team ran, teammates, including the linemen, coaching ideals(to run up the score or not to run up the score), schedules, etc.
Would Marino have been better if he had Jerry Rice or Micheal Irving for six/seven/eight seasons ? What if Miami had a good run game to give the D something else to think about ?
Brady piled up a lot of numbers against a weak AFC East.

 

[frankcastle]

Brady is very good but Moss helped him inflate his stats when they had that crazy TD season.

I'm not trying to take anything away from him because no matter how you look at it he is certainly an all time elite QB with very few peers.

 

[bigdik]

This is not a comparison between all the NFL QB's only between Montana and Brady since they are way better than the rest in both regular season and playoffs combined

Seriously?

 

[doggystyle99]

Statistics, statistics and damn statistics. Montana and Brady may have better statistics but they are absolutely not way better than the rest of them. Both obviously very successful. But watching all QBs of the modern era, the best of the lot is Payton Manning. The throws he makes are out of this world. Sometimes he throws accurately to a spot even before the receiver has made his cut. Brady and Montana, on the other hand, are the dink and doink types - slant passes. Most of the yardage credited to those two were made after the receiver had caught the ball.

Actually talent wise the best QB to ever play the game is Dan Marino. His accuracy and knowledge of the game was unbelievable and way better than the rest.
Statistics in regular season and post season measure players success. Peyton Manning has a record of 9-10 in the playoffs not a very good clutch QB when compared to the other great QB's that played the game. After all the most important thing in football is winning games and winning super bowls and not Statistics which both Montana and Brady have done more than Manning. Tom Brady is 16-5 in the playoffs tied with Montana for the most wins by QB in the playoffs.