Does the QB make the Wide Receiver good, or vice versa?

Question

For example, would Joe Montana and Steve Young have been as good without Jerry Rice?

Answer 1

I think it's reciprocal - Young and Montana wouldn't have done as well without Rice, but Rice wouldn't have done as well if he'd had Steve Bono throwing him the ball all those years. A current example is the Moss-Brady combination. Both have proven themselves as great players before this year, but you can see how great they are when they come together.

If I had to give one position more weight, it would be the quarterback. Brett Favre, for example, made Robert Brooks look much better than he was as a receiver, but very few receivers have the ability to make a QB much better. While running routes isn't easy, it's not as hard as having to make timely and accurate throws.

Answer 2

It could go either way. With the example you said, I think Joe Montana was pretty good before Jerry Rice came along. I believe Montana did win 2 Super Bowls before Jerry was even drafted (XVI & XIX {16 & 19 for the lazy bugs} and the first Super Bowl Rice played in was XXIII (23). Then again, Steve Young wasn't that spectacular in Tampa Bay, but once he was with Jerry Rice, he really went to the next level (but everyone pretty much agrees that Jerry Rice is the greatest WR ever). I guess the only way you'd know for sure is to look at the QB/WR numbers before and after the tandem hooked up.

That's my 2 for 2.

Answer 3

It can go both ways. Montana showed he was a good QB without Jerry Rice when he went to the Kansas City Chiefs (who didn't have the greatest receiving corps).

A good example of a receiver (or receivers) making a QB look good would be Mark Rypien during the Redskins last Super Bowl appearance. I'm pretty sure if Art Monk, Gary Clark, and Ricky Sanders weren't there, Rypien wouldn't have been as good. But you take a guy like Dan Marino, and the story would be the opposite. Heck, Dan Marino could make me look like a Pro Bowl wideout.

I guess it's just a personnel thing when you get down to it.

Answer 4

I believe that the wide receivers make the QB look good. I think that has been the way with alot of QB's like Montana, Elway, Manning, Brady, and Aikman. Those are just some that I can name off the top of my head, but there are a couple of more.

Answer 5

It's the Wide Receivers! Once the QB gets rid of it, it is all WR. Steve Smith is the best WR today but unfortunately, he plays with a mediocre QB who is now on the IR. He even made Testicle-verde look good the other day!

Answer 6

It's the combo of WR, QB and offensive line.

Last year the Patriots had a terrible group of receivers, but had Brady and the same offensive line - Patriots passing game was average at best.

This year, add Moss, Stalworth and Welker with Brady and offensive line and see what you get. I don't think that Moss/Brady would be as good without both Stalworth and Welker there - the defense has to cover all of them, any one of those receivers can kill you if you leave him unguarded.

Same with the Colts, Harrison wouldn't be as good without Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne.

Bottom line - it's a team thing. You need to get the right mix of players together and magic happens.

Answer 7

I think a great WR needs atleast a good QB to show what he has but a great QB doesn't need a great WR to show off. Example: Randy Moss in Oakland was terrible, now in NE with Brady he is great again. Tom Brady never had a great WR to throw to but we always knew he was a great since the first game he played. Now he has a great group of WR and he is just completley dominant. I do believe that a great QB needs a great WR to be placed in the record books and vice versa. If Peyton Manning wasn;t throwing to Harrison and Wayne who knows if he would've broken every record.

Answer 8

QB ALL THE WAY.
It goes both ways, but more for the QB. Dan Marino played most of his career w/o a good wr and look what he has done. Tom Brady made Branch look good. And as good as Moss is, when he was with the Raiders he fell off and TO didnt put up his regular numbers with Bledso. And check out Steve Smith, best WR with Delhome, and not in top ten WR with testerverder/Carr throwing.

Answer 9

Montana was in the NFL for YEARS before Jerry Rice came along, so its the QB that makes the man baby!

Answer 10

Mmmm. Let's see here. I think that a quarterback is as good as the rest of the team will let him be. If there is an amazing quarterback and an absolutely sucky O-Line, then naturally, he will never get to show his true talent. Also, if he has no wide receivers that have any ability at all to catch, then how is he gonna show anybody that he can throw, except for interceptions? Get what I'm saying. I definitely think that for a wide receiver to show his true greatness, he's gotta have a quarterback who is playing to his fullness too! Good question!