What do you see as the difference between the 80's, 90's and current great QB's?

Question

80's: Elway, Montana, Marino
90's: Favre, Aikman; others?
00's: Manning, Brady, Romo (he's still has much to prove but he could be the elite for the future)

I agree Young should be in the 90's. He does seem to get forgotten. Probably because he gets overshadowed by Montana who is listed.

Answer 1

The differences between the QBs can largely be answered in the NFL rules governing WRs at the time. What Elway, Montana, Jim Kelly and Marino had to deal with is their WRs being mugged on every play and still were great. Today, Marino would throw for 100 TDs a year and Kelly would be in the 70 TD range. The pass interference, personal foul penalties have changed the game significantly. I am not trying to take anything away for Manning or Brady because they have performed year in year out and both would have been great in the 1980s also.

Answer 2

Better numbers, that's the difference. It's not that nowadays QBs have better receivers, the rules have become nicer. Now everything is an interference.

Look at the career ratings: Besides Montana, most of the QBs in the 80s had ratings around 80-85 points. Now average starters like Drew Brees, Hasselbeck, Jake Delhomme can match that.

There's no reason to tell that nowadays WRs are better than Rice, Andre Reed, James Lofton, Sterling Sharpe, Irvin, among others. They just benefit from better rules for them.

Let's see. Marino broke Tarkenton's records with no rushing attack to help him.

Favre played in a more balanced team but still broke Marino's records.

Manning is likely to break Favre's career records.

Answer 3

Right now Favre belongs next too Marino and Elway, his the best qb in the last decade and has a super bowl ring three mvps, Manning and Brady still could do alot too push themselves into Montana's level. Mcnabb and Mcnair dont even belong in this group over the best qb's. Warner was great for about 4 years but that doesnt get you in this category

Answer 4

The main difference between all those quarterbacks is... they played in different decades. Teams built around mobile qb's that use a lot of quarterback runs often go down when the QB goes down. Oregon a prime example. All the above quarterbacks are more alike than they are different. They all have great arms.. They see the entire field,, they are more of a Pocket passer. and they all can read a defense. Different decades of quarterbacks,, but same results. You can even throw Roger Stabach and Terry Bradshaw and a few more in there for the 70's.. Results are still the same. The only great quarterbacks that was mobile but also had the above qualities was Randall Cunningham and Steve Young. They were the exceptions to the rule.

Answer 5

In the 90's your forgot Steve Young, even though i believe he is overrated he is still in the Hall of Fame and has unbelievable stats when he replaced Montana. Also many people might not agree with me but Drew Bledsoe was probably the the 4th best qb in the 90's, and i believe should garnish a sniff at the Hall of Fame, not get in but a sniff at it. Manning for his stats and Brady for both his stats and Championships are by themselves so far the best in the 00's, Romo could make a try at them but it will take alot. Also with an outside shot are Drew Brees and Carson Palmer if their teams could ever get it together

Answer 6

The speed and size of defensive players that line up against them. Even with the rule changes to protect the quarterback they are getting knocked out of the game quite regularly. It's not that the current players are cream puffs. Rather it is that the defensive players are beasts and so many teams have the people to take you out. It's not just a few teams.

Answer 7

Add the decade of the '70's & you'll see a huge difference. QB's in all of those decades were actual players that you could hit, not the poster children for the rich & famous of today. Ask any of those QB's what a QB slide was & they wouldn't have a clue. Those guys fought & scratched for every yard & went at it head first, not like these "stars" in dresses of today.

Answer 8

they newer they get the softer and less tough they get

40s-70s-Unitas and Otto Graham Those wear some tought mofos

but Manning cant even take a sack without getting the wind knocked out

chumps

Answer 9

80's-$$$
90's-$$$$$$
00's-$$$$$$$$$$$

Answer 10

Better receivers and better running backs comes to mind.