Greatest NFL Quarterback of all time.

[aTOMiC]

There are a few Quarterbacks that stand out in my mind as being unbelievable. Some are current players others long retired. Being a product of the late 1960's I'm sure I never got to watch some of the legends of the game.

Some of the greatest in my memory (In no particular order.)
Joe Montana
Joe Namath
John Elway
Warren Moon
Dan Marino
Randal Cunningham
Fran Tarkenton
Steve Young
Troy Aikman
Johnny U

There are some exciting players today that will likely end up in the hall of fame.
Michael Vick
Brett Favre
Steve McNair
Payton Manning
Donovan McNabb

And many more I'm sure.

[dANdeLION]

You forgot John Elway, Otto Graham, Bart Starr, Sammy Baugh, George Blanda, Bob Greise, Jim Kelley, Len Dawson, Tom Flores, Dan Fouts, John Hadl, Jack Kemp, Babe Parilli, Jacky Lee, and Daryle Lamonica.

[aTOMiC]

Didn't intend to list every quarterback who ever completed a pass.

[dANdeLION]

You forgot Vinnie Testaverde.

[aTOMiC]

I forgot
Brad Johnson
Doug Williams
Casey Weldon
Craig Erikson
Trent Dilfer
Steve Spurrier
Shawn King

[dANdeLION]

and Chris Chandler, too

[aTOMiC]

and Chris Chandler, too

And of course Little Joe Hamilton

[Roland of Gilead]

I rank them as follows:

Joe Montana
John Elway
Johnny Unitas
Dan Marino
Brett Favre

Here's why. Montana couldn't do anything the best, but he did everything well AMONG the best. In his prime, he could scramble, throw with touch and accuracy, throw on the run, was a great field general, and was perhaps the coolest qb under pressure to ever play the game. His qb rating lifetime is second only to Young's, who didn't play long enough for his to mean as much. And Montana always won the big game - four Super Bowls, four wins. And last but not least, he came back from TWO, count 'em, TWO career ending injuries and still played like a superstar.

John Elway had the strongest arm in the history of the game. I once saw him throw the ball sixty yards, while falling on his back!! He was a winner, and the closest thing (except for Michael Vick) to a one-man team the league has ever seen. He was always a threat to run. And he has the lifetime stats.

Johnny Unitas was a great leader and threw great when the rules didn't favor the passer. His record of forty-seven straight games with a touchdown pass is the football equivalent of DiMaggio's hitting streak- it will never be broken.

Dan Marino has all the career passing records. He had the quickest release in the history of the NFL.

Brett Favre is a three-time MVP and the biggest stud in the league - his qb consecutive game streak will stand forever. He plays like he's having fun . . . but he makes too many costly interceptions and mistakes for me to ever put him higher than fifth.

Honorable mention - Peyton Manning, may someday challenge Marino's records, and the best play-faker I've ever seen. Steve Young, the best running quarterback (unless Vick has a long career) and the best left-hander ever. And Terry Bradshaw - the best playoffs quarterback ever.

[Stone and Sea]

Hey now you forgot Terry Bradshaw

[Guest]

heh, I like Roland's pick for best Playoff QB, the overlooked TB.

[Dromond]

erm... that was me.

[dANdeLION]

I think Tom has seriously underestimated Favre. I think he will challenge all of Marino's records, and he is primed to beat Unitas' 47 game TD record (he's at 25 right now; he'll have it by week 8 in 2005 if ha can do it). He already owns the postseason consecutive TD record, and several others. His consecutive starts record is amazing; equalled by only Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken Jr. I think he's the best; but if Vick can get healthy and stay that way for 15 years, then we'll see what happens.

[aTOMiC]

Brett is listed in my future Hall of Famers list. That speaks for itself.

[danlo]

Steve Young all the way! Best all around QB I've ever seen! There were a couple of years when he and JerRice were frigging telepathic!

After John Brodie and Lamonica my fav QB (back in the day) was Ken "the snake" Stabler-of whom u 4got 2 list as well, and even

[Roland of Gilead]

Dandelion, did you watch the Philly-Packers game Sunday? Enough said - that is why Favre, despite being one of the all-timers, is not the best ever. That final disastrous pass looked like a punt - I haven't played football in thirty-five years, and I could have picked that pass off.

And whoever said Favre will break Unitas's consecutive TD pass streak, when he's barely half-way there, is dreaming.

[dANdeLION]

One pass is far too little to judge Favre on. Look at all the bad Elway or Marino passes in their history. Even Bart Starr probably threw an interception once. My opinion of Favre is unchanged. Though I do have to agree with Danlo that Steve Young is one of the other most talented QB's ever. And I predicted the steak. Time will tell.

[Roland of Gilead]

Dan, I'm not judging Favre on one pass - that was just my most recent telling example to make a point. That Favre miscalculation is the latest in a long line of bad interceptions on his part that have cost his team games. Don't get me wrong, Favre is one of the best qb's ever, but he also makes a lot of mistakes, so I can't ever consider him THE greatest of all time.

I guarantee you in that identical situation that occurred Sunday, Joe Montana wouldn't have thrown that crippled duck up for grabs like Favre did.

Check the stats. Favre's interceptions to attempts ratio is much higher than Elway or Marino. And there's absolutely no comparison to Montana or Bart Starr in this particular stat. Starr had the second longest pass streak without an interception in the history of the NFL.

[dANdeLION]

Yeah; I knew Starr was pretty darn accurate. I like other stats, and frankly, some things they don't have stats for, when I pick these type of things. I believe Brett has leadership and comeback qualities that nobody else today has, except possibly Peyton Manning. Oh my has he been on fire lately....anyway, it is a statement in itself that Brett was given leeway to attempt that pass; Marc Bulger definitely wasn't allowed to;-).

[Roland of Gilead]

Well, don't quote me on this, but I believe the top three quarterbacks with fourth quarter or overtime comeback wins are Marino, Montana and Elway.

But Favre is certainly very good at this. For a couple of reasons - he's very confident, and he also has a short-term memory, which is absolutely necessary if you throw a lot of interceptions, because you need to be able to just forget about it and keep throwin'.

[dANdeLION]

Also, he has played most of this year with a broken thumb on his throwing hand, and still has played at a very high level.