November 23, 2002

Quarterback Drought?: Mike Celzic says the superstar list is short: Favre, Warner, McNabb, Gannon. It's all downhill from there. Are you okay with a "manager" QB for your team - winning by using defense and minimizing offensive mistakes, or would you prefer a gunslinger who straps the team to his back and wins the big one?

posted by owillis to football at 12:55 PM - 5 comments

This type of thing has been budding for a while now; witness the 1990 Giants who won with a competent performance by Hostetler and a dominating defense, and the 1991 Redskins who won with a competent performance by Rypien and a dominating defense. If my team were to win a championship with a great defense and a competent offense, I'd be utterly thrilled.

posted by Jaquandor at 01:41 PM on November 23, 2002

I think the '91 Redskins offense was a little more than just competent, outscoring teams 485-224. during the regular season

posted by owillis at 02:02 PM on November 23, 2002

Oh, that was a hell of an offense. I was describing Mark Rypien as "competent". Nobody will ever make a case that Rypien should be in the Hall of Fame, but he's got a ring, and well he should. The 1991 Redskins aren't mentioned nearly enough in the "Greatest Single-Season Teams" discussions, in my view, and that's coming from a Bills fan who had to watch his team get dismantled by them in that year's Super Bowl. But I also think they're proof that you can win with an average quarterback -- and even win impressively -- if you surround him with the right talent, like an offensive line that yields only nine sacks all season.

posted by Jaquandor at 05:37 AM on November 24, 2002

I'm a little upset over Celzics label of my team's QB, Brunell: a clipboard guy. A couple other selections are questionable (Kordell overestimated as adequate? Manning underestimated as a falling star?) I really doubt this guys ability to realistically gauge football talent. As to the question in the FPP: I would take anything that would make my team a winner. Sure, I would want excitement while watching them. But, in the end, winning the Super Bowl is the ultimate goal. As long as you score just one more point then the other team every game, you'll win.

posted by bcb2k2 at 10:37 AM on November 24, 2002

This type of thing has been budding for a while now; witness the 1990 Giants who won with a competent performance by Hostetler and a dominating defense, and the 1991 Redskins who won with a competent performance by Rypien and a dominating defense. If my team were to win a championship with a great defense and a competent offense, I'd be utterly thrilled. Don't forget these guys.

posted by Bag Man at 03:08 PM on November 24, 2002

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