GOAT, QB Category

Every QB has a lower QB rating in the playoffs.

 

Joe Montana's career regular-season QB rating: 92.3.

Joe Montana's career postseason QB rating: 95.6.

 

Not Montana: 92.3 regular season, 95.6 postseason.

Brady's at 95.7 regular season, 87.2 postseason.

 

Nobody has yet mentioned Unitas.

 

It's not JUST that Montana's 4-0 in Super Bowls.

He was as close to flawless as one can be in Super Bowls.

He doesn't have the gaudy passing records, but in terms of quarterbacking efficiency in total, he was as good, if not better, than Manning.

Montana's performance in Super Bowls breaks the tie.

 

This doesn't seal an argument or prove he was/is the GOAT. Still great to watch every single time:

 

It's funny how you'll hold against Brady who he played FOR, but not hold it against Manning who he played WITH. With the exception of Randy Moss, Brady has never thrown to a sure-fire Hall of Fame receiver (although Welker is on his way). Manning around him will have at least two (Harrison and Wayne) and could potentially win a SB with Welker.

Montana, of course, had Rice, which makes his first two SB wins more impressive than the last two. My favorite growing up was Elway, who never had a good receiver to throw to. A good running game only made him better.

 

Excellent post Mike. And I'd throw two more in there - Starr and Staubach. They both ran their respective offense with precision.

 

I'm gonna throw out a case for Elway. Obviously his career stats speak for themselves, but he singlehandedly got two pretty average Broncos teams to the Super Bowl.

The 1986 team was mediocre outside of Elway. The backs and receivers on that team were a joke. Sammy Winder was pretty good, but not that year. Steve Watson was past his prime, and Mark Jackson and Vance Johnson were first- or second-year guys. The defense has some good players (Rulon Jones, Dennis Smith, Karl Mecklenburg), but was middle of the pack statistically.

The 1987 team, pretty much the same cast of characters plus Ricky Nattiel, had two Pro Bowlers: Elway and Mecklenburg.

 

My vote is Manning, but this is a very good point. Montana had a lot of weapons around him on both sides of the ball. Frankly, you couldn't build that team in the cap era. What Brady does with guys no one has ever heard of is impressive.

 

Montana.

And he was worth every penny the Chiefs paid for one particularly memorable Monday Night Football game against Mr. Ed in Mile High.

 

Elway's in my top 2. I just rank from the 80s on, because I didn't see the older guys play, and the game has changed enough, and I'm not anywhere near well versed on the history of the game to have a meaningful opinion on where Baugh or Unitas et al rank.
My list
1. Manning
2. Elway
3. Brady
4. Marino
5. Montana
6. Young
7. Kelly

I truly believe if the 49ers had dumped Montana earlier (and, really, why would they) Young would have stepped in and been as good/better. The fact that he sat for so many years means he doesn't get above 6 on my list. Aaron Rodgers has a few more healthy, Aaron Rodgers type years he probably makes this list.