Where does Peyton rank?

My only concern about Manning playing in an earlier era was that he would have been hit often and hard. If he were susceptible to back or neck injuries under the current rules, he would have been injured far sooner in the 70s and 80s. His quick release may have helped him, but the pussy rules now forbid a defender from hitting a QB after release, one step rule. Back in the days when men played, he would have been hit after release.

 

Nah. Only if he had won the Heisman over, say, Ricky Williams instead of a fellow first-ballot HOF NFL player.

I'm not sure it can be said he was "susceptible" to any kind of injury. He did not miss a single start for the first 227 games of his career, a streak among quarterbacks that's No. 2 all-time. Who's No. 3? His brother (187 consecutive starts). Pretty good genes for durability.

 

An underrated thing about Peyton was how mobile he actually was in the pocket. He obviously wasn't a scrambler, and he can't extend a play like Favre or Russell Wilson, but he always kept his feet moving and was very good about taking a step or two in a different direction to make guys whiff on tackles and buy himself an extra second.
Again, he was always a guy who was very aware of his limitations and structured his game to turn them into assets.

 

I imagine they call it the "Heistman" too.

 

I'm enjoying all the talk of how Peyton revolutionized the game with his freedom in play-calling.

 

This is off the subject, but I am constantly hearing how pro football in the 60s was "run-dominated." Not true. That perception is because the dominant team in the 60's, the Packers, were run-dominated. But everywhere else, it was bombs away. Few eras have had as many gunslingers as the mid-to-late 60s: Unitas, Roman Gabriel, Sonny Jurgenson, Fran Tarkenton, Norm Snead, Charley Johnson, Joe Namath, Darryl Lamonica, Jack Kemp, John Hadl, Len Dawson, John Brodie. These guys threw the ball all over the lot.

As for the question at hand, I'd rank Peyton Manning in the 4-7 range overall. Top 10 for sure, maybe border-line top five.

 

The most attempts Johnny Unitas ever had in a season was 420.

The Minnesota Vikings were last in the NFL in passing attempts this season. They threw it 454 times.

 

Sounds like this Unitas guy was pretty efficient.

Of course, mostly 12-14-game seasons, right?

 

Did Elway and Marino call their own plays or was it pretty much out of the game by the early to mid-80s?

 

1. Montana
2. Brady
3. Manning
4. Favre
5. Unitas

Favre seems to be underrated in these GOAT discussions, though he had 3 consecutive MVPs, one SB win, one loss, the all-time endurance record and only trails Manning in career TDS and passing yards. With the exception of Brady, Favre never had the same level of talent at the skills position as many of the QBs in the GOAT discussion. In Manning's case, he had potentially three (Harrison, Wayne, Edgerrain -- HOFs. Brady had Gronk for one title, and Moss for one near win. Favre had no one near those levels.

Favre's end-of-career antics definitely hurt how he's perceived, while Elways's two SB wins -- thanks in large part of Terrell Davis -- vaulted him into the discussion, even though he was never once a first-team All-Pro, which seems odd if you're discussing the best ever. He had some flimsy skill positions guys, too. Also, his 1987 MVP should have gone to Jerry Rice.

 

Tom Brady = G.O.A.T. Montana had superstars all around him. Brady this year had Gronk. That's it. Brady did a lot of his damage with not much as far as weapons around him. Montana had Rice, Taylor, Craig. A great supporting cast. Brady has had Gronk and had Moss briefly and look what he did when he had Moss.
I agree with Favre. Few years Bill Schroeder was No. 1 WR. It was crazy what Favre did. But one thing that hurts him is he had some clunkers or cost his team numerous games in the postseason. Had 6 picks vs. Rams. Horrible INT vs. Eagles. Pick vs. Giants in NFC title, Pick vs. Saints in OT in NFC Title. Favre had so many throws where it was like WTF. He probably had at the time the best three-year stretch ever from 96-98 before Brady/Manning and new rules. Favre I think could be right up there for GOAT if not for picks in big-time situations.

1. Brady
2, Montana
3. P. Manning
4. Elway
5. Favre/Unitas

 

Montana and the 49ers had two rings before Rice and Taylor arrived. Craig was there for the second but not the first. The leading receivers on the 49ers' first two champions were Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon; the leading rushers were Ricky Patton for the first one and Wendell Tyler for the second.