Just like baseball, I think it's hard to compare players from one period of time to another especially as the game has changed since I started watching in 72-3. There were a lots of great QBs who won't have the numbers of todays guys because of some changes. Guys that played in the 70's didn't have the protection they have today, and the recievers get more protection too. Teams also were more focused on the running game so some situations where todays teams pass were almost always a run.
From the 70's guys
Staubach, Tarkenton, Bradshaw, Kilmer. (A pretty mobile guy for the time, and took a lot of hits since the sliding thing wasn't part of the game. )
80's- 90's
Elway, Farve, Marino, Montana.
00's
There's so many really great quarterbacks now. I think we down play that aspect of it since it's current.
Manning, Rodgers, Brady, Romo, Rivers, ........There were 11 with 4000yards + and Flacco was just under.
For perspective, Tarkenton was only over 3000 twice, Montana was over 3000 8 times, but only came near 4000 once. Staubach twice, his last two years. Bradshaw twice........Now there's so many over 3000 yards it's almost a requirement.
For best I've seen?
Probably Montana, He was pretty amazing and always seemed to make the right play. I'd have to put Elway a close second. Just so many times pulling the game out when it would seem lost.
More modern? Tough to say, most of todays greats are more products of a system than individually great. Manning would be up there, but had trouble in big games. Brady was amazing when given a fantastic group of recievers, and is still great, but his success is more a result of the teams system where they use a lot of hard to defend passes and a crowd of good but not necessarily great recievers (Montana mostly passed to Rice, Brady had three recievers over 900 yards this year. ) I'm hard pressed to think of a QB now that plays for a team that's ambivalent about a great passing game and puts up good numbers on talent alone. Not that todays guys don't have talent, just that it's used much better by nearly every team.
Steve B
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