Do you feel better with Aaron Rogers at QB?

You don't know nothing about it just because you weren't watching it live. You may know less than they do, but that's not the same thing.

You are putting way too much trust in your memory of things that happened 30 or 40 years ago.

 

This is what I meant. He didn't have to watch the games to be able to cite statistics from that time.

 

Quarterbacks don't win games by themselves, but they can certainly LOSE THEM BY THEMSELVES. Throw into double coverage, throw pick sixes, throw multiple interceptions consistently in nearly every post-season loss. Once or twice, ok, but for more than 10 occasions, and in college and in high school. That's not a coincidence that's a character trait. How old was Tom Brady when he won a Super Bowl? In his 40s! Face it, you're a Marino ball slobber and he should have been the poster boy for Pillsbury as he created more turnovers than Pop N Fresh. Marino was a turnover machine!

 

Well then what was the excuse at Pitt then when he had one of the greatest teams in college football history? No one ever answers that question.

In 1979, Pitt gave up only 8.8 points per game which was fifth best in the country. In 1980, the Panthers gave up only 10.1 points per game which was seventh best in the country. In 1981, Pitt’s defense gave up the 12th fewest points in the country, and in 1982, Pitt’s defense gave up the fifth fewest points in the country. What was the excuse then for Marino not winning a ring?

Until his retiring day, Bobby Bowden said the 1980 Pitt team was the best he ever faced as a head coach and the best college football team he had ever seen.

That year, the Panthers’ roster included four future NFL Hall of Famers, 30 draft picks, seven first-round picks, the Outland Trophy winner, the Maxwell Award winner, the Lombardi Award winner, and the Heisman Trophy runner-up.

That Pitt team had 23 future NFL starters on it. All five of Pitt’s defensive line and the entire offensive line started in the NFL and what a great offensive line protecting Marino giving him time to eat Primanti sandwiches in the pocket: Jimbo Covert, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Rob Fada and Ron Sams. Three defensive backs started in the NFL as well as two of Pitt’s wide receivers, the fullback, the kicker and five other players that didn’t even start at Pitt.

Therefore, it wasn’t Marino didn’t have a defense or a great team around him, he had everything, and in the 1980 game against Florida State, Marino would throw three interceptions as Pitt lost 36-22.

https://floridastate.rivals.com/new...er-no-3-pitt-one-of-biggest-in-school-history

Also in 1980, Marino threw FIVE interceptions in a game against Boston College and he would also throw FOUR interceptions against Army.

In 1981, with Pitt undefeated and ranked #1 in the country, the Panthers hosted #11 Penn State. Win at home and Pitt would be playing in a bowl game for the national championship. In what would be and still is the largest margin of defeat for a number-one ranked team ever, Pitt would lose 48-14 as Marino threw four interceptions.

That was not the first time Marino threw four interceptions in a game in 1981, but the third time that season! The other two being against Syracuse and Temple, hardly football powers as they paled in talent compared to Pitt. Marino would throw 21 interceptions in 1981.

In his senior year of 1982, in 11 games he would throw 22 interceptions to only 17 touchdown passes. That is an average of two interceptions a game. Marino threw three interceptions against Temple, Syracuse and Army, and four against North Carolina and Illinois.

Marino threw 74 touchdown passes in college at Pitt and 64 interceptions. That’s not a typo. 64 interceptions despite missing time with various injuries. 11 times Marino threw for three or more interceptions in his college career and SEVEN times he would throw FOUR or more interceptions in a game!

Marino’s teammate Bill Fralic was known for his pancake blocks and had a publicity photo made of him making pancakes. Perhaps Marino should have had one with a baker’s cap on since he created so many turnovers.

It’s a repeated fact that Marino did not play well in big games. Stats don’t lie. Marino never won a title at any level, even in high school where quarterbacks dominate play. His Central Catholic team lost to Penn Hills in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Conference (WPIAL) championship game in 1978. In the WPIAL final, Marino completed only six of 18 passes and was intercepted THREE times.

As you can see the statement that Marino never had a good defense or a great team around him is also untrue and a myth. In the biggest of games, it was almost a given that Marino would throw two or more interceptions.

Certainly, Dan Marino was one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history especially during the regular season, a true gunslinger at quarterback, but it’s a myth if you think he was great in big games or think it wasn’t his fault as to why he never won a ring at any level, year-after-year-after-year from high school through college and in the NFL. Statistical facts bear this out and expose all those so-called reasons why Dan Marino never won a Super Bowl for what they really are – myths.

 

Now you are reaching beyond his pro career to try to create your owh myth, one rooted in cherry-picked data used to try to prop up dubious claims.

 

I remember that 1981 game against PS. My brother-in-law who is huge Pitt fan and hates Penn State had a party with a lot of people that day. Pitt went up 14-0 and almost 21 but Dan missed his man. We were so pumped and then PS destroyed us.

 

Being a GREAT QB is so much more than stats. So much more. Take that statement for however you want it.

Aaron Rodgers is the best QB we have had since Ben left. Arguably, since before that even. There are question marks with age and the achilles injury. I have those questions as well. BUT....he has played a season since that injury and he seemed to improve his play as that season went on. I freely admit I am and always will be the optimist when it comes to sports. I just don't see the point in being pessimistic and negative over some peripheral part of my life. So yes, I feel better with Aaron Rodgers at QB. In fact, I feel pretty darn good about it.

 

For the record, I started watching and comprehending football in the late 70's.

 

No, I'm pointing out he was a turnover machine that choked in big games his entire playing career: highschool, college and pro. More than 20+ years he choked in big games. So you can't just blame the Miami Dolphins, it was him that should be blamed. Maybe he should be called Teflon Dan. His stats in those post-season losses speak for themself. Compare his regular season vs. his post-season numbers. He wilted like a flower when the spotlight was brightest.