Don't know who Dan Marino was? THIS is who he was. | Page 4 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Don't know who Dan Marino was? THIS is who he was.

I had to double check my recollection. Actually, Dan’s TD to INT ratio was slightly better than Staubach’s. It’s actually only Joe who’s was better which is impressive in that Dan threw the ball deeper than Joe on average. Again, these guys play today and it’s regularly 35:5 type stuff.
And it's worth noting that when you throw all underneath powder-puff routes, you'r INT's disappear. Today's offense is finely tuned to the rule changes, specifically to avoid run defense of the DL and LB, so all these short routes are really 50/50 shots at chunk yardage run plays with WR's who can focus on Yards After Catch (YAC) because the rules mean those 7 -12 yard routes are going to be untouched by defenders when they receive the ball. Then they're behind the LB's and into the secondary on what now becomes a chunk yardage run play. It's fundamenally game-changing, and no wonder every offense in the NFL takes advantage of this pot of gold of new rules.

IMHO, these rules changes have as big of an impact on the NFL as the 3 point line has on the NBA. It's literally, game changing. You can't really compare centers from before the 3 point line to centers today ... it's simply not the same game. Ditto for QB's from the earlier era to today's neutered defenses and QB safety and WR's running free untouched.
 
Well to those that did not have the honor to see him play, everyone has their theories on what made Marino so great, I believe it was a load of traits that made him who he was...

Quick Release:

Got to start with the most obvious. The way that he snapped a pass like a viper was a thing of Beauty. I do not know how many times I watched the pass-rush quickly closing in on Dan, I would be yelling get rid of it, and at the very last second, snap...completion yards away. He knew his ability, he knew he could wait that extra second to give his receiver that extra time to get open, and was not afraid to take a shot for it.

Toughness:

As I said up there, Dan was not afraid to take a shot if it meant making a play. Now a days someone like Brady gets hit, and he pops up crying he was hit too hard, or late...Dan would pop up with only one thing on his mind, did I complete that pass.

Touch:

This one surprisingly some fans did not notice abut Dan, but he actually did throw a very catchable ball. John Elway was without doubt one of the greatest QB to play the game, but early on (And at times during rest of his career), John tended to throw passes that almost seem to take skin from the receivers hands. Though Dan's arm was not Elway strong, but when he had too, he threw a very hard fast ball.

Dan knew when to throw hard, and when to just put touch on the ball. I remember me and my friends would marvel at how well he placed it, almost felt like one of us could be down there, and he could make us look good.

Confidence:

It is said, to be a good Corner, you have to have a short memory, with a QB it's the same thing, you make a mistake, you don't allow it to stick with you, you just go to the next play. Dan could throw two straight passes that are almost picked off, the next play the only option is someone double covered with a small window, and he will go that direction without thinking twice. Great QBs are never afraid to fail, though Dan would probably put it, he just doesn't believe he can fail when he sees the play.

6th Sense:

Ah, and here it is, the catigory where I talk about the infamous and very deadly one step. Dan was not fast or quick, Dan was not agile or that athletic, but what he did in the pocket made Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly envious. Dan had a sixth sense of when, and where the pass rush was coming from, and just as the D-Player is just about to grab Dan, that deadly one step to the front, back, right, or left, and suddenly Dan seemed miles away from the defensive players grasp. It was nothing less then beautiful to watch.

Intensity:

The personality trait that most defined Dan, and made him who he is. I always remember wondering if Dan's teammates at times disliked him, with the way he would rip into a players that made a mistake, but the answer is it didn't, though at that point it would probably anger whomever got torched by Dan, for the rest of the game that player more times then not played a better game, which made them better players.

Like Shula (Who ripped you also to shreds), they knew it came from driven men that refused to lose, which if you did not respect that, you did not deserve to be on that team. Dan was my much tougher on himself, then those around him, and like Shula, expected nothing but perfection every play.
Great run down @tay0365 , and I would add one thing to your list if I may.

Vision:

Marino had the unique ability to see everyone on the field simultaneously, know where the safeties, LB's, CB's and receivers were, and when he saw an opening--no matter how small--his quick release and strong arm threaded the needle and placed it into a tight window with laser accuracy and the speed of a bullet. Cameramen had to pan out a bit for fear of losing the ball on film. Marino may not have been the most cereberal QB, but he saw all of the moving parts, so he didn't have to read the defense as well, because he saw it developing in real time, as if he were watching 4 different camera angles in slow motion. Paired with his quick release and strong arm, the moment he saw it, the ball was almost delivered ... no other QB in history has had this combo of skills. It's why guys like Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman, Brett Favre, etc. all grew up idolizing Marino ... not his peers.
 
Great run down @tay0365 , and I would add one thing to your list if I may.

Vision:

Marino had the unique ability to see everyone on the field simultaneously, know where the safeties, LB's, CB's and receivers were, and when he saw an opening--no matter how small--his quick release and strong arm threaded the needle and placed it into a tight window with laser accuracy and the speed of a bullet. Cameramen had to pan out a bit for fear of losing the ball on film. Marino may not have been the most cereberal QB, but he saw all of the moving parts, so he didn't have to read the defense as well, because he saw it developing in real time, as if he were watching 4 different camera angles in slow motion. Paired with his quick release and strong arm, the moment he saw it, the ball was almost delivered ... no other QB in history has had this combo of skills. It's why guys like Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman, Brett Favre, etc. all grew up idolizing Marino ... not his peers.

Very true...that's a big one.
 
And it's worth noting that when you throw all underneath powder-puff routes, you'r INT's disappear. Today's offense is finely tuned to the rule changes, specifically to avoid run defense of the DL and LB, so all these short routes are really 50/50 shots at chunk yardage run plays with WR's who can focus on Yards After Catch (YAC) because the rules mean those 7 -12 yard routes are going to be untouched by defenders when they receive the ball. Then they're behind the LB's and into the secondary on what now becomes a chunk yardage run play. It's fundamenally game-changing, and no wonder every offense in the NFL takes advantage of this pot of gold of new rules.

IMHO, these rules changes have as big of an impact on the NFL as the 3 point line has on the NBA. It's literally, game changing. You can't really compare centers from before the 3 point line to centers today ... it's simply not the same game. Ditto for QB's from the earlier era to today's neutered defenses and QB safety and WR's running free untouched.
Great comparison. The Dink and Dunk just didn’t exist when Dan played and teams like NE have turned it into the staple of their offense. Not to sound like a sour grapes ? guy here but it’s not as interesting as completion %’s are so high w RAC that it has made the game too one dimensional. Just ask the star RBs. Tennessee was such an anomaly last year and why I loved watching them in the playoffs. You’re right. It’s completely changed the game like the 3 point line being smaller. Golden State for years - their entire game was built around driving the ball deep then tossing it back to guys who could hit w regularity from 3. I didn’t like that either because you didn’t have as many “plays” around the net. It kind felt “cheap” as much fun as people have watching the splash brothers bomb them in 10-18 times per game.
 
Great run down @tay0365 , and I would add one thing to your list if I may.

Vision:

Marino had the unique ability to see everyone on the field simultaneously, know where the safeties, LB's, CB's and receivers were, and when he saw an opening--no matter how small--his quick release and strong arm threaded the needle and placed it into a tight window with laser accuracy and the speed of a bullet. Cameramen had to pan out a bit for fear of losing the ball on film. Marino may not have been the most cereberal QB, but he saw all of the moving parts, so he didn't have to read the defense as well, because he saw it developing in real time, as if he were watching 4 different camera angles in slow motion. Paired with his quick release and strong arm, the moment he saw it, the ball was almost delivered ... no other QB in history has had this combo of skills. It's why guys like Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman, Brett Favre, etc. all grew up idolizing Marino ... not his peers.
I know I’ve posted this before but I finally got to “see” during the JJ years when my wife and I scored tickets in row 2 at about the 30 at the meadowlands when the fins were up to play the Jets. Parcels was the Jets coach and O’Donnell their QB. Dan had a great game - he was dealing w over 300 yards and made play after play. It was the contrast vs O’Donnell (a fine QB) that was staggering. Dan’s hitting guys in tight spots - 3rd and 4th options in the same amount of time it took Neil to ID a primary. I mean it. There were plays where Jets WRs were open w their arms up and he didn’t have his eyes in the right spot - and as a result took a few coverage sacks. I had seen Marino a million times but never from that close up - and TV doesn’t do justice either. We left the stadium and I was so happy I had gotten to see “why” he was and what made him so great. Listening to the Jets post game on the radio (Pre satellite radio) Parcels and Pepper Johnson talked about “having gone to school today and Dan was their teacher”. It was truly special to see what I can only describe as a super computer process field vs a guy w Commodore Vic 20 running a 5.25 floppy disk ?. Yeah, he saw everything. And he saw it and could act on it faster than the average guy could say “hike”.
 
need a 3rd and 18...nobody better
Isn’t that nuts? Today most teams just try to get some yardage back for the punt unless you have Mahomes or Rodgers etc. I miss having a guy who could get you that play in that situation.
 
When I watch those videos I honestly get sad. Some I never seen before because I am in Pittsburgh. They are amazing. How the heck did we waste prime years from 86-89. Without the playoffs. Wtf. He was best player in nfl no doubt. No playoffs for 4 years. Once the 90s came we made it 7 out of ten years. But those were prime years and nothing. I remember not being able to see the game and waiting for the ten min ticker for updates and George Michael sports machine for highlights when I was supposed to be sleeping. Many times we lost and I was wondering how it happened.
Just sucks
 
When I watch those videos I honestly get sad. Some I never seen before because I am in Pittsburgh. They are amazing. How the heck did we waste prime years from 86-89. Without the playoffs. Wtf. He was best player in nfl no doubt. No playoffs for 4 years. Once the 90s came we made it 7 out of ten years. But those were prime years and nothing. I remember not being able to see the game and waiting for the ten min ticker for updates and George Michael sports machine for highlights when I was supposed to be sleeping. Many times we lost and I was wondering how it happened.
Just sucks
Terrible drafting kept us stuck in mediocrity w 8-8, 8-7, 6-10, 8-8. In hindsight we would have been better off starting our 3rd string QB and going 3-13 a couple of times. Marino elevated some talentless teams to that cursed 8-8 and bad draft position.

Note: the ‘87 season we may have made the playoffs if not for the scabs. Marino was 7-4 or 7-5 and the replacements were 1-2 or 1-3 so that kinda stunk.
 
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Tua can’t have that number because it is legend. If they can’t understand that, they need to do their homework. I heard Dolphins pushed hard for Barry Sanders then too a couple years. Could you imagine THAT?
 
I would have thought someone might have posted this already, but ... here is a funny glimpse at one of the Isotoner Gloves commercials Dan used to do regularly. Huge endorsements.

 
The spike was great, but my favorite play was from another game against the Jets, 4 and 10 trailing late and he threw long to Duper on the right sideline, a perfect pass, TD, Dolphins win. What balls! One of those nononono....yes! plays. The catch is easy to recognize because there was a strange bobble by Duper, for an instant it seemed he would drop it.
 
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