Franchise Quarterbacks

[jlfin]

We also had great backups like Earl Morrall and Don Strock for many years. :)
I thought we gave up too soon on Brian Griese....now we are stuck with a couple of "prentender" franchise QB's.

who has ever pretended that either of our QB's are franchise QB's ? There is a big difference beteen a good QB and a franchise QB.
I would classify Brady, McNabb and Culpepper as good QB's, but not franchise QB's.
Marino, Elway, Montana and perhaps Kelly were franchise QB's. Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason, Ken O'Brien, Jim McMahon, Warren Moon were good QB's.

 

[StLouisFinFan]

I agree for the most part with this post, but I will disagree with the Brady part. Not because I am a die-hard Dolfan, but I think any qb with a good head on his shoulders could go play in that system. Look at the 49er's. Again, the system. I took it as an insult for Dan to get enshrined with Steve Young. If Young were that good, his stats would have been better in Tampa.

Well, Drew Bledsoe, a QB with several pro-bowls, a super bowl apperance and tons of yards and tds couldn't. Then Brady stepped in. And they won immediately. Not because he's "smart" which he is, but because he has that special little something that we all saw in Montana. Couldn't explain it, they don't have the super passer physical attributes, but they always seem to settle down and make the right play at the right time and make everyone else around them believe that they can do the same. That's why Brady has been successful. That said, let's go take his head off!!!!

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Hmmm..... interesting idea.

Make do with an average QB and throw the bulk of your money and draft picks at the Defense.

But I think that approach has been tried in Miami.
We ran the guy out of town that tried it.

If a "franchise" quality QB is not available then the alternative should be to build the offensive team around the QB to make his job easier. Better receivers, better RBs, but most of all, better linemen. Defense certainly is important, but becoming "the best defense in the NFL" should not be made a priority unless the Offense is already a serious threat. Losing a game 12-3 is still losing a game.

It worked in Baltimore with Dilfer and an excellent defense. Miami was close defensively, but not quite even average at qb. Looking at the numbers and the qb rating system, I think Jay Fielder was a little below average maybe even bottom third in the league. The fact that Wannestedt didn't recognize that, or thought he could win with Jay, was his biggest downfall. The year Ricky won the rushing title Miami could have gone far in the playoffs with a qb who made the 1-2 plays a game that Jay routinely missed on.

Pre-salary cap a team had to have it all (or pretty close) to win a super bowl. Now I don't think that's the case as Baltimore showed a few years back. It's hard to get all the pieces and my point is there are different ways to win.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Good point but Brees did have several bad years and with Wanny here he would have been gone so fast

Judging by Brian Griese you are probably right.

 

[yankeehillbilly]

It worked in Baltimore with Dilfer and an excellent defense. Miami was close defensively, but not quite even average at qb. Looking at the numbers and the qb rating system, I think Jay Fielder was a little below average maybe even bottom third in the league. The fact that Wannestedt didn't recognize that, or thought he could win with Jay, was his biggest downfall. The year Ricky won the rushing title Miami could have gone far in the playoffs with a qb who made the 1-2 plays a game that Jay routinely missed on.

Pre-salary cap a team had to have it all (or pretty close) to win a super bowl. Now I don't think that's the case as Baltimore showed a few years back. It's hard to get all the pieces and my point is there are different ways to win.

Wanny's biggest problem was to try to emulate the exception to the rule. Just because 1 team out of God-knows-howmany won by overstocking the D and playing ultra-conservative on O, he thought that must be the way to go.

 

[T.R.U. FIN3]

Excellent post. Every word is accurate.

 

[dannymarino13]

brees or rivers will be our franchise qb in 2006!!!!! and im banking on it that it's going to be rivers!!!!

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Wanny's biggest problem was to try to emulate the exception to the rule. Just because 1 team out of God-knows-howmany won by overstocking the D and playing ultra-conservative on O, he thought that must be the way to go.

We can't discount that Wanny was an average coach either. And if you have an average coach you better have a truckload of talent to have a chance.

 

[AZfinfan]

I am a die hard dolphins fan, but anyone who can say that Tom Brady is not a special qb is an idiot. The guy doesn't just manage the game, he is a star on a great team. Come on people..............Ya Steve Young wasn't that good either,,,,,,,good one..

 

[StLouisFinFan]

It worked in Baltimore with Dilfer and an excellent defense. Miami was close defensively, but not quite even average at qb. Looking at the numbers and the qb rating system, I think Jay Fielder was a little below average maybe even bottom third in the league. The fact that Wannestedt didn't recognize that, or thought he could win with Jay, was his biggest downfall. The year Ricky won the rushing title Miami could have gone far in the playoffs with a qb who made the 1-2 plays a game that Jay routinely missed on.

Pre-salary cap a team had to have it all (or pretty close) to win a super bowl. Now I don't think that's the case as Baltimore showed a few years back. It's hard to get all the pieces and my point is there are different ways to win.

True, but Dilfer only worked for one year before they took a nose dive into salary cap purgatory.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

You are WAY too low on the number of quality QBs in the NFL right now. My job is sports statistical analysis for Nevada sportsbooks. Last year the caliber of QBing was terrific, an amazing 19 QBs with 7.0+ yards per pass attempt. In many years that number is in the 10 range.

You don't need a so-called franchise QB to win the Super Bowl. A smart functional QB with variety of touch and very good yards per attempt, like Jake Delhomme for example, is plenty good enough to win it all given the proper quality and balance of team around him.

Our problem is we're not close. I've had to hold my breath for months around here with all the positive posts regarding A.J. Feeley, while the numbers shout he has no business as a starting QB. He wobbled to 5.32 yards per attempt last season, nearly 4 yards per attempt worse than Peyton Manning. That's like being lapped in a horse race.

I must concede, if you include INT return yardage then Feeley's yards per attempt improves significantly.

I do believe you can win with a good quarterback, even an average one if your defense is outstanding. That's really my point. I know statistically that the quarterback ratings, yards per pass etc. are on the upswing. I think that has to do with the rules changes more than the quality of play by quarterbacks. Although, that is an excellent point and a reason some would point to building the offense as the priority and not the defense. In all my time watching football, I can't remember more quality wide receivers in the league as well. All that taken into account, I still feel that defense wins championships.

 

[PBE]

While that might be true, we don't even have one QB on our roster that qualifies as average. Every single one of them is below average or untested. Even if, for the sake of argument, we could win with an average QB or just slightly above-average QB, it is moot because we don't have one. If we are going to have to go get a new QB after this season anyway, we might as well go after the best ones possible. To me that means Leinhart, Rivers or Brees, depending on which one San Diego keeps.

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

While that might be true, we don't even have one QB on our roster that qualifies as average. Every single one of them is below average or untested. Even if, for the sake of argument, we could win with an average QB or just slightly above-average QB, it is moot because we don't have one. If we are going to have to go get a new QB after this season anyway, we might as well go after the best ones possible. To me that means Leinhart, Rivers or Brees, depending on which one San Diego keeps.

I dont' think you can last 12 years in the NFL without at least being average

 

[DolfanChris06]

great post, we gave up on griese way too soon

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

While that might be true, we don't even have one QB on our roster that qualifies as average. Every single one of them is below average or untested. Even if, for the sake of argument, we could win with an average QB or just slightly above-average QB, it is moot because we don't have one. If we are going to have to go get a new QB after this season anyway, we might as well go after the best ones possible. To me that means Leinhart, Rivers or Brees, depending on which one San Diego keeps.

I would love nothing more than having a franchise quarterback and I'm not giving up hope on that. But how much would you give up for a shot at Leinart or Rivers? I think both will be great, but you never know. The going rate will probably be two #1's and then some not to mention the salary demands -- a lot to give up for a team like Miami that has many needs.

As great as Peyton Manning is that $14 million cap number makes it tough for the Colts to put together the necessary defense to contend for a title. Just like to explore other ways to win and maybe we can get there with a good (not great) quarterback and one of the best defenses in the league.