Originally posted by Justasportsfan
Marino was the best passer. Best qb ? I'd take Montana. Passing is just part of what makes a qb great. People say Marino had no talent around him. That's beccause he wanted to throw the ball all the time. Why do you think Jimmiy Johnson and Dan couldn't get along? No way Marino was gonna let the team run.
A great qb has the ability to adjust during games even if it meant taking the ball out of his hands. Marino couldn't fool people into thinking he was gonna hand the ball off. Defnitely the best passer.
I hear this lame argument all of the time in Buffalo. Every Bills fan and Buffalo sports writer and talk show host makes this idiotic claim.
Marino's aversion to running the ball came from the fact that they didn't have the talent to do it. period. Call me crazy, but I'd get sick of... no gain, no gain, Dan please get us a first down....
I assembled the list of RBs that Dan played with. Please find even one that had any success in the NFL, either before joining the Fins or after leaving the Fins. If the Fins had the talent and Dan refused to use it, surely there must be some players that were successful elsewhere.
1983
RB Woody Bennett
RB Andra Franklin
RB Eddie Hill
RB Tony Nathan
RB David Overstreet
1984
RB Woody Bennett
RB Joe Carter
RB Andra Franklin
RB Eddie Hill
RB Tony Nathan
1985
RB Woody Bennett
RB Joe Carter
RB Ron Davenport
RB Lorenzo Hampton
RB Tony Nathan
1986
RB Woody Bennett
RB Joe Carter
RB Ron Davenport
RB Craig Ellis
RB Lorenzo Hampton
RB Tony Nathan
1987
RB Woody Bennett
RB Tom Brown
RB Ron Davenport
RB Lorenzo Hampton
RB Tony Nathan
RB Troy Stradford
1988
RB Woody Bennett
RB Joe Cribbs
RB Ron Davenport
RB Lorenzo Hampton
RB Troy Stradford
1989
RB Tom Brown
RB Ron Davenport
RB Nuu Faaola
RB Kerry Goode
RB Lorenzo Hampton
RB Willard Reaves
RB Sammie Smith
RB Troy Stradford
1990
RB Tony Collins
RB Mark Higgs
RB Garrett Limbrick
RB Sammie Smith
RB Troy Stradford
1991
RB Aaron Craver
RB Mark Higgs
RB Sammie Smith
1992
RB Aaron Craver
RB Mark Higgs
RB Bobby Humphrey
RB Bernie Parmalee
1993
RB Mark Higgs
RB Terry Kirby
RB Bernie Parmalee
1994
RB Aaron Craver
RB Cleveland Gary
RB Mark Higgs
RB Terry Kirby
RB Bernie Parmalee
RB Irving Spikes
1995
RB Terry Kirby
RB Bernie Parmalee
RB Irving Spikes
1996
RB Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar
RB Jerris McPhail
RB Bernie Parmalee
RB Irving Spikes
1997
RB Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar
RB Jerris McPhail
RB Bernie Parmalee
RB Lawrence Phillips
RB Irving Spikes
1998
RB Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar
RB John Avery
RB Ron Moore
RB Bernie Parmalee
1999
RB Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar
RB John Avery
RB Kantroy Barber
RB Cecil Collins
RB Autry Denson
RB J.J. Johnson
There are no players on this list that were held back by Dan Marino.....
It is comical that the fact that Marino never had the benefit of a solid running game to keep defenses off balance is used as an argument against his greatness. Every other QB in history has gone through periods where the running game faltered and defenses could sell out against the pass. This always leads to excuses for the QBs drop-off in play. Marino is the only QB in history that maintained a consistently excellent level of play without the benefit of a running game.
One other point. The job of the offense is to score points. QBs can most directly affect that by throwing touchdown passes. There has never been a more prolific TD passer than Dan Marino.
The problem with the Miami Dolphins through much of Marino's career was defense. They couldn't stop anybody.
IMO, with a better defense, Marino would have won at least one SB. I also believe his passing records would be a little lower since he would have been involved in fewer shootouts.
Look at the diffenrence in those votes. Not even close. The majority has spoken. You can't tell me that all those votes for Montana were all 49'er fans and dolphin haters.
