Winning With Average QB's

[JTech194]

This is a general question and not necessarily aimed at our QB. Generally speaking, in today's NFL, is it possible for a head coach to win consistently in this league with an average to below average QB? My criteria for winning consistently is an average of 9 games or more and 3 or more playoff appearances over a 5 year span and 6 or more playoff appearances over a 10 year span.

Have there bee any Head Coaches in recent history to put together consistent winning seasons with Average QB's?

My opinion is that it's impossible to win consistently with an average QB.. but that's just what I think. I'm not basing that on any facts but when I look at the teams that are consistently competitive, it seems like all of them have above Average QB's.

1 Patriots
2. Steelers
3. Ravens
4. Broncos
5. Packers
6. Saints

 

[russianbear]

andy dalton

 

[Shula Fan]

We have to hope so if we want to sniff a playoff birth.

 

[Adam First]

Alex Smith

 

[phins_4_ever]

We have to hope so if we want to sniff a playoff birth.

Well, our last payoff birth was on January 4, 2009. We just celebrated our 7th birthday. It is like having a child: they are born and then you celebrate birthdays for the next 18 years and every year the birthday is accompanied by another ulcer throughout the year and more grey/gray hair.

 

[Fins1971]

Rank Player Wins Losses Ties
1 Tom Brady 61 19 0
2 Aaron Rodgers 53 19 0
3 Andy Dalton 50 26 1
4 Alex Smith 49 21 1
5 Russell Wilson 46 18 0
6 Drew Brees 45 34 0
7 Peyton Manning 45 12 0
8 Cam Newton 45 32 1
9 Ben Roethlisberger 44 27 0
10 Joe Flacco 43 31 0
11 Matt Ryan 41 39 0
12 Tony Romo 39 27 0
13 Matthew Stafford 39 41 0
14 Eli Manning 37 43 0
15 Carson Palmer 37 25 0
16 Philip Rivers 37 43 0
17 Andrew Luck 35 20 0
18 Jay Cutler 33 33 0
19 Ryan Fitzpatrick 31 38 0
20 Ryan Tannehill 29 35 0

The 6 QB's the Op listed are in the top 10 of wins in the last 5 years, 2 of the other 4 have already been mentioned. The other 2 are Wilson and Cam Newton.

 

[tcdrover]

A great coach can do it,

the problem is that in today's NFL most games are extremely close.

The margin of victory is small, most games are decided in the 4th quarter and by few points.

I don't see any reason why RT cannot improve as a QB.

The problem with that is, there is now a clock ticking down on him.

If he does not improve SIGNIFICANTLY this year, I can't see how they don't make any changes.

To be a winning QB in the NFL, obviously the supporting cast must be good,

but they also have to be able to rise above adversity and RAISE the play of their teammates.

What I like the least about RT is not his lack of 3rd down conversions,

but that after a bad game he has never once really taken the blame or directly pointed out his play.

Tom Brady or Peyton Manning always come out and say, I need to play better, I did not get it done, I have to improve.

RT always hides behind the team, and says things like - we as a team need to play better.

 

[MarinoEqualsGod]

This is a general question and not necessarily aimed at our QB. Generally speaking, in today's NFL, is it possible for a head coach to win consistently in this league with an average to below average QB? My criteria for winning consistently is an average of 9 games or more and 3 or more playoff appearances over a 5 year span and 6 or more playoff appearances over a 10 year span.

Have there bee any Head Coaches in recent history to put together consistent winning seasons with Average QB's?

My opinion is that it's impossible to win consistently with an average QB.. but that's just what I think. I'm not basing that on any facts but when I look at the teams that are consistently competitive, it seems like all of them have above Average QB's.

1 Patriots
2. Steelers
3. Ravens
4. Broncos
5. Packers
6. Saints

Well, the reigning Super Bowl champion won with a below average QB, so there's that...

 

[russianbear]

Rank Player Wins Losses Ties
1 Tom Brady 61 19 0
2 Aaron Rodgers 53 19 0
3 Andy Dalton 50 26 1
4 Alex Smith 49 21 1
5 Russell Wilson 46 18 0
6 Drew Brees 45 34 0
7 Peyton Manning 45 12 0
8 Cam Newton 45 32 1
9 Ben Roethlisberger 44 27 0
10 Joe Flacco 43 31 0
11 Matt Ryan 41 39 0
12 Tony Romo 39 27 0
13 Matthew Stafford 39 41 0
14 Eli Manning 37 43 0
15 Carson Palmer 37 25 0
16 Philip Rivers 37 43 0
17 Andrew Luck 35 20 0
18 Jay Cutler 33 33 0
19 Ryan Fitzpatrick 31 38 0
20 Ryan Tannehill 29 35 0

The 6 QB's the Op listed are in the top 10 of wins in the last 5 years, 2 of the other 4 have already been mentioned. The other 2 are Wilson and Cam Newton.

so basically 20% of your top 10 winning qbs could be considered "average" (not going to dig into a stupid debate on who is average who isn't) but i actually remember the # of superbowl winning qbs who were average was something like 20% as well....

interesting.

 

[Vaark]

Well, if not for some poor field coaching decisions and a bend and then break defensive backfield, and despite the OL being ranked #32 in '14... according to PFF, we had the 11th ranked QB in the league who could have as easily been 10-6 instead of 8-8.

When looking at Dalton, Smith, Flacco and Kaepernick when successful as examples, and their corresponding HCs, I'd think a better question would be: "can an average or slightly better than average QB win when saddled with a Philbin caliber of bottom-feeding coaching."

 

[JTech194]

andy dalton

Not trying to change the narrative but I forgot to add one criteria... At least one divisional championship game in a 5 year span and at least 2 in a 10 year span. This last criteria would disqualify the Bengals. But that was a good choice. They've actually won a lot of regular season games over that last 5 years.

 

[Fins1971]

If the QB plays his best when the games matter most then an average season is acceptable. Joe Flacco had a fairly average season in 2012 but when the playoffs started he was the best player on the field. The solid team around him allowed him to be middle of the road and still make the playoffs.

Flacco has been pretty average since.

 

[JTech194]

Well, the reigning Super Bowl champion won with a below average QB, so there's that...

Peyton was only below average this past year. I know teams can do it one year here or there. Hell we went 11-5 with Chad Pennington. But I'm talking sustained winning.

 

[tcdrover]

If the QB plays his best when the games matter most then an average season is acceptable. Joe Flacco had a fairly average season in 2012 but when the playoffs started he was the best player on the field. The solid team around him allowed him to be middle of the road and still make the playoffs.

I think their change in OC had a LOT to do with that season.

They let Flacco loose to do what he does best, which is throw DEEP. :)

 

[JTech194]

Well, if not for some poor field coaching decisions and a bend and then break defensive backfield, and despite the OL being ranked #32 in '14... according to PFF, we had the 11th ranked QB in the league who could have as easily been 10-6 instead of 8-8.

When looking at Dalton, Smith, Flacco and Kaepernick when successful as examples, and their corresponding HCs, I'd think a better question would be: "can an average or slightly better than average QB win when saddled with a Philbin caliber of bottom-feeding coaching."

I hear you, but it's like a what came first the chicken or egg argument.... was philbin and the offensive line made worse by the play of the QB.. We'll probably never know. But we should know what type of QB Ryan is in the next 2 years.