Originally posted by 5280High:
Originally posted by lamontb:
Originally posted by WINiner:
Originally posted by SoMovedOn:
Originally posted by bigmike55:
Originally posted by defenderDX:
Kind of a dumb question...Obviously everything falls on Alex Smith. How he performs will determine whether we even make it OR not. Only time will tell.
Kind of is an understatement. This is a quarterback driven league. Good quarterbacks lead their teams to the playoffs and more. It's a fact.
I beg to differ. Many teams in the history of this league have had success getting to the playoffs with a mediocre quarterback. We have some good enough talent around Alex, that all he needs to do is not turn the ball over and play smart football. If we make the playoffs it will be a team effort, with every player on the field contributing to our success.
History smistory
The last 5 Superbowls have had
Drew Breese
Peyton Manning
Kurt Warner
Ben Rothlesburger
Tom Brady
Eli Manning
Peyton Manning
Ben Rothlesburger
Matt Hassleback (when he was really good)
All but 1 QB in the last 5 SB's was a stud, that one who wasn't a stud (grossman I think) lost.
Exactly kill that whole team talk this is a qb driven league. The 02 Ravens defense is not coming out of any teams locker room. you need a stud or a guy on a hot streak playing like one.
In Big Ben's first SB it was Jerome Bettis' team, dont kid yourself into thinking he was the difference... all he needed to know was how to run a trick play that year. The run game and defense of the Steelers beat the hawks at their offensive height.
Eli was good but the Giants D was ridiculous that year with their front four, and needed a miracle to win that game, and their D are the ones who kept them in a position to win it. As well as a dropped int by Asante Samuel. Eli "should" of lost that game for them but shoulda, woulda, coulda means nothing.
Peyton won because the colts D went from worst against the run in the reg season to completely shutting teams down in the playoffs. The Colts D was playing lights out in those playoffs and their run game was great with Addai and Rhodes making Peyton less of a factor.
Look at the most ridiculous seasons QB's have had and most of them end up losing in the playoffs, the only one two QBs I can think of that had absurdly great years AND won the superbowl are Kurt Warner with the Rams and Drew Brees last year. Look at Farvre last year, Brady when he broke the points record, Brees the year before last, Peyton when he was breaking TD records.
Don't get me wrong, Good QB's GET you to the playoffs where you have a chance... but more often than not a team's defense and running game are gonna get them to and win the Superbowl than the QB. Look at Vegas for the truth Odds-makers go with the top defense over the top QB the majority of the time. (unless your QB is Rex Grossman )
So it's coincidence then huh? It's coincidence that all these SB teams, and EVERY wining SB team over the last 5 years, has what is currently, or was previously, labeled an elite QB?
Make all the excuses you want, facts are facts. SB winning teams for nearly 2 decades have all had an elite QB except for 2 teams with yearly dominant defenses.
Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys - SB XXVII
Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys - SB XXVIII
Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers - SB XXIX
Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys - SB XXX
Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers - SB XXXI
John Elway, Denver Broncos - SB XXXII
John Elway, Denver Broncos - SB XXXIII
Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams - SB XXXIV
Trent Dilfer, Baltimore Ravens - SB XXXV
Tom Brady, New England Patriots - SB XXXVI
Brad Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - SB XXXVII
Tom Brady, New England Patriots - SB XXXVIII
Tom Brady, New England Patriots - SB XXXIX
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - SB XL
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts - SB XLI
Eli Manning, New York Giants - SB XLII
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - SB XLIII
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints - SB XLIV
There is a reason for that.