Marino & Manning: The "What If" discussion

He focused so much on the passing game and Marino, that the defense and running game suffered. Even when we got some decent talent on defense (Troy Vincent and Bryan Cox), we either lost them to FA. Not to mention, Shula was really stingy when it came to new contracts and FA. Instead of going out and getting some good FA during Marino’s prime, he waited until the end of Marino’s career to try and bring in high priced FAs (Bernie Kosar, Keith Byars, Irving Fryar, Eric Green, and Gary Clark).

While we are what -ifing, what if Dan was the QB of this past years Miami Dolphins? That would have been a team and maybe the defense got it together a bit sooner.

I love Dan Marino and he is the greatest Dolphin of all time…BUT Peyton Manning will be the greatest of all time when it’s all said and done. He is definitely better than Dan ever was. Peyton does things that no other QB ever could do. He calls his own plays, it’s like he is in the head of the defense. Honestly can you say that with the game on the line you would rather have dan than peyton. If you honestly believe this, you are on something and I need to get that something from you! Sorry guys

Think about it. In the height of his career, as stated before, Marino had no real defenses and no real running game and he still got the job done.

With Olivadotti coaching the D each week, the opposing coaches never had to put too much work into how they were going to attack the Dolphins on offense. He was way too predictable. So the opposing coach could focus on how to stop the Phins offense all week.

And on how to stop us, the opposing coaches never had to worry about the Phins running game either. So their entire energies the week before Dolphin games could be focused on one thing and one thing only, how to stop Marino…

And Marino still got the job done week in and week out.

Even without the beneficial rules of today, Marino still got the job done week in and week out when he was the ONLY thing the opposing team had to think about stopping.

They just couldn’t do it. Best pure passer ever.

Now then Peyton is pretty damn good and probably already the Colts Offensive Coordinator. Lol. I suspect Marino never worked quite as hard as Manning does either. The guy is a machine in the off season as well as the regular season.

Has anyone ever seen an analysis of the great QBs and how many Pro-Bowlers or Hall-of-Famers were playing with them each year? Obviously it’s hard to do Hall-of-Famers for current guys like Peyton, but my theory has always been that guys like Montana, Bradshaw, Peyton, etc. have WAY more talent around them than Dan ever had. How many pro-bowlers played with Dan each year? How many hall-of-famers were on his teams? Compare that to Montana – he had great players everywhere you look. I’d love to see a list of the “Top 10” QBs and the PB/HoF numbers for each of them.

My bottom line is that Dan was the greatest passer of all time. Greatest overall QB is a much more complicated and difficult discussion.

I place the blame for Marino’s fall off on the stats after his achilles tendon injury (what a fluke) and on the arrival of Jimmy Johnson.

After the injury he had the 30 TD season but the rest (in my opininon mediocre). Yes he was getting older but it was like the majic was gone. Then you bring in Jimmy Johnson, who’s only attribute is that his hair is bigger than is ego, shackled Dan. They talk like Manning is the second coming…Marino was the field General when Peyton was still playing pee wee and trying to beat Florida (Couldn’t do it)!

Johnson came in and trying to be a saviour when he should have left one of the best quarterbacks, if not the best, alone to do his thing. Johnson should have went out and tried to build a defense and bring in a running back to supplement his future HOF inductee.

In reference to Johnson: They say, “if you cant’ do something, you teach it”. “If you can teach, you evaluate it”. And that is what Johnson does, he sits in a studio and tries to evaluate everything and everybody in the NFL. POS

I don’t think it matters “what if”. You don’t see what if comparisons with quarterbacks from the vintage days that actually put up great numbers and won Super Bowls. You don’t hear “what ifs” about John Elway who played in exactly the same era as Marino, yet won two rings. I think Dan was a great QB but by far not THE greatest of all time. I’m both a Colts and a Broncos fan but Denver has had my heart since I was a kid (ironic huh?). The Fins had several chances to make it to the playoffs or SB with Marino but never got the job done. Peyton Manning struggled with not having good defenses for a while until They finally got smart and built the entire team to win. Peyton is passing Dan in many areas and has already surpassed him with one ring…I think #2 is on the way.

I am so happy to have #18 as our qb, but i still say marino is the best ever because you will never see a qb have such a great year at the age of 23 like marino had in 1984. sure other guys will throw for over 48 tds in a pass-friendly nfl, but they will have had at least 4-5 years under their belt. On top of that, in most of his playoff losses Marino looked good. I think manning passes him if he can play at a really high level after 35 because i think marino slid a little after Shula left. Right now i have marino, manning, unitas in that order as the 3 best qb’s ever. Most overrated-Troy Aikman! 3 rings doesn’t mean you are great when you stand behind maybe the best o-line of all time.

Bob