And yet with a lot of talent around him and a HOF HC, Marino could never "lead" his team back into a SB. If Montana had to play in a different system, then I agree with you and I'd take Marino, but if Montana could stay in the WCO, I'd go with Montana every time. Montana was smart, Marino dumb. I don't think his leadership skills are anywhere near what you think they were.
Marino never had the offensive talent of SF and he NEVER had a defense like SF. And he may be "dumb" off the field but on the field he was a brilliant tactician and he was as fiery a leader as there ever was. Not downplaying Montana, he was the GOAT but having watched the both of them a lot, I just think Marino was a better pure throwing QB. Montana had the wheels and was perfect for that system. Marino was otherworldly with his talent. He was like Namath in that respect. _
I agree with you about Marino being a better pure throwing QB, just not being better at QB overall. IMO Montana had to compensate for not having the arm that Marino did, so he had to be smarter, a better leader, etc. You may be right that Miami didn't have the talent that SF did. For sure, they didn't have a Jerry Rice, but their WRs were not too shabby.
It wasn't just the receivers it was Dwight Clark and John Taylor and Roger Craig and those defenses were outstanding. Marino never had a TE, never had a running game and they never built him a defense. Don Shula was great but Bill Walsh was as good or better. _
I'd put Marino in the Top 3 of the last 30 years (the length of time I've been an avid NFL fan). 1. Joe Montana 2. Peyton Manning 3. Dan Marino 4. Brett Favre 5. John Elway 6. Steve Young 7. Tom Brady 8. Drew Brees 9. Troy Aikman 10. Kurt Warner The two things people who weren't alive at the time always discount (or forget) are: 1. The passing rules were changed so significantly right after the Patriots started mugging the Colts' receivers that it's practically a different game now (typical NFL going overboard with rule changes rather just enforcing the rules already in-place against the offending team). Defensive backs are barely allowed to play now. 2. Prior to the salary cap, the top tier NFL teams every year (most playoff teams) were sooooo much better than the average NFL team. That means if your team had any flaws, you weren't winning a championship. Unlike today (where having a HOF caliber QB automatically means you're a Super Bowl contender every year, regardless of the rest of the personnel on your team), in the years before the salary cap, if your team couldn't run the ball, or stop the run, you weren't winning a Super Bowl. Marino had an above average defense like two or three times in his whole career (one of those times he got to the Super Bowl) and never played with good running back. Marino never had the talent around him (offensive or defensive) that a team like the Redskins had, yet the Skins were able to win two SBs with nobodies like Rypien and Williams (and Schroeder). It was a completely different game back then.
I think if you had to choose a QB to win 1 game for you, I think you would take Montana. Montana, easily the best big game QB ever to play. Nothing against Marino, just Montana is the definition of clutch. Marino easily a top 5 QB of all time for me still.
And giving up that 47-yard bomb to McCafferty - that woke them up and jump started their offense. And yes, those fumbles.....
Interesting thing about this is that, had the Jets won, the AFCCG would have been in Foxboro, not Pittsburgh, and there was a region wide four foot of snow blizzard that weekend. It would've taken a week to get Foxboro safe to get into and out of. It's not inconceivable the game would have had to be moved to a neutral site. Not that I think the Jets had any chance in hell of beating the Pats that season.
One moment - One play - Dough Brien's missed field goal. I'm still upset over losing to the Steelers in the playoffs and being humiliated by my entire family which is made up of all Steelers fans.
Marino is arguably the best pure passer in nfl history. The only people you are taking over him are 2 or 3 (at the very most) other all-time great quarterbacks. (I'd have him at number 3 on my personal list) Let's not pretend that quarterback isn't easily the most important position on the field.
It would have been close (we lost in foxboro that year 13-6, with both teams at 5-0), but we would have lost.
Bill Simpson INT of Todd at the 2yd line on a pass intended for d. Gaffney at the end of the 81 WC game at shea
