I Have A Feeling I Would Have Loved Ken O'Brien

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by The Dark Knight, May 14, 2020.

  1. The Dark Knight

    The Dark Knight Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG]
    I am watching the Greatest Games Ever on NFLN and they are showing the 51-45 Jets over Dolphins game highlights. O'Brien vs. Marino.

    O'Brien just keeps throwing bombs to Walker. So fun. Wish I could have watched it live.

    Looks like he played from 1984 to to 1992. That is longer QB stability than I have witnessed as a Jets fan. I feel like I don't see fans talk about him much. He played right before I started watching football.


    So what was he like for fans who got to watch him? Thanks!
     
  2. ColoradoContrails

    ColoradoContrails Well-Known Member

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    He was certainly good. Good enough to win a SB if the rest of the team - including CS - were up to it. Still, I was really pissed that they passed on Marino. To me, this was the beginning of the journey in the wilderness we've been on since then.

    I see Darnold as at least as good as O'Brien, but again, it will come down to the team - including CS - around him. I hope he has better success than Kenny.
     
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  3. Mogriffjr

    Mogriffjr Well-Known Member

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    I never saw Kenny but just looking at stats. Second year he had his best year as a pro. He also was sacked 62 times that year! Sheesh.

    his stats never were the same after that. Safe to say the beating he took may have altered his play. This is why jet fans were pleading to fix the OLine so Sam wouldn’t suffer the same fate.
     
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  4. The Dark Knight

    The Dark Knight Well-Known Member

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    The WR Combo of Wesley Walker and Al Toon looks pretty awesome too. Walker had 4 touchdowns that game! Wish I was there.
     
  5. Jets69

    Jets69 Well-Known Member

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    Loved Ken O'Brien, had a big Arm, bad line, his back up Pat Ryan looked like his twin, uncanny resemblance
     
  6. James Hasty

    James Hasty Well-Known Member

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    The biggest problems for O'Brien's Jets were injuries as the team which had made the AFC Championship game before he was drafted continued to age.

    The biggest reason O'Brien's stats fell off is that injuries to his receivers and offensive lineman took the juice out off his high powered offense.

    In 1985-86 the Jets were on a collision course with the Giants for a Subway Superbowl before half of the team got hurt including O'Brien.

    After the team went from 10-1 to 10-6 after losing its last five games in a row, O'Brien and Gastineau came back healthy in the playoffs but fell short to the Browns after a double overtime loss.

    After Namath he was the greatest Jet QB and one of my favorite players.
     
  7. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    He was a good QB - kind of in the mold of Chad Pennington but with a stronger arm. Cerebral but not very mobile and it hurt him. 1985 was his first season as the full time starter. His first game out in L.A. was against the Raiders and both starting OTs were out. He was sacked ten times and the Jets were shut out. However from there he became one of the top QBs in the league - in fact he may have been the top rated QB that year at some point - I don’t quite remember. Marino had held out the entire training camp for more money following his record breaking 1984 season and it took him a while to get into form. Anyway O’Brien posted great numbers despite being sacked 62 times.

    The following season he continued his stellar play until once again injuries decimated the entire team and they lost their last 5 games after starting 10-1. He was benched for the playoffs - Pat Ryan started and won the WC card game vs KC. Ryan had the Jets in command at Cleveland in the AFC divisional playoff - due in great part to his mobility and the game was looking to be a huge upset - but he got hurt in the third quarter and O’Brien took over. After they blew the ten point lead at the end of the fourth quarter O’Brien could not lead them anywhere close to FG territory - I think the Jets had the ball three times in OT and couldn’t get a first down? I cant remember that detail. I do remember the team as a whole were beat up. O’Brien didn’t have any time to throw. Well anyway they lost and things were never the same for the Jets or O’Brien going forward.

    I do think all of those sacks from 1985-86 damaged O’Brien both physically and psychologically........
     
    #7 mrjet80, May 14, 2020
    Last edited: May 14, 2020
  8. Cman68

    Cman68 The Dark Admin, 2018 BEST Darksider Poster

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    I dunno which game was better... The Monday Nite Miracle or The Great AFC Shootout. I got to watch KoB play and I admit, I was pissed they didn't draft Marino. I think in the back of his mind, KoB knew this was how the fanbase felt especially after on draft day when they Jets announced his name, the entire auditorium said loudly and collectively: "Who??". He gave the team all he had and if he had better personnel protecting him, he could have gotten a few things done. Neil O'Donnell didn't fare much better either. You youngins kinda missed out on the glory days of the AFC before all the rule changes and talent dilution thanks to expansion. Football was fun back then. Guys hit really hard, games were decided by the teams and not the refs and injuries were part of the game.
     
  9. THIS Era is the version of the Jets team that i grew to love. Exciting offense,solid defense.cohesive,good athletes all over the field.A few loose parts,injuries & questionable coaching got in the way.

    Actual skill players capable of putting up points..what a concept
     
  10. Cman68

    Cman68 The Dark Admin, 2018 BEST Darksider Poster

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    Back then, the Jets were... Relevant!
     
  11. J-Raw24

    J-Raw24 Well-Known Member

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    I was only able to catch the last few year of Ken O' B as a fan. I have watched a lot of games from before I became a fan. And everything I could since about 1990.
     
  12. joe

    joe Well-Known Member

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    . .I Have A Feeling You Would Have Loved Dan Marino More.
    .
     
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  13. SoylentGreen

    SoylentGreen Well-Known Member

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    kenny obrien had a strong + accurate arm, if he played behind a good line and in this generation where Qb’s are protected, he would have had a much better career. The Jets had weapons back in the day - Walker, Toon, Freeman and a solid defense with Klecko, Gastineau, Lyons, Lance Mehl, Crable but never had a very good offensive line. They never gave O’brien time and the dude was a statue. Joe Namath always said, if you gave Kenny the time he was the most accurate qb in football. That said, Marino was the most talented Qb (not saying best) I’ve ever seen. The Jets made a giant mistake passing on him.
     
  14. jetstopgun

    jetstopgun Well-Known Member

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    Kenny O was a good QB ... couldn’t move but he had a big time arm....Most of us that were around them had nothing against him it’s just that Marino was on the board and we selected him and that was never forgotten..... About the Cleveland Browns playoff game Mark Gastineau committed a roughing the passer on fourth down .... Which continue the drive for The browns we would’ve won that game .....we should have gone to the AFC title Game.....That penalty is what I remember most about that game
     
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  15. Attackett

    Attackett Well-Known Member

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    If not for Kenny O, Wesley Walker & Al Toon I’d likely have become a Giants fan and not endured decades of misery, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Kenny O was doomed by the fact he was selected before Marino, to no fault of his own. If he was drafted any other year he would’ve been more beloved amongst Jets fans.
     
  16. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes I wonder how the Jets would have fared had O'Brien ( assuming of course O’Brien had been of age ) been Walt Michaels QB during the 78-82 years. OL was young and tough - defense was certainly better. O’Brien didn’t have those spaz moments Todd had. He was less mobile than Todd but man did Todd make some stupid ass decisions with the ball...

    We’ll never know the answer of course but it seems the Jets always “ just miss “......
     
    #16 mrjet80, May 14, 2020
    Last edited: May 14, 2020
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  17. The Dark Knight

    The Dark Knight Well-Known Member

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    Great posts! Thanks, as always! That makes sense that maybe he was not as loved by the fan base as he should have been due to being picked instead of Marino. However, last I checked, Marino and O'Brien have the same number of Super Bowl wins. I can imagine watching that draft and having Marino somehow fall to the Jets and they instead draft O'Brien. It would be tough. Although, the whole league passed on Marino, not just the Jets.

    Yeah, looked like a lot of fun, from the highlights I watched today.
     
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  18. jetophile

    jetophile Bruce Coslet's Daughter

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    Chipped front tooth and all.
     
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  19. jetophile

    jetophile Bruce Coslet's Daughter

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    True enough, but he also used to lay them out like lambs to the slaughter, especially Toon. Toon was a gamer, though, a machine, and took ridiculous hits. He was one hit away from being a vegetable.
     
  20. ColoradoContrails

    ColoradoContrails Well-Known Member

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    That penalty was a "home call". Predictale though. They were never going to let Gastineau do his thing in the Dawg Pound.
     
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