Another Jet who brings about mixed emotions! Was he an "choking" INT machine, or did he simply perform the best he could with what he had around him?
O'Brien was far from an interception machine. He would take sacks rather than make risky throws. This led to him taking a lot of punishment, and his o-lines weren't always up to much. He was a tough, strong-armed player who gave me some of my happiest Jet memories - beating the Fins in '86 by outgunning Marino, running a bombs-away offense in that season and taking the Jets to the playoffs in '91. I hated the way Coslet elbowed him out in '93, giving Esiason his No.7 jersey straight away - a lack of class there, Bruce.
This one is way too easy. O'Brien had one great year for the Jets, and three other decent years, and was only really bad in the INT department in 1989. Unfortunately for him he wasn't Marino (or Kelly or Elway), but he wasn't Todd Blackledge, either. I'll be shocked if the vote isn't overwhelmingly favorable for him.
Totally unfavorable. They treated KOB as if he was a great QB,letting him throw all over the place. They actually played better with Pat Ryan -- who while not as talented as KOB -- managed games better. KOB took more sacks than anyone this side of Andrew Walter/Aaron Brooks. KOB never, NEVER, scored a rushing TD. He has the most throwing attempts of any QB who has ever played -- to not score a rushing TD. That means, first and goal from the one -- he could not get it in -- either by sneak, roll out, scramble, etc. Obviously, had a good arm -- but -- was basically mediocre.
My sons HO of him was most negative like most negative. Myself more no then yes so I voted unfavorable cause I know my son would have voted that way. Even today my son will not discuss him
KO in the early years - good. KO in the later years - a deer in the headlights. I am a tough grader. I remember the good and I remember the ugly. His good was more than his ugly overall, but I will have to call this a tie. I remain nuetral.
That's total BS. The guy was an above average QB. What happenned was he played behind poor ol's and held the ball too long and because of his guts, took a million hits and became a little gun shy at the end. And exceptional thrower. Just look at some of his head to head games with Marino.
I voted favorable because he was a good QB, tough as nails, a class act and never complained. He started great but as the O-line got old and the team fell apart under the bad leadership of Joe Walton and Mike Hickey's drafts, he struggled. Coslet didn't like him, but he managed to start a couple more years for average teams and even get us to the playoffs with a clutch drive at Miami. Think about his first two years as a full time starter, 11-5 in 1985 and a 10-1 start in 1986, that's 21-6. I realize Pat Ryan played a few of those games, but it was mostly O'Brien. People were comparing him to Johnny Unitas, but again the team got old around him. The core was still prety much the Walt Michaels team from the late 70/early 80s. In 1985 he got sacked 62 times and threw only about 9 INTs. Then we drafted O-linemen 1 and 2 in 1986, the #2 guy (Doug Williams) didn't even make the team and the #1 (Dave Cadigan) guy was never very good. Sacked 62 times-----Oh my god, they killed Kenny! Again!
I'll say favorable only because my dad got me a Ken O'Brien action figure when I was 5. I was never old enough to judge his QB abilities though.
Plus he was taking those sacks on that awful old astro turf that was like playing on concrete... (belive me I played on it once in High School) I remember one year he was his so hard the red paint from the meadowlands emblem that was at midfield was permenently marked on his helmet... he stood in and took it... he was tough and a class act... some of my best Jet memories were with him at the helm ....I voted favorable
Tough guy who took a lot of hits and had a so-so career for us. Unfortunately, I'll forever remember him as the guy we took instead of Marino.
an unfavorable vote is simply not a fair one...as others have posted he was tough as nails, kept wuiet and had for most of his career terrible O-lines who gave him almost zero protection. Had we not passed on Marino to get him he'd have almost no knocks against him......I cannot see how anyone would disapprove......
I liked KO, i seem to remember them blowing a lot of leads with that lovely prevent defense. No lead was ever enough in those days. Didn't we go like 9-1 to start a season then lost last 6 games and missed the playoffs?
I voted favorable. As most have said the OL he played behind was hideous...Stan Waldemore, Guy Binbgham, Reggie McElroy, Ted Banker, Jeff Criswell. WOW!!! (Thnak-You Dick Steinberg). Probaly the only QB tha ti could say that with regularity was sacked before he got into his 5 or 7 step drop. Admittedly he held the ball sometimes, but more often then not he would not get ANY protection. Also, O'brien had one of the strongest arms you will EVER see for a QB. While his release was no where near as fast as Marino or Namath his arm strength on the 15 yard out patterns was as good as anyone in the league.. BTW, In case you were not aware his orginal # with the Jets was #16. He wore it his first year...out last year at Shea
That's a great point. And we weren't really in the market for a QB in that draft, either. Richard Todd was in his prime and we just went to the AFC title game with a good offense. If we did draft Marino, he might have gotten his ass kicked too and not had the same career he had behind a good O-line in Miami, with nice weather and Don Shula coaching. He might not have taken so many sacks because he got the ball out quicker, but he would have thrown a lot of picks in the windy Meadowlands with no blocking.
unfavorable..... While he did air it out sometimes, and put up big numbers in some games. Overall, he did more bad then good. He used to have one of the lowest Int% in the league, but he was not mobile at all and took a ton of sacks. 20 Years later those bombs to Wesley Walker look great on highlights, but Jet fans knew that he was not taking us anywhere. He was even benched in a playoff game because he was a mental case.
