I was curious so I looked up the following -- Ken O'Brien had zero, that's right zero, rushing td's in his career. The best I can tell -- he holds the record for most games by a QB without a rushing TD. No one is really close. How do you play all those years and not once scramble for a TD or at least fall forward? Its almost hard to imagine. Tells you something about KOB and the coaching staff(s) during those years.
Ken O'Brien had less tendencies to rush into the end-zone with tacklers bearing down on him than my wife......and she's 5'4 and 120 lbs....
Well Kenny also had some good running backs in freeman mcneil and johnny hector, so why put him through the punishment.
It's hard to rush for TDs while lying on your back under a defensive end. Seriously though, I loved O'Brien and would've loved to see him play with a better OL - they were great run blockers, poor pass protectors. David Carr's situation reminds me a little of Kenny's.
Anybody remember when he flinched in the face of Louis Oliver's charge at the goal line vs. the Dolphins in 1989?
I remember one game when he started to get tackled & just fell down instead of trying to get over the goal line. That told me a lot of his pride to win & having moxy to battle the defensive player
I was sitting in the upper level above the end zone where that happened, it developed right before my eyes. From above you could see what looked like half the field open and O'Brien by himself, and somehow he didn't make it in the end zone. Louis Oliver said after the game that O'Brien flinched but I don't buy that, he's just the slowest QB I've ever seen. It really was the downfall of his career because it got him banged up so much he became ineffective after a while. It's too bad because in his first two years as a starter, the Jets went 11-5 and then started 10-1, that's 21-6. Granted Pat Ryan started a few games in that span when O'Brien was hurt, but we looked to have a great QB until his blocking broke down in his later years. But O'Brien stood in there and took all the hits, he never complained and he never missed too much time with injury, he was one of the toughest QBs I've ever seen. That's why I don't believe Louis Oliver, he's just another loudmouth DB. Pat Ryan said it best after Oliver's comments, "He didn't say a word when Kenny threw all over him in Miami (earlier that year), maybe he wants everyone to forget that."
O'Brien really wasn't that much different from Pennington. Smart QB, stands in the pocket and holds the ball too long, feet of stone, doesn't throw alot of picks. O'Brien had a stronger arm though he was no gunslinger.
Good stat. Also unbelievable. BUT...9 tds. You would think if you started as long as obrien that it would be hard NOT to have a half dozen tds. NO ONE is close to him in this stat.
Problem with Obrien -- is the same problem IMHO that Bledsoe has -- they both think that they are better than they are. The jets were better with Ryan (although KOB was more talented.) With Ryan they ran a balanced attack, short passes, and a few shots down field. Because KOB was a first rounder they felt they needed to throw 50+ times a game and they never played all that smart. I think Bledsoe has the same problem. They would be best reigning him in -- but how can you do that to the great Bledsoe.
Pennington had Martin; PManning had a few good running backs too. To not score ONE touchdown -- you almost have to try not to.
I know this will always be a matter of opinion, and I'm not saying you're wrong and I'm right, but I always remember O'Brien as having a very strong arm. That TD to Walker to send the '86 game into overtime was an absolute bullet. I loved O'Brien and I think he was symbolic of the Jets. Capable of brilliance but flawed as well.
It takes a certain amount of balls to make a charge for the end zone, and OB didn't have the requisite amount. There were many instances where he could've served and saved the team had he only took off with some authority and resolve but he couldn't do it. O'Brien is way down on my list of best Jets QBs because of his unwillingness to sacrifice his body for the team. That's why they never won a playoff game under him. I put Pat Ryan ahead of him. Ryan was tough and left it all out on the field. Penny's rushing courage is one of the things I love about the guy. I rank these guys based on who gave us our best seasons, not on stats or length of service. 1. Namath (SB, 2 Division Titles, HOF, Legacy) 2. Testaverde (2nd best season in history; AFC East Title; AFC title game) 3. Todd (2 playoffs); AFC title game; resurrect dead franchise) 4. Pennington (2 playoffs); AFC East Title; advance to 2nd round each time) 5. Ryan (1 playoff win; gusty #2) 6. O'Brien (2 playoff appearances; Win's regular season finale vs. Dolphins to get in 91 playoffs)
I think they are a lot different, actually. Pennington is much better at eluding the initial pressure than O'Brien was. O'Brien seemed to never get out of the way and took a boatload of sacks, where Pennington moves around enough to avoid a lot of them. O'Brien had a rocket for an arm where Pennington doesn't, but both are/were smart and accurate passers. O'Brien's accuracy dropped off after years of getting beat up, but he also wasn't as injury prone as Chad is. If Pennington took as many sacks as O'Brien did his career would probably be over by now.
Actually, O'Brien and Bledsoe are very different. Kenny rarely threw the dumb INT. I bet his INT numbers are low, if you check them out (I'm guessing from memory). Also, O'Brien had a very strong arm, which makes him different from Chad. Oh, and about an "unwillingness to sacrifice his body" - that was after taking a pounding for years. He was shell shocked after a few seasons. Another interesting stat may be to look up QB sacks - he has to be one of the most sacked QBs of all time!
To further your point, he took 62 sacks in 1985, his first full year as a starter, and threw only 5 or 6 INTs. The team went 11-5 and O'Brien was one of the--if not the--highest rated QBs in the NFL. Largely because sacks don't count against the ratings. He rarely threw bad picks which is one reason he got sacked so much, he held on to the ball, sometimes too much.
