Heading into this year’s Super Bowl, the quarterback matchup of Tom Brady and Eli Manning is receiving plenty of attention. The duo combined to throw for an incredible 10,168 yards this year with the #2 and #6 all-time single season years in terms of passing yards. Brady threw for 5,235 yards (2nd all-time) while Manning threw for a mere 4,933 yards, good enough for 4th this season and 6th in the history of the NFL. Heading into the game, it may be the most accomplished statistical matchup of quarterbacks in the history of the Super Bowl. But all things considered, where does Brady vs Eli Part Deux rank amongst the all-time quarterback matchups? Here’s the TGS Top Ten…
10) Super Bowl XLIII – Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers) v Kurt Warner (Cardinals)
This is one of just four matchups in Super Bowl history (including this year) where two Super Bowl winning quarterbacks squared off. Warner’s career renaissance in the desert reached its peak in 2008 when he threw for 4,583 and 30 touchdowns. 2008 was far from Big Ben’s best statistical year for the Steelers, but he still threw for 3,301 yards and completed almost 60% of his passes. Most of all though, these championship winning QBs produced in the game itself. Warner throwing for 377 yards, second best only to himself in Super Bowl history. Roethlisberger throwing for 256 yards and leading a game winning drive capped off by his incredible throw to Santonio Holmes.
9) Super Bowl XIII – Bob Griese (Dolphins) vs Fran Tarkenton (Vikings)
Super Bowl XIII ended up being all about the performance of MVP Larry Csonka, who ran 33 times for 145 yards and was named the game’s MVP. But Super Bowl XIII also featured a matchup of two Hall of Fame quarterbacks – Bob Griese and Fran Tarkenton. Both QBs were named to the Pro Bowl in 1973 and Tarkenton was an All Pro selection, posting a career high passer rating of 93.2. To show you how much the game has changed though, these two Hall of Famers combined for 3,555 yards in 1973. That would only be good enough for 15th in the 2011 NFL season! Griese became the first quarterback to start three Super Bowls as his Dolphins dominated the Vikings and won 24-7.
8) Super Bowl XXVII – Troy Aikman (Cowboys) vs Jim Kelly (Bills)
The only time in Super Bowl history that two teams met in back to back games were the ’92 and ’93 seasons when the Cowboys met the Bills. Statistically, Troy Aikman and Jim Kelly’s first matchup in Super Bowl XXVII is more impressive because the QBs combined for more yards and more touchdowns in 1992 than the following year. Kelly was coming off a season in 1991 where he led the NFL in TDs and was 1st Team All Pro. Aikman was just beginning his run of dominance with the nineties Cowboys. Both QBs made the Pro Bowl in 1992 and were Top 5 in the NFL in passing yards, touchdowns, and completions. While both quarterbacks made the Hall of Fame, Aikman collected three rings while Kelly collected zero in Buffalo’s four straight Super Bowl appearances.
7) Super Bowl I – Bart Starr (Packers) vs Len Dawson (Chiefs)
The first Super Bowl featured two of the most iconic quarterbacks of their time. It was also one of the rare occasions the two best quarterbacks in each league/conference met in the Super Bowl. Len Dawson was the top quarterback in the AFL and the Chiefs led the league in points scored. Dawson threw for 26 TDs and 2,527 yards in 1966. By today’s numbers, it would make you a poor man’s Mark Sanchez. In 1966, it was the best in the AFL.
For the Packers, Bart Starr was named NFL MVP in 1966. While the Packers under Vince Lombardi were always known as a running team, Starr’s passing numbers in 1966 were the best in a single season for the Packers dynasty of the sixties. He threw 14 TDs and an insanely low 3 INTs in 251 attempts! In fact, Starr’s 1966 season and 105.0 QB Rating still stands as one of the best ever in the Super Bowl era. In the first Super Bowl, Starr outdueled Dawson, throwing for 250 yards and 2 TDs to Max McGee.
6) Super Bowl XXIV – Joe Montana (49ers) vs John Elway (Broncos)
Grab anybody’s list of the top quarterbacks of all-time and the names Montana and Elway will be on it. Elway had far from his best statistical season in 1989, throwing for 18 TDs and 18 INTs and barely cracking 3,000 yards. Yet, Elway was named to his third Pro Bowl and was already in his third Super Bowl at age 29. There was no doubt he was one of the best quarterbacks in the game.
1989 was Joe Montana at his peak though. For perhaps the most accomplished quarterback in NFL history, that’s quite the statement. Montana was named NFL MVP completing 70.2% of his passes (only one of five in NFL history over 70%) with 3,500 yards, 26 TDs, and only 8 INTs. At this time, Montana had already been victorious in three Super Bowls. It was that form that led the 49ers to the biggest blowout win in Super Bowl history, 55-10, as Montana threw for a then Super Bowl record 5 TDs.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=W2-d3oUdO0Q
5) Super Bowl XLVI – Tom Brady (Patriots) vs Eli Manning (Giants)
We’ve already touched on why this quarterback matchup is one of the best heading into the Super Bowl from a statistical perspective. The numbers are from another world. By almost any metric, they are two of the top ten to fifteen passing seasons in league history:
Brady: 65.6 Comp %, 5,235 yards (#2 AT), 39 TDs, 12 INTs, 105.6 RAT
Manning: 61.0 Comp %, 4,933 yards (#6 AT), 29 TDs, 16 INTs, 92.9 RAT
So why doesn’t this matchup make the top of our list? Well, for starters, Brady and Manning weren’t even the best quarterbacks of the 2011 season. In fact, Eli was only the third best QB in the NFC! Drew Brees set NFL records for completions, completion percentage, and passing yards this year in what was the greatest quarterbacking season in league history. Aaron Rodgers will likely be named league MVP in Green Bay, although Eli beat him head to head in the postseason. In a way, the inflated numbers of Brady and Eli are part of a leaguewide trend where passing numbers are at all-time highs. Eli threw for 100 more yards per game this year than he did in his Super Bowl season of four years ago. Hall of Fame QBs ain’t throwing for 1,500 yards in a year like Bob Griese anymore.
But looking at this matchup from a big picture perspective, even though he’s won a Super Bowl, Eli Manning still doesn’t strike the imagination like Brady, Brees, and Rodgers do. Maybe it’s his goofy facial expressions, maybe it’s the little brother syndrome, maybe it’s that he’s never been the best in the league at any given time. For whatever reason, Eli Manning still hasn’t made it to the very top level of NFL quarterbacks. If he beats Brady head to head again and wins a second Super Bowl, maybe that perception will change.
4) Super Bowl XXXII – John Elway (Broncos) vs Brett Favre (Packers)
John Elway’s first Super Bowl win couldn’t have come against better competition. In 1997, Brett Favre was the toast of the NFL… long before his flip-flopping retirements and creepy sexting. He had won a Super Bowl the year before and had just won his third straight MVP trophy. Favre was first in TDs, second in passing yards (to Jeff George?!?!), and third in passer rating. From 1995-1997, Favre led the NFL in TD passes every year. Only Favre, Johnny Unitas, and Steve Young have ever accomplished that feat.
John Elway’s 1997 season at age 37 was perhaps his most efficient. Elway’s attempts and yards had gone down towards the end of his career thanks to the Broncos running game with Terrell Davis. He threw for a career high 27 TDs to only 11 INTs while finishing sixth in the league in passing yards with 3,635. Elway was a better quarterback here than when he met Montana eight years earlier and it could easily be argued Favre was playing the position as good as it had ever been played in that three year run from ’95-’97.
What’s interesting about this game is Elway’s rather Roethlisbergian statline. 12/22, 123 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT and a mere 51.9 rating. Instead of those stats though, Elway’s first Super Bowl win will always be remembered for this legendary play…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WpJaJM4Cy8o
3) Super Bowl XLIV – Drew Brees (Saints) vs Peyton Manning (Colts)
Super Bowl XLIV was another example where the two best quarterbacks in the game at the time met on football’s biggest stage. The Saints and Colts were both 13-0 at one point in the 2009 regular season. When this era is talked about decades from now as a Golden Age of NFL Quarterbacks, these two will be a major reason why. Peyton Manning’s 2009 season was just shy of his record setting 2004 season as the best in his career. Manning completed a personal best 68.8% of his passes while throwing for 4,500 yards (third best) and 33 TDs (T-2 best). In the 2009 season, Manning led an incredible five straight fourth quarter comebacks. For his efforts, Manning won his fourth NFL MVP trophy.
Since joining forces with Sean Payton in New Orleans, Drew Brees has rewrote the record books for quarterbacks. Unbelievably, 2009 ranked as Brees’ worst passing yardage season in New Orleans with a meager 4,388 yards. To put it in perspective, that still ranks 41st in NFL history! Brees also established an NFL record 70.6 completion percentage in ’09. What’s interesting about Brees’ 2009 season is the lack of attempts compared to the rest of his time in New Orleans and the offensive balance the Saints achieved that season. His 514 attempts in 2009 is about 100 attempts per season less than his average season in New Orleans. But 2009 may have been his most efficient season in New Orleans with 34 TDs and 11 INTs and a career high 8.5 yards per attempt.
As far as Super Bowl XLIV goes, it stands as the best quarterbacked game in Super Bowl history as the game set records for completions and completion percentage for the two quarterbacks:
Brees: 32/39, 288 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, 114.5 Rating
Manning: 31/45, 333 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 88.5 Rating
The Saints won 31-17 thanks to the only mistake of the game by either quarterback, Tracy Porter’s pick six of Peyton Manning.
2) Super Bowl XIII – Terry Bradshaw (Steelers) vs Roger Staubach (Cowboys)
The second matchup of Bradshaw/Staubach outrates their first in Super Bowl X because of the huge improvement of Terry Bradshaw as Steelers QB. Bradshaw was a bust in the early stages of his career. He threw 6 TDs and 24 INTs in his rookie season of 1970. Here’s Bradshaw’s statline from his first Super Bowl campaign in 1974:
7 Games Started, 45.3 Comp %, 785 yards, 7 TDs, 8 INTs, 55.2 QB Rat.
Those are numbers that would make Cade McNown cringe! Even for the Super Bowl X meeting between these two QBs, Bradshaw was only just establishing himself with just his first season having more TDs than INTs. 1978 was arguably Bradshaw’s best ever season though. He was named NFL MVP and First Team All Pro for the only time in his career. Bradshaw led the NFL in TD passes in 1978, quadrupling his 1974 output.
As for Staubach, he wasn’t nearly as good statistically in the Super Bowl X matchup as he was in 1978 approaching Super Bowl XIII either. ’75 was the first of five straight Pro Bowl selections that ended his career, each one more proficient than the one before. In 1978, Staubach eclipsed 3,000 yards for the first time in his HoF career, while throwing for 25 TDs and leading the NFL with an 84.9 passer rating. Staubach was the named to the All-Decade team for the seventies. The game still stands as one of the best Super Bowls ever played. Super Bowl XIII saw both QBs have over a 100 QB Rating for the first time. Bradshaw’s Steelers won 35-31 as he became the first QB to throw for 300 yards in a Super Bowl as well. It remains the only Super Bowl featuring two quarterbacks that had won multiple Super Bowls.
1) Super Bowl XIX – Joe Montana (49ers) vs Dan Marino (Dolphins)
At #1 on our countdown are two of the most iconic names in NFL history. Montana and Marino. One can reasonably argue for each as the best quarterback in NFL history. Super Bowl XIX was one of the first to be hyped and centered around the quarterbacks. The 49ers and Dolphins were clearly the two best offenses in football and Montana and Marino were the two best quarterbacks. (Unless you want to include Neil Lomax and Dave Krieg in that discussion, that is…) Before 2011, there was one quarterbacking season that stood the test of time as the best ever. Dan Marino, 1984. In his second season, Marino broke six single season passing records including passing yards (5,084), TDs (48), completions (362). His 108.9 QB Rating was also the best ever in the Super Bowl era. He was named First Team All-Pro for the first of three consecutive seasons and won his only NFL MVP award.
Joe Montana’s 1984 season didn’t reach the heights of 1989, but he threw for 3,630 yards, 28 TDs, and only 10 INTs while making his third Pro Bowl. His 28 TDs were a career high at that point and his 102.1 QB Rating was second in the league only to Marino. Montana in the mid-80s was a cold blooded assassin. From ’83-’85 he averaged over 3,700 yards, 27 TDs, and just 11.6 INTs.
While the 16-2 Dolphins had a great year, they were no match for the 49ers in the Super Bowl. San Francisco beat Miami 38-16 as both QBs threw for over 300 yards for the first time in the history of the game. Montana was 24/35 for 331 yards, 3 TDs, and 0 INTs. Marino put up impressive numbers at 29/50, 318 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs, but had no running game to lean on. To this day, Montana vs Marino still stands as the best QB matchup in Super Bowl history.
