Got to give the nod to

[Manster68]

I have spent much of this offseason rewatching many Cowboy games from the Staubach - White - Aikman eras. The games bring back much memories. Most all of them very fond ones. Cowboy fans have have so much to be very of. I am not telling most of you anything that you don't already know. We are so spoiled. The new, young Cowboy fans certainly missed out of several terrific rides. Hopefully we will be in for another ride with Romo as quarterback.

After watching these games, I have solidified my former beliefs that if I had to choose between Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, I would still pick Troy Aikman.

This is no disrespect to probably the most loved Dallas Cowboy ever, Roger Staubach. The numbers don't lie for him - neither does his reputation as a top notch athlete and a God-fearing family man. I'll be forever grateful for his performance in the 1970s.

As great as Staubach was, Troy Aikman did many things a little better.

- The most significant facet that Aikman had over Staubach was passing accuracy. It didn't matter what pass we are talking about, Aikman's precision passes is probably what put him in Canton. I don't think anybody could thread the needle as well as Troy.

- Staubach threw a lot of interceptions. This was part of the reason why he had to generate 23 combacks. Troy had interceptions too, however it seemed like 20% of his picks bounced off a Dallas receiver's hands.

- Aikman seemed to be a better game manager. Granted, having Emmitt Smith and that offensive line certainly helps, but it wasn't like Staubach had chopped liver in front of him either. Roger just saw one of his offensive linemen go to the Hall of Fame (Rayfield Wright), as well as one of his running backs (Tony Dorsett). You would have to assume the Emmitt and Larry Allen is Canton-bound.

- BOTH QBs were tough. There is no denying that. Both QBs had their careers ended by concussions.

This, to me, is what seperates Troy from Roger:

1. If Troy was the QB in the 1970s, Dallas would have been in about eight Super Bowls that decade and probably won five or six of them. I really believe that. I don't think Roger does the same for the 90s group.

2. Staubach had the priviledge of playing in one system his entire career in Dallas. Troy had to adjust many times. How good would Dallas had been if Jimmy coached the entire decade and got to keep his key role players - some who were stars.

3. Roger never suffered from free agency.

So as much as I love and appreciate Roger, I have got to take Troy. This is just my opinion.

 

[CalCBFan]

I disagree. Troy may have been more accurate than Roger, but it takes spirit to win some of these games. To me, Troy always was a robot. If the timing got off just a little bit, he couldn't function. Pittsburg proved it in SB XXX by disrupting the timing of the routes and if not for two bone-head plays by Neil O'Donnell, we'd have lost that SB and Troy would have been 2-1 whereas Roger was 2-2. I also think Roger was much better at adapting to different players than Troy. I can't remembere all the WRs and TEs he had to work with in his 10 year career, but Troy didn't do much after Novachek and Irvin went down. BTW, Troy's BACK forced him out of the game, not a concussion...

 

[IndianaCowboyFan]

I have watched the 92-95 superbowl games in the last couple of days and I must say Troy threw one of the best balls I have ever seen

 

[Jimz31]

It's NOT about ONE player people!

NEITHER would do SQUAT with a line that couldn't block.....Football is a TEAM game.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I have spent much of this offseason rewatching many Cowboy games from the Staubach - White - Aikman eras. The games bring back much memories. Most all of them very fond ones. Cowboy fans have have so much to be very of. I am not telling most of you anything that you don't already know. We are so spoiled. The new, young Cowboy fans certainly missed out of several terrific rides. Hopefully we will be in for another ride with Romo as quarterback.

After watching these games, I have solidified my former beliefs that if I had to choose between Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, I would still pick Troy Aikman.

This is no disrespect to probably the most loved Dallas Cowboy ever, Roger Staubach. The numbers don't lie for him - neither does his reputation as a top notch athlete and a God-fearing family man. I'll be forever grateful for his performance in the 1970s.

As great as Staubach was, Troy Aikman did many things a little better.

- The most significant facet that Aikman had over Staubach was passing accuracy. It didn't matter what pass we are talking about, Aikman's precision passes is probably what put him in Canton. I don't think anybody could thread the needle as well as Troy.

- Staubach threw a lot of interceptions. This was part of the reason why he had to generate 23 combacks. Troy had interceptions too, however it seemed like 20% of his picks bounced off a Dallas receiver's hands.

- Aikman seemed to be a better game manager. Granted, having Emmitt Smith and that offensive line certainly helps, but it wasn't like Staubach had chopped liver in front of him either. Roger just saw one of his offensive linemen go to the Hall of Fame (Rayfield Wright), as well as one of his running backs (Tony Dorsett). You would have to assume the Emmitt and Larry Allen is Canton-bound.

- BOTH QBs were tough. There is no denying that. Both QBs had their careers ended by concussions.

This, to me, is what seperates Troy from Roger:

1. If Troy was the QB in the 1970s, Dallas would have been in about eight Super Bowls that decade and probably won five or six of them. I really believe that. I don't think Roger does the same for the 90s group.

2. Staubach had the priviledge of playing in one system his entire career in Dallas. Troy had to adjust many times. How good would Dallas had been if Jimmy coached the entire decade and got to keep his key role players - some who were stars.

3. Roger never suffered from free agency.

So as much as I love and appreciate Roger, I have got to take Troy. This is just my opinion.

You did a great job with this piece--thanks :starspin

 

[BourbonBalz]

Both are all time greats. It's like trying to choose one grandmother over the other. Just can't be done. We have been blessed to have two such great QBs.

 

[03EBZ06]

The players should be compared to those who played in their era. The players evolve, gets bigger and faster and games changes so it isn't fair to compare these two great QBs against eachother, again, compare to their contemporaries.

 

[Niland76]

Manster68 said: So as much as I love and appreciate Roger, I have got to take Troy. This is just my opinion.
__________________
I think Troy is the best Quarterback of his generation, however I'll take Roger.

Maybe it's because I was young and Roger was the All-American Hero.

Troy was defenitly more accurate but, Roger was clearly better in the 2 minute drill.

The one thing I will say is this; Roger played when QB's were still being abused by the defense and the receivers were chopped, held and generally harrassed until the ball was in the air.

I take nothing away from Troy, but when Roger Retired he was the #1 ranked passer. In the 2007 NFL Record and Fact Book Staubach isn't even in the top 20 all-time passers.

 

[bbgun]

Unless the player from yesteryear was absolutely transformative at their position (think LT), the nod will almost always go to the "bigger, stronger, faster" modern player. It's a symptom of "presentism," and the fact that Troy's games are much more fresh in one's mind. Since Roger was not a prototypical 6'4", 222lb gunslinger, well, that too works against him. What evidence do you have that his comebacks were the result of trying to amend for in-game mistakes, like interceptions?

 

[lane]

troy and roger were both two of the toughest sob's to ever play the game.

troy was a more accurate passer by far.

roger was a leader of men.

too tough to call who was better.

 

[THUMPER]

Some stats to compare:

Aikman: TD% - 3.5%, INT% - 2.99
Staubach: TD% - 5.17%, INT% - 3.68

Yes it is true Staubach threw INTs at a higher rate than Aikman but he also threw TDs at a much higher rate than Troy.

When Staubach retired he was 2nd only to Ken Anderson for the lowest career INT%. He was also #2 in QB Rating (behind only Otto Graham). He still has a higher passer rating than Aikman even though Troy played in a more pass-friendly era and is 17th all-time but everyone ahead of him (with the exception of Graham) played in the 90s or later.

Aikman is ranked 27th, just behind Danny White and below guys who played way before him like Len Dawson, Sonny Jurgensen, Neil Lomax, and Ken Anderson (as well as Graham, Staubach, and White).

http://www.profootballhof.com/history/stats/top20/passer_ratings.jsp

As great as Troy was he is not in the same league with Staubach who I rank 3rd behind Graham and Unitas.

I rank Aikman as the most accurate passer I have ever seen (and that means of all-time) and a great QB but Staubach was a truly elite QB, one of the greatest ever. Aikman was better than his numbers suggest but then so was Staubach.

 

[Bizwah]

FWIW, Staubach himself said that Aikman was the better QB. Of course, you wouldn't expect Roger to toot his own horn.

I think it's great we can even have this discussion. We're one of the few teams blessed with multiple HOF QBs and RBs.

Of course, there is no such discussion with Emmitt or TD.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

These two QBs can not be compared for the simple reason the passing game in the NFL is no loger the same. If Troy had to play in Roger's Era, I don't believe his precision passing attack would be succesful. Guys, there is a reason nobody ran a precision timing offense prior to the 80s. Because of how defenses could lay hands on and make impacts to drive WRs off there patterns, it was not realistic to believe you could run this type of offense in those days. Troy would still have all the attributes he had but the offense would not be there to accentuate them. That, to me, is the reality of the matter.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Good post, Manster!

It's so hard to compare because they were such different players, as everyone knows. But will say that watching Aikman throw in person in training camp is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in athletics. You know he was accurate, but until you see it in person, it's hard to appreciate just how accurate he really was. He could put the ball exactly, and I mean exactly where he wanted it -- with tremendous velocity, of course -- and if he were so much as a foot or two off on certain patterns, he'd be furious with himself.

Troy was truly an amazing talent. I can never believe it when I see some people, even Cowboys fans, doubt how great he was.

 

[Manster68]

The one thing I will say is this; Roger played when QB's were still being abused by the defense and the receivers were chopped, held and generally harrassed until the ball was in the air.

Oh Troy got abused too.

Remember Ken Harvey? From the 1989 season? In Phoenix?

You saw that game at my parents house, does that ring a bell?

With Ken Harvey in Aikman's grill, he hit James Dixon on a 40-yard bullet strike that he converted into a touchdown. We both agreed that that pass may be the best pass he ever threw.

Bottom line is - Troy took some shots too.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Oh Troy got abused too.

Remember Ken Harvey? From the 1989 season? In Phoenix?

You saw that game at my parents house, does that ring a bell?

With Ken Harvey in Aikman's grill, he hit James Dixon on a 40-yard bullet strike that he converted into a touchdown. We both agreed that that pass may be the best pass he ever threw.

Bottom line is - Troy took some shots too.

I remember that game well. Troy never saw the end of that play. Having said that, it's not even close in regards to the amount of abuse QBs sustain now as opposed to then. Part of a lineman or Linebackers job, in those days was to put the QB on the ground on every play. In this regard, there is no comparison. The game was a much more physical one for the QB in those days. Not so any longer and not nearly as true when Troy played.

 

[burmafrd]

Troy took shots both because he was not mobile and because he stood in there to make the play. BUT he took nowhere NEAR the shots Roger did.
Even early on in AIkmans time they were protecting the QB more ( not like they do now, though). Also Roger made a lot of plays with HIS LEGS, something Troy could not do. I hope no one even tries to compare them as regards the 2 Min drill. Troy was the better passer; Roger was the better QB.
I feel sorry for those that were unable to watch roger play. To this day the most memorable game was that last comeback against the skins.
Another thing about Roger: untill the very end he was a top QB- the last year or so that could not be said about Troy.

 

[THUMPER]

Another thing about Roger: untill the very end he was a top QB- the last year or so that could not be said about Troy.

Staubach was the top ranked QB in the league in 1979 and by a large margin:

Staubach - 92.3 (#1 overall)
Theesmann - 83.9 (#2 in NFC)
Fouts - 82.6 (#1 in AFC)

Retired at the top of his game, nice way to go out.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Staubach was the top ranked QB in the league in 1979 and by a large margin:

Staubach - 92.3 (#1 overall)
Theesmann - 83.9 (#2 in NFC)
Fouts - 82.6 (#1 in AFC)

Retired at the top of his game, nice way to go out.

It's interesting to me that Staubach retired in 79 and Joe Montana came into the league that same year. Almost as if the mantal was exchanged, so to speak. Roger was the best QB I have ever seen. That is only my opinion and it is certainly debatable but to me, I'd take him over anybody. Never saw Graham play, saw Johnny Unitas play and it would be very close between Roger and Unitas but I'd go with Roger.

 

[THUMPER]

It's interesting to me that Staubach retired in 79 and Joe Montana came into the league that same year. Almost as if the mantal was exchanged, so to speak. Roger was the best QB I have ever seen. That is only my opinion and it is certainly debatable but to me, I'd take him over anybody. Never saw Graham play, saw Johnny Unitas play and it would be very close between Roger and Unitas but I'd go with Roger.

If you only saw Johnny U play near the end of his career then you missed it when he was at his best. In the late 50s and early 60s, the guy was without a doubt the best QB in the league by a huge margin and that was with guys like Tittle, Layne, Jurgensen, Van Brocklin, and Starr playing at the same time.

Unitas and Jim Brown dominated the game as the top players by far.

Otto Graham was the Wilt Chamberlain of the NFL. He was so far beyond every other player it wasn't even fair. Had he played longer he would probably still hold some records. As it is he is STILL ranked #8 all-time in passer ratings and he played in an era when passing wasn't very easy to do. The ball was less aerodynamic, the rules favored the defense, and you were a valid target until a little AFTER the whistle blew. With all the modern passing QBs playing in a game that puts all the advantages on the passing game, he is still ranked in the top-10. That is incredible!

I rank the top-5 QBs as: #1 Graham, #2 Unitas, #3 Staubach, #4 Sammy Baugh, #5 Montana.

If it was a big issue, I could switch Baugh and Montana as it is difficult to compare the eras they played in but I give the nod to Baugh since he was also an all-pro DB and punter and still holds punting records that will likely never be broken. But I would rank Montana as the best QB SINCE Roger Staubach and that's saying something.