Got to give the nod to

[bbgun]

Probably 20 concussions between them.

 

[lurkercowboy]

We need more threads like this. Great job everyone. As far as choosing between the QBs, Roger is the sentimental choice.

 

[THUMPER]

To me the only way to compare players from different eras is by contrasting how they did against the competition they faced.

By that criteria, Staubach was clearly the better QB of the two as shown by the numbers Joseephuss posted.

Both guys played in an era when there were several other great QBs:

Staubach: Bradshaw, Tarkenton, Namath, Anderson, & Stabler.

Aikman: Young, Marino, Elway, Kelly, Moon, & Favre.

The difference was that Staubach was the best of the bunch while Aikman was at best 4th and more likely 5th. I can't rank Troy above Marino, Elway, or Favre, and Young & Moon were every bit as good as he was, Kelly was a little bit behind but not much.

 

[Stautner]

I would not call those lines even. I believe that the Cowboys lines of the seventies was a very good line but, I look at the Eras in question and ask myself one thing. Could either of those lines be dominated by anybody they played against? I never saw Troy's line dominated. I saw them dominate everybody they played against. I did see Roger's line outplayed by teams. To me, that is the difference.

Even the 90's line would have ups and downs Troy did not get concussion by accident. As for the 70's line they may not have been as physical but they sure knew how to pull out and lead screen plays which the line in the 90's was not very good at.

The thing I think people aren't thinking about in this debate is that the 1990's teams tended to beat up and dominate opponets. Top to bottom we were just more talented and more physical. Accordingly, Aikman was under less pressure to carry the team on his shoulders than Roger was.

The other thing is that I think some are getting caught up in the numbers a little. Some stats favor Roger, some Aikman, but that's not the real difference.

Both were great leaders, but as I said once before, Troy was the kind of leader that could push his team and teammates to play up to their abilities, whereas Roger INSPIRED his team and teammates to go above and beyond their potential.

Roger was the one guy that through his sheer will and determintion kept his team competative with the Steelers in 2 Super Bowls even though the Steelers were clearly the more talented team.