I will say again, I did not set the criteria for what makes elite. If the criteria is yards, TDs and INTs, then I don't see how you can look at McNabb and say he doesn't qualify. Perhaps we should qualify the criteria to read, Elite QBs are only elite if they pass for a lot of yards, have a very good Average Yard Per Attempt ratio, throw for a lot of TDs and very few INTs and lasty, this pertains only to QBs who are NOT named McNabb.
The question, who would you rather have Aikman or McNabb is relative. In the WCO, I'd probably take McNabb. In the timing offense, I'd take Aikman, no question. There are so many variables to a question like that. If you put McNabb in an offense with Irvin and Emmitt and that offensive line, what could he do? If you put Aikman in an offense with no WRs and no running game, to speak of, what would happen? You can't just say, who would you rather have? It's not that simple.
As I said earlier, I didn't create the criteria. If it is your opinion that he is not an elite QB, then lets not say the criteria for elite is yards, TDs, AYPA and INTs. Lets say you can't be a whinner or a crybaby or you have to be able to win a championship or whatever abstract criteria you want to pull out of the air. Manning is not an elite QB because he chokes. Fran Tarkenton is not an elite QB because he chokes. Dan Marino, Dan Foutes, Don Meredith, all chokers. The point can be made that Drew Bledsoe is a choker because in his opportunity to win, in a game he actually played in, he choked. Some how, this criteria doesn't seem all that fair but that's fine. If that's how we are going to judge things by, then set those things down as qualifying points rather then Yards, TDs, INTs and average yards per attempt.
Steve Young played in a WCO and threw those same kinds of passes. He has no intangibles either? Joe Montana, Brett Favre? The all played in WCOs and they all threw those short passes and they are all considered great. I guess it's because they have all won a championship using that offense and McNabb hasn't. Since McNabb hasn't won a championship, he is somehow down graded because of the offense? OK. I guess if that's how it is, then OK.
If McNabb ever wins a championship, will he then somehow have developed intangibles? I suspect intangibles is more of a crutch then anything where McNabb is conerned. I don't like the guy but I give him his due. He has been a great player for the Eagles. To me, that is beyond question.
