Name that Quarterback

[THUMPER]

I decided to do a little research and find out who Tony Romo most resembles in terms of stats for his career so far, including playoffs and I found one but you have to figure out, or guess, who it is. This would be for their first 3 years as a starter:

Romo - 41 games, 27/14 Win% 65.9, 866 Comp, 1372 Att, 63.12%, 10952 Yards, 7.98 Avg, 83 TDs, 6.05%, 47 INTs, 3.43%, 71 Sacks, 458 Yds, 34 Fum, 12 FL, QB Rating: 93.84 - Playoff record: 0-2

QB "X" - 42 games, 27/15 Win% 64.3, 693 Comp, 1296 Att, 53.47%, 8459 Yards, 6.53 Avg, 49 TDs, 3.78%, 55 INTs, 4.24%, 94 Sacks, 720 Yds, 28 Fum, 18 FL, QB Rating: 68.76 - Playoff record: 0-2

OK, so who is QB "X"?

 

[jefcor9096]

Peyton Manning ?

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I'll be interested to find out who this is. I checked the stats of a few I thought it might be and it wasn't any of them.

 

[THUMPER]

Peyton Manning ?

Nope, although he did have 2 playoff losses in his first 3 years.

 

[skinsscalper]

Danny White? Drew Brees?

*edit*

OOPs didn't read ALL the stats. scratch those two.

 

[JD_KaPow]

QB "X" - 42 games, 27/15 Win% 64.3, 693 Comp, 1296 Att, 53.47%, 8459 Yards, 6.53 Avg, 49 TDs, 3.78%, 55 INTs, 4.24%, 94 Sacks, 720 Yds, 28 Fum, 18 FL, QB Rating: 68.76 - Playoff record: 0-2

Hmm, through his first 3 seasons, huh? Here's the guy I thought of (stats from pro-football-reference.com):

42 games, 27/13 (in games started), 664 Comp, 1244 Att, 53.38%, 8152 Yds, 6.55 Avg, 47 TD, 52 INT, 90 Sacks, 27 Fum, 17 FL, QB Rating 69.04, Playoff record 0-2

If it's not the same guy as your QB X, they're virtually twins.

My guy's Elway.

 

[Dodger]

My guy's Elway.

That was my thought as well.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Brett Favre

 

[THUMPER]

Hmm, through his first 3 seasons, huh? Here's the guy I thought of (stats from pro-football-reference.com):

42 games, 27/13 (in games started), 664 Comp, 1244 Att, 53.38%, 8152 Yds, 6.55 Avg, 47 TD, 52 INT, 90 Sacks, 27 Fum, 17 FL, QB Rating 69.04, Playoff record 0-2

If it's not the same guy as your QB X, they're virtually twins.

My guy's Elway.

DING, DING, DING!!! We have a winner! John Elway it is.


It is amazing how quickly some of these folks want to write Romo off. Could you imagine if the Broncos had dumped Elway because he turned the ball over too much? He was a lot worse than Romo but without the TD production!

Romo is so far ahead of where Elway was at virtually the same point in their careers yet that's not good enough for some here. People dogged Elway for years because he couldn't win the big one, but then when he finally did, it wasn't until his 15th year in the league and he had Terrell Davis carrying the ball.

Romo is one of the top-5 QBs in the league right now, there's no telling how good he will be in a few more years.

 

[joseephuss]

It is not really an equal comparison. Romo did get to sit and watch for 3 years while Elway was thrown into the fire. If Romo started in the NFL during his first year or even second year in the league he would have struggled mightily.

I do think Romo is doing a good job and yet still has room for improvement. This will be an important year for him. If he doesn't take that next step upward then he probably never will. He has enough experience. He needs to make the most out of it.

 

[Wrangler87]

DING, DING, DING!!! We have a winner! John Elway it is.


It is amazing how quickly some of these folks want to write Romo off. Could you imagine if the Broncos had dumped Elway because he turned the ball over too much? He was a lot worse than Romo but without the TD production!

Romo is so far ahead of where Elway was at virtually the same point in their careers yet that's not good enough for some here. People dogged Elway for years because he couldn't win the big one, but then when he finally did, it wasn't until his 15th year in the league and he had Terrell Davis carrying the ball.

Romo is one of the top-5 QBs in the league right now, there's no telling how good he will be in a few more years.

The bashers won't like this message Thumper. How can they possibly respond to that. Probably, something about how Elway didn't have any weapons around him or something shallow like that. Well, just in case, let me say that if Elway had better receivers, it may have allowed him to make up the 25 point difference in QB rating that Romo has over him to this point.

 

[skinsscalper]

DING, DING, DING!!! We have a winner! John Elway it is.


It is amazing how quickly some of these folks want to write Romo off. Could you imagine if the Broncos had dumped Elway because he turned the ball over too much? He was a lot worse than Romo but without the TD production!

Romo is so far ahead of where Elway was at virtually the same point in their careers yet that's not good enough for some here. People dogged Elway for years because he couldn't win the big one, but then when he finally did, it wasn't until his 15th year in the league and he had Terrell Davis carrying the ball.

Romo is one of the top-5 QBs in the league right now, there's no telling how good he will be in a few more years.

I'm not ready to write Romo off in any way, shape, or form. However, the Kool-Aid sipping has officially come to an end. And we can compare stats all day long, the bottom line is "Can he get it done when it really matters?" Thus far he hasn't. That's not all on Romo. Many factors have contributed to the team's shortcomings.

The one thing that Elway had, that Romo has yet to display is to throw the team on his back and will his team to a win when it really counts. To this point their career stats are similar. The stat sheet is where the similarities end. John Elway led his team to 3 Super Bowls with a crap defense, middle of the road recieving corps, and a non-existent running game. Romo hasn't even sniffed that type of "it" yet.

 

[dmoore]

DING, DING, DING!!! We have a winner! John Elway it is.


It is amazing how quickly some of these folks want to write Romo off. Could you imagine if the Broncos had dumped Elway because he turned the ball over too much? He was a lot worse than Romo but without the TD production!

Romo is so far ahead of where Elway was at virtually the same point in their careers yet that's not good enough for some here. People dogged Elway for years because he couldn't win the big one, but then when he finally did, it wasn't until his 15th year in the league and he had Terrell Davis carrying the ball.

Romo is one of the top-5 QBs in the league right now, there's no telling how good he will be in a few more years.

A few points. Romo and Elway were not at the same point in their careers, as has been stated earlier. Secondly, it's unfair to Romo to try and compare him to Elway, one of the all-time greats. As good as Romo ever hopes to be, it will still pale in comparison to what Elway was. He doesn't have the arm, and probably won't have the longevity and the super bowl success. Lastly, Romo is not a top 5 QB. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone to agree with you on that who isn't a complete homer. It's not an opinion that the vast majority of football fans are going to agree with you on, and I'm off the opinion that they would be right.

That said, I like Romo. I'm hoping his regression last year was due to his injury and that he puts in the work this offseason to improve. He has a long ways to go, especially with his decision making.

 

[THUMPER]

The bashers won't like this message Thumper. How can they possibly respond to that. Probably, something about how Elway didn't have any weapons around him or something shallow like that. Well, just in case, let me say that if Elway had better receivers, it may have allowed him to make up the 25 point difference in QB rating that Romo has over him to this point.

They would be missing the point anyway. It isn't simply about stats but perception. People PERCEIVE that Romo is throwing games away and want to trade him for a scrub like Cutler! That is such a joke, I can't believe they can call themselves football fans, let alone Cowboys fans.

Elway was a turnover machine early in his career, and that was with all the pedigree and coaching and laser arm, etc. He was mobile, like Romo, and made plays on the move, just like Romo. Sometimes, like Romo, it cost him, but Romo has a much higher degree of successful plays than Elway did!

How can folks completely ignore all of the games Romo has won for us these last 3 seasons and focus solely on the few he has blown? Early in their careers, Staubach blew more games than Romo, so did Elway, so did Aikman, so did Favre (he did at the end of his career too).

Even in the games he has blown we have had chances to come back and win it but the defense didn't step up. The Doomsday Defense always stepped up and got the ball back for Roger to have one more shot at it but not this version.

5 years from now these same people will be saying that they knew all along that Romo would be great.

Well, at least in my case that is true. :starspin

 

[Wrangler87]

A few points. Romo and Elway were not at the same point in their careers, as has been stated earlier. Secondly, it's unfair to Romo to try and compare him to Elway, one of the all-time greats. As good as Romo ever hopes to be, it will still pale in comparison to what Elway was. He doesn't have the arm, and probably won't have the longevity and the super bowl success. Lastly, Romo is not a top 5 QB. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone to agree with you on that who isn't a complete homer. It's not an opinion that the vast majority of football fans are going to agree with you on, and I'm off the opinion that they would be right.

That said, I like Romo. I'm hoping his regression last year was due to his injury and that he puts in the work this offseason to improve. He has a long ways to go, especially with his decision making.

Anyway, like he said, the guy played 17 years. He's only comparing them at this point in their perspective career and Romo is pretty far ahead of where Elway was at that point. In 14 years, we can compare their entire career. There is nothing to say that Romo will not end up in the same class as Elway. Arm strength? Tell that to Montana.

By the way, Romo plays 1 of 22 positions on the field. It is not a case where Romo cannot win big games, it's a case that the Cowboys cannot win big games. This is not tennis people.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Anyway, like he said, the guy played 17 years. He's only comparing them at this point in their perspective career and Romo is pretty far ahead of where Elway was at that point. In 14 years, we can compare their entire career. There is nothing to say that Romo will not end up in the same class as Elway. Arm strength? Tell that to Montana.

By the way, Romo plays 1 of 22 positions on the field. It is not a case where Romo cannot win big games, it's a case that the Cowboys cannot win big games. This is not tennis people.[/quote]

EXACTLY! If only more people would realise this simple little fact.

 

[THUMPER]

I'm not ready to write Romo off in any way, shape, or form. However, the Kool-Aid sipping has officially come to an end. And we can compare stats all day long, the bottom line is "Can he get it done when it really matters?" Thus far he hasn't. That's not all on Romo. Many factors have contributed to the team's shortcomings.

The one thing that Elway had, that Romo has yet to display is to throw the team on his back and will his team to a win when it really counts. To this point their career stats are similar. The stat sheet is where the similarities end. John Elway led his team to 3 Super Bowls with a crap defense, middle of the road recieving corps, and a non-existent running game. Romo hasn't even sniffed that type of "it" yet.

Elway didn't have that in his first 3 seasons either. It wasn't until much later that he was able to 'will his team to a win". He was considered a choker for a long time.

Also, Elway had everything going for him when he came into the league. He had been coached from an early age with the best coaching available. He was heavily recruited coming out of high school but went to Stanford because his dad was the coach there. He went to a big time program with a "pro system". He was the top pick in the draft and forced the Colts to trade him because he didn't want to play for them. He had the laser arm, the size, the smarts, he had it all.

Romo was an undrafted FA from a small school with very little quality coaching and was ill prepared for the NFL. No one gave him a second thought or had any real expectations that he would be a success. He only got his chance because Deadslow sucked so badly, but he made the most of it, taking us to the playoffs and a near win against the Seahawks. Somehow he got blamed for that loss because he fumbled the snap but that FG wasn't likely to win it anyway as our defense was a joke that day.

You are right, comparing Romo to Elway isn't fair because Elway had it all and Romo had nothing and yet, Romo has completely out performed Elway at the same point in his career. How to explain that...

 

[TellerMorrow34]

If Romo turns out to have a career even three quarters as good as Elways I'll be thrilled.

I believe Romo has the talent and will continue to improve. I still believe, even though loads of others have lost faith, that Romo will lead us to a couple Superbowl titles.

 

[Angus]

They would be missing the point anyway. It isn't simply about stats but perception. People PERCEIVE that Romo is throwing games away and want to trade him for a scrub like Cutler! That is such a joke, I can't believe they can call themselves football fans, let alone Cowboys fans.

Elway was a turnover machine early in his career, and that was with all the pedigree and coaching and laser arm, etc. He was mobile, like Romo, and made plays on the move, just like Romo. Sometimes, like Romo, it cost him, but Romo has a much higher degree of successful plays than Elway did!

How can folks completely ignore all of the games Romo has won for us these last 3 seasons and focus solely on the few he has blown? Early in their careers, Staubach blew more games than Romo, so did Elway, so did Aikman, so did Favre (he did at the end of his career too).

Even in the games he has blown we have had chances to come back and win it but the defense didn't step up. The Doomsday Defense always stepped up and got the ball back for Roger to have one more shot at it but not this version.

5 years from now these same people will be saying that they knew all along that Romo would be great.

Well, at least in my case that is true. :starspin

Tell 'em, Thumper. I watched Meridith, Morton, Staubach, White, and Aikman, as well as Eddie LaBaron do their things while they were the Dallas Cowboys QB, and I think Romo will eventually outshine them all. Staubach and Aikman are in the Hall of Fame. I expect Romo to join them.



It's mainly the draft snubs who can't stomach his success, I expect.

 

[THUMPER]

I'm not ready to write Romo off in any way, shape, or form. However, the Kool-Aid sipping has officially come to an end. And we can compare stats all day long, the bottom line is "Can he get it done when it really matters?" Thus far he hasn't. That's not all on Romo. Many factors have contributed to the team's shortcomings.

The one thing that Elway had, that Romo has yet to display is to throw the team on his back and will his team to a win when it really counts. To this point their career stats are similar. The stat sheet is where the similarities end. John Elway led his team to 3 Super Bowls with a crap defense, middle of the road recieving corps, and a non-existent running game. Romo hasn't even sniffed that type of "it" yet.

That's an interesting perception but it isn't true.

The Broncos had a very good defense with some outstanding players for most of Elway's career, but particularly when he got there. The last of the "Orange Crush" defense was still around. Guys like Karl Mecklenberg, Tom Jackson, Dennis Smith, Rulon Jones, Simon Fletcher, Louis Wright, and later Steve Atwater, Bill Romanowski, Neil Smith, Michael Dean Perry, Greg Kragen, Tyrone Braxton, Michael Brooks, and Alfred Williams. All Pro-Bowl caliber players.

He had the benefit of having a 1000+ yard rusher in 8 of his seasons including early on with Sammy Winder, then Bobby Hunter, and Gaston Green, before Terrell Davis finally arrived and Elway was at last able to "lift his team" over the hump and win a SB.

As for Receivers: He had TE Shannon Sharpe and WRs like Rod Smith, Ed McCaffrey, Steve Watson, Anthony Miller, Vance Johnson, and Mark Jackson. Not exactly a bunch of scrubs considering the number they put up.

The Broncos had good teams when Elway was there, maybe not great teams every year, but they were pretty good. And they were certainly better than what Romo has had.

Throw in the coaching staffs under Dan Reeves and Mike Shannahan and there is really no comparison to what Romo has had to work with.