Are Elite QB's Needed To Win Super Bowl?

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 28, 2012 1:00 PM EST

28 Jan 2001: (FILE PHOTO) A general view of the Lombardi Trophy being held aloft before the Super Bowl XXXV Game between the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Ravens defeated the Giants 34-7. The New York Giants are scheduled to play the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium February 5, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The two teams last met in the Super Bowl in 2008, where the Giants defeated the Patriots to win Super Bowl XLII. (Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons/Allsport)

Former head coach of the Baltimore Ravens and current NFL Network analyst Brian Billick wrote a story on NFL.com, titled, "Dilfer aside, elite quarterbacks essential to win titles." In it he says that other than his own QB, Trent Dilfer, who won Super Bowl 35 for Billick and his Ravens, a team needs to have that so-called "elite" QB in order to get to and win the Super Bowl. He lays out this year's two starters, Tom Brandy of the New England Patriots and Eli Manning of the New York Giants.

I wonder if Billick would have even posted this story had Ravens WR Lee Evans held onto QB Joe Flacco's late throw for what would have been the game-winning touchdown. That would have propelled the ravens into the Super Bowl instead of the Patriots and Billick would either have to pull or change the story. Of course, he could have just posted it as it currently is, with Flacco in that class of "elite" quarterbacks.

Billick may actually be mostly correct, but not completely. Going back to the 2004 Super Bowl, the winning QB's have been Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger (twice), Eli Manning, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady (twice). However, in both 2003 and 2001, the winning signal-callers were far from being anywhere near the discussion of "elite," as both Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Brad Johnson (2003) and Dilfer (2001) led their teams to victory supported by strong running games and shut-down defenses.

However, going even further into the past of Super Bowl winning QB's will find the names of stars such as Kurt Warner, John Elway, Brett Favre, Troy Aikman, Steve Young covering the eight years preceding the Ravens victory. Therefore, it appears that Billick is pretty much dead-on when looking at the teams that have consistently competed for the Lombardi Trophy.

If you want to argue this, the crux of your argument should not be whether or not an elite QB is needed to win the Super Bowl, as the Ravens were one play away from getting there, but whether or not Joe Flacco is an elite QB, which is a whole other story in itself. One thing for sure about Flacco, he is absolutely a franchise QB, and certainly one who is good enough to lead his team to the Super Bowl. That last sentence is one that he will surely prove at some point in what will be a long, solid NFL career.

Tweet Comment 8 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I would say no they do not have to be elite, but do have to be very good QB’s and have to have a team built similar to us or the Texans or 49ers that can help give a very good QB an edge.With the way the game is played now you have to have a QB that can make some big plays and can’t just rely on the run game.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Jan 28, 2012 1:25 PM EST reply actions

Don't really buy this..

I think you can make a pretty compelling case that when Brady won his SBs, he wasn’t really an “elite” QB. His stats were pedestrian and he was really only known for being “clutch”. I don’t know if that makes him “elite”.

I also don’t really know what the definition of an “elite QB” is. Perhaps we should come to a consensus on what defines an “elite QB”, and then use whatever definition that is to come up with to answer this question.

by Alci on Jan 28, 2012 1:26 PM EST reply actions

No one will ever agree

and perhaps it will end up being defined as one of the top 4-5 in the league.Beyond that number, there are a lot of Franchise QB’s that are SB worthy, but perhaps not “elite.”

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 28, 2012 4:51 PM EST up reply actions

No, an elite quarterback isn't needed.

……though it helps to have one when your defense is awful. See Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Strong defense and a very good quarterback seems to be the formula that works.

by E-ROC on Jan 28, 2012 3:08 PM EST via Android app reply actions

and Rodgers and Brees are at home

while Brady will lose next week to prove once again, defense wins championships!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 28, 2012 4:52 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe

I think we have to wait and see what the outcome of the game is first!

by Alci on Jan 29, 2012 6:47 AM EST up reply actions

All three of the QB’s you named had good defenses when they won. Even if they weren’t highly ranked in yards, they were all ranked high in PPG. Especially the Patriots. And they were all great at creating turnovers.

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Jan 29, 2012 2:44 AM EST up reply actions