The Myth of Terry Bradshaw

[Ricco Suavez]

I am a big Bradshaw fan and will be til I die. With that said Terry had the BEST O-line in the game, the running game that goes with such a line and while the defense may not have ranked consistently in the top five they were consistently either tops or near the top in Turnovers. Terry threw nearly as many Interceptions as TDs. He had more HOFamers around him than Ben will ever have. Comparing Apples to Oranges gentlemen. I watched both and the only thing Terry has on Ben is the deep ball. Sorry not going to change my mind by downplaying Bens play or his superior defense.

[lloydwoodson]

Originally Posted by Ricco Suavez

I am a big Bradshaw fan and will be til I die. With that said Terry had the BEST O-line in the game, the running game that goes with such a line and while the defense may not have ranked consistently in the top five they were consistently either tops or near the top in Turnovers. Terry threw nearly as many Interceptions as TDs. He had more HOFamers around him than Ben will ever have. Comparing Apples to Oranges gentlemen. I watched both and the only thing Terry has on Ben is the deep ball. Sorry not going to change my mind by downplaying Bens play or his superior defense.

Average passer ratings by decade:

•1940s—47.9
•1950s—59.0
•1960s—69.4
•1970s—65.1
•1980s—74.4
•1990s—77.2
•2000s—80.5

As you can see, the 1970s were a bad time to be a quarterback. Comparing one individual vs another player from a different era does not work.

My personal criteria for determining a quarterback's worth is their team's offensive production. The list of quarterbacks who have led a number one scoring offense is a very impressive one: Montana, Marino, P Manning, Young, Rodgers, Brees, Favre, Baugh, Graham, Staubach, Fouts, Elway, Starr etc... and Bradshaw.

Not every quarterback who has led the best offense in the league is an all-time great but every all-time great has led the best offense in the league at one point or another.

[lloydwoodson]

On a side note: my favourite quarterback of all time is Steve Young and he led the league's number one offense for four years in a row! Attaboy Steve!

[harrison'samonster]

Originally Posted by lloydwoodson

On a side note: my favourite quarterback of all time is Steve Young and he led the league's number one offense for four years in a row! Attaboy Steve!

Steve Young was good, but I'd still take Steve McNair. Don't laugh.

[lloydwoodson]

Originally Posted by harrison'samonster

Steve Young was good, but I'd still take Steve McNair. Don't laugh.

McNair was a decent quarterback. I find your unique choice of quarterback refreshing. I can guarantee you did not get to that way of thinking by watching NFL Network or ESPN. You aren't an Alcorn State alumnus by any chance are you?

I liked Young not because of his scrambling but because of his competitiveness. I remember a play where he lost his helmet avoiding a sack and still ran ahead for more yards (like a 5 yard gain or something) and dove face first no helmet to get additional yardage. Not bad for a smallish Mormon lawyer.

[VaDave]

Originally Posted by Ricco Suavez

Bradshaw could not spell CAT if they spotted him the C and the A. Hanratty and Gillom were both touted as better QBs then TB. Just a couple of he sentiments of the time. Terry did not put up outstanding numbers, his defense was arguably the greatest ever, his OL was loaded with HOFers, and his RBs and Wrs were some of the all time best, and he received more than his share of criticism. Terry was not truly loved til he was gone and then his career was appreciated by the media and the fans. I still love to see video when he threw the long ball,(the strongest part of his game IMO) it was a thing of beauty.

HOF OL??? He had one player that made it, Webster. While they developed in to a very productive unit, the last time I checked Pinney, Mullins, Davis, Clack, Kolb, Gravelle, and Courson, are not exatly locks for entry.

Terry did get a bad wrap because back in those days when you started out the season, it was all about getting your running attack going. You couldn't win in the NFL without it. His completion percentage early in his career was not good , and too many of his completions went to the wrong team.

Keep in mind, he was playing on a team that had only sniffed a playoff twice in 40 years of observation. Bradshaw was a high draft pick that was expected to make an impact, much like Joe Greene did the year before.

What they got was a loose cannon of a QB that needed seasoning. Well, Noll salted the crap out of Terry until he could count on him. Then he salted him some more....... No wonder he had bad recollections. He was practically pickled by the time Superbowl 9 came along.

As for exceptance in the Burgh, keep in mind, this was a town that never appreciated Roberto Clemente, who was an altime great, without a doubt the best player I've ever seen in over 55 years of following sports.

[VaDave]

IMO, Terry's best body of work were the 4 fourth quarters of each of his SuperBowl wins. Go back and watch them. Only the 4th quarters. His performannce there was his ticket to the Hall.

[harrison'samonster]

Originally Posted by lloydwoodson

McNair was a decent quarterback. I find your unique choice of quarterback refreshing. I can guarantee you did not get to that way of thinking by watching NFL Network or ESPN. You aren't an Alcorn State alumnus by any chance are you?

I liked Young not because of his scrambling but because of his competitiveness. I remember a play where he lost his helmet avoiding a sack and still ran ahead for more yards (like a 5 yard gain or something) and dove face first no helmet to get additional yardage. Not bad for a smallish Mormon lawyer.

I always thought McNair could make any throw, and he like Steve Young was always putting his own body on the line. I'm sure my opinion of him was affected by seeing him twice a year back when Tennessee was in our division.

Come to think of it they are both like Roethlisberger in that they could do a lot after a play broke down.

[wootawnee]

Originally Posted by Ricco Suavez

I am a big Bradshaw fan and will be til I die. With that said Terry had the BEST O-line in the game, the running game that goes with such a line and while the defense may not have ranked consistently in the top five they were consistently either tops or near the top in Turnovers. Terry threw nearly as many Interceptions as TDs. He had more HOFamers around him than Ben will ever have. Comparing Apples to Oranges gentlemen. I watched both and the only thing Terry has on Ben is the deep ball. Sorry not going to change my mind by downplaying Bens play or his superior defense.

The Raiders probably had a better O-line than the Steelers in the 70's-80's...

[VaDave]

Originally Posted by wootawnee

The Raiders probably had a better O-line than the Steelers in the 70's-80's...

Debatable. Upshaw and Shell with Otto and Dalby @ center were formiddable no doubt. Iit was the other two on the right side that typically not quite as good. The way our lines worked was quite a bit different .

Raiders ran the power plays, and sweeps, while we ran the quick traps and counters. Our line play was much more intricate and timing was critical more so that the Raiders.

One other point of consideration was that the Raiders were a right handed running to take advantage of Upshaw pulling ability. The Steelers were left handed to take advantage of Gerry Mullins pulling.

What made us dangerous was with Davis @ LG, we could run the the traps to both sides of center, and flip flop the counters as well, so the defense couldn't stack one side or the other.

Speaking of linemen, two of my alltime favorite Steeler plays:

The first is Franco's rushing TD in SuperBowl 9 off of Mullin's cut block outside the left tackle box with a very difficult angle t land. Very impressive considering Mullins was playing RG.

The second his Harris TD run up the gut in SperBowl 13. You might remember is at the one where the ref got in the way? Check out RT Ray Pinney here, as he pulls out a head of Franco. The reason the Ref got in the way was he was about to get steamrolled by Pinney and was ducking.

As for Cliff Harris or Charlie Waters ( can remember which), even if that ref wasn't "In the Way" as he still moans about it , Pinney would have launched him into next Tuesday. Finally, notice just how fast Pinney got to the B gap ahead of a sprinting Franco.