• The KillerFrogs

Sammy Baugh

Brog

Full Member
Caught this web ranking of all time greatest quarterbacks. It was kind of ridiculous, because it had Troy Aikman at 24th greatest and, get this, Tony Romo as 21st, three places better than Aikman. Anyway, a familiar name came up, and here it is: (Of course, Tom Brady came in #1.)
17. Sammy Baugh

“Slingin'” Sammy was one of the NFL’s first true stars and he paved the way for future star quarterbacks who could take over a game.

He played his entire career for the Washington Redskins, winning two NFL championships in the pre-Super Bowl era. In 16 seasons, he led the league in completion percentage eight times and in passer rating six times, which is still a record. Baugh was also a first team All-Pro six times, showing how impressive his style was compared to other QBs at the time. His impact on the game is nearly immeasurable, ensuring his place in the first class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
 

BrewingFrog

Was I supposed to type something here?
Caught this web ranking of all time greatest quarterbacks. It was kind of ridiculous, because it had Troy Aikman at 24th greatest and, get this, Tony Romo as 21st, three places better than Aikman. Anyway, a familiar name came up, and here it is: (Of course, Tom Brady came in #1.)
17. Sammy Baugh

“Slingin'” Sammy was one of the NFL’s first true stars and he paved the way for future star quarterbacks who could take over a game.

He played his entire career for the Washington Redskins, winning two NFL championships in the pre-Super Bowl era. In 16 seasons, he led the league in completion percentage eight times and in passer rating six times, which is still a record. Baugh was also a first team All-Pro six times, showing how impressive his style was compared to other QBs at the time. His impact on the game is nearly immeasurable, ensuring his place in the first class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Dude at the Rose Bowl was wearing a throwback Sammy Baugh Redskins jersey. Beautiful!
 

Hoosierfrog

Tier 1
I wrote to him years ago, sent me a return signed card. A man of few words, most of which were of the indelicate nature.
C57D9070-48D9-4A3B-9C85-D9C35B271543.jpeg
SI ran a short on him a few years ago. Said he was riding his fence lines looking for breaks and his horse got spooked, dumped him and broke several ribs. In his 80s managed to get back in the saddle and ride home. Had a sandwich and either had his wife or drove himself into town to see the doc.
 

BABYFACE

Full Member
Aikman is above Romo. I view QB’s by championships. Aikman has plenty of rings to show for it.

Dan Marino was hell of a QB and a gunslinger as was Romo. But, they don’t have the rings. Yes, it also has to do with your supporting cast, but also finding a way to win when it matters.
 

Frog-in-law1995

Active Member
I don’t have a problem with Romo ahead of Troy. Not saying he was definitely better, but good lord he had nowhere close to the same surrounding talent. Those lines in the early 90s were both all time greats.
 

BrewingFrog

Was I supposed to type something here?
A note here. Aikman v. Romo is a false narrative. Aikman played in the days before the NFL, under the "leadership" of the execrable Roger Goodell, began the practice of penalizing "Illegal Contact" which severely hampered the ability of defenses to stop receivers running around unimpeded. Once all receivers were immune from being touched, passing stats increased through the roof. "New League Records!!!" were reached each week. Romo played in this era, when the numbers were skewed. Thus, it is not an apples-to-apples comparison.

It's the same with Marino and the rest of the Class of '83: They changed the rules regarding passing, and scoring increased, as did passing stats. Thus, all those guys passed for a zillion yards compared to their forbears who played under a different set of rules.
 

Westsider

Full Member
A note here. Aikman v. Romo is a false narrative. Aikman played in the days before the NFL, under the "leadership" of the execrable Roger Goodell, began the practice of penalizing "Illegal Contact" which severely hampered the ability of defenses to stop receivers running around unimpeded. Once all receivers were immune from being touched, passing stats increased through the roof. "New League Records!!!" were reached each week. Romo played in this era, when the numbers were skewed. Thus, it is not an apples-to-apples comparison.

It's the same with Marino and the rest of the Class of '83: They changed the rules regarding passing, and scoring increased, as did passing stats. Thus, all those guys passed for a zillion yards compared to their forbears who played under a different set of rules.

Interesting take.
 

asleep003

Active Member
Baugh was not only the best QB most of his pro career, but played both ways 6 of those seasons as a free safety.... collecting 31 interceptions..
 

Eight

Member
A note here. Aikman v. Romo is a false narrative. Aikman played in the days before the NFL, under the "leadership" of the execrable Roger Goodell, began the practice of penalizing "Illegal Contact" which severely hampered the ability of defenses to stop receivers running around unimpeded. Once all receivers were immune from being touched, passing stats increased through the roof. "New League Records!!!" were reached each week. Romo played in this era, when the numbers were skewed. Thus, it is not an apples-to-apples comparison.

It's the same with Marino and the rest of the Class of '83: They changed the rules regarding passing, and scoring increased, as did passing stats. Thus, all those guys passed for a zillion yards compared to their forbears who played under a different set of rules.

wait, troy came into the league in the late 80's and after marino, marino retired i believe before 2000 which which would before the nfl made the big rule change mid 2000's or am i misremembering a few things
 

BrewingFrog

Was I supposed to type something here?
wait, troy came into the league in the late 80's and after marino, marino retired i believe before 2000 which which would before the nfl made the big rule change mid 2000's or am i misremembering a few things
The League changed the rules regarding "Pass Interference" in 1981, if memory serves. For a short time, the passing game exploded. That is, until defenses adjusted to the new rules and things tightened up again. Marino and his contemporaries all were part of what SI called "The Class of '83."

The later changes involving "No touching the QB" or "Hitting a defenseless receiver" or "Illegal Contact" or "Targeting" are all fairly recent (within the last 10 years) changes and have allowed the passing game to explode again. I could google it, but, lazy...

The gist of it is, the NFL keeps tweaking things, making records irrelevant. Thus the stats that Romo put up were not done under the greater strictures that Aikman had to operate under. Ex: Aikman was a precision guy. He demanded precision from his receivers in running routes, so that the timing was perfect. This had to be done in an era when chucking receivers at the line, or knocking them off stride over the middle was commonplace. Romo operated quite a bit in the era of "You are not allowed to touch a receiver." Think what a passer like Aikman could do with protected receivers! Or Marino, for that matter...

Additionally, people look back to the '85 Bears defense as the best there ever was. They should. If you go back and look at their games, they knocked the living crap out of people! Going over the middle? Say "Hello!" to Mr. Fencik! There's no telling how many turnovers the Bears got by allowing a receiver to make a catch and then blasting him. They practically invited routes over the middle. This was their adjustment: Go ahead. Catch the ball. We'll just knock you unconscious. It'll hurt.

Now, the NFL has seen to it that none of this happens anymore. Make a good hit on a receiver over the middle? You get ejected and the Commissioner takes $50K from you for your troubles. Got 3rd and 25? Just run into the defense and flop while screaming. "Illegal Contact" and an automatic 1st down! Sack the QB on a crucial down? Nope. You touched his head. 15 yards and an automatic 1st down!

Honestly, I quit watching before the kneelers. Their crap just cemented the decision.
 

Eight

Member
The League changed the rules regarding "Pass Interference" in 1981, if memory serves. For a short time, the passing game exploded. That is, until defenses adjusted to the new rules and things tightened up again. Marino and his contemporaries all were part of what SI called "The Class of '83."

The later changes involving "No touching the QB" or "Hitting a defenseless receiver" or "Illegal Contact" or "Targeting" are all fairly recent (within the last 10 years) changes and have allowed the passing game to explode again. I could google it, but, lazy...

The gist of it is, the NFL keeps tweaking things, making records irrelevant. Thus the stats that Romo put up were not done under the greater strictures that Aikman had to operate under. Ex: Aikman was a precision guy. He demanded precision from his receivers in running routes, so that the timing was perfect. This had to be done in an era when chucking receivers at the line, or knocking them off stride over the middle was commonplace. Romo operated quite a bit in the era of "You are not allowed to touch a receiver." Think what a passer like Aikman could do with protected receivers! Or Marino, for that matter...

Additionally, people look back to the '85 Bears defense as the best there ever was. They should. If you go back and look at their games, they knocked the living crap out of people! Going over the middle? Say "Hello!" to Mr. Fencik! There's no telling how many turnovers the Bears got by allowing a receiver to make a catch and then blasting him. They practically invited routes over the middle. This was their adjustment: Go ahead. Catch the ball. We'll just knock you unconscious. It'll hurt.

Now, the NFL has seen to it that none of this happens anymore. Make a good hit on a receiver over the middle? You get ejected and the Commissioner takes $50K from you for your troubles. Got 3rd and 25? Just run into the defense and flop while screaming. "Illegal Contact" and an automatic 1st down! Sack the QB on a crucial down? Nope. You touched his head. 15 yards and an automatic 1st down!

Honestly, I quit watching before the kneelers. Their crap just cemented the decision.

okay, but troy wasn't that far behind marino so i still don't get the idea that marino benefited and troy didn't, additionally, the only team to beat that great bear defense was marino when he tore them apart throwing the football quickly as they isolated a slot receiver against the bears linebackers who weren't coverage guys
 

BrewingFrog

Was I supposed to type something here?
okay, but troy wasn't that far behind marino so i still don't get the idea that marino benefited and troy didn't, additionally, the only team to beat that great bear defense was marino when he tore them apart throwing the football quickly as they isolated a slot receiver against the bears linebackers who weren't coverage guys
Marino came in during a transition period, when defenses hadn't figured out how to shut things down. Aikman and he played under the same rules, but Aikman during a time when things had settled back down.

I am not making the statement that Marino and Aikman are not comparable. They are. It's an apples-apples comparison. Aikman-Romo is not, because Romo benefited from rules changes for part of his career. Likewise, Marino-Baugh is not, as Slingin' Sammy played under vastly different rules, not to mention vastly different philosophies.

Oh, and that was a MNF game in Miami, and McMahon was out. Weird things used to happen in Miami on Monday Nights...
 
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