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NFL.com ranks Top 25 QB's of All Time: Jim Kelly #21


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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001035041/article/top-25-quarterbacks-of-all-time-patriots-tom-brady-leads-list

 

Only 1 QB (from the super bowl era) who never won a ring was ranked higher. Who else but Dan Marino (at #8).
 

If wide right never happens, I think Kelly would be ranked much higher. 
 

So what do you all think? Should guys like Kurt Warner be ranked higher cause they won one?

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I think that's a bit low for Kelly.  I've become accustomed to calling him a top-15 QB.

 

But so much of it is subjective.

 

I think there's an unquestioned top 4 of (in no particular order) Unitas, Montana, Brady, Manning.  After that there's a HUGE chasm before you get to the next tier of 10-12 that includes, IMO: Elway, Marino, Kelly, Aikman, Favre, Brees, and Graham.  I can see an argument for Bradshaw based upon Super Bowl wins, so throw him in there as well.  Same goes for Big Ben.  I think recency-bias is weighing too much when I see names like Rodgers, Wilson, and Warner in there, but if you add those dudes in there, then there's your group of 12.

 

So I suppose I'd say there's a top-4, a top-16, and after that it's highly debatable.

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I mean sure, it’s always going to be subjective. The issue I have is adding guys like Baugh, Luckman, and Otto Graham ahead of him. Different era. Much different competition.Different leagues.

 

I also don’t think Aikman was a better QB but our system of ranking players in a team sport based on championships has skewed the vote in most cases. 

 

If you gave 100 different people an opportunity to make this list. There would be 100 different submissions.

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Kelly wasn’t a superstar, the O was very solid and trounced a horrible AFC

 

Jim was a perfect fit to lead Buffalo to its best years in franchise history

 

 

Marino screaming  at his WRs wouldn’t have worked for the Bills

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So many issues with this list. No way should Wilson or Warner be in top 25. Warner did not deserve HOF. Young is a top 10 QB. I put Kelly somewhere in 15-20 range.  

I must admit I find it hard to include players like Graham, Baugh, and Luckman. The game was so different then. I just think the QB play in NFL pre Unitus should be in a separate category. 

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I can never understand the Aikman arguments. I think he borderline doesn't belong in the HoF. Put him up against his contemporaries at the time and it's not even close. That Dallas team was loaded with talent and he rode the wave, much like Bradshaw. And the argument that his teams were winning so they ran more, is ridiculous.

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No doubt Kelly would be higher if the Bills had won just one of their Super Bowls. They also fail to mention how he essentially kicked off and perfectly executed the no-huddle offense... which paved the way for many following.  That said, I’m biased like the rest of us!

 

i don’t think Aikman is as good as he’s ranked... but he won Bowls. 

 

Kind of surprised Russell Wilson is where he is. Not sure why.. just don’t see him as a legend yet. 

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18 minutes ago, Playoffs? said:

No doubt Kelly would be higher if the Bills had won just one of their Super Bowls. They also fail to mention how he essentially kicked off and perfectly executed the no-huddle offense... which paved the way for many following.  That said, I’m biased like the rest of us!

 

i don’t think Aikman is as good as he’s ranked... but he won Bowls. 

 

Kind of surprised Russell Wilson is where he is. Not sure why.. just don’t see him as a legend yet. 

 

Sam Wyche started the no-huddle.

 

Marv cried to the Commish to ban it before the AFC CG where Ickey ran wild.

 

Then implemented it the next year

 

 

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Steve Young is too low. He's definitely top 10 and arguably top 5, ahead of Brees, IMO. The only think he did wrong was backup Montana for the early part of his career. This not only delayed his career as a starter, and thus reduced his opportunity to rack up trophies, stats and awards, but it also cast a shadow over his achievements and abilities which skewed people's perspective as to how great they really were.

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Stupid list Aikman doesn't belong in the top 25 for sure. I would take Jim Kelly over Ben Roethlisberger any day of the week John Elway no way he's that high. Brady is a douchebag would not be on my top 25 list. Cool Joe Montana will always be greatest of all-time in my book

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18 minutes ago, vincec said:

Steve Young is too low. He's definitely top 10 and arguably top 5, ahead of Brees, IMO. The only think he did wrong was backup Montana for the early part of his career. This not only delayed his career as a starter, and thus reduced his opportunity to rack up trophies, stats and awards, but it also cast a shadow over his achievements and abilities which skewed people's perspective as to how great they really were.

 

he's a tough one to evaluate

 

after all the hype he was handed he stunk the joint out in Tampa Bay with a 2 win season

 

and he was giftwrapped the best team of his era. and longetivity is helpful for the best of the best, he didn't pile up that many great seasons

 

great QB but there's many with far more accomplishments ahead of him

 

 

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1 hour ago, thebandit27 said:

I think that's a bit low for Kelly.  I've become accustomed to calling him a top-15 QB.

 

But so much of it is subjective.

 

I think there's an unquestioned top 4 of (in no particular order) Unitas, Montana, Brady, Manning.  After that there's a HUGE chasm before you get to the next tier of 10-12 that includes, IMO: Elway, Marino, Kelly, Aikman, Favre, Brees, and Graham.  I can see an argument for Bradshaw based upon Super Bowl wins, so throw him in there as well.  Same goes for Big Ben.  I think recency-bias is weighing too much when I see names like Rodgers, Wilson, and Warner in there, but if you add those dudes in there, then there's your group of 12.

 

So I suppose I'd say there's a top-4, a top-16, and after that it's highly debatable.


Not a big Steve Young fan?

1 minute ago, ALLEN1QB said:

Stupid list Aikman doesn't belong in the top 25 for sure. I would take Jim Kelly over Ben Roethlisberger any day of the week John Elway no way he's that high. Brady is a douchebag would not be on my top 25 list. 


We all hate Brady and as much as I hate admitting this, it has become easier now that I know his retirement or sharp decline is imminent. But......Brady is the GOAT. Not only the greatest QB of all time but would have to be mentioned with the top overall players of all time. And that couple be considered for sports PERIOD. Not just the NFL.

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31 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

Sam Wyche started the no-huddle.

 

Marv cried to the Commish to ban it before the AFC CG where Ickey ran wild.

 

Then implemented it the next year

 

 

...And perfected it as a primary offensive philosophy. The Bengals version was not a "true" primary no-huddle offense, as it still involved huddling up, just shortened or closer to the line than usual, or at the sidelines, so still slower than the how the Bills ran it. The Bills ran it in its purest form, imho. I don't want to take anything from Wyche, as you're absolutely correct about the Bengals being the first to run any part of it as more than just a gadget type of 2 minute approach, but to say that his version was just copycatted by Marv would not be fully accurate--the Bills made it their own with significant upgrades, no question. 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurry-up_offense

 

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12 minutes ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

...And perfected it as a primary offensive philosophy. The Bengals version was not a "true" primary no-huddle offense, as it still involved huddling up, just shortened or closer to the line than usual, or at the sidelines, so still slower than the how the Bills ran it. The Bills ran it in its purest form, imho. I don't want to take anything from Wyche, as you're absolutely correct about the Bengals being the first to run any part of it as more than just a gadget type of 2 minute approach, but to say that his version was just copycatted by Marv would not be fully accurate--the Bills made it their own with significant upgrades, no question. 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurry-up_offense

 

 

the Bills did not require the K-gun O, the AFC was pathetic and the stacked O would have been just fine

 

in fact the extra plays led to Kelly taking more of a brutal beating than if they had run the normal grind of the clock

 

probably took 3 years off Jim's prime, would have put him in the top 10

 

he was a tough tough man out there....

 

the Bills lost a few key games they had no business losing and never won a game they shouldn't have won those years

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, StHustle said:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001035041/article/top-25-quarterbacks-of-all-time-patriots-tom-brady-leads-list

 

Only 1 QB (from the super bowl era) who never won a ring was ranked higher. Who else but Dan Marino (at #8).
 

If wide right never happens, I think Kelly would be ranked much higher. 
 

So what do you all think? Should guys like Kurt Warner be ranked higher cause they won one?

Totally agree that a bowl win would probably vault Kelly at least 5-10 spots higher on any subjective national list like this, given the importance that one game is given, combined with his other existing achievements. His command of a game as the primary play caller making the position of offensive coordinator almost superfluous during his run, elevates him above a lot of the rest, imho. Proud to wear that badge as my avatar as a result. ;)  

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the K-Gun was like the Triangle in the NBA

 

works great when you are the far far superior team, but that does nothing to vaunt the scheme...

 

[for the Triangle just dicker around and get the ball to Michael or Kobe or Shaq and they'll create a shot, doesn't work with Kwame]

 

 

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8 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

the Bills did not require the K-gun O, the AFC was pathetic and the stacked O would have been just fine

 

in fact the extra plays led to Kelly taking more of a brutal beating than if they had run the normal grind of the clock

 

probably took 3 years off Jim's prime, would have put him in the top 10

 

he was a tough tough man out there....

 

the Bills lost a few key games they had no business losing and never won a game they shouldn't have won those years

 

 

 

Does that include all of the other hall of famers the Bills went up against from the AFC during this window? Marino/Elway/Moon would tell you they fully expected to be able to beat him and the Bills in the playoffs at some point.  

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