NFL Top 100 Players

[wdm1219inpenna]

I've been watching & writing down the names of the 100 top NFL players of all time. I do not know who voted on them, or what process was used. I'm curious to see how many of the Top 10 we can name, and to see if we can get them in the correct order.

The list of names already established on previous programs, from 100 - 11 is:

100. Joe Namath

99. Michael Strahan

98. LeeRoy Selmon

97. Derrick Brooks

96. Mel Hein

95. Larry Allen

94. Lenny Moore

93. Sam Huff

92. Michael Irvin

91. Fran Tarkenton (I was surprised he was this low!)

90. Kurt Warner

89. Ernie Nevers

88. Ed Reed

87. Crazy Legs Hirsch

86. Willie Davis

85. Marcus Allen

84. Joe Schmidt

83. Norm Van Brocklin

82. Ted Hendricks

81. Steve Young

80. Troy Aikman

79. Emlen Tunnell

78. Bruce Matthews

77. Tony Dorsett

76. Art Shell

75. Darrell Green

74. Marion Motley

73. Ozzie Newsome

72. Jonathan Ogden

71. Paul Warfield

70. Marshall Faulk

69. Bobby Bell

68. Mike Webster

67. Kellen Winslow (the father, not the son)

66. Willie Brown

65. Randy Moss (a.k.a. Mr. Waiver)

64. Herb Atterly

63. Jim Otto

62. Randy White

61. LaDanian Tomlinson

60. Jack Ham

59. Mike Ditka

58. Steve Van Buren

57. Mike Singletary

56. Gene Upshaw

55. Earl Campbell

54. Forrest Gregg

53. Willie Lanier

52. Eric Dickerson

51. Bart Starr

50. Terry Bradshaw

49. Mike Haynes

48. Red Grange

47. Ray Nitschke

46. Roger Staubach (another surprise, so low)

45. Tony Gonzalez

44. Mel Blount

43. Alan Page

42. John Mackey

41. Rod Woodson

40. O.J. Simpson

39. Gino Marchetti

38. Lance Allworth

37. Jim Thorpe

36. Raymond Berry

35. Chuck Bednarik

34. Deion Sanders

33. Sid Luckman

32. Jim Parker

31. Bruce Smith

30. Night Train Lane

29. Jack Lambert

28. Emmitt Smith (shocked me that he was this low!!!)

27. Merlin Olsen

26. Bob Lilly

25. Dan Marino (another surprise, I figured him to be top 10!!)

24. John Hannah (better than Marino???? REALLY????!?!?!?!)

23. John Elway

22. Gale Sayers

21. Tom Brady

20. Brett Favre

19. Bronko Nagurski (again, better than Marino?!?!?, and I'm not a HUGE Marino fan I promise you...)

18. Ray Lewis

17. Barry Sanders

16. Otto Graham

15. Deacon Jones

14. Sammy Baugh

13. Joe Greene

12. Anthony Munoz (no disrespect intended, but I think this is just a big high in the list...)

11. Ronnie Lott

My guesses for #10 - 1

10. Jim Marshall Played 19 years for the Minnesota Vikings. 280 consecutive games on defense, never missed a game. I find that much more remarkable than Favre's 292 game streak. 0-4 in Super Bowls, and famed for his running the wrong way vs. the 49ers in a game.

9. Dick Butkus - #51 and one of the "Monsters of the Midway". Pity he played on such pitiful Bears teams. Would have loved to have seen him in his prime with the 1985 Bears!!!

8. Walter Payton - Feels weird to place him as low as #8. "Sweetness" had been the greatest rusher in NFL history until Emmitt Smith surpassed him.

7. Reggie White - The Minister of Defense. Outstanding player. I was very sad when he passed away. He & I share the same birthday (though not the same year), and Alyssa Milano shares my birthday too...

6. Lawrence Taylor - He simply redefined defenses.

5. Peyton Manning - 49 TD passes in one season. League MVP, Super Bowl winning Q/B. The post-season seems to be his Achilles' heel, but at least he does have a ring.

4. Johnny Unitas - Although I was only 6 years old when Johnny U retired, from what I've read and seen about him and his style of play, he was phenomenal.

3. Joe Montana - The most successful quarterback in Super Bowl history. Never threw an INT. He was stellar in the clutch. Super Bowl XXIII drive, amazing. "The Catch" from January 1982, amazing!

2. Jerry Rice - Only the man to receive so many TDs, and scored the most TDs ever, could be as high as #2.

1. Jim Brown - 10 years ago, ESPN did a top 100 athletes of the century, and Jim Brown was #3, only behind Babe Ruth & Muhammad Ali. It would stand to reason that he would be #1 then in the NFL's top 100. He retired before I was even born, and I can only go on what I've seen, read, and heard about him, but based on what I've seen, read, and heard, he was nothing short of amazing.

Anyway, those are my predictions for who the top 10 will be and why, and in the order I believe they will fall. Guys like Don Hutson who caught 99 TDs for the Packers back in the day should have made the top 100, moreso than Namath. Steve Largent was a great WR who I believe will be snubbed. Jim Kelly, the great gunslinging QB of those high-powered Bill's teams of the early 1990s also not given his due I believe. Jack Youngblood, awesome defensive player for the Rams, man played on a broken leg vs Dallas in the playoffs! Franco Harris, John Stallworth & Lynn Swann not on the list, and I don't believe they were quite good enough to eclipse any of the top 10 that I listed, but I could be wrong. I'll be curious to see how it plays out tonight.

[dfwabel]

This is what is known about the top ten:

1. The Top 10 includes seven offensive players and three from the defense. Three are quarterbacks.

2. Players in the Top 10 have won 15 league MVP awards, 13 Super Bowl rings and five Super Bowl MVP trophies.

3. The careers of the Top 10 players span every decade from the 1930s to the present. At least one of the players has been on the field in 64 of the past 75 seasons.

4. Among the presenters in this week?s episode are Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren, Baltimore Ravens linebacker (and #18 on The Top 100 list) Ray Lewis, former head coach Bill Parcells, actor Burt Reynolds and two men who are in the top 10 themselves.

[NEW.ERA]

No John Randle in this list just amazes me.

[illwauk]

This is what is known about the top ten:

1. The Top 10 includes seven offensive players and three from the defense. Three are quarterbacks.

2. Players in the Top 10 have won 15 league MVP awards, 13 Super Bowl rings and five Super Bowl MVP trophies.

3. The careers of the Top 10 players span every decade from the 1930s to the present. At least one of the players has been on the field in 64 of the past 75 seasons.

4. Among the presenters in this week?s episode are Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren, Baltimore Ravens linebacker (and #18 on The Top 100 list) Ray Lewis, former head coach Bill Parcells, actor Burt Reynolds and two men who are in the top 10 themselves.

This is why I'm almost certain that Don Hutson will be in the top 10.

[wdm1219inpenna]

And I made a mistake, as I often do! The show airs TONIGHT, but I had said that it aired last night. I'm a bit thrown off these days, my apologies.

[Saintsfan]

Manning, Montana Seem obvious. Jim Brown probably gets in as well. Walter Payton is another obvious one. Maybe a George Hallas figure?

[GFB]

Peyton Manning being in the Top-10 over guys like Elway, Favre, and Brady is a sham.

[See Red]

Peyton Manning being in the Top-10 over guys like Elway, Favre, and Brady is a sham.

Disagree. Peyton is certainly better than Favre or Brady. Probably better than Elway too, honestly.

My big issue with the list is the inclusion of Joe Namath. He wasn't great... he wasn't even good. He had two years in which he threw more TD's than INT's. Two.

[Cujo]

Peyton Manning being in the Top-10 over guys like Elway, Favre, and Brady is a sham.

Disagree. Peyton is certainly better than Favre or Brady. Probably better than Elway too, honestly.

Manning and Brady are both too high. Not because they're not great players, but because they're still active players with a good five years left in the tank for each. I think they're being placed as high as they are based on their projected career totals, not their current body of work. If that were the case, they'd halfway down the list with LaDainian Tomlinson.

As for Joe Namath, he's on the list for being famous, not for his greatness. Not sure if I'd have on my list either.

And Jerry Rice SHOULD be #1, but we all know it'll be Jim Brown -- who nobody of this generation really knows or remembers. I think recall him getting busted for beating his wife or something, but that's about it.

[Eye]

I think the second greatest wide receiver of all time should be ranked higher than 65.

[illwauk]

And as for Joe Namath, he's on the list for being famous, not for his greatness. And Jerry Rice SHOULD be #1, but we all know it'll be Jim Brown -- who nobody of this generation really knows or remembers. I think recall him getting busted for beating his wife or something, but that's about it.

If we applied your standard to boxing, Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson would be rated ahead of Muhammad Ali. And although I don't recall Jerry Rice ever having any domestic disputes, he's shown himself to be a complete asswhipe on multiple occasions, so that issue is a wash as far as I'm concerned.

[See Red]

Peyton Manning being in the Top-10 over guys like Elway, Favre, and Brady is a sham.

Disagree. Peyton is certainly better than Favre or Brady. Probably better than Elway too, honestly.

Manning and Brady are both too high. Not because they're not great players, but because they're still active players with a good five years left in the tank for each. I think they're being placed as high as they are based on their projected career totals, not their current body of work. If that were the case, they'd halfway down the page with LaDainian Tomlinson.

And as for Joe Namath, he's on the list for being famous, not for his greatness. And Jerry Rice SHOULD be #1, but we all know it'll be Jim Brown -- who nobody of this generation really knows or remembers. I think recall him getting busted for beating his wife or something, but that's about it.

It's not like they've been in the league for 5 years, though. Peyton Manning's been a starter (and pretty much an offensive coordinator) in the league for 13 years, and in those 13 years has been as good as any QB in the history of the league. I think that's good enough.

I agree that it should be Jerry Rice at number one.

[Cujo]

And as for Joe Namath, he's on the list for being famous, not for his greatness. And Jerry Rice SHOULD be #1, but we all know it'll be Jim Brown -- who nobody of this generation really knows or remembers. I think recall him getting busted for beating his wife or something, but that's about it.

If we applied your standard to boxing, Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson would be rated ahead of Muhammad Ali. And although I don't recall Jerry Rice ever having any domestic disputes, he's shown himself to be a complete asswhipe on multiple occasions, so that issue is a wash as far as I'm concerned.

I say that because it's obvious that reputations factored into making this list -- or else Terrell Owens would be on it, and O.J. would be in or near the top 20.

[GFB]

Peyton Manning being in the Top-10 over guys like Elway, Favre, and Brady is a sham.

Disagree. Peyton is certainly better than Favre or Brady. Probably better than Elway too, honestly.

My big issue with the list is the inclusion of Joe Namath. He wasn't great... he wasn't even good. He had two years in which he threw more TD's than INT's. Two.

False. Let's look at Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.

Peyton has more career touchdowns, better QB rating, and more career passing yards, but he has also played 3 more years than Brady (including the '08 season that Brady missed with the knee injury). However, Brady has had higher career winning percentage and and has had a QB rating almost 10 points better than Manning over the last 4 years. But in the playoffs, Brady has the better record (14-4 to 9-9), a better TD-INT ratio (1.87-1.47), and Super Bowl rings (3-1).

Also, look at the Super Bowl statistics. In four Super Bowls, Tom Brady has thrown 7 TDs to only one INT, a QB rating of 94.5, and has led his team to TDS on drives to win the game in the last 5 minutes in each SB (the last one was canceled out by David Tyree voodoo). Manning on the other hand, 2 TDs/2 INTs, A QB rating of 85.4, and failed to lead his team on one game winning drive. Also, Manning's lone Super Bowl victory occured against one of the worst teams to ever make it to the Super Bowl.

There is a full article on it here if you want to read more.

Peyton Manning belongs just above Dan Marino and Brett Favre on the all-time list, but behind the truly all-time greats of Montana, Elway, and Brady.

One last thing, Peyton's numbers match up eerily similar to Steve Young's postseason numbers... the stats are in the link if you wish to see them.

[Cujo]

Also, look at the Super Bowl statistics. In four Super Bowls, Tom Brady has thrown 7 TDs to only one INT, a QB rating of 94.5, and has led his team to TDS on drives to win the game in the last 5 minutes in each SB (the last one was canceled out by David Tyree voodoo). Manning on the other hand, 2 TDs/2 INTs, A QB rating of 85.4, and failed to lead his team on one game winning drive. Also, Manning's lone Super Bowl victory occured against one of the worst teams to ever make it to the Super Bowl.

But Manning still beat the Bears. Brady edged out a Super Bowl win over the Panthers (probably on the same level as the '07 Bears), and LOST one to a Wild Card team. And since we're at it, let's also throw in the fact that in all three of Tom Brady's Super Bowl wins were by three points each. I'll give him credit for putting together some late game-winning drives, but at the teams time, it kinda says that Brady wasn't capable of putting those any teams away during the first 58 minutes.

[See Red]

Peyton Manning being in the Top-10 over guys like Elway, Favre, and Brady is a sham.

Disagree. Peyton is certainly better than Favre or Brady. Probably better than Elway too, honestly.

My big issue with the list is the inclusion of Joe Namath. He wasn't great... he wasn't even good. He had two years in which he threw more TD's than INT's. Two.

False. Let's look at Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.

Peyton has more career touchdowns, better QB rating, and more career passing yards, but he has also played 3 more years than Brady (including the '08 season that Brady missed with the knee injury). However, Brady has had higher career winning percentage and and has had a QB rating almost 10 points better than Manning over the last 4 years. But in the playoffs, Brady has the better record (14-4 to 9-9), a better TD-INT ratio (1.87-1.47), and Super Bowl rings (3-1).

Also, look at the Super Bowl statistics. In four Super Bowls, Tom Brady has thrown 7 TDs to only one INT, a QB rating of 94.5, and has led his team to TDS on drives to win the game in the last 5 minutes in each SB (the last one was canceled out by David Tyree voodoo). Manning on the other hand, 2 TDs/2 INTs, A QB rating of 85.4, and failed to lead his team on one game winning drive. Also, Manning's lone Super Bowl victory occured against one of the worst teams to ever make it to the Super Bowl.

There is a full article on it here if you want to read more.

Peyton Manning belongs just above Dan Marino and Brett Favre on the all-time list, but behind the truly all-time greats of Montana, Elway, and Brady.

One last thing, Peyton's numbers match up eerily similar to Steve Young's postseason numbers... the stats are in the link if you wish to see them.

Those are team accomplishments. Last I checked Peyton Manning didn't also play Free Safety or punt and kick for the Colts and, therefore, has absolutely nothing to do with how good his team plays defensively or on special teams -- aspects that make up over half of the game of football. Is it Manning's fault that, after driving his team down to the 22 yardline in a 3 point game, his kicker shanked the FG in the playoffs against the Steelers? Just as Tom Brady had zero control over Vinatieri nailing a 43 yarder in a blizzard. Brady had some of the best defenses in the league, and those carried the Patriots to those Super Bowls.

[GFB]

Also, look at the Super Bowl statistics. In four Super Bowls, Tom Brady has thrown 7 TDs to only one INT, a QB rating of 94.5, and has led his team to TDS on drives to win the game in the last 5 minutes in each SB (the last one was canceled out by David Tyree voodoo). Manning on the other hand, 2 TDs/2 INTs, A QB rating of 85.4, and failed to lead his team on one game winning drive. Also, Manning's lone Super Bowl victory occured against one of the worst teams to ever make it to the Super Bowl.

But Manning still beat the Bears. Brady edged out a Super Bowl win over the Panthers (probably on the same level as the '07 Bears), and LOST one to a Wild Card team. And since we're at it, let's also throw in the fact that in all three of Tom Brady's Super Bowl wins were by three points each. I'll give him credit for putting together some late game-winning drives, but at the teams time, it kinda says that Brady wasn't capable of putting those any teams away during the first 58 minutes.

Peyton Manning being in the Top-10 over guys like Elway, Favre, and Brady is a sham.

Disagree. Peyton is certainly better than Favre or Brady. Probably better than Elway too, honestly.My big issue with the list is the inclusion of Joe Namath. He wasn't great... he wasn't even good. He had two years in which he threw more TD's than INT's. Two.

False. Let's look at Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.Peyton has more career touchdowns, better QB rating, and more career passing yards, but he has also played 3 more years than Brady (including the '08 season that Brady missed with the knee injury). However, Brady has had higher career winning percentage and and has had a QB rating almost 10 points better than Manning over the last 4 years. But in the playoffs, Brady has the better record (14-4 to 9-9), a better TD-INT ratio (1.87-1.47), and Super Bowl rings (3-1). Also, look at the Super Bowl statistics. In four Super Bowls, Tom Brady has thrown 7 TDs to only one INT, a QB rating of 94.5, and has led his team to TDS on drives to win the game in the last 5 minutes in each SB (the last one was canceled out by David Tyree voodoo). Manning on the other hand, 2 TDs/2 INTs, A QB rating of 85.4, and failed to lead his team on one game winning drive. Also, Manning's lone Super Bowl victory occured against one of the worst teams to ever make it to the Super Bowl.There is a full article on it here if you want to read more. Peyton Manning belongs just above Dan Marino and Brett Favre on the all-time list, but behind the truly all-time greats of Montana, Elway, and Brady.One last thing, Peyton's numbers match up eerily similar to Steve Young's postseason numbers... the stats are in the link if you wish to see them.

Those are team accomplishments. Last I checked Peyton Manning didn't also play Free Safety or punt and kick for the Colts and, therefore, has absolutely nothing to do with how good his team plays defensively or on special teams -- aspects that make up over half of the game of football. Is it Manning's fault that, after driving his team down to the 22 yardline in a 3 point game, his kicker shanked the FG in the playoffs against the Steelers? Just as Tom Brady had zero control over Vinatieri nailing a 43 yarder in a blizzard. Brady had some of the best defenses in the league, and those carried the Patriots to those Super Bowls.

So Cujo says that it's Brady's fault for not putting opponents away sooner, yet See Red is playing the team card as a defense for Manning. Listen boys, lets not act like Brady was quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys circa 1993. Let's also not act like Peyton's Colts teams were a bunch of trash. The point is, Brady has consistently done more with less offensive talent than Manning has as well as come through when his team needed him, which is more than the Colts can say for Manning. The better quarterback is clear to me.

[UnclearInitial]

Also, look at the Super Bowl statistics. In four Super Bowls, Tom Brady has thrown 7 TDs to only one INT, a QB rating of 94.5, and has led his team to TDS on drives to win the game in the last 5 minutes in each SB (the last one was canceled out by David Tyree voodoo). Manning on the other hand, 2 TDs/2 INTs, A QB rating of 85.4, and failed to lead his team on one game winning drive. Also, Manning's lone Super Bowl victory occured against one of the worst teams to ever make it to the Super Bowl.

But Manning still beat the Bears. Brady edged out a Super Bowl win over the Panthers (probably on the same level as the '07 Bears), and LOST one to a Wild Card team. And since we're at it, let's also throw in the fact that in all three of Tom Brady's Super Bowl wins were by three points each. I'll give him credit for putting together some late game-winning drives, but at the teams time, it kinda says that Brady wasn't capable of putting those any teams away during the first 58 minutes.

Peyton Manning being in the Top-10 over guys like Elway, Favre, and Brady is a sham.

Disagree. Peyton is certainly better than Favre or Brady. Probably better than Elway too, honestly.My big issue with the list is the inclusion of Joe Namath. He wasn't great... he wasn't even good. He had two years in which he threw more TD's than INT's. Two.

False. Let's look at Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.Peyton has more career touchdowns, better QB rating, and more career passing yards, but he has also played 3 more years than Brady (including the '08 season that Brady missed with the knee injury). However, Brady has had higher career winning percentage and and has had a QB rating almost 10 points better than Manning over the last 4 years. But in the playoffs, Brady has the better record (14-4 to 9-9), a better TD-INT ratio (1.87-1.47), and Super Bowl rings (3-1). Also, look at the Super Bowl statistics. In four Super Bowls, Tom Brady has thrown 7 TDs to only one INT, a QB rating of 94.5, and has led his team to TDS on drives to win the game in the last 5 minutes in each SB (the last one was canceled out by David Tyree voodoo). Manning on the other hand, 2 TDs/2 INTs, A QB rating of 85.4, and failed to lead his team on one game winning drive. Also, Manning's lone Super Bowl victory occured against one of the worst teams to ever make it to the Super Bowl.There is a full article on it here if you want to read more. Peyton Manning belongs just above Dan Marino and Brett Favre on the all-time list, but behind the truly all-time greats of Montana, Elway, and Brady.One last thing, Peyton's numbers match up eerily similar to Steve Young's postseason numbers... the stats are in the link if you wish to see them.

Those are team accomplishments. Last I checked Peyton Manning didn't also play Free Safety or punt and kick for the Colts and, therefore, has absolutely nothing to do with how good his team plays defensively or on special teams -- aspects that make up over half of the game of football. Is it Manning's fault that, after driving his team down to the 22 yardline in a 3 point game, his kicker shanked the FG in the playoffs against the Steelers? Just as Tom Brady had zero control over Vinatieri nailing a 43 yarder in a blizzard. Brady had some of the best defenses in the league, and those carried the Patriots to those Super Bowls.

So Cujo says that it's Brady's fault for not putting opponents away sooner, yet See Red is playing the team card as a defense for Manning. Listen boys, lets not act like Brady was quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys circa 1993. Let's also not act like Peyton's Colts teams were a bunch of trash. The point is, Brady has consistently done more with less offensive talent than Manning has as well as come through when his team needed him, which is more than the Colts can say for Manning. The better quarterback is clear to me.

peyton has 4 mvps vs. brady's 1

in the patriots 3 sb wins, brady passed for 735 yards for 6td, hardly stunning.

comparing brady with montana and elway is laughable

[rams80]

Also, look at the Super Bowl statistics. In four Super Bowls, Tom Brady has thrown 7 TDs to only one INT, a QB rating of 94.5, and has led his team to TDS on drives to win the game in the last 5 minutes in each SB (the last one was canceled out by David Tyree voodoo). Manning on the other hand, 2 TDs/2 INTs, A QB rating of 85.4, and failed to lead his team on one game winning drive. Also, Manning's lone Super Bowl victory occured against one of the worst teams to ever make it to the Super Bowl.

But Manning still beat the Bears. Brady edged out a Super Bowl win over the Panthers (probably on the same level as the '07 Bears), and LOST one to a Wild Card team. And since we're at it, let's also throw in the fact that in all three of Tom Brady's Super Bowl wins were by three points each. I'll give him credit for putting together some late game-winning drives, but at the teams time, it kinda says that Brady wasn't capable of putting those any teams away during the first 58 minutes.

Peyton Manning being in the Top-10 over guys like Elway, Favre, and Brady is a sham.

Disagree. Peyton is certainly better than Favre or Brady. Probably better than Elway too, honestly.My big issue with the list is the inclusion of Joe Namath. He wasn't great... he wasn't even good. He had two years in which he threw more TD's than INT's. Two.

False. Let's look at Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.Peyton has more career touchdowns, better QB rating, and more career passing yards, but he has also played 3 more years than Brady (including the '08 season that Brady missed with the knee injury). However, Brady has had higher career winning percentage and and has had a QB rating almost 10 points better than Manning over the last 4 years. But in the playoffs, Brady has the better record (14-4 to 9-9), a better TD-INT ratio (1.87-1.47), and Super Bowl rings (3-1). Also, look at the Super Bowl statistics. In four Super Bowls, Tom Brady has thrown 7 TDs to only one INT, a QB rating of 94.5, and has led his team to TDS on drives to win the game in the last 5 minutes in each SB (the last one was canceled out by David Tyree voodoo). Manning on the other hand, 2 TDs/2 INTs, A QB rating of 85.4, and failed to lead his team on one game winning drive. Also, Manning's lone Super Bowl victory occured against one of the worst teams to ever make it to the Super Bowl.There is a full article on it here if you want to read more. Peyton Manning belongs just above Dan Marino and Brett Favre on the all-time list, but behind the truly all-time greats of Montana, Elway, and Brady.One last thing, Peyton's numbers match up eerily similar to Steve Young's postseason numbers... the stats are in the link if you wish to see them.

Those are team accomplishments. Last I checked Peyton Manning didn't also play Free Safety or punt and kick for the Colts and, therefore, has absolutely nothing to do with how good his team plays defensively or on special teams -- aspects that make up over half of the game of football. Is it Manning's fault that, after driving his team down to the 22 yardline in a 3 point game, his kicker shanked the FG in the playoffs against the Steelers? Just as Tom Brady had zero control over Vinatieri nailing a 43 yarder in a blizzard. Brady had some of the best defenses in the league, and those carried the Patriots to those Super Bowls.

So Cujo says that it's Brady's fault for not putting opponents away sooner, yet See Red is playing the team card as a defense for Manning. Listen boys, lets not act like Brady was quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys circa 1993. Let's also not act like Peyton's Colts teams were a bunch of trash. The point is, Brady has consistently done more with less offensive talent than Manning has as well as come through when his team needed him, which is more than the Colts can say for Manning. The better quarterback is clear to me.

It is to me too, and he plays in Indianapolis. I know the ESPN Era has lead folks to place an increasingly large emphasis on the number of championships you have compared to anything else you may have done. (Making Robert Horry a basketball God ) However, Manning has consistently been an elite quarterback in the NFL for more than a decade, and has helmed the lethal offense winningest NFL franchise of the 2000s decade. When teams draft QBs even now, they are not compared to Brady, but to Manning.

Additionally, the thing about "other offensive talent" is that Manning has encountered his consistent success with a relative revolving door at the other skill positions, which strongly implies that the Colts' offensive success is based upon Manning making other players look good rather than other good players making Manning look awesome.

/Super Bowl XXXVI was more on the Rams ing up and the Patriots defense than anything Brady did.

EDIT-*scans list again* Bob Waterfield really deserves to split that Norm Van Brocklin spot at #83

[Cujo]

The rest of the list:

10: Dick Butkis

9. Don Hutson

8. Peyton Manning

7. Reggie White

6. Johnny Unitas

5. Walter Payton

4. Joe Montana

3. Lawrence Taylor

2. Jim Brown

1. JERRY RICE

The panel got it right with Rice. (Although I wish he had called it a good before joining Seattle.)