Importance of the QB

Let me start off by saying I wouldn't choose any of these guys over Russell. I think he is the best QB in the league and under valued by most pundits. But I thought this was an interesting idea and I'm just a bit bored at work.

How many of the QB's from this list could you plug into the Hawks team and still win the Super Bowl?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NF ... backs#List

I came up with maybe 10.

SC

Here's my list broken into two groups. First are the QB's that I have no doubts about, the second are on the bubble.

Peyton Manning
Tom Brady
Aaron Rodgers
Drew Brees
Andrew Luck

Bubble boys
Matt Ryan
Mathew Stafford
Philip Rivers
Colin Kaepernick
Nick Foles
Andy Dalton

StoneCold":1jn0da55 said:

Peyton Manning - Would get murdered behind our offensive line. It's not built for sustained pass blocking, and Pey Pey isn't running the read option.
Tom Brady - See above.
Aaron Rodgers - Would do better than Manning or Brady because of his mobility, but not as good as RW IN THIS SYSTEM.
Drew Brees - Also would get murdered behind this line.
Andrew Luck - Could probably run it quite well. Way more mobile than he gets credit for.

Bubble boys
Matt Ryan - Statue, pummeled.
Mathew Stafford - Nope.
Philip Rivers - Nope.
Colin Kaepernick - Sadly, yes.
Nick Foles - Probably to a degree.
Andy Dalton - Hell no.

Click to expand...

If the question is which QBs could come in and play immediately and have success, you HAVE to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Offensive line and the quarterbacks in question. Honestly, Russell Wilson is VERY unique, and there really aren't many who could run this offense the way he does. Most, are either great traditional passers who lack the athleticism, or the have the athleticism but lack the commitment to greatness/arm talent/accuracy that RW uses to maximize this roster.

StoneCold":1han2g8a said:

Here's my list broken into two groups. First are the QB's that I have no doubts about, the second are on the bubble.

Peyton Manning -- couldn't survive our issues at O-line last year. Needs high volume passing and short throws to be effective, which negatively impact our defense.
Tom Brady -- couldn't survive our issues at O-line last year.
Aaron Rodgers -- maybe; if he bought into Pete's ball control philosophy. He has the tools, but could he put his ego aside? Would he be as effective without the volume reps?
Drew Brees -- couldn't survive our issues at O-line last year.
Andrew Luck -- Has the tools, but too inefficient. Poor decision maker. Would put our defense in poor positions like he does with Indy's underrated D.

Click to expand...

A big fat "no" to everyone on your bubble list.

IMO, the problem with your exercise is that you assume any gunslinger could come into Seattle and do the same thing with no negative impact on our running game or defense. Part of the reason our defense is great is because of our offensive philosophy. There is a reason why many historically great defenses generally featured a commitment to ball-control, low volume passing offenses. Can any of the guys you listed be as clutch as Wilson without the high volume reps? We don't know that.

When Pete Carroll says that Russell Wilson is the best QB for this system, I believe him.

I'm really not making any assumption that these guys could come and do what Russell does. And all of the problems that you both list for each are very valid. Russell is unique. Great athleticism with great decision making, and as I said the best QB in the NFL. As an exercise it serves to make the point, that so many writers miss, that Russell is just that good.

Still, If I had to have a back up...

SC

Rodgers definitely has the mobility and arm to thrive in this offense provided he could be happy not throwing as often (and he might have no issues with that if it prolonged his career and got him one or more rings).

Matt Ryan can move around some, and Pete would adjust to Ryan's strengths/weaknesses; I could see him doing well.

There are probably several guys who could make it work, provided they bought into the philosophy. I don't want to bag too much on him, but it's pretty clear Flynn didn't fully buy in, and I think that fact made Pete's decision to start and stick with Russell easier.