[PARAM]

Brock Purdy is in year 2 of his NFL career. His team fell short of the Superbowl last year and this year, they appear to be the odds on favorite. Which got me thinking (always dangerous) and I took a look at when QBs made it to the big game, win or lose. Obviously, the team has to be good, not just the QB. Because some pretty good QBs either never made the big game or took many years to get there. Stafford in year 13 had one of the longest waits for guys who eventually got there.

Ironically, our Rams have had 3 quarterbacks make it to the SB early. Ferragamo and Goff in year 3, Warner in year 2. San Francisco has had two guys get there early. Montana in year 3 and Kaepernick in year 2. Russell Wilson made it there and won in year 2. The last 5 Superbowls have featured young QBs getting there for the first time. Hurts last year (year 3), Burrow (year 2), Mahomes (year 2) and Goff (year 3).

Besides Stafford, some other pretty good QBs have had to wait a long time to get there. Matt Ryan, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning went in year 9. Some got there relatively early. As I mentioned Wilson in year 2, also Marino and Warner. Montana in year 3. Aikman, Elway and Eli Manning in year 4. It took Favre and Rodgers both 6 years in the league to get there. Flacco, Jim Kelly and Cam Newton 5 years.

The guys who have enjoyed the most successful start to a career are Brady (3 in 5 years, 3-0), Mahomes (3 in 6 years, 2-1 ) and Aikman (3 in 7, 3-0). Elway got to but lost 3 in his first 7 years. Bradshaw didn't get there until year 5 but won 4 in his first 10 years. A completely different era though.

I'm hoping Purdy and the niners fall short of course but even if they get there, I believe they'll lose. Baltimore may lose this week then return the favor in the big game. But this has been one of those 'strange' top heavy seasons. SF and Baltimore followed by a bunch of inconsistent teams like Philly, Dallas, Buffalo and Kansas City; Jacksonville, Detroit and Cleveland. It wouldn't surprise me one bit to see an odd Superbowl matchup between lower seeds. Or a low seed vs a goliath but instead of a walk in the park, an upset. As they've pointed out now that the Rams have strung together a nice little run, Stafford is the only current NFC QB to win a Super Bowl. But in the AFC there's three. Mahomes, Wilson and Flacco.

[Elvis]

When McVay and Goff were lighting things up there was a lot of talk that the model for winning in the NFL is to have your QB on his rookie deal so you can load up at other positions. Some even speculated that maybe it's better to not sign your QB to a 2nd deal and get another rookie.

But if you look at most SB winners, their QB is not on their rookie deal.

I'm not saying it's not a viable strategy or a benefit, but clearly teams can and usually do win the SB with a QB not on their rookie deal.

So i think the real lesson here is you need a really good QB, doesn't matter what kind of deal they're on...

[ramsman34]

Great post!

look at all the QBs currently “in” the playoffs. Who is the best and who do you trust?

I like PA’s thinking and someone else here said it too, about lower seeds getting there. How awesome would it be to see the Rams against say the Texans!! No one outside of LA and Houston would care but what a slap in the face to the power houses that would be.

All I know is, I want the Rams to be the ones who take SF down.

[RedAlice]

Great post!

look at all the QBs currently “in” the playoffs. Who is the best and who do you trust?

I like PA’s thinking and someone else here said it too, about lower seeds getting there. How awesome would it be to see the Rams against say the Texans!! No one outside of LA and Houston would care but what a slap in the face to the power houses that would be.

All I know is, I want the Rams to be the ones who take SF down.

Yes and YES.

Taking down the Niners would be sweet upon sweet.

And hey, top two OROY contenders battle in the SB.

[JovialJaghut]

My best friend is a Browns fan. We’ve lived through some dark days together lol. Anyway, recently we were talking about how cool it would be to see a Rams-Browns Super Bowl. We know that we would be the only people in the country watching it, but boy would we enjoy the hell out of it

[JovialJaghut]

We also live just outside of Baltimore. He’s really hoping that the Browns go to Baltimore in the playoffs and win with Flacco at quarterback. He would get a Browns Flacco jersey if it happened just to wear it around town whenever he had a chance.