Bruce Johnson
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Joined: 8/27/2007
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ORIGINAL: kurt bilben
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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson
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ORIGINAL: kgdabom
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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson
I was watching a Vikings game vs. the Steelers in 1972. This may be heretical, but I really don't think Tarkenton was that good. A lot of his passes were errant. Actually, I think the quarterback play of today is leaps and bounds overall compared to that generation. I know the rules are more pass friendly, but you know that Terry Bradshaw was not that good either. I'm thinking there are 20 or more quarterbacks of today better than he was in his prime.
Fran is one of the best I ever saw play. Maybe technically people are better now, but Fran was a winner. Terry Bradshaw was quite good, but also in the right place at the right time.
Tarkenton had a lifetime completion percentage of 57% despite throwing mostly short passes. If you watch his film today I believe you will agree with me. He threw a lot of errant passes. He did not have a good arm, either. Not by today's standards.
I don’t know Bruce, if you look at stats for QB’s back then you have to take them with a huge grain of salt.
It was a different game.
Tark’s stats were more a sign of the times. His lowest passing % years were with the Giants were I believe he had a few years in the mid 50’s, but so did many QB’s in those years. 5 out of his last 6 years he was over 60%. Which was at, or near the league lead
Other then his lackluster performances in Super Bowls, I wouldn’t trade sir Francis for any QB (In that era)
I'm trying to be a little provocative because it's too slow here, but mostly I am basing my opinion on watching film. I was surprised how so many of the passes were so short. I guess that was the offense before it was called the West Coast Offense, but really 2/3rds of the passes were less than ten yards down field. I heard Tarkenton himself say that he injured his arm once in high school and it was difficult for him to throw the longer passes as a result. I saw a lot of his passes being really far off the mark to open receivers and I saw their frustration.
In fairness, I watched only one Fran Tarkenton game from 1972. I watched a couple of others with other QB's. It might be tough to base it on one game and the opponent was the Steelers who of course had a good defense. Maybe I am being too critical because I watched Franco Harris in the game and was not impressed. I thought Chuck Foreman looked better in a different game that I watched. I'm thinking there may be 100 running backs today, (including college) who are better now than Harris was in 1972. Maybe 200. The game has changed so much.
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