I stole this from PFT, thought it would be fun for this forum. Who's the best NFL player to wear #8? Its Aikman or Young, who you got and why?
I've always liked aikman better. They err both done before I was old enough to really watch them so I'll wait to see what everyone else thinks.
Steve Young in my book, and it's not really even that close. Aikman was good, but his offensive line made him seem much better.
I love the argument of the haters "yeah, Emmitt and Aikman were not that good...that was all the offensive line". If that were true, why didn't the back ups in those teams have the same numbers? Does anyone remember Derrick Lassick? He was supposed to play for Emmitt during his hold out. Why didn't he have the same numbers? Why did he suck so much that Charles Haley threw a chair at Jerry Jones for not signing Emmitt? He had the same offensive line!! What about Steve Walsh, Rodney Peete, and all of Aikman's back ups? Give me another argument. The offensive line one is crap...
From 91-95 when their offensive line was dominant and he put up good numbers: 91 - Beureline was 4-0 as his starting back-up. 92 - Aikman started all games. 93 - Kosar 92.7 QB rating. 94 - Peete - 102.5 & Garrett 95.5 95 - Aikman started all games. Yup. They were horrible without Aikman.
So the niners line was crap? I get that the cowboys was one of the best ever but using that as a measure of the qbs greatness is kinda bogus.
How is it bogus? He had all day to throw and he still wouldn't put up QB ratings like Young was. I watched both play. Not even close as to which one was better.
steve young was better than aikman.aikman was good,but steve young was great! you could chase him around all day and he'd still find a way to beat you.aikman was a good qb,but the players around him made him great,young did not have the players around him that aikman did,especially the rb position.ricky waters,roger craig,good but not dependable.he had the advantage with jerry rice,but he did not really have the passing game dallas had or the line the cowboys had which was probably one of the best ever with larry allen,nate newton,etc.... i'd take steve young over aikman every time.
IMO, Young was a better athlete, Aikman a better, more accurate passer. I didn't look to deep into it, but wasn't Aikman better in the playoffs? Same argument that is constantly used as to why Brady is allegedly better than Peyton? I think in this specific case, it really depends on what offense you are running. I'm not sure either would excel to the level they did if their situations were reversed. Young was obviously a West Coast guy and Aikman more of a downfield guy...
Aikman was only slightly better in the playoffs then Young, 88.3 to 85.8, but again...he had a much better offensive line. Aikman was bad in the playoffs once that line was no longer intact. Young would have excelled behind that Cowboys line. Scary numbers.
played on crappy teams, led the league in pass attempts, completions and yards while the team won 2 games. made NFC poy while winning 7 games. Put Acheman and Young on those teams and see how great they would be. Troy had HOF's at skill positions and so did Young. Gingersnap did it almost by his little lonesome. Another Saint mentioned Wally. Suck on that.
Young never had Craig as a starter and only had Watters for a couple years. After that it was dudes like Derek Loville. And aside from the couple years that Taylor was still effective early in Youngs starting career, he had crap other than Rice. JJ Stokes lol.
Using the line and skilled players argument is like saying Joe Montana wasn't that good because he too had a awesome off line, roger Craig, jerry rice and Brent jones who both also played with young. By the way I think j Montana is the goat when it comes to qbs.
I wasn't using the skilled players as an argument one way or the other, or didn't mean to at any rate. Just remembering the way it was...duckin Derek Loville and JJ Stokes, so awful. Young was still outstanding in those times but it was frustrating seeing the offense as a whole severely limited by subpar and declining talent in those years following the 94 SB.
Aside from the John Candy drive, Youngs run against the Vikes is one of the most intense and lasting experiences I had as a football fan in my childhood. Just losing it trying to will him across the goal line through the TV, I'll never forget a second of that entire play, where I was when it happened, not a bit of it.
