Ranking the Losing Super Bowl Starting Quarterbacks

[saturdaysarebetter]

Marino had two INT's and a fumble, but others contributed to the defeat as well. Tony Nathan fumbled on Miami's own 18 early in the first quarter that led to an NE FG.

With the score 17-7 NE, and about 1:04 left in the second quarter, Fuad Reveiz missed a 31-yard FG.

Then, with the score 24-14 early in the fourth quarter (and Miami trying to mount a comeback), RB Joe Carter fumbled the ball at the Miami 45. The Pats recovered and scored a TD to make it 31-14 with about eight minutes left (all but putting the game out of reach).



Brady also won with Corey Dillon once, and he lost when he had one of the best offenses ever. Manning won in 2015 because he had one of the best defenses ever (Marino never had anything like that around him). Montana won because they added three first-round talents in the secondary along with Hacksaw and Fred Dean. As for Mahomes, I won't address him because he is overrated, and the NFL fixes it so bad for the Chiefs. They aren't a real champion.

Amazing how TWO interceptions and a fumble, THREE turnovers, THREE TURNOVERS, gets glossed over to protect Teflon Dan's image as a non-choker in big games.

RB fumbles? Dan’s fault

Missed FG? Dan’s fault

Any non-Dan turnovers? Dan’s fault

Make it make sense

Meanwhile lesser QB’s got carried to rings while doing nothing except avoid turnovers and get carried (Simms, Rypien, Hostetler)

Amazing how TWO interceptions and a fumble, THREE turnovers, THREE TURNOVERS, gets glossed over to protect Teflon Dan's image as a non-choker in big games.

[7DnBrnc53]

The Bills were so strong in 1991 that people forget that Bruce Smith missed most of the season. Nobody wanted to play in the Met in December or Rich Stadium in January. It psyched teams out, especially the Rams and Dolphins.

I don't think the Bills were that much better than Miami in 1992, however. The Dolphins just choked in the AFC Title Game. Marino wasn't great, but there were a few long passes dropped, and other players had key fumbles besides Marino.

Also, I blame Shula for a lot of Marino's failures. He should have been fired after the 1988 season, and they should have made a run at Jimmy Johnson. I think that Johnson would have had more success in Miami if he took over in 89 than he had in 96. By that time, Dan wasn't quite the same (and he got hurt in 1996 and 99).

In that 1992 AFC Title game, the Dolphins had Bobby Humphrey (who ran 23 times for 71 yards the week before against SD) and Aaron Craver, and they only ran 11 times (after running 40 times the week before against SD). That's on Shula.

[saturdaysarebetter]

In 1983 at home against Seattle, Miami lost 27-20. Marino threw two interceptions in 25 passes and had a passer rating of 77.6 wasting Miami’s number one ranked defense in the NFL. Seattle’s defense was ranked 24th out of 28 in the NFL in points given up.

In 1984 in Super Bowl XIX against San Francisco, despite having the highest scoring team in the NFL and a top-10 defense, Marino would lead Miami to only one touchdown and generate only 16 points. Marino would throw two interceptions that day and had a passer rating of 66.9.

As point of reference as to how badly Marino played on the brightest stage, Trent Dilfer in Super Bowl XXXV, had a passer rating of 80.9 for the Baltimore Ravens against the New York Giants. Dilfer’s career regular season passer rating is 70.2. Dilfer raised his game in the Super Bowl. Marino’s career regular season passer rating is 86.4. His Super Bowl passer rating: 66.9.

In 1985 in the AFC Championship Game at home in Miami, Marino would complete only 20-of-48 passes and throw two interceptions as the Dolphins could only score 14 points against the New England Patriots. Marino’s passer rating that day was 54.9. In comparison, the great Tony Eason was unfazed by big game jitters and outplayed Marino badly, throwing three touchdowns, no interceptions and had a passer rating of 130.9.

In 1990, in a playoff game at Buffalo, Marino would again throw two interceptions and had a passer rating of 72.1. The Dolphins that year had the fourth best scoring defense in the NFL. The Bills had the sixth best scoring defense in the NFL.

In 1992 at home against the Bills in the playoffs, Marino would throw, you guessed it, two interceptions and had a passer rating of 56.5.

The 1994 season ended in a playoff game at San Diego, Marino played well in the only time his Dolphins team lost in the post-season. Marino was 24-of-38 for 262 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions and had a passer rating of 109.8.

With that sole exception, Marino would throw at least two interceptions in every one of Miami’s season-ending playoff games throughout his entire career. It’s hard to win when your quarterback throws two interceptions in any game, especially a more pressure-packed post-season one. Let’s continue.

The 1995 season ended with a playoff loss at Buffalo where Marino would throw three interceptions and had a passer rating of just 63.4. Miami had the 10th best scoring defense in the NFL. Buffalo had the 12th best scoring defense in the NFL. So much for the myth Marino didn’t have a better defense than Miami’s playoff opponent.

The 1997 season ended with Miami a playoff loss at New England. Marino could only lead Miami to three points in the loss as he was 17-of-43 passing for just 141 yards and two interceptions. His passer rating that day was a putrid 29.3.

The 1998 season ended with a loss at Denver where Marino would again only lead the Dolphins to just three points losing 38-3. Marino would throw two interceptions and had a passer rating of just 65.5 wasting his team’s number one scoring defense in the NFL in 1998.

In Marino’s final season of 1999, the Dolphins would lose to Jacksonville 62-7 as Marino was just 11-of-25 passing for only 95 yards throwing two interceptions. Marino’s passer rating was a putrid 34.6 that day.

[SeahawkFever]

In 1983 at home against Seattle, Miami lost 27-20. Marino threw two interceptions in 25 passes and had a passer rating of 77.6 wasting Miami’s number one ranked defense in the NFL. Seattle’s defense was ranked 24th out of 28 in the NFL in points given up.

In 1984 in Super Bowl XIX against San Francisco, despite having the highest scoring team in the NFL and a top-10 defense, Marino would lead Miami to only one touchdown and generate only 16 points. Marino would throw two interceptions that day and had a passer rating of 66.9.

As point of reference as to how badly Marino played on the brightest stage, Trent Dilfer in Super Bowl XXXV, had a passer rating of 80.9 for the Baltimore Ravens against the New York Giants. Dilfer’s career regular season passer rating is 70.2. Dilfer raised his game in the Super Bowl. Marino’s career regular season passer rating is 86.4. His Super Bowl passer rating: 66.9.

In 1985 in the AFC Championship Game at home in Miami, Marino would complete only 20-of-48 passes and throw two interceptions as the Dolphins could only score 14 points against the New England Patriots. Marino’s passer rating that day was 54.9. In comparison, the great Tony Eason was unfazed by big game jitters and outplayed Marino badly, throwing three touchdowns, no interceptions and had a passer rating of 130.9.

In 1990, in a playoff game at Buffalo, Marino would again throw two interceptions and had a passer rating of 72.1. The Dolphins that year had the fourth best scoring defense in the NFL. The Bills had the sixth best scoring defense in the NFL.

In 1992 at home against the Bills in the playoffs, Marino would throw, you guessed it, two interceptions and had a passer rating of 56.5.

The 1994 season ended in a playoff game at San Diego, Marino played well in the only time his Dolphins team lost in the post-season. Marino was 24-of-38 for 262 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions and had a passer rating of 109.8.

With that sole exception, Marino would throw at least two interceptions in every one of Miami’s season-ending playoff games throughout his entire career. It’s hard to win when your quarterback throws two interceptions in any game, especially a more pressure-packed post-season one. Let’s continue.

The 1995 season ended with a playoff loss at Buffalo where Marino would throw three interceptions and had a passer rating of just 63.4. Miami had the 10th best scoring defense in the NFL. Buffalo had the 12th best scoring defense in the NFL. So much for the myth Marino didn’t have a better defense than Miami’s playoff opponent.

The 1997 season ended with Miami a playoff loss at New England. Marino could only lead Miami to three points in the loss as he was 17-of-43 passing for just 141 yards and two interceptions. His passer rating that day was a putrid 29.3.

The 1998 season ended with a loss at Denver where Marino would again only lead the Dolphins to just three points losing 38-3. Marino would throw two interceptions and had a passer rating of just 65.5 wasting his team’s number one scoring defense in the NFL in 1998.

In Marino’s final season of 1999, the Dolphins would lose to Jacksonville 62-7 as Marino was just 11-of-25 passing for only 95 yards throwing two interceptions. Marino’s passer rating was a putrid 34.6 that day.

Those are good points. Marino certainly didn’t perform well in the playoffs, though how much you would blame him or his supporting cast might vary from situation to situation.

The times at the beginning of his career he had from what I can tell good enough defenses (though I’ve heard that the Killer B’s weren’t the same after AJ Duhe got hurt and didn’t play well against San Francisco in Super Bowl 19) and Marino was in his physical prime, so you could theoretically say he wasted what was left of that defense and I wouldn’t argue a ton.

I’d say in 95 he underperformed as well. Even if the defense wasn’t as good as it would be later he certainly wasted it.

Though by 1997, 1998 and 1999 he was older, and even if Marino had performed well, I wouldn’t necessarily expect Miami to have won a championship with Dan Marino as their starting quarterback.

Though to be fair to him, a couple of those games his defense also didn’t play well either.

In the highlight clips of the 62-7 game, there was some awful tackling by Miami’s defense. Admittedly a few of those scores were on return touchdowns by the Jags directly, but the defense gave up a lot of points and would’ve been a high bar to clear even if Marino had played well.

Not saying he didn’t underperform badly in the playoffs relative to what he was in the regular season, but teams losing isn’t entirely on the quarterback. Regardless in my view Marino was capable of winning a title for quite a few years there even if he never did.

[SeahawkFever]

I would go Marino one. Marino choked in big games at every level.

In the regular season, he was good enough to beat the '85 Bears. However, in the post-season, he couldn't beat the '85 Patriots - at home - in Miami - and was badly outplayed by the "great" Tony Eason. No defense? He was drafted by a team that was just in the Super Bowl. Do you think David Woodley's passing got them there or was it the Killer B's defense? Woodley took the Dolphins to as many Super Bowls as Marino in far fewer seasons.

Five times in his career Marino had a top 10 defense in points allowed. Three times he had a top five defense. Twice he had a defense that led the league in fewest points allowed. How'd that work out for two-turnover Danny?

No running game? Another myth. Plenty of examples of teams that won a Super Bowl with far less of a running game than Marino had in Miami. The greats are supposed to elevate lesser talent. Brady won 4 rings handing off to Antwain Smith, Sony Michel & Leonard Fournette. Manning won his with Joseph Addai & CJ Anderson as his RBs. Mahomes has had Damian Williams and Isaiah Pacheco. Montana won with Earl Cooper. Rodgers had some guy named Brandon Jackson.

What was the excuse at Pitt? Bobby Bowden said that Pitt's 1980 team was the greatest college football team he ever saw. He had it all at Pitt and still choked in big games throwing three interceptions against Florida State and then four against Penn State costing Pitt two national championships. No Marino fan ever answers what happened at Pitt because it blows all their mythical excuses protecting Teflon Dan to bits.

Check out his performances in all the Dolphins' post-season losses. Zero rings at every level. Stats don't lie. It's hard to defeat a good team when your quarterback throws two interceptions or more. When Marino retired, he led the NFL in career pick sixes thrown with 29.

Marino choked in big games: stats don't lie:
'83 playoff team vs Seattle 2 Ints 77.6 QBR
'84 SB vs SF 2 ints 66.9 QBR
'85 vs NE at home 2 ints 54.9 QBR
'90 vs Buffalo 2 ints 72.1 QBR
'92 vs Buffalo at home 2 ints 56.5 QBR

The only playoff loss he played well
'94 vs SD 0 ints 109.8 QBR

1995 vs Buffalo 3 ints 63.4 QBR
1997 vs NE 2 ints 29.3 QBR!
1998 vs Denv 2 ints 65.5 QBR
1999 vs Jax 2 ints 34.6 QBR!

Marino played for not just one but TWO hall of fame coaches that BOTH WON TWO SUPER BOWLS without Dan Marino. They knew how to win Super Bowls. Marino choked in big games. At every level. Even high school.

Kelly at two. Tarkenton at three.

And then you have a guy like Mark Rypien who lucked into a SB

I’ve heard Rypien was a good deep ball passer, but couldn’t handle pressure well.

Played well in 91, but didn’t develop any further from the looks of it.

[Sonny9]

I’ve heard Rypien was a good deep ball passer, but couldn’t handle pressure well.

Played well in 91, but didn’t develop any further from the looks of it.

Lost Gibbs as a coach after 1992

Hurt his knee before 1993 and wasn't the same

He had a fumbling problem. Odd that both Rypien and Doug Williams had good long balls, didn't get sacked much, but when they did get sacked, they fumbled.
Williams sacked 84 times, 41 fumbles
Rypien sacked 97 times, 45 fumbles

Jurgensen sacked 294+ times, 50 fumbles (no sacks recorded his first 4 years but he only threw 141 passes)

[saturdaysarebetter]

I doubt either Earl Morrall or Kerry Collins would rate very high on the list, however, they are two of the few quarterbacks to lead two franchises to a conference championship game or beyond.

The others that come to mind: Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Brett Favre. There may be others I'm forgetting.
That's some pretty good company.

[Brian wolf]

Earl Morrall should get as much credit for 1972 as Bob Griese. He started and got the official win against Pitts in the conference championship game, which was either his 10th or 11th straight victory. He still gets credit for an NFL/NFC Championship with Baltimore.

Like Collins, his performance in the SB(III) hurts his legacy, though he beat Dallas at the end.