NFL Quarterback Comparsion: '80 to '08

Are NFL teams really better today?

Sure they are bigger, faster, and stronger, but are they better?

The NFL is a team game after all.

The whole body is driven by the brain.

And the brain is the big guy behind center.

The quarterback. The big money man who runs the show.

He can destroy his team or carry it on his broad shoulders.

But how much better is the big boy, the key player, than he was in 1980?

Steve Young says the most significant difference in the game today is poor QB play by unprepared or just poor players at the position.

Lets have a look.

Cincinnati Bengals 

Ken Anderson was the Bengals' 1980 signal caller. He is a nominee for the NFL Hall of Fame and led his team to one Super Bowl. A classic drop-back passer, he had a long, productive career.

Today's Carson Palmer has talent, pedigree, and stats, but he's hasn't done much in the postseason and the Bengals are a mess.

Edge: Anderson, but Palmer still has potential.

Atlanta Falcons 

Steve Bartkowski was a long-time, excellent QB on some pretty good Atlanta Falcon teams. Today, the post-Vick Falcons are a wreck. Matt Ryan is an untested rookie, and the rest are journeymen.

Edge: Bartkowski, even if Vick wasn't picked off by prison.

Pittsburgh Steelers 

The Steelers had Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw post four Super Bowl wins.

Sorry Big Ben.

Edge: Bradshaw big over Ben.

Detroit Lions 

The Lions have lacked a QB since Bobby Layne.

Gary Danielson was the man in '80. Danielson was a well-seasoned pro that played well a number of years.

Current QB Jon Kitna is erratic and turnover prone.

Edge: Danielson, due to Kitna's inconsistency.

San Francisco 49ers 

Capable journeyman Steve DeBerg played a long time in the league. When filling in at spots, he was extremely productive.

Alex Smith so far has been a flop despite his high-pick status.

Edge: The journeyman, DeBerg, who was at least capable. Smith is a dud.

Green Bay Packers 

Lynn Dickey was in the poor post-Starr swirl that was the '70's Green Bay Packers.

Aaron Rodgers is engulfed in the post-Favre madness.

Edge: Even. Unknown quality in Rogers, but he had flashes.

Chicago Bears 

Vince Evans was a long-time scrambling Chicago Bear QB who made both bonehead plays and big plays, but he played a long time in the big leagues.

Rex Grossman is a nightmare.

Edge: Evans. Even with turnover problems, he might be enough for the Bears to win the big one today with defense. Grossman is a total negative.

Buffalo Bills 

Joe Ferguson played a long time in Buffalo at a high level. Trent Edwards still hasn't done it.

Edge: At this point Ferguson, but Edwards may excel.

L.A./St. Louis Rams 

Mark Bulger has moments when he plays at a Pro Bowl level, but the Rams are in decline. Vince Ferragamo reached the Super Bowl against the Steelers in 1979.

Edge: Bulger. But close. Given time, which he won't be gifted with, Bulger can still fire away.

San Diego Chargers 

Dan Fouts is in the Hall of Fame. Phillip Rivers has yet to shine in a playoff game. But then neither did Fouts.

Edge: Fouts

Kansas City Chiefs 

Brodie Croyle has been mostly bad in Kansas City. Steve Fuller was a high pick that washed out of Kansas City, but he later won a playoff game with the Bears.

Edge: Fuller. Croyle has done next to nothing.

New England Patriots 

Steve Grogan is a Boston hero. He led the Patriots to some shining seasons and is the second best QB in Patriot history. The first?

Edge: Tom Brady

St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals 

Jim Hart played a long time at a near Hall of Fame level on some good Cardinal teams. He still has a shot at the Hall.

Currently in Cardinal land, the disappointing Matt Leinart and the old and injured Kurt Warner reign.

Edge: Hart

Philadelphia Eagles 

In Philadelphia, Ron Jaworski was heading to the 1980 Super Bowl. When given time, Jaws could play at a Pro Bowl level, but he had problems in the big games.

Donovan McNabb, aging and no longer much of a running threat, has the same big-game knocks.

Edge: Jaws. Mostly McNabb, career wise, but in '80, Jaws was hot.

Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts 

Bert Jones was a Baltimore battler who would be making big dough today. Injuries hampered a potentially Hall of Fame career. But Peyton Manning is in Indianapolis.

Edge: Manning, but Jones is better them most anyone not named Brady or Peyton today.

Minnesota Vikings 

Tommy Kramer was a streaky Pro Bowler for the Minnesota Vikings. Today Tarvaris Jackson is just another bad QB who hasn't been given time to develop.

Edge: Kramer

New Orleans Saints 

Peyton and Eli's Poppa was getting pounded in New Orleans in 1980. Drew Brees has played at a Pro Bowl level for much of his career.

Edge: Even. Archie had talent, but not much team.

Denver Broncos 

Craig Morton led the Broncos to the Super Bowl. Not much of a game changer, he was coached to just not lose.

Cutler just hasn't won many big games.

Edge: Morton, two Super Bowl appearances mean something, right?

Oakland Raiders 

In 1980, the resurgent Jim Plunkett, a potential Hall of Fame player, was leading the Raiders to his first Super Bowl win.

Today the Raiders don't know what they got.

Edge: Plunkett

New York Giants 

Eli Manning just won one Super Bowl, but Giant fans would take Phil Simms to win the big one.

This is tough. Simms in 1986 was better then Manning. But Simms in '80 wasn't as seasoned as Manning in '08.

Edge: Manning

Cleveland Browns 

The Cleveland Browns were the cardiac kids with deep-firing Brian Sipe. Derek Anderson is still developing.

Edge: Sipe

Houston Oilers/Tennesse Titans 

The Snake. Ken Stabler slithered to Houston in 1980.

Today in Houston, now Tennessee, has the confused Vince Young. The Snake was almost shot, but he still could run an offense. Young looks badly befuddled.

Edge: Stabler

Washington Redskins 

In 1980, Redskin land's Joe Theismann was waiting for Joe Gibbs. He had Super Bowls in his future. Right now, no one knows what the erratic Jason Campbell has in his.

Edge: Theismann

New York Jets 

Richard Todd and the New York Sack Exchange nearly had the Jets in the Bowl. Chad Pennington has a weak arm and Kellen Clemens is still learning.

Edge: Todd

Dallas Cowboys 

Danny White could never be Roger Staubach in Big D. But he was capable enough to win some playoff games and pilot the Cowboys to the brink of the Super Bowl in 1980.

Tony Romo hasn't done it on the biggest stage yet, either.

Edge: Even

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

In Tampa Bay, Doug Williams almost took the Buccaneers to the big game in 1978. In 1980, he was playing at a high level.

Jeff Garcia is smartly efficient on an average team, but he hasn't reached the big game. An he lacks Williams' physical tools.

Edge: Williams

Miami Dolphins 

David Woodley, 28 years later, is the only dead QB on this list. The former LSU star was the youngest QB ever to start a Super Bowl, but his life and career self-destructed soon after.

Still today, the Fish have nothing in the net.

Edge: Woodley

Seattle Seahawks 

Today the left-handed scrambling Jim Zorn is the coach of the Washington Redskins. His Seahawk descendant is Matt Hasselbeck who has had Pro Bowl streaks.

Zorn was a great competitor on a developing team, but Hasselbeck is the better pure passer.

Edge: Hasselbeck.

The old guys win big.

The overall quality of QB play today is poor. Despite Hall of Famers Manning and Brady.

The over all quality of play today is poorer.

Free agency weakened teams. No longer do QBs have the benefit of long-time linemen and seasoned receivers to fall back on.

And QBs are thrown to the fire earlier and yanked more often.

No longer can coaches afford to let a young QB sit, listen, and learn for a few years on the bench.

By taking play calling away from most QBs, coaches have weakened their most vital spot by depriving players of their ability to think, adjust, and adapt.

Big money, big media, and big expectations for immediate success spells doom for many signal callers today.

And spells parity for most teams and fans today.

As most QBs become average, or poor, so follows the franchise.

Parity follows the QB.