Drew Brees and Kurt Warner: Making NFL History

By Derek Lofland. (One of 14 Maniaxs' writers)

Every time a NFL has a historic season, the debate begins about how their seasons stack up with the great seasons of all time. I have a 3,333-word article below to analyze them.

Drew Brees currently has 3,870 yards passing. At this rate, he would finish the season with 5,160 yards.

Furthermore, Kurt Warner is being overshadowed by Drew Brees’ success. He has 3,641 yards passing. At this rate, he would finish with 4,988 yards passing.

Drew Brees’ mark would break Dan Marino’s single season record of 5,084 passing yards set back in the 1984 season.

Kurt Warner’s 4,988 yards passing would be the second most of all time, ahead of the current second place finish of 4,830 yards set by Kurt Warner with the Rams in the 2001 season.

We are obviously witnessing NFL history.

However, are these two QBs putting together two of the best seasons we have ever seen, or are people getting caught up in the moment of looking at one part of the equation?

I decided to pick the 10 best seasons the NFL has ever seen.

That can be difficult to do seeing different people value different things. Some people value touchdown throws. Others value quarterback rating. Others value interceptions per attempt. Still others value postseason success. “If it isn’t the ring, he didn’t do a thing.”

Here were my criteria...

a) Passing Yards & Passing Touchdowns

Look at the job description. A quarterback’s job is to throw the ball down the field and score points for his team. Being a Game Manager is a nice way of saying you aren’t good enough to win the game for us.

While any quarterback must take care of the ball, I am looking at these two big stats. I also didn’t put a lot of value on rushing stats. If the rushing came with great passing stats, I’m agreeable to considering it. However, my emphasis was on passing the football.

b) Pro Bowls and MVP Awards

It would seem to make sense that if a player is going to be viewed as having an All-Time Great Season that the player at least was viewed as the best quarterback in the game that particular year.

c) Postseason Success

You don’t have to win the Super Bowl to make my list. But you need to at least get into the playoffs. Winning a playoff game or two is a plus as well.

d) Nothing before Unitas

t’s just too hard to figure out how the 1940’s seasons equate to today’s numbers. It was too different of a game. Johnny Unitas invented the modern day quarterback position. He came into the league in 1956. Therefore, I’m starting the list in 1956, or his first year in the NFL.

Here are Nos. 6-10 of my 10 most historic NFL seasons for quarterbacks...

10) Brett Favre 1995 Stats: 359 completions, 570 attempts, 63.0 comp %, 4,413 passing yards, 38 TD passes, 13 picks, 99.5 QB rating; 39 rushes, 181 yards, 3 rushing touchdowns

Summary: People struggle to find the best year of Brett Favre’s career. I don’t. To me it is 1995 and nothing really comes close.

It’s his best season in terms of passing yards and ranks 21st in NFL history. It was his second best touchdown pass season ranking eight in NFL history. He had a solid completion percentage and not too many picks. He had a career-high three rushing touchdowns. He won his first of three consecutive MVP awards, went 2-1 in the playoffs with a huge upset win in San Francisco and a loss in Dallas.

His 1996 season gets a lot of play, because of the 39 touchdown passes, second MVP, and Super Bowl title. The 1996 year was probably his most complete NFL season in terms of individual and team success. Individually his best season was 1995 and it is certainly worthy to me of being a top 10 all time great season when you combine the passing yards, touchdowns, and MVP award, along with the fact that he had the 26th ranked rushing offense in the NFL.

Also, consider his leading receiver was Robert Brooks and that he played with exactly zero Hall of Famer’s on the offensive side of the ball. Every other person on this list either played with a Hall of Famer on offense or one that has not been inducted yet, because the player is still active.

9) Y.A. Tittle 1963 Stats: 221 completions, 367 attempts, 60.2 comp %, 3,145 passing yards, 36 TD passes, 14 picks, 104.8 QB rating; 18 rushes, 99 yards, 2 rushing touchdowns

Summary: This was a fantastic season. After having lost to the Green Bay Packers in the 1961 and 1962 NFL Championship Games, he put together a then NFL record 36 touchdown passes and won the 1963 MVP award.

Also, keep in mind the NFL only had a 14-game schedule at the time. He guided the Giants to an 11-2 record in his 13 starts. The problem is that the postseason ended the same way it always did for Tittle, in defeat. The Giants lost to the Chicago Bears 14-10 in Chicago.

Tittle suffered a knee injury in the first half and was ineffective thereafter. He had four picks in the Giants’ loss. He would retire after a horrible 1964 season.

8) Joe Montana 1989 Stats: 271 completions, 386 attempts, 70.2 comp %, 3,521 passing yards, 26 TD passes, 8 picks, 112.4 QB rating; 49 rushes, 227 yards, 3 rushing touchdowns

Summary: This was a good season, but without the postseason that followed it doesn’t make my list.

The completion percentage and quarterback rating are among the best in NFL history. The passing yards and touchdown passes are very average. He led the 1989 49ers to a 14-2 record and earned the first of his two MVP awards. Then came the playoffs. The 49ers outscored the opposition 126-26.

Montana put up numbers that all past and future playoff runs would be judged. He completed 65 passes in 83 attempts for 800 yards passing, 11 touchdown passes, zero picks, and a QB rating of 143.4. That’s hard enough to put up on the 2007 Detroit Lions, much less three playoff teams.

When you combine the regular season efficiency and postseason dominance, Montana’s 1989 season is one for the ages.

7) Kurt Warner 1999 Stats: 325 completions, 499 attempts, 65.1 comp %, 4,353 passing yards, 41 TD passes, 13 picks, 109.2 QB rating; 23 rushes, 92 yards, 1 rushing touchdown

Summary: This was probably the most unexpected season on the list. Most of the people on this list had had NFL success prior to their record-breaking season. No one had to wonder where the quarterback came from.

Trent Green was supposed to be the starter and Warner was supposed to be the backup he had always been. That was until Green was lost for the season in the preseason. Warner was inserted as the starter and never looked back. His 41 touchdown passes is the fifth best total ever. His QB rating is tied for seventh. The Rams led the NFL in scoring with 526 points. The Greatest Show on Turf was born.

Warner capped off his regular season by winning the NFL MVP award and the Super Bowl MVP award.

6) Steve Young 1994 Stats: 324 completions, 461 attempts, 70.3 comp %, 3,969 passing yards, 35 TD passes, 10 picks, 112.8 QB rating; 58 rushes, 293 yards, 7 rushing touchdowns

Summary: It’ hard enough to play quarterback in the NFL. It’s even harder to replace someone on this list who also has four Super Bowl rings in four attempts.

Montana’s 1989 and 1990 seasons were fresh in people’s minds. Steve Young was a good quarterback that just wasn’t as good as Montana. This season changed that.

Steve Young’s 1994 season was a record for quarterbacks in terms of rating at 112.4. Only Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have since surpassed it. Young won his second MVP award and when he got to the Super Bowl, he never looked back.

Young went 24 for 36 with 325 passing yards, six touchdowns, no picks, and a 134.8 QB rating en route to his only Super Bowl Title and Super Bowl MVP award.