# "If you could pick any QB, in their prime, to win ONE game, who would it be?" **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 4, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492 "2014-02-04T16:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/1 "2014-02-04T16:37:15Z")
This question came up [in this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=713575&page=9), and I wonder who you guys would choose. My choice would be either Steve Young or Aaron Rodgers. They’re both great, great pocket-passers who will pick you apart if their under little pressure, but what separates them from Manning and Brady and Marino is their additional physical ability to escape and improvise if their protection breaks down. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/2 "2014-02-04T16:53:51Z")
I’ll go with Bart Starr, partly because he DID win so many championships and partly because he was by far the most underrated quarterback of all time. To this, there are usually two responses: 1. “He’s a Hall of Famer- how could he be underrated?” 2. “Starr was good, but everybody knows he was just a nickel and dime passer and the Packers run with defense and the running game.” Yeah, everybody knows that, but it’s not true. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/3 "2014-02-04T16:55:32Z")
Steve McNair ---
**Author:** ![Bellhorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Bellhorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bellhorn)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/4 "2014-02-04T16:58:05Z")
I have to sort with NFL eras, since it’s hard to compare Bart Starr with Joe Montana or with Tom Brady. Pre-Merger (1967) Johnny Unitas Pre Salary Cap (1967-1993) Joe Montana Post Salary Cap (1994-present) Tom Brady ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/5 "2014-02-04T17:11:38Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I’ll go with Bart Starr, partly because he DID win so many championships and partly because he was by far the most underrated quarterback of all time. > > To this, there are usually two responses: > > 1. “He’s a Hall of Famer- how could he be underrated?” > 2. “Starr was good, but everybody knows he was just a nickel and dime passer and the Packers run with defense and the running game.” > > Yeah, everybody knows that, but it’s not true. Yeah, for years the name Bart Starr just conjured up the words “blandly competent” for me, but after reading [this post from coldhardfootballfacts](http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/the-definitive-list-top-10-nfl-quarterbacks/6376/), I’m open to the idea that Starr is much greater than he’s given credit for. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/6 "2014-02-04T17:39:48Z")
Yes, the correct answer is Bart Starr. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/7 "2014-02-04T17:42:02Z")
Joe Montana ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/8 "2014-02-04T17:51:20Z")
Joe Montana ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/9 "2014-02-04T17:55:21Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Steve McNair Really? C’mon man. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/10 "2014-02-04T18:02:35Z")
Montana would be my first choice. Second would be Peyton. Takes a certain amount of courage to say that after last weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/11 "2014-02-04T18:16:28Z")
Another vote for Montana. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/12 "2014-02-04T18:22:20Z")
Terry Bradshaw. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/13 "2014-02-04T18:28:17Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Terry Bradshaw. Are you getting the Steel Curtain defense with him? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/14 "2014-02-04T18:35:03Z")
Dude only won 4 Super Bowls, calling his own plays. Worth something, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/15 "2014-02-04T19:02:52Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Dude only won 4 Super Bowls, calling his own plays. Worth something, huh? Sure. You also get his career 70.9 career passer rating, his 30 tds to 26 post season interceptions ratio, his whopping 96 yards passing in his first Super Bowl win, and his 3 interceptions in has last Super Bowl win. That isn’t worth more than Montana, Starr, Brady, or a whole bevy of better QB’s. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/16 "2014-02-04T19:07:52Z")
Otto Graham. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/17 "2014-02-04T19:11:35Z")
The OP is asking for a _winner_, for one game. Not numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/18 "2014-02-04T19:15:06Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The OP is asking for a _winner_, for one game. Not numbers. Thanks for pointing that out. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/19 "2014-02-04T19:23:56Z")
I don’t know how much of a victim of era bias I am but I have to say Brady, and Rodgers is making a good case. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492/20 "2014-02-04T20:39:29Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The OP is asking for a _winner_, for one game. Not numbers. Which is why I asked if the Steel Curtain defense came with him, because so many of his victories had to do to having one of the greatest defenses of all time, one that could be kept together for years thanks to limited to no free agency and no salary cap. You take Terry Bradshaw off of those Steeler teams, and he wouldn’t even be in the conversation. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-pick-any-qb-in-their-prime-to-win-one-game-who-would-it-be/680492.md?page=2)