Re: 2017-2018 NFL Trash Talk Thread
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 10:38 am
QB is probably the top position you cannot compare based on raw stats. Any true fan would know this.
The game isn't even the same today as it was just a couple decades ago. QB ratings are evidence of this. Like I said, QBs today have inflated ratings by about 10-20 points vs. what they would have had 2-4 decades ago. There is a lot more passing, more sophisticated offenses, and big changes in the rules hamstring defenders (e.g. no downfield contact with receivers, almost no hitting the QB, etc.). I accidentally watched a little bit of a game a few weeks ago at a bar - it was more interesting than staring at the menu. The QB got hit on a run and it was a penalty because the hit was a millisecond after his knee was down. Total garbage call but that's what the NFL is all about. It's no wonder that QBs can sit in the pocket and pile up 400-500 yard games or routinely scramble for 20 yards and slide to a stop untouched...
Out of curiosity, I've just compared their stats to see who would fare better as a pure athlete. Clearly it's Cunningham, given the serious handicaps he faced in the 1980s (worse team, favorable rules and offenses for modern QBs, etc.). And Cunningham's first year was only a partial year played so his stats aren't even really fair on that aspect as it's missing about 10 games.
Anyway, Cunningham's personal first 6 years stats were/are nearly indistinguishable from Wilsons on key aspects (note Randell only played in 1/3rd of his rookie season games so it's not even a very fair comparable metric). Playing for the worst team in the conference in the 1980s he was every bit as good as Wilson is playing for a dominant team now.
By year 6, both were 3 time pro-bowlers as well.
Best cherry picked stats in any season in first 6 years:
Cunningham - 11/5 team record, 30 TDs, 3808 yds passing, best game 238 yards, completion 58%, longest pass 95 yards, 7 yards/attempt, 16 yards/catch, game winning drives 16, worst/most INTs in a season 16, total INTs 71. Rushing yards ~3500, rushing average 8 yds/attempt, long 52 yds, ave/game 58 yards. Total fumbles ~60.
Wilson - 13/3 team record + team superbowl win and team superbowl loss, 34 TDs, 4219 yds passing, best game 282 yards, completion 68%, longest pass 80 yards, 9 yards/attempt, 12 yards/catch, game winning drives 23, worst/most INTs in a season 11, total INTs 51 (plus a SB losing INT at the goal line - one of the worst INTs in FB history). Rushing yards ~2900, rushing average 7 yds/attempt, long 53 yds, ave/game 53 yards. Total fumbles ~53.
Note the Eagles were terrible early in Cunningham's career with losing records his first 3 years, in near last place or last place, and had minimal significant talent. It was almost all on Cunningham's shoulders. In 1983 the Eagles were 5-11, in 1984 they were 7-9, and for the first three years with Cunningham didn't have 10 wins in a season until 1988 when the team finally got more talent.
OTOH, Wilson has been the benefactor of never playing on a losing team, which means he had significant support on offense and defense which helps his stats significantly. Worst season record Wilson has had is 10 wins. The Seahawks had the best players in many positions on offense and defense for much of Wilsons tenure, which really bumps his stats. Seahawks were already rebuilding with Carroll and 7-9 in 2010 and 2011 the season before Wilson, and thereafter 10 game wins/season.
Given the fact that Cunningham did that 20+ years ago, he was as good or better then than Wilson is today, giving the clear edge to athleticism and ability to Cunningham, due to the advances at the skilled position and rule changes and more widespread talent the Seahawks/Wilson enjoys now.
Cunningham was also noticeably faster and more agile than Wilson, and that was decades ago. I think his 40 speed was around .2 faster.
Cunningham did more with less, turned around a garbage team and getting them to the playoffs 3 seasons in a row, and was faster and posted nearly as good of stats with far less talent 3 decades ago.
If you think Wilson is a better QB or raw athlete than Cunningham (and I hated the Eagles and have no love for Cunningham) then you're smoking crack.
The game isn't even the same today as it was just a couple decades ago. QB ratings are evidence of this. Like I said, QBs today have inflated ratings by about 10-20 points vs. what they would have had 2-4 decades ago. There is a lot more passing, more sophisticated offenses, and big changes in the rules hamstring defenders (e.g. no downfield contact with receivers, almost no hitting the QB, etc.). I accidentally watched a little bit of a game a few weeks ago at a bar - it was more interesting than staring at the menu. The QB got hit on a run and it was a penalty because the hit was a millisecond after his knee was down. Total garbage call but that's what the NFL is all about. It's no wonder that QBs can sit in the pocket and pile up 400-500 yard games or routinely scramble for 20 yards and slide to a stop untouched...
Out of curiosity, I've just compared their stats to see who would fare better as a pure athlete. Clearly it's Cunningham, given the serious handicaps he faced in the 1980s (worse team, favorable rules and offenses for modern QBs, etc.). And Cunningham's first year was only a partial year played so his stats aren't even really fair on that aspect as it's missing about 10 games.
Anyway, Cunningham's personal first 6 years stats were/are nearly indistinguishable from Wilsons on key aspects (note Randell only played in 1/3rd of his rookie season games so it's not even a very fair comparable metric). Playing for the worst team in the conference in the 1980s he was every bit as good as Wilson is playing for a dominant team now.
By year 6, both were 3 time pro-bowlers as well.
Best cherry picked stats in any season in first 6 years:
Cunningham - 11/5 team record, 30 TDs, 3808 yds passing, best game 238 yards, completion 58%, longest pass 95 yards, 7 yards/attempt, 16 yards/catch, game winning drives 16, worst/most INTs in a season 16, total INTs 71. Rushing yards ~3500, rushing average 8 yds/attempt, long 52 yds, ave/game 58 yards. Total fumbles ~60.
Wilson - 13/3 team record + team superbowl win and team superbowl loss, 34 TDs, 4219 yds passing, best game 282 yards, completion 68%, longest pass 80 yards, 9 yards/attempt, 12 yards/catch, game winning drives 23, worst/most INTs in a season 11, total INTs 51 (plus a SB losing INT at the goal line - one of the worst INTs in FB history). Rushing yards ~2900, rushing average 7 yds/attempt, long 53 yds, ave/game 53 yards. Total fumbles ~53.
Note the Eagles were terrible early in Cunningham's career with losing records his first 3 years, in near last place or last place, and had minimal significant talent. It was almost all on Cunningham's shoulders. In 1983 the Eagles were 5-11, in 1984 they were 7-9, and for the first three years with Cunningham didn't have 10 wins in a season until 1988 when the team finally got more talent.
OTOH, Wilson has been the benefactor of never playing on a losing team, which means he had significant support on offense and defense which helps his stats significantly. Worst season record Wilson has had is 10 wins. The Seahawks had the best players in many positions on offense and defense for much of Wilsons tenure, which really bumps his stats. Seahawks were already rebuilding with Carroll and 7-9 in 2010 and 2011 the season before Wilson, and thereafter 10 game wins/season.
Given the fact that Cunningham did that 20+ years ago, he was as good or better then than Wilson is today, giving the clear edge to athleticism and ability to Cunningham, due to the advances at the skilled position and rule changes and more widespread talent the Seahawks/Wilson enjoys now.
Cunningham was also noticeably faster and more agile than Wilson, and that was decades ago. I think his 40 speed was around .2 faster.
Cunningham did more with less, turned around a garbage team and getting them to the playoffs 3 seasons in a row, and was faster and posted nearly as good of stats with far less talent 3 decades ago.
If you think Wilson is a better QB or raw athlete than Cunningham (and I hated the Eagles and have no love for Cunningham) then you're smoking crack.




