Countertrey wrote:Sorry, Chris... can't quite buy it based on the Rogers/Campbell comparison... there are two primary differences between those two players. Rogers is a student of the game, has tremendous football intelligence, and is blessed with a generous helping of the "It" factor. Campell never demonstrated an awareness of the game... and, despite many opportunities, never demonstrated the presence of "it"... which, I think, is one of those intangibles that can never be learned... you have it. Or you don't.
Frankly, I think that the lack of "it" is the reason most first round quarterback failures occur. They simply aren't wired to play the game on an NFL level. Campbell will never be more than a journeyman quarterback... and never would have been, regardless his circumstance. Aaron Rogers COULD have been ruined by the wrong circumstance... but the chances are, he'd have been fine, even here. He has "it".
THIS IS PRETTY LONG AND RAMBLING, SORRY.
I often think talk of the "it" factor is overblown as being the deciding factor. Some elite qbs do have "it" others actually don't (Eli is a great example of this, by the way). The funny thing is, I've never thought that even Peyton truly had "it" Quite frankly, I'm still schocked he won a superbowl because I still view him as Happy Feet Payton from his time at Tennessee. The dude is just not tough enough to be relied upon in the direst of circumstances. He chokes. I don't think the IT factor just exists or doesn't. It has to be put in the right environment (i.e. with some combination of a good GM, good coach, good line, wide receivers, defense, SOMETHING ELSE) to show itself. Rodgers had/has approximately all but 1 of those to help nurture his "IT". Aaron Rodgers, had he been here, would have done well enough to warrant Shannahan keeping him around when he came in and now his IT would be starting to show, I think.
I don't think anyone argues that the following are all time elite level quarterbacks Montana, Kelly, Elway, Marino, Brady, P. Manning, Favre (pre retirement garbage) and for the sake of the conversation, Rodgers. Now, I bet most of us believe all of them have/had "it". I argue that only 3 of them did/do, Montana, Brady and Favre (most likely rodgers TBD) have it. Elway was/is and will always be over hyped elite talent that won nothing until TD and Shannahan showed up. And don't forget he was absolutely embarrased in EVERY superbowl without them. Kelly too was a fantastic sheet stuffer with his K-gun offense, but has nothing to really show for it. Marino is my favorite example of false "it". He is REVERED in S. FL. for doing nothing forever (in terms of real winning). Hell at least Kelly and Elway made it to the superbowl repeatedly). They are all great, but it, real "IT," is Montana, Brady (arguably even more so than montana given what he's had to work with. E.g. Wes Welker is a bum that brady makes look like Jerry Rice. Also Welker is a prime example of the right team and circumstances making you look like gold (NE) rather than like garbage (MIA)) and Favre. Despite only being a one time SB winner, that was a guy that really had "IT" so much so that he was given at least 5 years too long cushion by players and media when he started acting like deion sanders and terrel owens.
Now Manning is the odd one. He's so much more like Marino than Montana, his vaunted student of the game moniker possibly also being understood through the lens of his thinking only his way works and being uncoachable (ala McNabb). Or, as I personally think, all of his preparation and film work is so that he can avoid those very moments when one must "nut up or shut up". Brady, on the other hand, is clearly no less prepared, but he never, seemingly, chokes. He'll wine (but he's a qb, don't they all?), but he is the one qb that never backs down, ever. Quite frankly, Peyton's superbowl is more the result of Tony Dungy (kind of like Elway's is the result of TD and Shannahan).
My point, I think, is very few IT quarterbacks have been able to raise the fortunes of a team singlehandedly. But many IT QBs have been buyoed and given opportunity (real opportunity, not just put out on the field with bums) by the competency of their team/franchise. You don't have to have "IT" it to be elite or the franchise QB, but rarely do you ever find a QB with "IT" on a team that is going absolutely nowhere as a franchise.
especially given the fact that his team has one 1 game without him this year after putting up 10 + every year the past decade. If he played on a team with a defense and running game, he'd probably have at least 3 ring by now.