RIP Ken Stabler

Interesting thing about Stabler's stats....they completely went to shit after the 1978 rule changes. Besides years of alcohol abuse and age, anyone have a reason for this? I haven't looked that hard, but were their stories in the bay area papers in the late 1970s looking at this?

 

Well, I'm guessing playin for the Oilers and Saints instead of the Raiders had a lot to do with it.

 

The Oilers were pretty good.

 

In his first year, they were. His next year, they were starting to,slide and finished 7-9. After he left, they went 1-8 in the strike year, then won five games combined.

The Saints were mediocre in his tenure, which for them, at that time, was pretty good. A 7-9 season was a cause for celebration.

 

How about Jim Plunkett? Two-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP, INT-TD numbers similar to Namath.

 

Bart Starr is warming up the hearse.

 

Nobody should ever use the phrase "numbers similar to Namath" when trying to make an HOF case for a QB, especially in the category of INT/TD ratio.

And, no, Plunkett is nowhere near as worthy as others mentioned here. Hell, for at least half his career he was regarded as a crappy QB, but later became for a few years a slightly above average one only because he landed in a great situation after two other franchises had given up on him.

In essence, sort of the polar opposite situation of Ken Anderson, a great quarterback who's largely been forgotten because he landed on a crappy recent expansion franchise and stayed there his entire career.

 

Solid read.

One Last Smile with the Snake

 

Bump ..

MUST READ: Actor Tom Hanks Types Emotional Thank You To Family Of Late Alabama, NFL Star Quarterback

 

Stabler episode of A Football Life was great.

 

Stabler is a forgotten legend?

 

Can someone explain why Cliff Branch isn't in the Hall of Fame? His credentials sure match up to Lynn Swann.