Comparison of Cowboys Quarterbacks through 61 Games

[theogt]

Someone posted this one another forum. It apparently comes from the Cowboys media guide.

I've had discussions with people here about how I thought Romo has been a better QB than Aikman, and generally people laughed. As a direct comparison, it's clear Romo is better.

But some people like to compare eras, so I took the respective top 10 QBs from each of the seasons in which these 61 games occurred for each of Romo and Aikman and compared them to Romo's and Aikman's respective stats for those 61 games. I've also expressed the % change from Romo's and Aikman's stats compared to the Top 10 for his "era". A positive "Delta" indicates play that is better than the Top 10 for that statistic and a negative "Delta" indicates play that is worse than the Top 10 for that statistic. Clearly, Romo's statistics are both better as compared to his peers and as compared to Aikman.

[B]Tony Romo[/B]
	Top 10:	Romo:	Delta:
YPA:	7.5	8.0	6.8%
YPG:	259.4	268.7	3.6%
TDPA:	0.050	0.056	12.5%
TDPG:	1.728	1.885	9.1%
IPA:	0.025	0.029	-14.1%
IPG:	0.874	0.831	4.9%
Comp.%	64.0%	64.0%	0.1%
QBR:	92.8	95.7	3.1%

[B]Troy Aikman[/B]
	Top 10:	Aikman:	Delta:
YPA:	7.4	7.1	-4.2%
YPG:	226.3	199.5	-11.8%
TDPA:	0.043	0.032	-25.3%
TDPG:	1.336	0.918	-31.3%
IPA:	0.030	0.036	-18.9%
IPG:	0.929	1.016	-9.4%
Comp.%	59.3%	61.0%	2.8%
QBR:	84.1	78.1	-7.1%

Troy Aikman had a better team. Tony Romo is a better QB. There is no doubt.

 

[dbair1967]

Romo has better stats, he is not the better QB

Love Romo, but he is not in Aikman's class when it comes to pure talent.

Aikman could have easily put up huge numbers if thats the direction they had took the offense. Everyone who coached with him or against him seems to agree. Jimmy and Norv both have said it. Mike Holmgren said it. Bill Walsh said it. Dan Reeves. There's others too.

Further, Aiikman played his best in the biggest games. His average postseason game numbers exceeded his average regular season numbers for most of his career.

 

[theogt]

Romo has better stats, he is not the better QB

Love Romo, but he is not in Aikman's class when it comes to pure talent.

Aikman could have easily put up huge numbers if thats the direction they had took the offense. Everyone who coached with him or against him seems to agree. Jimmy and Norv both have said it. Mike Holmgren said it. Bill Walsh said it. Dan Reeves. There's others too.

Further, Aiikman played his best in the biggest games. His average postseason game numbers exceeded his average regular season numbers for most of his career.

This doesn't appear to be true. If they would have thrown an equal number of attempts, AIkman would have thrown fewer yards, fewer TDs and more INTs, even assuming his play didn't decline over more attempts (though it certainly would have declined over more attempts).

Aikman's team certainly played better around him in big games. Romo's team seems to collapse in big games, particularly the line.

 

[Cythim]

I don't like comparing stats between generations of QBs. The game is changing and has been getting more QB friendly every season. I'm not an Aikman fanboi, but his stats would've been much better if he played today where he couldn't get pummeled and his WRs weren't mauled while trying to haul in a catch.

 

[cmd34]

Aikman handed off a lot of balls to one Mister Emmitt Smith so his passing numbers aren't what Romo's are.

I'm a huge Romo fan but I would take Aikman over him every time.

 

[theogt]

I don't like comparing stats between generations of QBs. The game is changing and has been getting more QB friendly every season. I'm not an Aikman fanboi, but his stats would've been much better if he played today where he couldn't get pummeled and his WRs weren't mauled while trying to haul in a catch.

This is why I compared each of Romo and Aikman to the top 10 QBs of their respective eras. Romo compares much more favorably to the peers of his era than did Aikman.

Aikman handed off a lot of balls to one Mister Emmitt Smith so his passing numbers aren't what Romo's are.

I'm a huge Romo fan but I would take Aikman over him every time.

See my reply to dbair. If Aikman would have thrown as much as Romo is stats would have still been worse than Romo's.

 

[cmd34]

You may not be right but I would think it's impossible to know for sure. If Aikman didn't have Emmitt, maybe we gameplan and practice much differently. Maybe some of that Emmitt money goes to another stud WR to Aikman to throw to. Maybe the RB we use to replace Emmitt is a bigger weapon in the passing game (not that Emmitt wasn't good in that aspect).

 

[dbair1967]

This is why I compared each of Romo and Aikman to the top 10 QBs of their respective eras. Romo compares much more favorably to the peers of his era than did Aikman.

See my reply to dbair. If Aikman would have thrown as much as Romo is stats would have still been worse than Romo's.

You dont know this. You also dont account for the fact that the game is different now. Defenses were able to do alot more to receivers (and QB's, with the way they are protected)

Emmitt had more 1 and 2 yd TD's than probably anyone in history. Also, the teams style of play was consistent for years, get a lead, then turn the game over to the run game and turn loose the pass rush.

 

[Cythim]

This is why I compared each of Romo and Aikman to the top 10 QBs of their respective eras. Romo compares much more favorably to the peers of his era than did Aikman.

See my reply to dbair. If Aikman would have thrown as much as Romo is stats would have still been worse than Romo's.

I imagine if you made the same comparison between Schaub and Aikman you would get a similar result. What if you compared Romo to Moon or Aikman to Moon? A QBs stats are too dependent on factors beyond their control. They don't play with the same rules, same receivers, same systems, etc. I personally like Romo better than Aikman but I don't think stats prove it.

 

[dbair1967]

I seriously doubt any GM would pick Romo over Aikman if both were in their primes. In fact I'm just about 100% sure if you asked Garrett if he could have Troy Aikman in his prime right now, he'd fall all over himself to do it.

The idea that Aikman's stats were average because his talent was average is laughable. The guy's pure passing ability was about as good as it gets.

I was out at training camp in 1992, and still to this day cant believe how amazing the practices were with Aikman at QB. The ball never touched the ground unless a receiver dropped it (which also was rare)

 

[theogt]

You dont know this.

I don't know it. But I do know that Aikman's yards per attempt were a full yard lower than Romo's. Why would having more attempts equate to having a higher yard per attempt? It likely wouldn't.

The fact is, we don't know, but all of the evidence points to my conclusion, and none of it points to yours.

You also dont account for the fact that the game is different now.

Actually, I did account for the differences in eras. Did you not see the part were I compared Aikman and Romo to the top 10 QBs of their era?

 

[theogt]

I seriously doubt any GM would pick Romo over Aikman if both were in their primes.

This is two logical fallacies (appeal to authority and majority) all wrapped in one single statement. Congrats.

 

[dbair1967]

You still dont factor in the style of offense they played Theo.

If Norv and Jimmy had decided they were going to focus on the passing game, Aikman's numbers would have been vastly different. They'd have also been vastly different if we had played from behind alot. The fact is for alot of Aikman's career we played with double digit leads alot. And when we got leads, we went to a run heavy offense.

 

[theogt]

I imagine if you made the same comparison between Schaub and Aikman you would get a similar result. What if you compared Romo to Moon or Aikman to Moon? A QBs stats are too dependent on factors beyond their control. They don't play with the same rules, same receivers, same systems, etc. I personally like Romo better than Aikman but I don't think stats prove it.

Not sure. It takes too long to collect and compare these stats and I'm too lazy.

 

[dbair1967]

This is two logical fallacies (appeal to authority and majority) all wrapped in one single statement. Congrats.

So you think otherwise?

There's a reason Aikman was a no brainer #1 overall pick, and one of the highest rated QB prospects ever to enter a draft

 

[theogt]

You still dont factor in the style of offense they played Theo.

If Norv and Jimmy had decided they were going to focus on the passing game, Aikman's numbers would have been vastly different. They'd have also been vastly different if we had played from behind alot. The fact is for alot of Aikman's career we played with double digit leads alot. And when we got leads, we went to a run heavy offense.

If by "style of offense" you mean how much of a passing team they were, then, yes, I am factoring in the style of offense. Yards per attempt takes into account that "style of offense."

 

[theogt]

So you think otherwise?

There's a reason Aikman was a no brainer #1 overall pick, and one of the highest rated QB prospects ever to enter a draft

Uh...yes. If I had to pick either of the two in their prime, I would pick Romo every time.

 

[Cr122]

When Aikman played our offense was more 50/50 on the run and pass.

It's a passing league today. Aikman very well could have had better stats if their roles were reversed.

 

[Cythim]

So you think otherwise?

There's a reason Aikman was a no brainer #1 overall pick, and one of the highest rated QB prospects ever to enter a draft

There have been several QB busts and several huge misses. Ryan Leaf and Tom Brady are two that come to mind. This is why Theo is right about your logical fallacies.

 

[theogt]

When Aikman played our offense was more 50/50 on the run and pass.

It's a passing league today. Aikman very well could have had better stats if their roles were reversed.

So, you think his yards per attempt would have gone up considerably if he had more attempts? Why would that be?