Now to be fair, much changed for the 1999 Rams. They traded for Marshall
Faulk (who's interestingly averaged almost a yard and a half more per carry with
Warner as his QB than with Manning). Bruce was back from injury and they drafted
Tory Holt. With all that being said, no one was predicting an MVP season for
Green or anything near a SB. Systems are important but the QB needs to be the
engine that drives it. Warner did that in 1999 to a top 5 statistical season in
NFL history AND a SB ring.
2- His supporting cast made him, not the other way around: FALSE This is very
easy to say when you play with an all time great like Faulk and Pro Bowlers like
Bruce and Holt. let's see what the facts tell us.
In 1998 with Faulk playing with an unseasoned Peyton Manning, he averaged 20
carries per game with a 4.1 avg and 5 receptions for 57 ypg. He totaled 2200+
yards. Amazing season. In 1999 he averaged only 16 carries per game but for a
whopping 5.5 ypc and 5.4 receptions for 65 yards a game. Both averages up
significantly.
In 2002 with Warner hurt and Bulger his QB on the same offense he averaged
only 4.5 ypc and 5.7 ypr. In 2003 with Bulger exclusively he averaged on 3.9YPC
and 6.4 YPR In comparison, 2001, Warner's last full season and healthy season
with St. Louis (and as some would say the final year on his contract which sold
his soul to the devil) Faulk averaged 5.3YPC and 9.2 YPR. Granted 2002 and 2003
was later in his career and he got hurt as well, but those are significant
drops. The best comparison would be to look at 2000 when Warner played and got
hurt and Green took over:
The SB Champ Rams were 6-0 when Warner got hurt. When he came back they were
8-4 and The Greatest Show on Turf was no more. Trent Green went 2-3 as a starter
with a 60% completion % to Warners 67%. Interestingly Green was sacked more in
his 5 games (and 3 in relief) than Warner with almost 90 more attempts. Warner
also had a yard more per attempt average than Green a significant stat. It leads
you to believe Warner got the ball to his receivers quicker and in better
position than Green.
The same argument is being made now that he is playing in Arizona with two
stud WR's (Fitzgerald and Boldin). The numbers still point to Warner being the
engine rather than being the beneficiary. In 2005 splitting time with Josh
McCown . Warner had a 64.5 to 60.4 Completion % split over Josh McCown and had a
7.2 to 6.8 Yards per attempt margin. In 2006, playing 2nd fiddle to #1 draft
pick, Matt Leinart, Warner had an even larger edge 64..3 to 56.8 on completion
percentage and 7.2 to 5.6 on YPA. 2007, Arizona finally got to their senses and
gave Warner the full time job midway through the season. Again, same system,
same supporting cast, Warner went 62.3 to Leinarts 53.6 and 7.6YPA to Leinart's
5.6. Interestingly, Warner also threw 27TD's and this was on a squad that was
next to last in the NFL in rushing, so Warner was the system.
Warner is also the 3rd most accurate passer in NFL history. In incredibly
telling stats (I think competition % is an overrated stat) he is tied for 4th in
Yards per Attempt for his career behind only Otto Graham, Sidd Luckman and Norm
Van Brocklin, just ahead of Steve Young, Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas. For those
that think he gets sacked to often and has no mobility limiting his game , he
has the highest career Adjusted Passing Yards per attempt (tied with Peyton
Manning) which is calculated by adding in sacks and yards lost for sacks. These
stats prove he gets rid of the ball quickly and gets it to the receiver in the
right space to maximize their YPC. The verdict. As always, TPC is right and the
numbers back him up
