In the NFL, we use “mid” QBs rather disparagingly. “Mid” QBs aren’t bad. Heck, some of them are actually still good. It’s just that there’s a higher level of QBs in the league that separate themselves from the rest – and there’s also a lower level of QBs in the league that aren’t that good, that as a result, everyone else in between those spectrums is ‘middle of the pack’, or “mid” for short.
How do we differentiate between an elite QB, and a “Mid” QB who is merely “good”? Sure we can use stats. But stats do not tell the whole story.
There are some dorky NFL fans think that the only thing separating elite QBs from mid-QBs is just the teams – that any mid QB or even a bust could have been really sucessful or even won rings if they had played in better teams.
This is stupid.
Here are what separate elite QBs from mid QBs.
Ability to win without everything needing to be perfect
Contrary to what some like to think about elite, winning QBs, many of their teams were not always “stacked”. Look at some of the teams that elite QBs have won Super Bowls with or made Super Bowls with – they were not perfect at all. The 2019 Chiefs that Mahomes won a super bowl with did not have a good defense. The 2016 Patriots had a less than stellar receiving corps and tight end group after Gronkowski got hurt. The 2010 Packers had many players on injured-reserve. The Elite QBs can get by with regular “good” teams because they can have greater physical talent (arm strength, speed, agility), better ball skills (accuracy, touch), and they have better “high-level” processing and skills. They can process more complex zone defenses, as where “mid” QBs can only beat basic zone defenses, if at all. They have better pocket presence and decision making under pressure than mid QBs, who may make game-changing mistakes under pressure.
Less Volatility
For elite QBs… when their teams are really good… they have MVP-level seasons, sometimes all-time historically great seasons.
When they have good teams, they have a legitimate 5 year window of being serious Super Bowl contenders. Mid QBs, as mentioned before, can often regress if one player leaves or gets hurt, and thus they immediately are no longer a real threat. Other times, even if everything is intact, they still aren’t a serious threat even if their teams stay healthy. Sometimes, it gets to a point where people can discount a good team because of their QB.
To use examples: During the Patriot’s 2nd dynasty, there were years where key players liek Gronkowski or Edelman were out for the postseason with injuries (2015, and 2017 respectively). In those years, no one thought the Patriots offense was screwed. Why? Because Tom Brady was the QB (and the rest of receiving corps wasn’t terrible, even if unremarkable). If Tom Brady was a mid QB, they probably fall short of getting to the Super Bowl those years, and the response would be “hey, it’s not his fault! His tight end/receiver was injured”.
Ability to win different types of games
Elite QBs can win shootouts, lead comebacks and/or game-winning drives, can manage games, and can make adjustments against complex defenses. Those are the big 4 types of games elite QBs can win.
Mid QBs can only do 1 or 2 of those things, can only do them when everything is perfect around them, or only do them when the stakes are low. This is why many mid QBs flame out in the playoffs: they can’t win certain types of games where more is expected from them!
Dak Prescott struggled in the 2021 and 2022 playoffs because he couldn’t handle the 49ers zone defense. Tannehill didn’t manage the game well against Cincinnati in 2021 (threw 3 interceptions).
