Gifts from Steve McNair

July 6th, 2009 9:27 am
by Big Dog

It’s hard to know what to say when one of the greats passes away, even harder when the circumstances lend themselves to all sorts of conjecture and speculation. There are so many aspects of his contribution to football that are worth noting. As a football player Steve McNair was a true journeyman. He played hard, he played tough, he played hurt and most importantly of all, he played different.

In a time when scrambling quarterbacks rolled out or danced about in order to keep the pass alive, McNair looked for space and ran the ball forward. This simple strategy (which can easily be overlooked these days due to its common use) changed the way the game was played. It challenged other quarterbacks to make even harder decisions and to be willing to risk more themselves in pursuit of not just victory, but also the right to lead their teams.

Make no mistake, Steve suffered with his team. He took his hits and kept on playing. He pushed through the pain, and kept doing his job. This attitude also changed the way that defenses played against him. All of a sudden they had to cover another option. A broken play wasn’t automatically a good thing, because if your coverage was good, that probably meant that all you’d achieved was to give McNair space. He also changed what teams looked for in a quarterback. Organisations started to look for more from the key offensive position, they wanted the options a McNair type quarterback could bring.

McNair also had the stats to back up his playing style. His college records for passing yards and offensive yards still stand today. He wasn’t just a different style of quarterback, he was a guy who got the job done his way.

Of course, Steve also made great contributions to the communities in which he lived. Literally a man who was willing to serve others, he demonstrated a real humility in his involvement with various charitable endeavours, from paying for football camps to packing boxes for relief efforts following the Katrina disaster, McNair was always a giving man.

We will miss him, we will miss him terribly, but we will be blessed by his legacy for years to come.

For those interested in acknowledging Steve McNair’s contribution to football and the community, I recommend looking at one of the charities he was involved with.

Posted in Analysis, Baltimore Ravens, Game, NFL, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL Players, Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans | No Comments »

Vale Steve McNair 1973 – 2009

July 5th, 2009 10:24 pm
by Pro Set

Steve McNair died over the weekend past from four gunshot wounds. Sympathy and prayers are extended to all who were close to the great quarterback. He was a truly great football player.

The details of McNair’s career are well known. I want to focus on two matches that defined his greatest attributes: outstanding individual ability and leadership in the toughest circumstances.

Tennessee Oilers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1998 season Week 10)

This was the first time that I saw McNair in prime time. Jeff Fisher still looked so young. The Bucs had made it to the NFC Divisional Playoff Round in 1997 and already had a reputation as a strong defense. McNair was electric. What struck me most was his decisiveness. He would make a read, and either throw or run.  After the first quarter he continually hit pass rush gaps and evaded open field defenders. Ultimately he won the game on a 71 yd touchdown run into the north endzone. The first instinct to break up the middle differentiated McNair from Steve Young and John Elway. Those 90s legends would scramble out of the pocket, keeping the pass alive, but never threatened to cause continuous carnage as a runner.

Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans (2000 season AFC Divisional Playoff)

By the 2000 season McNair was a national star. His final play Super Bowl slant pass to WR Kevin Dyson was one of the most famous failed plays in NFL history. The Titans were AFC Central Champions and #1 seed. The Ravens were the most fearsome defensive unit, in my opinion, that the game has ever seen. RB Eddie George had been crushed by an early LB Ray Lewis tackle only weeks earlier. McNair’s eyes as he fought for his team are my abiding memory. His courage was exemplary but unrewarded. With the score tied 10-10 in the fourth quarter, K Al Del Greco had a 37 yd FG blocked and returned for a Ravens TD. Then George dropped a pass into the hands of Ray Lewis for an INT TD. McNair deserved better from his teammates that day. To illustrate what he faced, one week later Raiders QB Rich Gannon was embedded in the ground by Ravens DT Tony Siragusa.

As tributes well deserved continue to pour in, our thoughts are with McNair’s loved ones and also with the family of Sahel Kazemi in their time of grief. The loss that we as football fans have suffered pales in comparison. We will always remember McNair as one of the greatest, but we hope that his children will have enduring memories of a loving father.

Posted in Baltimore Ravens, Jeff Fisher, NFL, NFL on television, Oakland Raiders, Ray Lewis, Steve McNair, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans | No Comments »