What Does Game Manager Mean In Football?

A game manager is a quarterback that doesn’t blow you away with his natural ability but can still get the job done. One simple way to put it is a game manager quarterback isn’t going to win you the game but they won’t lose you the game either.

These types of quarterbacks can often win games when surrounded by a good team. But they are rarely able to carry a mediocre roster by themselves.

Strengths

Football IQ is typically the biggest strength of a game manager quarterback. They are known for their ability to read defenses and not make mistakes.

This is one of the reasons this style of quarterback wins with a quality roster. A strong defense and running attack can allow for a game manager to pick up a fair amount of yards without turning the ball over.

These quarterbacks are going to make all the throws you need them to make in order to win a game. Their accuracy and ball placement are typically on point.

These quarterbacks often dominate at lower levels at football because their physical talents were just as good if not better than those they were competing with.

Once at the NFL game manager quarterbacks may not be able to match the raw talent of opposing QB’s so they make up for it with smart decision making and accurate throws.

It is also more likely than not that a game manager qb will have a good locker room personality. Oftentimes these players didn’t have the talent to exceed in football which means they often had to work twice as hard to get there.

This is not always true but game managers tend to have been known for being quality locker room, guys. They also tend to understand the simple aspects of the game well such as when to spike the ball, or throw it away.

Weaknesses

The weaknesses of these quarterbacks tend to center around their playmaking ability. It is very rare that this type of qb will wow you with a play.

They often lack the athletic ability to make elite plays. This means you will rarely see these quarterbacks make long throws or break a tackle and run for a first down.

Game managers also lack the arm strength of most quarterbacks. This makes it much more difficult to fit the ball into tight windows and make deep throws.

This is another reason why these quarterbacks rely on their football IQ. Quarterbacks like Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes have elite arm strength which allows them to throw wide receivers open.

A quarterback with weak arm strength is going to have to throw the football to receivers much earlier as their ball speed is much slower.

Example Of Game Manager Qbs

One thing you may not know about these quarterbacks is that you’ve likely watched then your whole life. The NFL has plenty of game manager quarterbacks that have made fantastic careers despite lacking some physical attributes.

Andy Dalton, Case Keenum, and Alex Smith are all examples of game manager qbs. You will notice that all of these quarterbacks lack the elite arm strength you see from top tier quarterbacks, like Allen, Mahomes, and Rodgers.

These quarterbacks rely on smarts and short-range accuracy to excel as quarterbacks. You will also notice that these are the sorts of qbs that can win you a shootout.

Despite being referred to as game managers all of these qbs have made the playoffs and most of them have won playoff games. This is because this style of quarterback is able to play the game within their capabilities and still come out on top.

Can A Team Win With A Game Manager QB

If you ask any coach about winning the vast majority will say you need an elite quarterback. But once every few years you will find a game manager qb will find his way to the big game. And if the rest of the roster is good enough a game manager can win you the Superbowl.

An example of this would be the 2000 Ravens. This super bowl winning team won it all with a fairly mediocre performance from qb Trent Dilfer throughout the year. In fact, in the Superbowl itself, Dilfer threw for 153 yards and one touchdown.

This doesn’t mean a game manager is going to be your path to the Superbowl. But it does show you if you a have a strong enough roster you can overcome a weakness at any position.

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