Quarterback Ken Stabler
Yeah, but are they clutch?
It's a question that comes up time and time again when discussing the accolades of professional athletes, often when it relates to NFL quarterbacks.
These constant questions have led to the advent of the "clutch gene," and the never-ending debate of who the most clutch player in the game is.
Well, the folks at Bleacher Report – with the help of a nifty formula – have now identified the 25 most clutch quarterbacks in NFL history, and a pair of Raiders quarterbacks have made their way onto the list.
Checking in at No. 22 is George Blanda, who spent nine seasons with the Silver and Black, throwing for 1,835 yards, and 23 during touchdowns during his tenure as a Raider.
"Blanda was still taking meaningful quarterback snaps at age 48," wrote Mike Tanier. "I'm not even 48 yet and my back hurts when I mow the lawn. That Blanda was able to make any contribution to the championship-caliber Raiders of the 1970s is nothing short of remarkable.
""Clutch" reputations are often a mix of fact, fiction and selective memory. When we love a player, we remember the big wins and overlook the big mistakes or missed opportunities. Blanda benefited from the narrative more than most of the quarterbacks on this countdown. But there was still a great deal of truth behind the legend."
Also making a well-deserved appearance on the list at No. 8 is Hall of Fame quarterback Ken Stabler, whose penchant for making big plays in the biggest moments have now become the stuff of NFL legend.
"The Holy Roller is Stabler's second-most famous miracle comeback, which tells you all you need to know about why he is so high on this countdown," Tanier wrote. "The Sea of Hands play took place at the end of a 1974 playoff game between the Raiders and Dolphins. Trailing the defending two-time champion Dolphins 26-21 with two minutes to play, Stabler led a drive that ended with a desperate pass into a "sea" of waiting Dolphins defenders in the end zone. Raiders running back Clarence Davis somehow emerged with the football.
"In between famous games with names, Stabler led five fourth-quarter comebacks during the Raiders' 1976 Super Bowl run."
You can check out Bleacher Report's full list, here.
