Vs Series: Jeff Blake vs Jon Kitna

[Shake n Blake]

People love to compare players, and there's little to talk about for much of the off-season, so I thought it'd be cool to do a series of threads comparing former (or maybe sometimes) current players.

If the 2 threads I do today get positive feedback, maybe we can keep this going.

The rules are simple: I will name a couple of players and yall can vote on who you think had the better career *as a Bengal*. You can factor in anything you want: team success, individual success and accolades or whatever you want.

This thread pits a pair of good but not great QBs against each other: Jeff Blake and Jon Kitna.

All Bengals fans should be somewhat aware of how their careers went, but here's a refresher:

Both made 1 Pro Bowl. Both led a resurgence to competitiveness for the Bengals, leading them to 8-8 seasons. Both spent time as backups after that.

So who you got?

I will post one other match up today. Also, if yall think of any intriguing match ups, shoot me a message, and I'll credit you if I make it into a thread.

[QueenCity]

Jeff Blake Baby!

[Bengalholic]

I'll take the guy with some of the most beautiful deep passes I've ever seen - Jeff Blake.

[Hammerstripes]

Blake. Easily. Had the team spent some money back then they could have been a playoff team. He breathed some life back into the franchise.

Loved watching him and Pickens & Darnay.

[SunsetBengal]

Those deep rainbows to Pickens and Scott? Blake all day.

[Clark W Griswold]

Agree that Blake’s the choice. Those bombs brought excitement during some really bleak years.

[Clark W Griswold]

(03-24-2023, 08:10 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: People love to compare players, and there's little to talk about for much of the off-season, so I thought it'd be cool to do a series of threads comparing former (or maybe sometimes) current players.

If the 2 threads I do today get positive feedback, maybe we can keep this going.

The rules are simple: I will name a couple of players and yall can vote on who you think had the better career *as a Bengal*. You can factor in anything you want: team success, individual success and accolades or whatever you want.

This thread pits a pair of good but not great QBs against each other: Jeff Blake and Jon Kitna.

All Bengals fans should be somewhat aware of how their careers went, but here's a refresher:

Both made 1 Pro Bowl. Both led a resurgence to competitiveness for the Bengals, leading them to 8-8 seasons. Both spent time as backups after that.

So who you got?

I will post one other match up today. Also, if yall think of any intriguing match ups, shoot me a message, and I'll credit you if I make it into a thread.

This is a great idea by the way.

After you go through the players you should do Bengals board posters…
That would be a fun vs series. Nothing like a lot of personal insults and hurt feelings!

[samhain]

Blake for sure.

[BFritz21]

Blake.

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear "Jeff Blake" is those rainbow deep balls!

[Shake n Blake]

Interesting. I figured Blake would probably take this, but thought it'd be a little closer. Blake's personality seemed to rub some the wrong way, and he really fell off after we signed Boomer.

[*Go Cards*]

Blake for sure but if you could just Frankenstein the two together you could have a perfect QB.

Blake has all the talent with his legs, arm, plus savviness, but Kitna was one of the smartest QB's out there.

Kitna did not really do anything great per lacking in arm strength and not being fleet of foot. Yet he got the job done and hung around in the league for more than just a cup of coffee per his smarts. Not that Blake was not smart because he certainly was, but not many QB's get by for very long on the athleticism Kitna brought to the table in this league.

Thought Kitna would make a coach actually.

Jeff Blake hands down though was the better QB.

[Mike M (the other one)]

Love Kitna's grittiness, but Blake was the better passer. As everyone has already noted, those Rainbows ended with a lot of gold at the end.

[KillerGoose]

Blake was more consistent, Kitna had the higher peak (2003). I would take Blake.

[*Go Cards*]

Would also add that the Bengals drafted Carson to replace Kitna before his skills had eroded. Jon even took the team from 2 wins the year before to 7 wins while Carson was his understudy. Which was a very good year for the Bengals at that time.

The following season there were many people in the stands chanting Kitna's name when Carson took the helm in rebellion, which I thought was silly.

Kitna was very spiritual as well, great guy, great QB mind, and a great leader yet hamstrung with his talent ceiling.

Jeff Blake had all the tools but was saddled with some bad Bengals teams, although he did have some good WR's. Would have liked to have seen him QB a good Bengals team and see where he could have led them.

[impactplaya]

I can only imagine if Jeff Blake had
a stronger running game behind him how
Much better the Bengals offense could
Have been. Defenses knew the Bengals only
Chance to score was through the air.
Blake really made the most of his talent
Not to mention he faced some really good
Defenses in the AFC Central.
He was a gunslinger in the truest form.
I take him over Kitna

[TecmoBengals]

Blake gave me hope the '90s would get better and his long bombs were fun to watch. He gets my vote.

[M.W.]

Blake for sure, my first Bengals gear purchase was a Jeff Blake jersey. If the Bengals had even a half-way decent defense then they would have been much more competitive. Bengals - Blake, Bengals - Blake, better in the jungle than a rattle snake... Still remember that .

[*rfaulk34*]

There's only one guy that came walking through the bar with a blonde on each arm back in the day and that was Jeff Mother ***** Blake. 

FTW!!

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Blake for me.

Blake was about league average as a passer in all 6 of his years as a Bengal. Kitna just 2 of his 4.

I wonder what Blake's career would have been like on a team that wasn't the 90s Bengals. Then again, he might not have gotten a chance to start as a 6th rounder if there wasn't the 90s Bengals around.

[wanga]

Like others I loved watching Jeff Blake heaving those rainbows.