What is this magic power called "elevate" all about?

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I don't get it. I hear it tossed around all the time by media guys (shown below), but I don't understand what it means. Mainly because nobody defines it. They just say, "Great QBs elevate those around them." Oh yeah? How? How does one go about "elevating" other players?

I can see how a shitty QB can bring down the morale and tempo of an offense, so does that mean that a great QB should be in constant Red Bull Mode? And let me ask a follow-up. Why do highly paid professional athletes, playing in the highest profile sport, need to be elevated by anyone? But say they do. Say they *need* to be elevated. Okay. Whatever. But isn't that what coaches are for? And assistant coaches? And position coaches? Why do we assume that these guys (receivers, mainly) are ill-prepared and otherwise wouldn't give a shit about the game unless they were elevated?

The whole thing smacks of cliche' to me, and I've never seen any tangible evidence of it happening.

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Rich Cimini

Sanchez proved in 2009 and 2010 he could drive a Cadillac into the playoffs. This season, he was handed a Ford, and he obviously isn't one of those special quarterbacks who can elevate those around him.

There are only a handful of them in the league. The point is, the front office didn't give him a fighting chance. The Jets went into the season with one proven receiver, Santonio Holmes, and he went down with a season-ending injury in Week 4.

<a class="postlink" href="http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/8703315/new-york-jets-quarterback-mark-sanchez-falls-victim-inevitable" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_ ... inevitable</a>

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Erik (Chicago)

Good QB's elevate the play of people around them, is it fair to say Ponder fails in this catagory, and the Vikings should cut their losses and move on?

Kevin Seifert (2:18 PM)

I think that's a fair point. There are plenty of factors going on that Ponder can't control, but it wouldn't be against the rules for him to rise above at least some of them. You can't always have a perfect situation around you.

<a class="postlink" href="http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/46215/nfl-blogger-kevin-seifert" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/ ... in-seifert</a>

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Michael Lombardi:

I laugh whenever I hear football fans tell me that a potentially good quarterback would play better with an improved supporting cast. In reality, a true star quarterback will elevate the play of those around him. For an example of this, look no further than the Indianapolis Colts, who have been lifted to a 6-3 record by Andrew Luck. Big Ben was working similar magic in Pittsburgh. How many other quarterbacks do you think would be able to play behind that porous Steelers offensive line? Not many. As John Madden once said, "Winning is a great deodorant" for a team's problems; the same could be said about elite quarterbacks.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000094528/article/ben-roethlisberger-crucial-to-pittsburgh-steelers-success" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100000 ... rs-success</a>

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Jean-Jacques Taylor | ESPNDallas.com

The one thing Romo must do, if the Cowboys are going to win more than eight games in this rebuilding season, is make his teammates better. The league's elite quarterbacks elevate the play of those around them.

Tom Brady does it. Peyton Manning, too. So do Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees.

Romo should play his best football this season because his mental acumen and physical skills are in perfect sync.

 

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And let me just toss this out here again to illustrate how the good QBs do all the things these media dudes say they should.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK7U9UjGhuA[/youtube]

 

[Alaskan Ram]

A couple of thoughts come to mind on this topic.

Governing Dynamics: The best results come from doing what's best for yourself AND the group.

And,

You can't make someone else shine brighter by dimming your own light.

"elevate", to me, means to lift or to carry, that is fine and all but not ideal for sustainablility.

My cliche' term i use alot at work is "empower". If team members are empowered they genereally carry theirself AND the team as a whole further.

 

[DR RAM]

Tom Brady had a hard time elevating from his back, didn't he.

To me, being a player, and then coaching, I believe that a team needs to believe in it's quarterback. Believe that he will be there with you until the end; believe that he will have your back; believe that he will empower those to make a play for him in a crunch situation; believe that he is the best most deserving offensive leader for your team; believe that he makes the most out of the situation dealt to him.

If your teammates believe in you, they will play harder for you. Can a QB elevate other players skills? Sure, you gauge the strength of your teammates and you know their limitations, so that you put them in the best position to make a play. But, coaching has a lot to do with this...the QB doesn't usually call the plays. And then there are breakdowns, missed assignments, etc.

As far as our QB goes, I think that last season he played the best in situations where the game was on the line. I like that. I'm sure his team likes that. One thing is for certain, a QB can't call the play, block, get open, make a decision, and catch the ball. Team game.

When you are already good, or start to get good, your FO is on their game, and your coaching staff knows how to coach and handle players, that's when these QB's become elite. Because your offensive line is probably set, and deep enough to withstand a couple injuries. You have multiple weapons on offense, and you have a defense that can win a game for you occasionally, but hardly never loses one for you.

Elevate must mean to not screw the offense up with a bonehead play.

 

[Faceplant]

Pretty much all of that ^^. Sure a QB can empower, or "elevate" the players around him. He does that by leading the team, making good decisions, and delivering the ball accurately to the right receiver more often than not. Pretty simple theory eh? Easier said than done of course, since we hear of so few of these "elite" QBs around the league.

As Doc says, surround a QB with a talented roster, coach and front office and more often than not, you get results. Look no further than the difference between 2005-2010 Alex Smith and what we saw over the past 2 years. More talent around him and better coaching = different player altogether. I am not sure Kopperprick would have fared any better under the circumstances Smith played in those first 5 years. For that matter....how would Brady have fared with under those circumstances?? Manning?? Those two have been lucky to be blessed with organizational stability for almost their entire careers.

 

[-X-]

Pretty much all of that ^^. Sure a QB can empower, or "elevate" the players around him. He does that by leading the team, making good decisions, and delivering the ball accurately to the right receiver more often than not. Pretty simple theory eh? Easier said than done of course, since we hear of so few of these "elite" QBs around the league.

As Doc says, surround a QB with a talented roster, coach and front office and more often than not, you get results. Look no further than the difference between 2005-2010 Alex Smith and what we saw over the past 2 years. More talent around him and better coaching = different player altogether. I am not sure Kopperprick would have fared any better under the circumstances Smith played in those first 5 years. For that matter....how would Brady have fared with under those circumstances?? Manning?? Those two have been lucky to be blessed with organizational stability for almost their entire careers.

True. Look what happened to Rivers last year too. O-line banged up, receivers banged up & lost VJax.

His numbers, for as good as he's been the previous few years, were pedestrian.
It's so obvious, and so universal, that it actually gets aggravating that people can't see it.

 

[Faceplant]

Pretty much all of that ^^. Sure a QB can empower, or "elevate" the players around him. He does that by leading the team, making good decisions, and delivering the ball accurately to the right receiver more often than not. Pretty simple theory eh? Easier said than done of course, since we hear of so few of these "elite" QBs around the league.

As Doc says, surround a QB with a talented roster, coach and front office and more often than not, you get results. Look no further than the difference between 2005-2010 Alex Smith and what we saw over the past 2 years. More talent around him and better coaching = different player altogether. I am not sure Kopperprick would have fared any better under the circumstances Smith played in those first 5 years. For that matter....how would Brady have fared with under those circumstances?? Manning?? Those two have been lucky to be blessed with organizational stability for almost their entire careers.

True. Look what happened to Rivers last year too. O-line banged up, receivers banged up & lost VJax.

His numbers, for as good as he's been the previous few years, were pedestrian.
It's so obvious, and so universal, that it actually gets aggravating that people can't see it.

I see your Rivers and raise you a Roethlisberger. Even that giant gun slinger looked like a McNown out there with that horrible OL.