NFL All-Decade Defense

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 23, 2009 12:54 PM EDT Comment 33 comments

ESPN is doing a cool story this week where they are picking the Defense, Offense, Special Teams, Moments, Team, Coach and so on. Today, Monday, they put together the all time defense of this decade. The group was comprised of these players, with 2 Ravens making the list.

DE: Michael Strahan, N.Y. Giants,
DT: Warren Sapp, Tampa Bay/Oakland
DT: Kris Jenkins, Carolina/N.Y. Jets
DE: Jason Taylor, Miami/Washington
LB: Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay
LB: Ray Lewis, Baltimore
LB: Brian Urlacher, Chicago
CB: Champ Bailey, Washington/Denver
CB: Troy Vincent: Phil./Mia./Buff./Wash.
S: Ed Reed, Baltimore
S: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh

It should be no surprise that this is the right team. As many incredible players that have come through this league and dominated for so many seasons, this group of 11 stands above all.

Jason Taylor, when asked about the LB group, stated ""It's a great group to be associated with," Taylor told ESPN.com's Tim Graham. "Derrick Brooks, Mr. Consistency and Class. Ray Lewis, everybody fears. And Urlacher came in and took the game to another level at that position."

Ozzie Newsome also chimed in, saying "Ray deserves this honor, without a doubt. There is no question that he plays at a Hall of Fame level year in and year out. He's as smart and as instinctive a defensive player as I've ever seen. He plays hard every play -- every single play."

Newsome added that when the Ravens were coming into the league in 1996, he asked then head coach, Ted Marchibroda what type of football player he was truly looking for.

Ted commented, "Give me a player with a 'football temperament,' meaning a player who loves every part of the game -- the preparation, the practices, the long offseason workouts, the physicality, the games." Ozzie totally agreed by saying "Ray embodies that definition. There is no player who enjoys preparing, competing and playing as much as Ray. There is only one Ray Lewis, and the Ravens have the good fortune of having him for his entire career."

Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed should be of no surprise to anyone. Those two have taken the safety position to another level with their on field performances. Reed beat out 2 hall of fame players in Brian Dawkins and John Lynch, a pretty good list to be rated above. Many people will argue that maybe one of these guys should be switched with Dawkins, but over 7 seasons Reed has 43 interceptions while Dawkins snagged 34 in 13 seasons.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, ESPN will put out there Offense of the decade. Hopefully Jon Ogden will edge out Orlando Pace for the LT position.

The opinions posted here are those of the administrator of this blog and his loyal readers. They are in no way official comments from the team, and should not be misconstued as such, even though he thinks he could do just as well or even a better job!

0 recs | Comment 33 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Ogden should be in

As well as Pace. They should just pick the best two tackles, even if they are both left (which they are). Does anyone really think that Ogden or Pace wouldn’t have been the best RT if they would have played their careers there?

Walter Jones might be in the discussion.

Lorenzo Neal might also make it, even though he only spent one season here.

by DT711 on Jun 22, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The only questions to me are

Kris Jenkins at DT and Troy Vincent at CB (didn’t Vincent also play in NE?). However, not too sure eho I’d put intheir respective places. Hmmm…. a little help here guys?

And no MaLoR, don’t write “Shaun Rogers!”

PS – Can you re-post in the am with Tuesday’s date and time? Also, would you mind doing one on the offense for Wednesday? Thanks for your help.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 22, 2009 4:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Casey Hampton?

I’m really at a lost for who the other DT could be.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 22, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Glover

over Jenkins. Sando faults Sanders for missing games (not that he deserved to be there), yet he gives Jenkins the spot over Glover.. Glover had better numbers and never missed a game..

Maybe he just forgot, …after all he forgot Peyton Manning was a number 1 pick….

http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2007/12/find-typo-espns-mike-sando-has.html

by adh on Jun 22, 2009 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hampton?

How dare you!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 23, 2009 8:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jenkins works for me

Has been an elite DT for many years. He was the most dominant DT in the NFL during the season(s) when he wasn’t struggling with inuries, alcoholism and depression.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_23_230/ai_n26895011/

He was great and is still really good, but has been passed by guys like Haynesworth and Ngata. Overall, for the decade, he works for me.

If not, LaRoi Glover has to be the guy.

Jenkins was a Terp, ya know?

by DT711 on Jun 22, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

It’s tough not to go with the local guy, but I think Glover should get the nod here..

by adh on Jun 22, 2009 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

MaLoR

I re-posted. As king of all things Beatdown, I can just wave my sceptor and make it happen!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 23, 2009 8:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just realized that I have the power to promote my own fan posts.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 23, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

absolute power corrupts absolutely

by jackmca on Jun 23, 2009 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know about DT

What about Ted Washington? Could Sam Adams get in there? Adams was with us and also played on a couple of other teams with pretty decent success. Ted Washington clogged the middle on the Bears for awhile. Richard Seymour is still relatively young, but underrated in New England’s no-name defense. Haynesworth actually made a name, although not too good, in Dallas, after he stepped on that guy’s head (wasn’t it against the Titans at the time?).

Still wondering who could make it at CB rather than Vincent? Charles Woodson? Rod was a HOF-er, but played CB in the ’90’s and played safety for us during SB season.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 23, 2009 8:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It has to be Jenkins, Sapp or Glover to fill out the three spots at DT

Haynesworth actually made a name, although not too good, in Dallas, after he stepped on that guy’s head (wasn’t it against the Titans at the time?).

Uh, he was on the Titans and Gurode was on the Cowboys. Haynesworth never played for Dallas, the Redskins are only his second team.

I’ll take Vincent at CB with C-Mac as a runner up.

by DT711 on Jun 23, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah i'm not saying this as a homer

but C-Mac had some excellent years as a true shut-down guy. I guess the knock on him is the last few years where he showed signs of shut-down-ness, but also showed flashes of burnability (see: marvin Harrison).

Bailey is the clear no-brainer but I feel like whoever else is on there needs to be a distant second. I’d say either Vincent, McAllister, or Woodson. Tough call…

Jenkins and Sapp certainly deserve it. I have no issues at LB— Seau didn’t enjoy the same success in the 21st century that he did in the 90’s…

by jackmca on Jun 23, 2009 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I always thought Urlacher was overrated

What about guys like Zach Thomas or Junior Seau? I would even put London Fletcher or Takeo Spikes ahead of Urlacher.

They say the empty can rattles the most...

by Massacre on Jun 23, 2009 10:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

I always thought Urlacher was overrated

I’d take Zach Thomas over him. Seau maybe, but he did his best work in the 90’s.

by DT711 on Jun 23, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am not sure

It is sort of unfair to say that Urlacher is overrated. You cannot take away the fact that the man is a monster on the field. He may not have done the things that Brooks and Ray did/do, but he dropped back into coverage more then any other MLB ive seen. Urlacher played a different style.

I do think Zach Thomas is a beast, but he fell off the last 3 years or so. When Jason Taylor left, you didn’t hear his name anymore. He goes to Dallas for a year and is cut. Urlacher is still a house hold name and playing at a relatively high level.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 23, 2009 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I will rephrase

Urlacher has been overrated the past few years. He was a beast early in his career but he has not maintained that level.

I do think Zach Thomas is a beast, but he fell off the last 3 years or so. When Jason Taylor left, you didn’t hear his name anymore.

They both left last year, Taylor to the Skins and Thomas to the Cowboys. They always were together on the Dolphins until this year.

Urlacher was drafted in 2000, Thomas in 1996, which explains why Urlacher is still playing at a higher level then Thomas.

I think Thomas had a better overall career but Urlacher had more of his prime in the 2000’s. Toss up.

by DT711 on Jun 23, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Only time I ever really watched Urlacher

was during the Bears’ recent superbowl run. So I may not have enough of a basis to make a comparison, but it seemed to me during those games that Urlacher wasn’t even the best linebacker on his own TEAM. I don’t remember the other guy’s name, but I think he was an outside linebacker who was a demon pass rusher that also made plays all over the field. An “All Decade” linebacker should not be overshadowed by one of his own guys, he should be THE guy. Especially during a superbowl run, especially when you are supposed to still be in your prime.

Thomas on the other hand was THE guy for the Dolphins’ defence from the mid-nineties through the early to mid 2000’s. I remember in 2001 or 2002 when the Ravens played the Dolphins a couple times, including a playoff game, it seemed like Thomas made every single tackle. He was to their defence what Ray has been for the Ravens’ D.

They say the empty can rattles the most...

by Massacre on Jun 24, 2009 8:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1 on the Uhrlacher comment

but never a big Zach Thomas fan. What about Teddy Bruschi in NE, although their LB’s were pretty even? Also, Former Bronco Al Wilson was a big hitter, as was former Redskin and Giant Antonio Pierce. I also like Fletcher, but he never made the Pro Bowl until last season!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 24, 2009 9:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

See

Bruschi and Wilson did not really become house hold names till late in their careers. Thomas and Uralcher have been stars since they came in the league.

I agree that it is between Urlacher and Thomas. But the only problem I have with the whole team is that it should have been in 3-4 style defense instead of 4-3. So many teams have won the superbowl since 2000 with the 3-4 (Patriots and Steelers). And if this is the team of the decade, it should definitely be 3-4.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 24, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

to call him overrated you would have to understand that they are still stuck in the last century playing Tampa 2, a system which basically cripples its middle linebacker and sets its weakside backer up to thrive. T2 middle linebackers often they drop deep into coverage which makes it a wonder he ever eclipsed a hundred tackles at all. and i used to think he was overrated as well until i saw a video of him running down steve smith from behind. im NOT DEFENDING HIM THO im giving the reason why people often believe he is overrated IMO the LB list should go Derrick brooks, ray lewis, Adalius Thomas

by Shutemdown on Jun 25, 2009 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Adalius was great

but only as a Raven. He actually was benched a while in NE. Another LB lost out of Ray’s shadow!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 27, 2009 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you know who should be on there?

Beastronics Ngata, the Baby Eater.

by jackmca on Jun 23, 2009 11:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nnamdi Asomugha

He didn’t make the list? Quite possibly one of the best shut-down corners in the league.

This is Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu getting knocked around by the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii yesterday...
Minutes later, Troy caught the ocean going over the middle and smacked it right in the mouth. The ocean fumbled, Troy recovered and ran it into the endzone. The ocean never messed with Troy again.

by paulamalu on Jun 23, 2009 5:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Probably didn't play long enough this decade,...

…although I’d take him over Troy Vincent, even at his best.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 24, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah i want to say his rookie year was '06...

…so not enough time to make all-decade. But he’s a beast. His man was only targeted 32 times in 2008—easily the lowest of any Corner.

by jackmca on Jun 24, 2009 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

That is a pretty incredible stat. So his man only got looked at, on average, 2 times per game. That is amazing considering some of the WR he has to go against.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 24, 2009 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs