Anyone think Deion was overrated

[Vtwin]

Absolutely not overrated.

He could bait the QB into throwing to his side by playing so far off then closing in for the pic.

Deion owned his side of the field.

 

[THUMPER]

I watch the replay of the 91 Falcon game and he's out there giving up catches. When NFLN replayed the Falcon-49er game from that era John Taylor beat him for a 30 yard td. Didn't Irvin catch 14 balls against SF in the playoff game we lost? Im beginning to think that Deion was a good cover corner but not as good as people make him out top be. Remember, when Deion played from the early to late 90's, media wasn't out for blood like they are now. I know he had his issues with Tim Mccarver but today there are some blood sucking reporters out there and every time he would give up a pass they would light him up for it today. I would compare the treatment Chad Johnson gets.

Anyways, no biases what do you think? If you go and watch some old games the NFLN shows he wasn't as dominate as they made him out to be. I know he had his moments but Im thinking he wasn't as good as he was made to be. Again,Imnot saying I don't think he was an outstanding player but I think he's just a bit overrated.

I have always claimed that Deion was overrated. Not that he wasn't a great cover CB or return man but that the myths about him, that he shut down half the field or was the greatest cover CB of all time, were simply not true.

I remember when we played against the Jags one year and Brunell was routinely completing long passes to Jimmie Smith and Keenan McCardell against Deion. Randy Moss ate Deion alive on the few occasions when Deion didn't suddenly develop an injury when we were playing the Vikings. Aikman & Irvin didn't have any trouble completing passes against him. Essentially, he was good against lesser QBs and WRs but could be beaten when facing the top tier guys at those positions.

I watched the best DBs to ever play the game from the early 60s through to today and Deion isn't among the top-5 and would have a tough time breaking into the top-10 IMO. Guys like Mike Haynes, Herb Adderley, Lem Barney, Mel Renfro, Dick Lane, Darrell Green, Lester Hayes, and a couple of others were better all-around CBs and at least as good or better at coverage.

His unwillingness to tackle was a huge deficit IMO. Playing CB is more than just being able to break on the ball, you have to be willing and able to tackle well.

Deion might have had the best closing speed of any player in NFL history but that was pretty much what he relied on.

 

[Doomsday101]

He was great, but you're right about one thing: People remember that he never gave up a catch ever, and that isn't reality.

It's kind of like how when this team wins by 10 and people act like it was a disaster, comparing it to those great 90s teams. People remember it as if they blew every team out by 30 and never had to sweat anything.

I agree. There has never been a perfect player at any position but when it comes to all the top cover corners to play the game none in my view were better than Deion. By the time he left Alt QB's were not testing him very often.

Add to that Deion become a major threat when he had the ball in his hands.

There was a comment by another poster saying he was a sissy? I don’t know many sissy who return punts in the NFL, Deion was not a physical CB but he was no sissy

 

[Yeagermeister]

The only thing that was overrated about him was his tackling or lack of tackling. Jimmy Johnson calls it huggy bear. He'd grab the wr and wait for help or push them out of bounds.

 

[thechosen1n2]

I watch the replay of the 91 Falcon game and he's out there giving up catches. When NFLN replayed the Falcon-49er game from that era John Taylor beat him for a 30 yard td. Didn't Irvin catch 14 balls against SF in the playoff game we lost? Im beginning to think that Deion was a good cover corner but not as good as people make him out top be. Remember, when Deion played from the early to late 90's, media wasn't out for blood like they are now. I know he had his issues with Tim Mccarver but today there are some blood sucking reporters out there and every time he would give up a pass they would light him up for it today. I would compare the treatment Chad Johnson gets.

Anyways, no biases what do you think? If you go and watch some old games the NFLN shows he wasn't as dominate as they made him out to be. I know he had his moments but Im thinking he wasn't as good as he was made to be. Again,Imnot saying I don't think he was an outstanding player but I think he's just a bit overrated.

Not in the least. He gets on my nerves sometimes, and I absolutely hate his clothing, but dude could play CB plain and simple.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Deion might have had the best closing speed of any player in NFL history but that was pretty much what he relied on.

We all saw first hand what happened when he lost that half step of speed. He became very average very fast.

 

[Future]

I remember many games where they'd have the stat for Deion and how many times he was "thrown at" and it'd be 3rd or 4th quarter and Madden/Summerall are commenting how there's been 2 balls thrown his way, one was batted down and the other picked off.

He was unreal.

:laugh2:

The guy took up an entire half of the field and was the best to ever play his position. There's a reason he got away with all of his showboating.

 

[viman96]

Deion at his peak was the best CB. He literally put fear in opposing QBs and OCs. They would not throw his way. Deion used to leave WRs wide open to bait the QB to throw his way. Rarely did they take the chance for the fear of Deion getting a INT and then high stepping on his way for a TD. Deion was far from overrated.

 

[DCBoysfan]

Every corner gives up a catch sometimes, but he was as good as advertised to me, when we would play the skins, I would make bets with my uncles on the number of catches completed on him, I won alot of money.

 

[AdamJT13]

In 1995, STATS LLC began tracking the times cornerbacks were targeted and the yards and catches they allowed. According to those stats, Deion was far and away the best shutdown cornerback in the 1990s. Nobody else was even close. And the only guy who has put up similar numbers since then has been Nnamdi Asomugha.

Here's what Deion allowed from 1995 to 1998, according to STATS --

1995 -- 16-for-47, 158 yards, 0 TD (9 games)
1996 -- 22-for-46, 225 yards, 0 TD (16 games)
1997 -- 12-for-39, 159 yards, 0 TD (13 games)
1998 -- 20-for-42, 198 yards, 0 TD (11 games)


Compare those to these stats for Champ Bailey, whom some people also consider to be a "shutdown" cornerback --

1999 -- 54-for-113, 830 yards, 4 TD (16 games)
2000 -- 42-for-81, 488 yards, 0 TD (16 games)
2001 -- 40-for-91, 613 yards, 5 TD (16 games)
2002 -- 52-for-98, 567 yards, 2 TD (16 games)
2003 -- 50-for-88, 684 yards, 3 TD (16 games)
2004 -- 49-for-83, 768 yards, 6 TD (16 games)
2005 -- 49-for-97, 680 yards, 5 TD (14 games)
2006 -- 50-for-95, 610 yards, 2 TD (16 games)


You also can compare Deion's numbers to those of the other All-Pro cornerbacks from 1995 to 1998 --

1995
Deion Sanders -- 16-for-47, 158 yards, 0 TD (9 games)
Eric Davis -- 57-for-105, 705 yards, 6 TDs
Aeneas Williams -- 45-for-93, 774 yards, 5 TDs

1996
Deion Sanders -- 22-for-46, 225 yards, 0 TD (16 games)
Ashley Ambrose -- 53-for-105, 715 yards, 3 TD

1997
Deion Sanders -- 12-for-39, 159 yards, 0 TD (13 games)
Aeneas Williams -- 41-for-92, 534 yards, 2 TDs

1998
Deion Sanders -- 20-for-42, 198 yards, 0 TD (11 games)
Ty Law -- 55-for-119, 598 yards, 2 TDs


No, Deion was not overrated. Not one single bit.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Mike Haynes and Deion Sanders were the best two pure cover corners the NFL has ever seen....

 

[jterrell]

Deion was overrated in some ways but not in pure CB play.

He gave up fewer catches, TDs and yards per play than any CB and he did so playing man against the other team's top WR. Almost all other teams doubled the best WR and left the top Cb to man on the 2nd WR.

Deion did get bored at times and give up receptions because he wasn't mentally in the game and he did at times give up intentional receptions in an effort to get QBs to throw to his side.

NO CB in football has ever been as feared as Deion as a cover guy. He would not just pick you off but he'd pick you and score, high stepping the last 20 yards while the friggin PA started playing MC Hammer.

Deion had some down times when he hurt his toe and he didn't bother tackling but he covered better than anyone of his era and attacked the ball as well as anyone in NFL history.

 

[Concord]

He was probably the best cover corner in NFL history.

Now if you want to ***** about his tackling...fine...but his cover ability is beyond question.

"Water covers two thirds of the earth...I cover the rest."

...Deion Sanders

 

[Apollo Creed]

In 1995, STATS LLC began tracking the times cornerbacks were targeted and the yards and catches they allowed. According to those stats, Deion was far and away the best shutdown cornerback in the 1990s. Nobody else was even close. And the only guy who has put up similar numbers since then has been Nnamdi Asomugha.

Here's what Deion allowed from 1995 to 1998, according to STATS --

1995 -- 16-for-47, 158 yards, 0 TD (9 games)
1996 -- 22-for-46, 225 yards, 0 TD (16 games)
1997 -- 12-for-39, 159 yards, 0 TD (13 games)
1998 -- 20-for-42, 198 yards, 0 TD (11 games)


Compare those to these stats for Champ Bailey, whom some people also consider to be a "shutdown" cornerback --

1999 -- 54-for-113, 830 yards, 4 TD (16 games)
2000 -- 42-for-81, 488 yards, 0 TD (16 games)
2001 -- 40-for-91, 613 yards, 5 TD (16 games)
2002 -- 52-for-98, 567 yards, 2 TD (16 games)
2003 -- 50-for-88, 684 yards, 3 TD (16 games)
2004 -- 49-for-83, 768 yards, 6 TD (16 games)
2005 -- 49-for-97, 680 yards, 5 TD (14 games)
2006 -- 50-for-95, 610 yards, 2 TD (16 games)


You also can compare Deion's numbers to those of the other All-Pro cornerbacks from 1995 to 1998 --

1995
Deion Sanders -- 16-for-47, 158 yards, 0 TD (9 games)
Eric Davis -- 57-for-105, 705 yards, 6 TDs
Aeneas Williams -- 45-for-93, 774 yards, 5 TDs

1996
Deion Sanders -- 22-for-46, 225 yards, 0 TD (16 games)
Ashley Ambrose -- 53-for-105, 715 yards, 3 TD

1997
Deion Sanders -- 12-for-39, 159 yards, 0 TD (13 games)
Aeneas Williams -- 41-for-92, 534 yards, 2 TDs

1998
Deion Sanders -- 20-for-42, 198 yards, 0 TD (11 games)
Ty Law -- 55-for-119, 598 yards, 2 TDs


No, Deion was not overrated. Not one single bit.

Damn. Talk about perspective.

 

[Jay]

Damn. Talk about perspective.

Really.. he gave up 12 catches in 13 games in '97. That's absurd. A four year period where he didn't even get 50 attempts thrown his way, you're looking at 174 attempts in 49 games, about 3.55 per game. He had 11 interceptions in that 4 year span, which doesn't seem like a lot but when you consider how little he was thrown at, it's impressive.

 

[joseephuss]

I have always claimed that Deion was overrated. Not that he wasn't a great cover CB or return man but that the myths about him, that he shut down half the field or was the greatest cover CB of all time, were simply not true.

I remember when we played against the Jags one year and Brunell was routinely completing long passes to Jimmie Smith and Keenan McCardell against Deion. Randy Moss ate Deion alive on the few occasions when Deion didn't suddenly develop an injury when we were playing the Vikings. Aikman & Irvin didn't have any trouble completing passes against him. Essentially, he was good against lesser QBs and WRs but could be beaten when facing the top tier guys at those positions.

I watched the best DBs to ever play the game from the early 60s through to today and Deion isn't among the top-5 and would have a tough time breaking into the top-10 IMO. Guys like Mike Haynes, Herb Adderley, Lem Barney, Mel Renfro, Dick Lane, Darrell Green, Lester Hayes, and a couple of others were better all-around CBs and at least as good or better at coverage.

His unwillingness to tackle was a huge deficit IMO. Playing CB is more than just being able to break on the ball, you have to be willing and able to tackle well.

Deion might have had the best closing speed of any player in NFL history but that was pretty much what he relied on.

Then you remember some things incorrectly.

In that 1997 game against the Jags, Brunell was not routinely beating Deion deep. Brunell went 21 of 31 for 242 yards with 3 TDs and 1 INT. I remember a long pass completion to McCardell who made a circus catch. That happens. McCardell got most of his 120 yards on that one play. Jimmy Smith finished with 2 receptions for 13 yards. Yes, he got beat, but it was hardly routine on that day.

I don't remember Deion going up against Randy Moss that much while playing for Dallas. They usually locked Deion up with Cris Carter and Carter would do very little against Deion.

Deion spent most of the 1994 championship game in single coverage against Alvin Harper who was a non-factor that game.

Every corner gets beat. That goes with playing the position. It is especially true when you go up against a great receiver such as Irvin and have one of the most accurate passers in league history like Aikman throwing the ball. Those guys are going to win some battles, too.

You can apply the overrated tag to just about everyone depending on how you define overrated. Deion was darn good. I doubt many of his coaches or teammates worried about what he brought to the field on game day. I think Deion is easily a top 5 CB in NFL history. I hated his attitude and persona, but the guy could cover.

 

[hornitosmonster]

In 1995, STATS LLC began tracking the times cornerbacks were targeted and the yards and catches they allowed. According to those stats, Deion was far and away the best shutdown cornerback in the 1990s. Nobody else was even close. And the only guy who has put up similar numbers since then has been Nnamdi Asomugha.

Here's what Deion allowed from 1995 to 1998, according to STATS --

1995 -- 16-for-47, 158 yards, 0 TD (9 games)
1996 -- 22-for-46, 225 yards, 0 TD (16 games)
1997 -- 12-for-39, 159 yards, 0 TD (13 games)
1998 -- 20-for-42, 198 yards, 0 TD (11 games)


Compare those to these stats for Champ Bailey, whom some people also consider to be a "shutdown" cornerback --

1999 -- 54-for-113, 830 yards, 4 TD (16 games)
2000 -- 42-for-81, 488 yards, 0 TD (16 games)
2001 -- 40-for-91, 613 yards, 5 TD (16 games)
2002 -- 52-for-98, 567 yards, 2 TD (16 games)
2003 -- 50-for-88, 684 yards, 3 TD (16 games)
2004 -- 49-for-83, 768 yards, 6 TD (16 games)
2005 -- 49-for-97, 680 yards, 5 TD (14 games)
2006 -- 50-for-95, 610 yards, 2 TD (16 games)


You also can compare Deion's numbers to those of the other All-Pro cornerbacks from 1995 to 1998 --

1995
Deion Sanders -- 16-for-47, 158 yards, 0 TD (9 games)
Eric Davis -- 57-for-105, 705 yards, 6 TDs
Aeneas Williams -- 45-for-93, 774 yards, 5 TDs

1996
Deion Sanders -- 22-for-46, 225 yards, 0 TD (16 games)
Ashley Ambrose -- 53-for-105, 715 yards, 3 TD

1997
Deion Sanders -- 12-for-39, 159 yards, 0 TD (13 games)
Aeneas Williams -- 41-for-92, 534 yards, 2 TDs

1998
Deion Sanders -- 20-for-42, 198 yards, 0 TD (11 games)
Ty Law -- 55-for-119, 598 yards, 2 TDs


No, Deion was not overrated. Not one single bit.

And there it is...anyone who sees this and still says Sanders is overrated is insane.

 

[theebs]

I watch the replay of the 91 Falcon game and he's out there giving up catches. When NFLN replayed the Falcon-49er game from that era John Taylor beat him for a 30 yard td. Didn't Irvin catch 14 balls against SF in the playoff game we lost? Im beginning to think that Deion was a good cover corner but not as good as people make him out top be. Remember, when Deion played from the early to late 90's, media wasn't out for blood like they are now. I know he had his issues with Tim Mccarver but today there are some blood sucking reporters out there and every time he would give up a pass they would light him up for it today. I would compare the treatment Chad Johnson gets.

Anyways, no biases what do you think? If you go and watch some old games the NFLN shows he wasn't as dominate as they made him out to be. I know he had his moments but Im thinking he wasn't as good as he was made to be. Again,Imnot saying I don't think he was an outstanding player but I think he's just a bit overrated.

If you think we abused him in the 91 game. go watch the 92 game. I am going to put it up on tyt soon, and star gazer also has a copy of it up on his site.

We flat out intentionally went after him all night. IN the passing game and in the running game. We abused him about as much as anyone could get abused.

 

[jterrell]

If you think we abused him in the 91 game. go watch the 92 game. I am going to put it up on tyt soon, and star gazer also has a copy of it up on his site.

We flat out intentionally went after him all night. IN the passing game and in the running game. We abused him about as much as anyone could get abused.

Not sure how that can be. The 1992 Cowboys are a top 10 team of all-time unquestionably but in that game against the Falcs where we trounced them we scored 3 passing TDs and had only 239 yards passing. The passing TDs went to Kelvin Martin, Alvin Harper and Jay Novacek. At worst Deion gave up the one TD reception.

Irvin had 6 for 89 yards and Harper 3 for 53.

I don't see how anyone could argue we attacked anyone.

Dallas was good enough not to have to shy away from anyone but the stats are the stats and our guys had no more than average days. Wade Wilson on the other side passed for 100 more yards than Aikman. Emmitt had 174 yards rushing and 2 TDs.

 

[THUMPER]

And there it is...anyone who sees this and still says Sanders is overrated is insane.

I guess I must be insane then.

Was Deion a great player? Yes, he was.
Was he the greatest CB of all time? No, he wasn't.

Of course that's just MY opinion, your mileage may vary.