How many of you young'uns remember how Great Woody was?

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think it is worth mentioning that Woody was a LB at Az St. He had to learn to be a Safety in the NFL. 5 time Pro Bowler, 4 time All Pro.

He is the all time leading tackler in the history of the organization. In 1993, he had 155 tackles. In 1994, he turned around and became a cover safety, making 5 INTs. Now think about that for a second.

Tim McDonald, Steve Atwater, Dennis Smith, LeRoy Butler, Carnell Lake, Eric Turner, Brian Dawkins, John Lynch, Rod Woodson, and of course, Ronnie Lott were all contemporaries of Woody. There were some truely great safeties playing in the league at this particular time in the NFL. There are several with multiple Pro Bowls and All Pro selections under there belts that I never even listed.

Woody was a great, great player IMO. He was not a HOF player but just a cut below probably. IMO, RLW is not that kind of player and unless he improves a great deal, I don't know if he ever will become that kind of player.

You can say that he is judged more harshly then was Woody and there is probably something to that but at the end of the day, Roy is not Woody IMO.

Woody was a great player for us.

 

[davey999]

One of my fav's of all time. Just an absolute beast and seemed like a real stand up guy.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

Woodson did not need an apologist. He was simply a great player.

 

[bbgun]

How is it that WG has not posted in this thread?

 

[jem88]

I loved Darren Woodson. One of my favourite all-time Cowboys. I don't think he'll make the HOF, but I think he deserves consideration. The guy was a warrior and I can still recall John Madden going on about how important he was.

Now, I really don't love Roy Williams, never have. But, I think people are oversimplifying it when they say that Woodson was the reason for Roy's early greatness. By the time Williams arrived, Woodson was definitely winding down and was hurt a fair amount. That's certainly no knock on Woodson, just the way it was. Williams played very well, both with and without Woodson. He deserves his proper due for that, just as he deserves criticism for his slide in recent years.

 

[sacase]

Well let's look at the stats and honors for the two players.

Roy Williams (6 years)
Tackles - 414
Assists - 92
Sacks - 6.5
Int - 19
FF - 9
FR - 8

Pro Bowl - 5
All Pro - 1

Darren Woodson (12 years)
Tackles - 803
Assists - 138
Sacks - 11
Int - 23
FF - 12
FR - 11

All Pro - 3
Pro Bowl -5

When you compare the stats of the two, they are pretty equal. Hell, Roy's Rookie year was better than the year he made All Pro. But hey, whatever, people like to bash Roy for whatever reason but when compared to other safties in the NFL he is pretty damn good.

 

[TNCowboy]

Well let's look at the stats and honors for the two players.

Roy Williams (6 years)
Tackles - 414
Assists - 92
Sacks - 6.5
Int - 19
FF - 9
FR - 8

Pro Bowl - 5
All Pro - 1

Darren Woodson (12 years)
Tackles - 803
Assists - 138
Sacks - 11
Int - 23
FF - 12
FR - 11

All Pro - 3
Pro Bowl -5

When you compare the stats of the two, they are pretty equal. Hell, Roy's Rookie year was better than the year he made All Pro. But hey, whatever, people like to bash Roy for whatever reason but when compared to other safties in the NFL he is pretty damn good.

Stats rarely tell the whole story, good or bad.

I think anyone can read the quotes from coaches, Roy being removed from games in certain situations for the first time last year, and Roy's own comments the other day and see that he's not the player he was early in his career.

 

[burmafrd]

Show me when we pulled Woody. Show me when they worried about him like we do Roy.

 

[sacase]

I love Woody, but he is hardly pefect....What about giving up the game winning TD to the Texans? What about getting school by Moss on the sideline for a long TD, What about when we played Dever and Shannon sharpe ate Woodson up for 2 TD and a ton of yards. That is just from the top of my head. Woodson gave up TD's just like Roy has. Woody was a great player and I love him for it, hell I wouldn't trade him for anyone, but if Woody was playing now you would be crying about how we need to cut him.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Well let's look at the stats and honors for the two players.

Roy Williams (6 years)
Tackles - 414
Assists - 92
Sacks - 6.5
Int - 19
FF - 9
FR - 8

Pro Bowl - 5
All Pro - 1

Darren Woodson (12 years)
Tackles - 803
Assists - 138
Sacks - 11
Int - 23
FF - 12
FR - 11

All Pro - 3
Pro Bowl -5

When you compare the stats of the two, they are pretty equal. Hell, Roy's Rookie year was better than the year he made All Pro. But hey, whatever, people like to bash Roy for whatever reason but when compared to other safties in the NFL he is pretty damn good.

Here are Woody's actual Pro Bowl - All Pro Cridentials.

1994 - Pro Football Weekly: 1st team all-conf.
1994 - UPI: 1st team all-conf.
1994 - Associated Press: 1st team all-NFL
1994 - Pro Football Writers: 1st team all-NFL
1994 - Sporting News: 1st team all-NFL
1995 - Pro Football Weekly: 1st team all-conf.
1995 - UPI: 1st team all-conf.
1995 - Associated Press: 1st team all-NFL
1995 - Pro Football Writers: 1st team all-NFL
1995 - Sporting News: 1st team all-NFL
1996 - Pro Football Weekly: 1st team all-conf.
1996 - UPI: 1st team all-conf.
1996 - Associated Press: 1st team all-NFL
1996 - Pro Football Writers: 1st team all-NFL
1996 - Sporting News: 1st team all-NFL
1998 - Sporting News: 1st team all-NFL

 

[FLASH]

Woody and Williams were a perfect compliment to each other, Woody held down the coverage and big Roy would come in for the knock out blow

 

[dbair1967]

It's interesting how people remember what they want about one and underscore the same things for another player they dont like as much.

Woody was one of my favorite Cowboys of alltime, and from 92-99 or so there was no safety in football that was better. But his last couple of seasons were far from great, and he was just as much of a liability in coverage and space as Williams is now.

It's also interesting that Williams has more passes defensed in his 6yrs than ANY 6yr period of Darren Woodson's career, and he has only 4 fewer ints in 6 less seasons...Woodson had 2yrs in his career with 5 ints, Williams has also had 2 such years

Woodson was an amazing talent his first 6-8yrs in the league...no safety could cover like he could AND also be a force in the box. But people are really practicing revisionist history if they think the guy never got beat or was not exposed later in his career, because he definitely was.

David

 

[bbgun]

But people are really practicing revisionist history if they think the guy never got beat or was not exposed later in his career, because he definitely was.David

He had a particularly bad game in Denver (the one where Troy broke his collarbone), but that doesn't detract from a fine career. If you remove the "HOF" talk, this becomes a non-controversial thread.

 

[wood28]

It's interesting how people remember what they want about one and underscore the same things for another player they dont like as much.

Woody was one of my favorite Cowboys of alltime, and from 92-99 or so there was no safety in football that was better. But his last couple of seasons were far from great, and he was just as much of a liability in coverage and space as Williams is now.

It's also interesting that Williams has more passes defensed in his 6yrs than ANY 6yr period of Darren Woodson's career, and he has only 4 fewer ints in 6 less seasons...Woodson had 2yrs in his career with 5 ints, Williams has also had 2 such years

Woodson was an amazing talent his first 6-8yrs in the league...no safety could cover like he could AND also be a force in the box. But people are really practicing revisionist history if they think the guy never got beat or was not exposed later in his career, because he definitely was.

David

I write this one more time ..you cant be all pro all seasons you play.. I know woodson was a average safety his last seasons but the LAST not his
4 or 5 like Roy. by the way Woodson knows how tackle, Roy dont.

 

[Ender]

he was my favorite player growing up, actually.

 

[dbair1967]

He had a particularly bad game in Denver (the one where Troy broke his collarbone), but that doesn't detract from a fine career. If you remove the "HOF" talk, this becomes a non-controversial thread.

I firmly believe he does belong in the HOF as fyi

David

 

[dbair1967]

I write this one more time ..you cant be all pro all seasons you play.. I know woodson was a average safety his last seasons but the LAST not his
4 or 5 like Roy. by the way Woodson knows how tackle, Roy dont.

its just proposterus to suggest Roy has been bad for "4 or 5" years

David

 

[AdamJT13]

its just proposterus to suggest Roy has been bad for "4 or 5" years

Before long, some idiots will be calling him the worst safety we've ever had.

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

Woody was one of the best safetys I ever watched. Roy has is perks sometimes but he is not even in the same league as woody.

 

[jobberone]

Woodson was a great safety for us. But Charlie Waters was better not to mention Harris. Not a lot but I think they were better. But still one of my all-time favorite Cowboys.