NFLN Top 10 Pass Rushers

[YosemiteSam]

I don't know, but it better've been Harvey Martin...

And Kevin Greene? Ugh.

Kevin Greene should be on this list.

• He lead the league in sacks twice (tied with 3 others for the most times leading the league in sacks.
• He has 160 career sacks.
• He has 10 season with at least 10 sacks.
• and he had a streak of 9 straight games with a sack
  

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

3. LB Lawrence Taylor

Well, most people believe that Lawrence Taylor was probably the best OLB in the history of the game primarily because of his ability to pass rush (132.5 for his career) and I couldn't argue that point. However, do you realize that Ricky Jackson of the New Orleans Saints registered 128 himself? I'd say that if your going to say Taylor is number three, then Jackson has to be somewhere on that list.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Well, most people believe that Lawrence Taylor was probably the best OLB in the history of the game primarily because of his ability to pass rush (132.5 for his career) and I couldn't argue that point. However, do you realize that Ricky Jackson of the New Orleans Saints registered 128 himself? I'd say that if your going to say Taylor is number three, then Jackson has to be somewhere on that list.

Kevin Greene is marked at #6 yet he had 160 career sacks. Thats the most sacks by a linebacker in history.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Well, most people believe that Lawrence Taylor was probably the best OLB in the history of the game primarily because of his ability to pass rush (132.5 for his career) and I couldn't argue that point. However, do you realize that Ricky Jackson of the New Orleans Saints registered 128 himself? I'd say that if your going to say Taylor is number three, then Jackson has to be somewhere on that list.

And some of his best years came when Wade was his defensive coordinator.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Kevin Greene is marked at #6 yet he had 160 career sacks. Thats the most sacks by a linebacker in history.

He probably was a better pure pass rusher then LT.

 

[Stautner]

He probably was a better pure pass rusher then LT.

Green was pretty much exclusively a pass rusher whereas LT played more of a completele LB role.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Green was pretty much exclusively a pass rusher whereas LT played more of a completele LB role.

Of course. However, since this is a list of the best pass rushers of all time, I'd probably list Green ahead of LT in that capacity. Green really was a pretty dang good pass rusher.

 

[Stautner]

Of course. However, since this is a list of the best pass rushers of all time, I'd probably list Green ahead of LT in that capacity. Green really was a pretty dang good pass rusher.

The thing is, "best" pass rusher, and "most sacks" aren't necessarily the same thing.

In my mind LT was the "better" pass rusher, but Greene had "more sacks" because that was what his focus was every down - he had more opportunities.

 

[bigE79]

I don't know, but it better've been Harvey Martin...

And Kevin Greene? Ugh.

damn straight!!! and if someone can tell me,why is it when haverys sack totals are mentioned people always bring up that most of his sack totals were before the nfl made it an official stat therefore they do not count but shouldnt the same thing should be said about JONES,MARCHETTI and ATKINS...

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The thing is, "best" pass rusher, and "most sacks" aren't necessarily the same thing.

In my mind LT was the "better" pass rusher, but Greene had "more sacks" because that was what his focus was every down - he had more opportunities.

I can't agree here. LT was the designated pass rusher for NY his whole career. Leonard Marshall had a couple good years but by and large, it was LT who always drew the rush assignment. Add to the fact that he was an every down LB and he got even more opportunities then did Green. Green, for much of his career was a situational pass rusher. Yeah, he got lots of opportunities but I would not say he had more. However, when he did get them, he was exceptional at it. He had to be, he couldn't really do much more then that.

 

[YosemiteSam]

The thing is, "best" pass rusher, and "most sacks" aren't necessarily the same thing.

In my mind LT was the "better" pass rusher, but Greene had "more sacks" because that was what his focus was every down - he had more opportunities.

I disagree. Sacks are the a major measuring stick for how great a pass rusher is. The other is QB pressures. Linebackers are at a disadvantage for the most part, because they arn't every down rushers. As much as everyone wants to declare all Greene did was rush the QB, it's not true. He was a linebacker and as a linebacker he didn't only rush the QB. He was more like Ware will be this year. It was his primary duty. Just like it was LTs also.

Greene played alone side people like Greg Lloyd, Sam Mills, Chris Doleman, and Dana Stubblefield and several years he didn't play with other good pass rusher, yet he always got his sacks.

 

[Doctor32]

I missed #10, so if anyone caught it let me know and I'll add it.

10. ???
9. Doug Atkins
8. DE Mark Gastineau
7. DE Michael Strahan
6. LB Kevin Greene
5. Gino Marchetti - Colts
4. DE Bruce Smith
3. LB Lawrence Taylor
2. DE Reggie White
1. Deacon Jones

Strahan! All credibility lost. Solid player. Good against the run, but top 10 pass rusher of all time...
No Way Dude!

 

[Stautner]

I can't agree here. LT was the designated pass rusher for NY his whole career. Leonard Marshall had a couple good years but by and large, it was LT who always drew the rush assignment. Add to the fact that he was an every down LB and he got even more opportunities then did Green. Green, for much of his career was a situational pass rusher. Yeah, he got lots of opportunities but I would not say he had more. However, when he did get them, he was exceptional at it. He had to be, he couldn't really do much more then that.

I'm not saying that Greene was not an outstanding pass rusher - not bey any means am I saying that.

But to say LT was THE pass rusher in NY is false - he was the best easily, not doubt, but there were several players that could bring pressure AND LT played a lot like Ware did last year - dropping into coverage at times, playing run at times, which was not really what Greene's role was.

I disagree. Sacks are the a major measuring stick for how great a pass rusher is. The other is QB pressures. Linebackers are at a disadvantage for the most part, because they arn't every down rushers. As much as everyone wants to declare all Greene did was rush the QB, it's not true. He was a linebacker and as a linebacker he didn't only rush the QB. He was more like Ware will be this year. It was his primary duty. Just like it was LTs also.

Greene played alone side people like Greg Lloyd, Sam Mills, Chris Doleman, and Dana Stubblefield and several years he didn't play with other good pass rusher, yet he always got his sacks.

Sure sacks are a major measuring stick, just like yardage is a major measuring stick for QB's - but do you really think Vinnie Testeverde was a better QB than Troy Aikman?

 

[YosemiteSam]

I'm not saying that Greene was not an outstanding pass rusher - not bey any means am I saying that.

But to say LT was THE pass rusher in NY is false - he was the best easily, not doubt, but there were several players that could bring pressure AND LT played a lot like Ware did last year - dropping into coverage at times, playing run at times, which was not really what Greene's role was.



Sure sacks are a major measuring stick, just like yardage is a major measuring stick for QB's - but do you really think Vinnie Testeverde was a better QB than Troy Aikman?

See while I believe yardage is a QB measuring stick, I don't think it's a major one. This is why there is a QB rating that measures everything. A single stat for a QB just isn't enough to tell the complete story.

 

[coach316]

The show really didn't focus on quantity of sacks but more on who opposing linemen and quarterbacks feared most, quick first steps, and punishment dished out when sacking the quarterback.

Strahan might not be the sexy choice to make the top 10 but it's still a solid choice. The highlights showed him making a fool of Jon Runyan time and time again. It was like Runyan was a high school tackle going up against him. On top of it Strahan has always played the strong side, not the traditional pass rushing weak side all the while being one of the best against the run.

 

[YosemiteSam]

The show really didn't focus on quantity of sacks but more on who opposing linemen and quarterbacks feared most, quick first steps, and punishment dished out when sacking the quarterback.

Strahan might not be the sexy choice to make the top 10 but it's still a solid choice. The highlights showed him making a fool of Jon Runyan time and time again. It was like Runyan was a high school tackle going up against him. On top of it Strahan has always played the strong side, not the traditional pass rushing weak side all the while being one of the best against the run.

Strahan was quick, strong, had several moves, and his motor was a 5 litre 302 Boss that all police Mustang's had equipt back in the day. He didn't suffer durability issues. Strahan is one of the most solid DE in history. You could never go wrong picking him.

 

[Jarv]

Both LT and Greene did play pass defense, I can't be sure of the exact amounts of pass def vs. rush. Greene had like 5 INT's and LT had 9 INT's in their respective careers.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I'm not saying that Greene was not an outstanding pass rusher - not bey any means am I saying that.

But to say LT was THE pass rusher in NY is false - he was the best easily, not doubt, but there were several players that could bring pressure AND LT played a lot like Ware did last year - dropping into coverage at times, playing run at times, which was not really what Greene's role was.

It's interesting you should say this. I don't agree with NYC in the view that LBs are not everydown pass rushers, per say. DLs are not everydown pass rushers either so I would not say that being a LB is a disadvantage any more then being a DL is. If you are a LB in a 43, then I think that's much more true but in a 34, I don't believe that to be the case. In a 34, the LBs are the pass rushers, for the most part. In the case of Green, he really wasn't a very good all around LB. In fact, he was situational because if they were not sending him on the pass rush, they were isolating him in the passing game and taking advantage of him. Here nor there though. Getting back to your point of LT and the Giants, I compared the Giants LBs to the Saints LBs and I found something very interesting. The Giants LBs were really pretty terrible at rushing the passer. So were there DLs with the exception of Marshall. Martin was just OK, the rest were really not very effective.

Have a look at the career numbers for LBs and DLs that played with LT.

Leonard Marshall 83.5 12 seasons.
George Martin 46.0 in 7 seasons recorded.
Eric Dorsey 7 in 7 seasons.
Jim Burt 20 in 11 seasons.
Erik Howard 33 in 11 seasons.
Andy Headon 19.5 in 6 seasons.
Harry Carson 8 in 7 seasons recorded.
Pepper Johnson 25.5 in 13 seasons.
Gary Reasons 3.5 in 9 seasons.
Carl Banks 39.5 in 12 seasons.


For the most part, these are the guys that LT played with, in his career as a Giant. As you can see, there were not really any big pass rushers, with the possible exception of Marshall, who I would classify as pretty good but not great. I was astonished to see this when I researched it. I just always viewed the Giants as a dominating pass rushing team. Outside of LT, who was exceptional, they really weren't.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Both LT and Greene did play pass defense, I can't be sure of the exact amounts of pass def vs. rush. Greene had like 5 INT's and LT had 9 INT's in their respective careers.

The 5 INTs for Green are kind of miss leading IMO. He played 15 years. 5 INTs in 15 years is not a lot. You figure, tipped passes probably account for at least some of this. He really didn't play a lot of pass coverage. That just wasn't how he was used with the Rams, Pittsburgh or Carolina.

 

[Jarv]

The 5 INTs for Green are kind of miss leading IMO. He played 15 years. 5 INTs in 15 years is not a lot. You figure, tipped passes probably account for at least some of this. He really didn't play a lot of pass coverage. That just wasn't how he was used with the Rams, Pittsburgh or Carolina.

Good point, Too Tall got 3 INT's in his career as a DE.

Of course, 9 INT's isn't a lot for LT either as a LB, he played a lot of seasons also.