Top-10 defenders of all-time list includes two Cowboys greats

[jazzcat22]

No Deacon Jones? No Merlin Olson? No Ronnie Lott? This list is a joke.

When I seen it was usatoday, I passed on reading it. Knew it was a joke to begin with. As all top lists usually are. But from a few threads I read so far. Agree, how can you leave these guys off.

 

[HoosierCowboy]

Eh, JJ Watt number 4 all time, all ready? A tad premature. Lilly behind Butkus? Butkus had a very short career compared to Lilly, dominated for a stretch but bad knees left him a shadow of himself the last couple years.

I talked to an offensive lineman from the 60s who said those bad knees were a result of linemen who were sick of his cheap/dirty play.

 

[Bill Wooten]

Agreed.

And at this stage of his career, JJ Watt has no business being ahead of Olsen, Jones, Lilly, Alan Page or Joe Greene. I'd include Randy White, too.

Woodson might be a top 5 corner, but top 5 defender? In NFL history?

I have no problem with Butkus being that high. He was a phenomenal player. If he had healthy knees and played 14 seasons he would probably be no. 1 all-time on most lists.

No disputing the top two choices.

This list leaves a lot to be desired. <smh>

I assumed it was Charles Woodson, not Rod.

 

[tyke1doe]

It's hard to pick a top 10 list of the best defenders of all-time because there are so many good ones.

The one glaring admission on this list is JJ Watts. He's good. But his career isn't done yet.

I would sub Deion in place of Woodson (either Charles or Rod). I know people don't like Deion because of his flashiness and the perception that he did not tackle. But Deion was one of a kind, the best corner who has ever played the game. With all due respect to Revis, Deion has been the only shutdown corner I've ever seen play. He was absolutely phenomenal on the field. And teams literally stayed away from his side of the field. He was so explosive and had such field vision that you sat on the edge of your seat when he got the ball.

Young football players are said to be disrespectful of the legacy of the great players who went before them. But the two players all the young guys know are Deion Sanders if you're a corner and Randy Moss if you're a wide receiver.

 

[TX Cowboy]

Seriously?

wait for it

3 time DPOY in 5 years?

don't care/unimpressed

I would take that bum on our defense any day of the week.

No thank you give me Deacon Jones, Jack Ham, Charles Haley, Dick Butkus any day of the week

 

[Super_Kazuya]

wait for it



don't care/unimpressed



No thank you give me Deacon Jones, Jack Ham, Charles Haley, Dick Butkus any day of the week

Haley was literally not even half as good as Watt is. Jones and Ham though are definitely two guys not on this list who easily could have been.

 

[JDSmith]

Reggie White was at or near the top unless he was playing Erik Williams. Then he was just another DE.

I was thinking that I can't see Reggie White at number 1 because Erik Williams absolutely handled him. He pounded Reggie White every time they played. I can't remember any single player ever having LT's number like that. For that reason alone I'd have LT over White.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Eh, JJ Watt number 4 all time, all ready? A tad premature. Lilly behind Butkus? Butkus had a very short career compared to Lilly, dominated for a stretch but bad knees left him a shadow of himself the last couple years.

Watt is an amazing talent, but ranking him this high already does look a little reactionary.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

I was thinking that I can't see Reggie White at number 1 because Erik Williams absolutely handled him. He pounded Reggie White every time they played. I can't remember any single player ever having LT's number like that. For that reason alone I'd have LT over White.

Watch the replay of the 1995 NFC Championship Game. White got a sack over Erik Williams on the Cowboys' first series, and Williams just beat him up the rest of the game. White did absolutely nothing from that point on.

 

[perrykemp]

I was thinking that I can't see Reggie White at number 1 because Erik Williams absolutely handled him. He pounded Reggie White every time they played. I can't remember any single player ever having LT's number like that. For that reason alone I'd have LT over White.

Reggie White was a DPOY at age 35 or 36 so he was a dominant player for a LONG time.

LT was a shadow of himself in his 30's. Age 30 was the last year LT had more than 10 sacks (10.5), and it was downhill from there. LT was out of the league at age 34.

No comparison in my mind. Had Reggie White not played in the USFL for two years, I think his records would have been out-of-reach.

 

[stilltheguru88]

10) Ray Lewis

9) Ed Reed

8) Randy White*

7) Bruce Smith

6) Bob Lilly*

5) Rod Woodson

4) J.J. Watt

3) Dick Butkus

2) Lawrence Taylor

1) Reggie White

On that list I'd move LT up to #1 and Lilly To #3.

Butkus was great as was Lewis but Howley was better than either. Not sure many will believe that though. So were Lanier, Lambert, Bell, Jackson and Seau. Lott was better than Woodson or Reed. So was Renfro.

Nobody was better than Ed Reed in the secondary imo.

 

[jobberone]

Nobody was better than Ed Reed in the secondary imo.

Heavier hitter than Renfro but not quite the player Renfro was. IMO. I put Renfro right behind Lott as a safety. Don't forget Renfro was also an outstanding CB as well. Faster than Reed. But 10 less INTs and less return yardage. Just my opinion based on watching both play their entire careers. You have a better argument stat wise although keep in mind two different eras and Renfro saw much fewer passes.

 

[perrykemp]

Nobody was better than Ed Reed in the secondary imo.

Based on what I've seen with my own eyes I think you are right. On the other hand, it's SO hard to compare guys from today to the past like Ronnie Lott, Lester Hayes, Paul Krause, Dick Night-Train Lane, Herb Adderly, Mel Renfro, etc etc

 

[erod]

I hate his guts, but Deion Sanders is the best corner of all time, and it's not even close.

 

[RS12]

Nobody was better than Ed Reed in the secondary imo.

Ronnie Lott was second to nobody. If he played here he would be talked about like Lilly.

 

[RS12]

I hate his guts, but Deion Sanders is the best corner of all time, and it's not even close.

Mike Haynes, Willie Brown, and yes it is close.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

No cornerbacks on the list? RisenStar must have made this list

 

[BAT]

Neither Woodson or Reed were more dominant than Lott. And Bruce Smith, Reggie White and JJ Watt were dominant but I would put Joe Greene, Deacon Jones and Alan Page ahead of them in terms of being gamechangers.

 

[TX Cowboy]

Haley was literally not even half as good as Watt is.

Bwhahahahahahahahahahaha the most ignorant and incriminating post of all time

No further questions your honor

 

[perrykemp]

Bwhahahahahahahahahahaha the most ignorant and incriminating post of all time

No further questions your honor

We get that Haley was a critical component of the Cowboy's 90's glory and he was a great player, however, it's very hard to compare Haley to Watt in any meaningful way:

NFL Defense Player of the Year: Watt: 3 (Most all time, I think), Charles Haley: 0
1st Team All Pro: Watt: 4, Charles Haley: 2
Sacks per season: Watt: 15, Charles Haley; 8

Obviously Watts only been in the league 5 years and his career totals won't be as good yet as a HOF calibre player like Haley who played 13, however, Watt is doing things we've never seen before, especially when you consider he is a 3-4 DE.