Walt Harris over Newman

[AdamJT13]

you guys are unbelievable....you act as if Walt Harris was a bench warmer and got chosen to the Pro Bowl...he made plays...something Newman did NOT do enough of.

Harris is an average cornerback who got a handful of interceptions for the first time in eight years (he hadn't had more than two picks in any season since 1998). And he allowed twice as many TD passes as Newman this season, according to STATS.

When the Pro Bowl teams were announced, Harris had six interceptions -- three in one game against the Raiders, one of the NFL's all-time worst offenses (one off Andrew Walter and two off Marques Tuiasosopo), two in another game off Seneca Wallace, and one on a batted ball against Minnesota. He got two more after the teams were announced (both in the final game, one off Jake Plummer and one off Jay Cutler).

So Harris' spot in the Pro Bowl wasn't because he "made plays" and had a great season. It was a case of an average player being fortunate and taking advantage of mistakes by three terrible quarterbacks and a batted ball. And those six interceptions gave some people the impression that he was playing great, which wasn't the case. He still played average, which is what he has always been.

 

[Frozen700]

Harris is an average cornerback who got a handful of interceptions for the first time in eight years (he hadn't had more than two picks in any season since 1998). And he allowed twice as many TD passes as Newman this season, according to STATS.

When the Pro Bowl teams were announced, Harris had six interceptions -- three in one game against the Raiders, one of the NFL's all-time worst offenses (one off Andrew Walter and two off Marques Tuiasosopo), two in another game off Seneca Wallace, and one on a batted ball against Minnesota. He got two more after the teams were announced (both in the final game, one off Jake Plummer and one off Jay Cutler).

So Harris' spot in the Pro Bowl wasn't because he "made plays" and had a great season. It was a case of an average player being fortunate and taking advantage of mistakes by three terrible quarterbacks and a batted ball. And those six interceptions gave some people the impression that he was playing great, which wasn't the case. He still played average, which is what he has always been.

Oh So trueeeeee

 

[Spectre]

brian westbrook ........even though he plays for the enemy is one of the best players in the national football league.

at any position.

did not make the pro bowl.

agreed

 

[Kilyin]

I don't see the problem here. If you play aggressively and go for the int every time you're going to give up more plays. If you play strict coverage and don't gamble you're not going to get the ints. Newman was coached to play the way he does.

Blame the coaches, not the guys doing their jobs.

And who cares about the Flag Football Bowl.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Hopefully this means, I wont have to read/hear about so and so's pro bowl appearances ever again.

Probowl, and HOF is overrated. Plain and simple.

Its funny how some of you guys have reacted to this.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

oh....i'll say it!!

the pro bowl and every other freaking all star game is a joke and popularity contest.

how many times have you seen a player hurt for half the year make it simply because of his name?

Or not play like...

Glad you said it.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

So Adam the question remains, who is better, the playmaker or the guy who...

Oh, I guess you dont want to expose his weaknesses.

 

[AdamJT13]

So Adam the question remains, who is better, the playmaker or the guy who...

It depends on how much the "playmaker" allows and how consistent he is at making plays. I'd much rather have a guy who gets one interception in a season but never allows a touchdown and gives up only 20 yards per game than a guy who gets six picks and scores once but allows nine touchdowns and 60 yards per game. The plays he makes aren't worth the ones he gives up.

Some of the so-called "playmaker" cornerbacks give up a lot of big plays (DeAngelo Hall, for instance, or Terrell Buckley in the 1990s). And others aren't such playmakers every season. Champ Bailey has been the league's biggest playmaker over the past two seasons, but he didn't make that many plays between 2001 and 2004 (no more than three picks in any season, zero touchdown returns). He did fairly well at shutting down receivers this season, too (although he still has never done extremely well at that), which is why I consider him to have had the best season of any cornerback for 2006.

Walt Harris averaged 1.3 interceptions a year over the past SEVEN seasons, and he never had more than two picks during that span. Was he suddenly a playmaker this year, or did the plays just happen to come to him? Nnamdi Asomugha, whom I touted as one of the better shutdown cornerbacks last season, had NEVER had an interception before this season, when he got eight. Asante Samuel had six picks in three years before this season, when he got 10. They were playmakers this season, but was that an anamoly, or did they suddenly change?

If a guy can consistently make plays from season to season, then I'd consider him a playmaker. If not, I'd lump them in with other guys who got fortunate for one or two seasons (like Anthony Henry, Brian Russell, Ryan McNeil, Dexter McCleon, Mark McMillian, etc.).

Oh, I guess you dont want to expose his weaknesses.

If you're talking about Newman, he had 11 picks in his first three seasons. He had only one this season, but he's still averaging three per season, which isn't bad.

 

[superpunk]

walks away from thread wishing he hadn't read it...
I friggin hate the offseason, and trolls thinking they know all when all they see is one stat and preach it as all that matters.

On the plus side, we did discover the world's first 38-year-old pre-schooler.

 

[redfog]

this is why I hate Dallas fans sometimes, Walt Harris has a far better season than Newman, deal with it! Not only that he has 8 INTs, he has broken up way more passes then Newman, forced 5 fumbles and recovered 2. Most importantly, he didnt fumbled away any game for us losing home field advantage in the playoffs.

 

[redfog]

i would say newman is top 3.

champ bailey
asante samuel
ronde barber
deangelo hall
nathan vasher
charles tillamn
nnamdi asomugha
terence newman

your list is a joke, you left out some of the best corners in the league. Do you even watch football?

Chris McAlister
Al Harris
Charles Woodson
Walt Harris (average all his career but this year he was exceptional)

 

[redfog]

Harris is an average cornerback who got a handful of interceptions for the first time in eight years (he hadn't had more than two picks in any season since 1998). And he allowed twice as many TD passes as Newman this season, according to STATS.

When the Pro Bowl teams were announced, Harris had six interceptions -- three in one game against the Raiders, one of the NFL's all-time worst offenses (one off Andrew Walter and two off Marques Tuiasosopo), two in another game off Seneca Wallace, and one on a batted ball against Minnesota. He got two more after the teams were announced (both in the final game, one off Jake Plummer and one off Jay Cutler).

So Harris' spot in the Pro Bowl wasn't because he "made plays" and had a great season. It was a case of an average player being fortunate and taking advantage of mistakes by three terrible quarterbacks and a batted ball. And those six interceptions gave some people the impression that he was playing great, which wasn't the case. He still played average, which is what he has always been.

You sure about that or youre just speaking out of your ***? Will you swear on your life that you have watched all the 49ers' games to know this? Please quit with the homerism. I watched that 49ers and Broncos game and Harris made plenty of plays for them to win that game (2 ints, one returned for a TD), im sure he has done plenty of that in other games too. Last time I checked the 49ers played in the NFC West, home of some of best wide recievers in the game (Boldin, Fitz, Holt, Bruce, Deion Branch, D. Jackson, Burlesson, etc....). Give the guy some props and move on, quit *****ing already.