RashanGary
06-28-2013, 04:27 AM
A few guys who've stood out to me:
1. JJ Watt. He's an extremely unique player. IMO, he plays a similar game to Reggie White, and he's the first to do it since Reggie White. They talk about him playing mind-games with the OL. His size and power is right up there with the top DT's, but he can also win outside (something Reggie was also able to do.) He's a fucking beast. I'll watch every Texans game, just to see this guy play.
2. Patrick Willis. The things he does, I think he's better than his numbers and better than his highlight reel. And those are impressive too. He can cover like a safety. As talented as the QB's are in the NFL, as dynamic as the passing weapons are, the passing game is the starting point of winning in the NFL. Willis plays the best man coverage in the NFL and he plays excellent zone coverage too. He's a versatile weapon, the kind you can't really create a matchup problem against because he can do it all in the passing game. Then in the running game, I compare the way he sets up and works around blocks to Nick Collins. Collins always had a way, its like nobody could get their hands on him. You watch Willis, he's the same way. He sets guys up, then has the burst, speed and tackling strength to finish. He's not going to take on lineman head-on, but the NFL is a space game now, and he has the skill-set that dominates in todays NFL. He'd be great at any position from SS to OLB in a 3-4.
3. Aldon Smith. To me, he's the only guy who clearly doesn't belong in the top 10. You watch the Justin Smtih clip and people talk about how he's the best in the league at setting up the other pass rushers, and it's true. Justin Smith uses that hump move to push guys out of the lane and allows Aldon to cut inside on those stunts. I don't like how he plays in space against the run. I don't like how he fights blocks in the run, or how easily he gets tied up with lineman. Most guys have a clear inside move. Aldon's inside move is Justin clearing out the guard AND tackle for him to stunt inside. Obviously he's horrible in pass coverage. He's really an edge rusher (either the outside, or cutting inside and getting an edge when he's stunting.) He's probably about as good as there is, rounding a corner, using his length, speed and balance, but the other guys near the top can do so much more fighting blocks or in the run game. He relies on Justin to set up the stunts and Willis/Bowman to clean up the messes he leaves behind him. I just don't see enough great aspects to his game. Top 30 makes more sense to me. He's great at what he does, but when you narrow down the top 10 players, I don't like seeing a guy with such glaring weaknesses to his game. Willis belongs. Watt belongs. Smith doesn't. Even Von Miller, at least he's a great space player on top of being a dominant edge rusher. He brings all of Aldon's pass rush ability, but can also cover the pass and break down in space. He's so much more complete. Clay fights blocks, covers and breaks down in space. . . Both of those guys belong in front of Aldon, for sure.
4. There's no way in hell I put a RB number 1. AP is the most spectacular player in the league. But best, as it relates to winning football games. No fucking way. Great RB's are notorious for putting up great numbers, great highlight reels and having great respect. They're also notorious losers. That's because QB's win football games. They set the entire rhythm of the offense, they manage down and distance, checks, cadence. They put pressure on the deep part of the field, the middle part of the field and close to the line of scrimmage. AP is great. As much credit as you can possibly give a RB, I give AP. He's spectacular, super human. I'm in the camp that believes the QB is more important than any other one player and there is no fucking way I put AP ahead of Rodgers, Brady, Manning or Brees. All 4 of those guys do more to win games. All four of those guys are champs. If you called the MVP the most spectacular player, yeah, he's that. If you call the best player the most spectacular player, yeah, I see that too. But if you associate winning as the only goal and you talk about best in relation to winning, I don't think there's any way a RB can be there. No fucking way. No way. I care way too much about winning to ever call a RB the best player in the league. Sorry guys, what RBs do doesn't matter very much. The highlight reel is always greater than the affect on the win column. It's like giving more respect to the long-drive champion than you give the winner of the Masters. Winning is what matters and spectacular drives are only part of the game, not even close to the biggest part. Go to long-drive contests, and-one basketball games and Viking games if you want spectacular. Go to the masters or turn on a Packer game if you want to watch winners.
1. JJ Watt. He's an extremely unique player. IMO, he plays a similar game to Reggie White, and he's the first to do it since Reggie White. They talk about him playing mind-games with the OL. His size and power is right up there with the top DT's, but he can also win outside (something Reggie was also able to do.) He's a fucking beast. I'll watch every Texans game, just to see this guy play.
2. Patrick Willis. The things he does, I think he's better than his numbers and better than his highlight reel. And those are impressive too. He can cover like a safety. As talented as the QB's are in the NFL, as dynamic as the passing weapons are, the passing game is the starting point of winning in the NFL. Willis plays the best man coverage in the NFL and he plays excellent zone coverage too. He's a versatile weapon, the kind you can't really create a matchup problem against because he can do it all in the passing game. Then in the running game, I compare the way he sets up and works around blocks to Nick Collins. Collins always had a way, its like nobody could get their hands on him. You watch Willis, he's the same way. He sets guys up, then has the burst, speed and tackling strength to finish. He's not going to take on lineman head-on, but the NFL is a space game now, and he has the skill-set that dominates in todays NFL. He'd be great at any position from SS to OLB in a 3-4.
3. Aldon Smith. To me, he's the only guy who clearly doesn't belong in the top 10. You watch the Justin Smtih clip and people talk about how he's the best in the league at setting up the other pass rushers, and it's true. Justin Smith uses that hump move to push guys out of the lane and allows Aldon to cut inside on those stunts. I don't like how he plays in space against the run. I don't like how he fights blocks in the run, or how easily he gets tied up with lineman. Most guys have a clear inside move. Aldon's inside move is Justin clearing out the guard AND tackle for him to stunt inside. Obviously he's horrible in pass coverage. He's really an edge rusher (either the outside, or cutting inside and getting an edge when he's stunting.) He's probably about as good as there is, rounding a corner, using his length, speed and balance, but the other guys near the top can do so much more fighting blocks or in the run game. He relies on Justin to set up the stunts and Willis/Bowman to clean up the messes he leaves behind him. I just don't see enough great aspects to his game. Top 30 makes more sense to me. He's great at what he does, but when you narrow down the top 10 players, I don't like seeing a guy with such glaring weaknesses to his game. Willis belongs. Watt belongs. Smith doesn't. Even Von Miller, at least he's a great space player on top of being a dominant edge rusher. He brings all of Aldon's pass rush ability, but can also cover the pass and break down in space. He's so much more complete. Clay fights blocks, covers and breaks down in space. . . Both of those guys belong in front of Aldon, for sure.
4. There's no way in hell I put a RB number 1. AP is the most spectacular player in the league. But best, as it relates to winning football games. No fucking way. Great RB's are notorious for putting up great numbers, great highlight reels and having great respect. They're also notorious losers. That's because QB's win football games. They set the entire rhythm of the offense, they manage down and distance, checks, cadence. They put pressure on the deep part of the field, the middle part of the field and close to the line of scrimmage. AP is great. As much credit as you can possibly give a RB, I give AP. He's spectacular, super human. I'm in the camp that believes the QB is more important than any other one player and there is no fucking way I put AP ahead of Rodgers, Brady, Manning or Brees. All 4 of those guys do more to win games. All four of those guys are champs. If you called the MVP the most spectacular player, yeah, he's that. If you call the best player the most spectacular player, yeah, I see that too. But if you associate winning as the only goal and you talk about best in relation to winning, I don't think there's any way a RB can be there. No fucking way. No way. I care way too much about winning to ever call a RB the best player in the league. Sorry guys, what RBs do doesn't matter very much. The highlight reel is always greater than the affect on the win column. It's like giving more respect to the long-drive champion than you give the winner of the Masters. Winning is what matters and spectacular drives are only part of the game, not even close to the biggest part. Go to long-drive contests, and-one basketball games and Viking games if you want spectacular. Go to the masters or turn on a Packer game if you want to watch winners.