List your all time starting 11 NFL defensive players.....

[PDay8810]

The HOF is a great place to start, but it's certainly not the be all or end all. I didn't need to wait for Walter Payton or Anthony Munoz or Bob Lilly or whomever to enter the Hall to 'know' how good they were.

agree but subjective lists should have some standards. Maybe top 5 by position all time. That would bring in the Jimmy Johnson's and perhaps a Cowboy.

 

[TeddyJackEddy]

consideration?
as should 99.9% of the guys in the hall of fame.

There are many in The HOF who I wouldn't give a thought to being the best ever at his position.

 

[TeddyJackEddy]

Speaking of all these corners.....again I believe a current guy in Darrelle Revis should most certainly get consideration.

Revis is the best cover corner in the past 20 years. I won't even qualify that statement.

 

[TeddyJackEddy]

how many guys on this team?

Just the starting 11 on defense.
Put it together thinking of playing them together.

 

[Ricky Roma]

agree but subjective lists should have some standards. Maybe top 5 by position all time. That would bring in the Jimmy Johnson's and perhaps a Cowboy.

At the end of the day, it's all opinion I guess. I could make a case for someone like Tony Boselli, because IMO, he was the best LT since Munoz...and Munoz still remains the standard for the position.

 

[TeddyJackEddy]

Meh...I guess...I think Kuechly is somewhat overrated due to the scheme, but he's a solid player.

I disagree, the guy is gifted, skilled, instinctive and he gives it all on every play.

 

[TeddyJackEddy]

Randy White played LB for like two months his rookie season and Landry quickly found the errors of his thinking at the time. We're all homers to a degree, Randy White was an absolute pleasure to watch play football

Yes he was.
He slaughtered my Falcons in the 81 playoffs..the bastard.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

Some great lists... lots of guys I could talk myself into or out of... A while back there was a post on here about the best all time team and this was my defense.

RDE Bruce Smith
DT JJ Watt (3-4 end would be a 4-3 DT)
DT Alan Page
LDE Reggie White
WLB Lawrence Taylor
MLB Ray Lewis
SLB Bobby Bell (Amazing all around LB and insane athlete)
CB Deion Sanders
CB Night Train Lane
SS Ken Houston (not moving a FS here)
FS Ronnie Lott


Tried to keep guys that were long time greats at the positions, Reggie and Deacon or Marchetti might be my two top DE's, but both played on the left side. Same with the Sam LB, and the true SS's.

 

[PhoenixEagles1]

If your list doesn't have Reggie White and LT on it, it should be stamped VOID.

 

[TeddyJackEddy]

Some great lists... lots of guys I could talk myself into or out of... A while back there was a post on here about the best all time team and this was my defense.

RDE Bruce Smith
DT JJ Watt (3-4 end would be a 4-3 DT)
DT Alan Page
LDE Reggie White
WLB Lawrence Taylor
MLB Ray Lewis
SLB Bobby Bell (Amazing all around LB and insane athlete)
CB Deion Sanders
CB Night Train Lane
SS Ken Houston (not moving a FS here)
FS Ronnie Lott


Tried to keep guys that were long time greats at the positions, Reggie and Deacon or Marchetti might be my two top DE's, but both played on the left side. Same with the Sam LB, and the true SS's.

I had the same idea of Reggie at left DE and Smith at right DE, it's where they played.
I also put my lineup together with the idea of creating a unit that meshes in the 4-3.

 

[Ojb81]

Built it so they all work together as one defense, not just 11 great players.

Here you go, this is my unit...

DE - Reggie White
DE - Bruce Smith
DT - Merlin Olsen
DT - Allen Page
MLB - Ray Lewis
OLB - Lawrence Taylor
OLB - Jack Ham
S - Ronnie Lott
S - Ed Reed
CB - Michael Haynes
CB - Rod Woodson

You're on the clock sports fan.

Props for giving a spot to Ham, probably the most underrated piece of the Steel Curtain D

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Actually, Lott was exceptional in coverage (voted an All Pro)...he was moved primarily because both Carlton Williamson and Dwight Hicks' play at safeties started to drop off noticeably in the mid 1980's. He certainly made his mark at both safety positions however.

Interesting to hear that...he didn't have that rep on the national level, but he was such a great player I can believe it.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I'm going to put a shout out to my homie Champ Bailey.
While The Woodson Bros were slightly better overall, Champ was the better pure cover corner. He was avoided by most teams and still put up HOF stats.
For pure covering Champ and Darrell Revis are the 2 best in the past 20 years in my opinion. Champ was also an excellent tackler.

Revis and Bailey were certainly the best for a 8-10 yr stretch, and they should be on some alltime lists but both also played a year or two too long...kind of like Wilt Chamberlin...many forget just how good that guy was if you missed his prime because he played several years as just a good to average player at the end. The last 2 yrs have not been great for Revis.

 

[TeddyJackEddy]

Revis and Bailey were certainly the best for a 8-10 yr stretch, and they should be on some alltime lists but both also played a year or two too long...kind of like Wilt Chamberlin...many forget just how good that guy was if you missed his prime because he played several years as just a good to average player at the end. The last 2 yrs have not been great for Revis.

Revis hasn't rated as high in advanced stats the past 2 seasons. Bailey definitely slipped late in his career, but he was still a net plus.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

Revis hasn't rated as high in advanced stats the past 2 seasons. Bailey definitely slipped late in his career, but he was still a net plus.

Yeah but I do wonder how much of that was situation. Champ was able to have Von and Dumerville forcing QB's to throw early or afraid and had Chris Harris opposite him who's been really underrated. Champ was able to have the help around him as he slowed down, where Revis is still being expected to be all world on that defense for it to work and give Skrine the safety help.

I think CB is one where you can really help out the guy with the pass rush and other DB help. I really don't believe we'd be seeing this kind of fall off if he was still playing in NE, not so much because he'd be playing better, but because the D wouldn't have to be expecting as much from him.

 

[TeddyJackEddy]

Yeah but I do wonder how much of that was situation. Champ was able to have Von and Dumerville forcing QB's to throw early or afraid and had Chris Harris opposite him who's been really underrated. Champ was able to have the help around him as he slowed down, where Revis is still being expected to be all world on that defense for it to work and give Skrine the safety help.

I think CB is one where you can really help out the guy with the pass rush and other DB help. I really don't believe we'd be seeing this kind of fall off if he was still playing in NE, not so much because he'd be playing better, but because the D wouldn't have to be expecting as much from him.

Of course no CB can stay with a great receiver more than a few seconds.
Champ still made plays late in his career, but his man coverage slipped.
Darrell Green might be the only CB who didn't lose his edge in his early thirties.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

Of course no CB can stay with a great receiver more than a few seconds.
Champ still made plays late in his career, but his man coverage slipped.
Darrell Green might be the only CB who didn't lose his edge in his early thirties.

Terrence Newman is still so much fun to watch at CB... No longer that super quick slot stud that he once was, but just a really really good corner.

 

[TeddyJackEddy]

Terrence Newman is still so much fun to watch at CB... No longer that super quick slot stud that he once was, but just a really really good corner.

True, he's had a long career and he's still pretty good.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Earl Thomas??? Good lord...

HELL YES!!!! Earl is the man!!!

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I am going to be the resident Bobby Bell truther I guess.