Will Julius Peppers go down as a top 10 defensive player of all time?

[PredatorPeppers]

• JockBio: Julius Peppers Biography
• Player Bio: Julius Peppers - University of North Carolina Tar Heels Official Athletic Site - University of North Carolina Tar Heels Official Athletic Site
• Carolina Panthers: Julius Peppers
• Chicago Bears: Julius Peppers
• He always loved basketball best. But now the time has come - 08.13.01 - SI Vault
• USATODAY.com - Peppers sacks his way to rookie honor
• The Day - Google News Archive Search
• Deep article on Julius Peppers
• Defensive end extraordinaire Julius Peppers and the return - 09.05.05 - SI Vault
• Man of steel Julius Peppers - Basketball Forum : Professional and College Basketball Forums
• FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Every Play Counts: Julius Peppers
• Quiet Peppers spices up Carolina defense - USATODAY.com
• Julius Peppers' Off-Season Training Plan | STACK
• http://www.stack.com/2006/12/01/julius-peppers-off-season-training-plan/
  
• Peppers relishes his fresh start - Chicago Bears Blog - ESPN Chicago
• Peppers makes himself at home - Chicago Tribune
• GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK IS MORE - 09.06.10 - SI Vault
• Panthers coach Fox: 'Pep's a heck of a player' - Chicago Tribune
• Carolina, on his mind - Chicago Tribune
• Peppers Returns To Carolina And Quiets Crowd « CBS Chicago
• Defensive end Julius Peppers fitting right in with Chicago Bears - ESPN Boston
• Rex's favorite Bear - New York Jets Blog - ESPN New York
• The true impact of Julius Peppers - NFC North Blog - ESPN
• Peppers finds a strong voice - Chicago Tribune
• Don't let Peppers' low sack total fool you - NFL - Yahoo Sports
• Trgovac: Peppers just makes it look easy - Chicago Bears Blog - ESPN Chicago
• Bernstein: One Guy Responsible For Bears? Turnaround « CBS Chicago
• NFL's best: Julius Peppers and the top 10 DE's of 2011 - USATODAY.com
• Aikman: Peppers Is A Game-Changer « CBS Chicago
• http://members.jacksonville.com/sports/football/jaguars/2012-10-03/story/julius-peppers-makes-bears-defense-go
  

 

[BoP]

Since he's arrived in Chicago, he's been the fourth best Bears defender. I'll take Briggs, Urlacher, and Tillman over him since he came to Chicago without blinking an eye. I don't want to call him bad, because he is a very football player, but I think I speak for most Bears fans in saying he's been less than a superstar.

You don't even speak for a fraction of Bears fans.

 

[PredatorPeppers]

So someone has to pass Bruce Smith and Prime Time to make your top 10?

Peppers has no shot. Its too late at this point.

Better than Urlacher? Sure. Thats about as far as the party goes.

We shall see, Peppers could very well have quite a few good seasons left in him, if he continues to play and rack up stats and accolades, he very well could crack the top 10.

 

[PredatorPeppers]

You don't even speak for a fraction of Bears fans.

Bernstein: One Guy Responsible For Bears? Turnaround « CBS Chicago

Understand that Peppers is a brute squad – a freakish package of strength, smarts and athleticism. He’s a Hall-of-Famer at the peak of his abilities who has elevated a defensive scheme that apparently needed only him to function properly. He’s the focus of blocking attention on every play, as he makes zone drops like a safety, chases downfield like a linebacker, caves in the line on run plays, sets the edge and contains, pursues quarterbacks relentlessly, and blocks kicks.
He’s the best defensive lineman on the Bears since Dan Hampton.
Smith’s one-gap scheme works when the need for blitzing is obviated by front-four pressure. Chicago fans enamored with other approaches fail to understand the philosophy of seven sets of eyes seeing the play, and defenders swarming to the ball to limit gains and increase opportunities to cause turnovers.
I’m also convinced that North Carolinians need a remedial course in how to watch NFL football. Panthers observers asked about Peppers repeated the memes of him “taking plays off,” or “disappearing in some games” because they can’t see further than a stat sheet.
This ain’t baseball, gomer. It’s a true team game, and you have to actually watch line play. Stick to your car racin’ and professional bass fishing.
We admit we scoffed and chuckled a bit during training camp, when Urlacher, Charles Tillman and others casually described Peppers as the best individual football player each had ever seen. It sounded like the inflated rhetoric that accompanies the outsized expectations of a team trying a last-ditch stimulus spree before it all comes crashing down.
Several months later, and a year after that strange, uncomfortable day at Halas Hall, we’re not laughing.

 

[PredatorPeppers]

Julius Frazier Peppers is one of the greatest players to ever grace an NFL football field.

Peppers highlights

Peppers alley-oop dunk

 

[NinerSickness]

I guarantee you, that other teams gameplan for Peppers more than all 3 you mentioned.

 

[63bears40]

Julius Peppers makes the Bears defense go | members.jacksonville.com

“They’re definitely one of the better defensive lines and they play with their hair on fire and we’ve got to be able to match that,’’ guard Uche Nwaneri said.
And it all starts with Peppers, who got a six-year $91.5 million free agent deal in 2010 with $42 million guaranteed. Many big-money free agents aren’t the same after they get the big money, but he’s the exception to the rule.
“He’s been everything — no, he’s been even more than what we wanted him to be when he became a Bear,’’ coach Lovie Smith said.
His sack total wasn’t eye-popping in his first two years with the Bears. He had 19, although he caused six fumbles. And he has just 2.5 this year.
But he opens things up for other players because opposing offenses have to pay so much attention to him.
A seven-time Pro Bowler, Peppers said at the start of the season, “Just because teams try to take me out of the game doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of the game. You can still impact the game.’’
Of the double-teaming and chipping teams do to stop him, Pepper said, “Take it as a compliment. You also know you’re helping out your teammates. You might not get the looks you want to get as far as getting a single, but you’re helping somebody else. You’re trusting your teammates to get the job done.’’
He’s a main reason the Bears are third in the NFL in sacks with 15, two behind the Bengals, who boosted their total to 17 with the six against the Jaguars last Sunday.
Defensive tackle Henry Melton leads the team with four sacks while defensive end Israeal Idonije and Peppers each have 2.5 and rookie Shea McClellin, who’s still a backup, has two.
Two weeks ago, the defense throttled the Rams, 23-6, holding them to two field goals and scoring a touchdown on Major Wright’s 45-yard interception return for a touchdown.
And they do it without doing much blitzing because they can get to the quarterback with their front four.
They’re also stout in stopping the run and rank third in the league in rush defense.
Teammate Lance Briggs said Peppers is the player teams have to account for.
“You always have to chip him. He’s constantly chipped by running backs, or double-teamed,’’ Briggs said.
The Bears also keep him fresh by limiting his snaps. He played on 40 of the 70 defensive snaps the Bears had against Dallas.
And while he’s technically a defensive end, the Bears line him up all over the line.
Briggs said, “We move him around. He plays inside. He plays the interior as well as the outside creating some matchup problems for offensive lines. He’s just a guy who is a dominating force in the league.’’
Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey was familiar with Peppers from his days in Atlanta, when he had to scheme against Peppers twice a year.
“You’ve got to find him and it’s not like you can design your scheme around one guy and go, ‘He’s always lined up on this side.’ They’re moving him around. He’s a tough guy to block without help. He definitely can become a game wrecker,’’ Mularkey said.
Nwaneri said: “He’s a very dangerous player. You’ve got to keep him out of that zone. Those elite defensive ends get in zones and they get the tackle or guard on their heels. You don’t want that. He’s a great finisher at the quarterback.’’
Smith said he was shocked when Peppers couldn’t reach a deal with Carolina and hit the open market. It was like Christmas came early when the Bears got to sign him on the dotted line.
“And being a guy that’s been a fan of his from afar for a long time, early on you couldn’t let yourself really think that you really had a legitimate shot until it started to happen and we got a chance to meet Julius,’’ he said.
Smith said he felt like he was recruiting Peppers.
“The money will take care itself, but nowadays free agency is about recruiting and showing a player exactly what you have to offer. He saw it was a good fit,’’ he said.
When Peppers does line up at right end, he’ll take on Eugene Monroe in one of the better matchups in the game. In the opener at Minnesota, Monroe neutralized another noted pass rusher in Jared Allen. And Mularkey said Monroe only gave up one pressure against Cincinnati.
Monroe said of Peppers: “He’s a great athlete. He does a lot well. It’s a great challenge to be playing against him. I’m looking forward to it.’’

​

You can throw all the dumb ass quotes at me as much as you want. It won't change my thinking. I've watched football a good 50 YRS. Nobody will change my opinion. I'd still take Chambers over Pep.

 

[packerzrule]

do you give a shit about any player in a Redskins uniform as much as you do Peppers?

 

[JDM]

Top 10 all time? Absolutely not. Very good, was a game changer for Carolina for a little bit, but not near enough to be in that discussion.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Hell no and foolish to think so.

 

[Mondio]

I don't think so and I don't think it's close.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

It's also pretty hard to lump in all defensive players by position. Even DE and DT or NT because of the different schemes teams run like the 4-3 or 3-4 defense and it's also hard to compare a Defensive linemen to a corner or safety. JMO.

 

[HammerDown]

Yes I did. Singletary was good, but Urlacher was better, and Peppers is better than both.

'Nuff said.

 

[PredatorPeppers]

Hell no and foolish to think so.

Not hardly, say Peppers wins a Super Bowl and a Defensive Player of the Year Award, on top of all the stats and other accolades he has accomplished. Look at the OP to see what he has done so far. But say Peppers finishes his career with the most forced fumbles all time, he currently has 38 FF which is tenth best all time, and the most all time is 47 FF accomplished by Jason Taylor. Most blocked kicks, Peppers currently has the second most with 13 which is only 4 behind Shaun Rogers who has 17 BK. Most interceptions for a defensive lineman all time, Peppers currently has 9 which is only 3 behind all time leader Ron McDole who had 12 for D lineman. Most interception return yards for a defensive lineman all time, Peppers currently has the most with 192 int return yds. by a D lineman. First or second most passes defensed by a defensive lineman all time, Peppers currently is in third place with 61 PD, Jason Taylor is first by a D lineman with 94 PD. Top ten in fumbles recovered by a D lineman, Peppers has 14 FR but needs to get to 20 FR to be in the top ten for a D lineman in FR, the most FR all time by a D lineman is 30 by Jim Marshall. And say Peppers finishes in the top 5 in sacks all time, he currently is in 18th place with 115.5 sacks but needs to get to 142 to be in the top 5 sack leaders of all time.

Of course a few other players are playing still like DeMarcus Ware, Jared Allen, Dwight Freeney, John Abraham, Robert Mathis, and Terrell Suggs who will compete with Peppers on the all time sack list, but Peppers should climb towards the top of the list along with Ware and Allen given they all remain healthy for a few more seasons.

But say Peppers does all this and adds a few more Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams to his resume, he will be considered one of the greatest defensive lineman of all time, as well as defensive players and could very well crack the top 10 best defensive players of all time list, it's not to foolish to think it is possible.

 

[PredatorPeppers]

do you give a shit about any player in a Redskins uniform as much as you do Peppers?

No, Peppers is my favorite player, I've watched him since he played basketball and football at UNC. I also really started to like him when I played my buddies in Madden Football and I would user control Peppers and dominate games with him against my friends.

My favorite players on the Redskins are Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, RGIII, and Alfred Morris.

I also really like Troy Polamalu from the Steelers and James Harrison when he was a dominant Steeler, too bad he went to play in a 4-3 defense in Cincinnati and doesn't get a chance to pass rush much any more.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

If only we had a RE named salt. Salt and peppers would have made for a spicy defense.

 

[TBBishop]

I can see an argument that Peppers was the most TALENTED defensive player ever but at no point in his career did he ever really live up to his freakish abilities. Hell, I don't think that he was the best defensive player to ever play for the Panthers, much less the Bears. In Carolina, Reggie White was past his prime of course but he was IMO a better player than Peppers.

 

[Midnightangel]

Of all time is a big, BIG argument considering the greatest that have ever played.

Your list left off Dick "Night Train" Lane and Dick Lebeau of the Lions back in the '50's.

There were several more Steelers that could make that list just from the 1970's alone. Start throwing on some Cowboys from that time period, along with Ronnie Lott, etc and don't forget that '85 Bears squad OR the Ravens of 2000 and I don't see how he makes it on to the list of the top 10.

 

[ONEPANTHERSFAN]

No, and I will give you one simple reason, Peppers has never consistently played to his potential. If he did he would average 18-20 sacks a season. He plays when he wants to play but will take plays off if he feels like it. In his career, I have never seen him give 100% for an entire game. I saw it in Carolina and Chicago. Charles Johnson does not have half the athletic gifts of Julius Peppers but he gives it his all on every play, which is why I am glad the Panthers kept Johnson and let Peppers go.

I have no doubt Peppers will make the HOF. But he will never, ever, be a Top 10 defensive player.

 

[PredatorPeppers]

I can see an argument that Peppers was the most TALENTED defensive player ever but at no point in his career did he ever really live up to his freakish abilities. Hell, I don't think that he was the best defensive player to ever play for the Panthers, much less the Bears. In Carolina, Reggie White was past his prime of course but he was IMO a better player than Peppers.

Read the OP and you may take back the bolded statement above.

Reggie White was the most dominant defensive player of all time, Peppers isn't quite as good as White but then again nobody was.