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BEST ALLAROUND DEFENDER IN NFL (1 Viewer)

Who is the best allaround Defender in the NFL?

  • Michael Strahan (NYG)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Brian Urlacher (CHI)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Ray Lewis (BAL)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Zach Thomas (MIA)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Ty Law (FA)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Charles Woodson (FA)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • LaVar Arrington (FA)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Jonathan Vilma (NYJ)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Darren Sharper (MIN)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Julius Peppers (CAR)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Wil Witherspoon (STL)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Julian Peterson (SEA)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Derek Burgess (OAK)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Ronde Barber (TB)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other (Specify In Reply)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0
Richard Seymour. An absolutely dominating force who would be the foundation of any defense. He's a huge guy who's incredibly athletic and versatile. He plays the run and rushes the passer equally well. He's equally adept at every position on the line in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 scheme. The fact he has three rings and is a team leader are other factors in his favor. Also, he has no problems sacrificing individual totals for team success. He's asked to do a lot of dirty work that doesn't show up in the stat sheet but never complains about it.

There are other great defenders out there who may do one thing better than Seymour but no one brings the total package he does.

 
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There are quite a few guys in this poll that have literally no business being anywhere near this topic.

 
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Sorry I missed the entry for Polamalu. Nice to see Charles Woodson has one though. As for old Woody, I don't know if he ranks in the Top 10 Cornerbacks in the AFC, let alone Top 10 Defensive player in the league.

 
Lavar Arrington wasn't even the best defender on his team let alone the NFL.

Talk about a guy that didn't live up to his hype.

He's a modern day Brian Bosworth. ;)

 
Best LB in the game is Bullock. Might want to include him in any future polls.

Or is this the most hyped defender in the league. My bad.

 
Other- I instantly thought of Ed Reed when I opened this thread. However, after thinking about it, my vote goes to Troy Polamalu.

 
Seymour, Polamalu and Reed should all be on the list ahead of all sorts of players, including Vilma, Barber, Law, Witherspoon, and Thomas.

Still, I voted Peppers, and I stand by it.

 
Easy .... Urlacher

Can tackle, can blitz, can shut down a running QB (Vick) and can play great coverage taking away middle of the field (ask Delhomme when Urlacher intercepted him)

He makes LBs around him look great (see Briggs)

He makes all of the calls on the #1 ranked defense in the league (sorry Tampa does not count given Bears rested everyone against Vikings week 17), which played with a rookie QB on it's team and hence was forced to shut teams down/force turnovers to win games.

If needed, he can play safety too, can return kicks/punts and can play on offense too (see trick play TD against Redskins a few years back)

He is selfless as a blocker on an int return too (see Vasher FG return for TD where Urlacher was the lead blocker and mashed 2 guys to get Vasher the historical return for a TD)

 
Peppers should not even be included in the list given he can only play DE.....cannot play DT or at any other position. And teams run right at him many times and with success.

 
This poll needs to be redone with the following options IMO:

Freeny

Polamalu

C.Bailey

E.Reed

Vilma

Seymore

C.Hampton

J.Williams

R.Lewis

Peppers

S.Rogers

Urlacher

Dawkins

S.Taylor

R.Williams

 
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Peppers should not even be included in the list given he can only play DE.....cannot play DT or at any other position. And teams run right at him many times and with success.
Peppers could easily play OLB/ILB for many teams in the NFL.
 
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vilma IS a stud...

but i might have to go with tie between polamalu & peppers...

troy impacts the game in so many ways... remember when it was obligatory in joe montana era for announcers to say during the game... they can beat you so many ways... polamalu embodies that for defense with one person... & he made more plays than peppers last year...

but if i were a GM, & could pick one player to build a defense around, it would be peppers...

* i liked the seymour, uhrlacher (best player on best defense) & peterson calls, too. if sean taylor can put his legal problems behind him, & is able to fulfill his lofty potential, he has the kind of talent we might someday say is the most versatile defender in the NFL... he could probably be pro bowler at SS, FS & WLB...

he set or tied the florida state record with something like 45 rushing TDs his senior season...

uhrlacher can supposedly throw down a 360 dunk... if so, i'm guessing he is probably only MLB in NFL history with athleticism to do that...

peterson is a ridiculous athlete who could at times & in situations play 9-10 positions on defense (he played OLB, DE, S AND CB in a game once)... all but DT/NT... i'd like to see ted washington try CB some time... :)

 
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ironic that the NFL's best DT: Shaun rogers was left off the list.

i guess cause hes a lion :popcorn:

 
Easy .... Urlacher

Can tackle, can blitz, can shut down a running QB (Vick) and can play great coverage taking away middle of the field (ask Delhomme when Urlacher intercepted him)

He makes LBs around him look great (see Briggs)

He makes all of the calls on the #1 ranked defense in the league (sorry Tampa does not count given Bears rested everyone against Vikings week 17), which played with a rookie QB on it's team and hence was forced to shut teams down/force turnovers to win games.

If needed, he can play safety too, can return kicks/punts and can play on offense too (see trick play TD against Redskins a few years back)

He is selfless as a blocker on an int return too (see Vasher FG return for TD where Urlacher was the lead blocker and mashed 2 guys to get Vasher the historical return for a TD)
Briggs actualy had his best year in 2004, the same year Urlacher was hobbled with injuries.
 
Easy .... Urlacher

Can tackle, can blitz, can shut down a running QB (Vick) and can play great coverage taking away middle of the field (ask Delhomme when Urlacher intercepted him)

He makes LBs around him look great (see Briggs)

He makes all of the calls on the #1 ranked defense in the league (sorry Tampa does not count given Bears rested everyone against Vikings week 17), which played with a rookie QB on it's team and hence was forced to shut teams down/force turnovers to win games.

If needed, he can play safety too, can return kicks/punts and can play on offense too (see trick play TD against Redskins a few years back)

He is selfless as a blocker on an int return too (see Vasher FG return for TD where Urlacher was the lead blocker and mashed 2 guys to get Vasher the historical return for a TD)
Gets crushed on blocks totaly taking him out of the play often. Or is that just against the Vikings?I think Donnie Edwards although getting old now is the most versitile defensive player in the league. He can do it all.

 
In the "franchise draft" thread a few of us did a while back, I took Urlacher with the #9 pick. IMO he's the best all around, once you factor in leadership. Most valuable anyway, although Seymour is close.

If the question is who has the best skills, I'd lean a lot more towards Polomalu. He might develop his leadership skills.

Not to complain, but Woodson on here, and not Brian Dawkins or DeAngelo Hall, I don't get it.

Plus, what's Sharper on here for? Good player, but not in this discussion.

 
Homer call but honestly I believe Polamalu effects more plays each game than any other defender in the NFL. When healthy Ed Reed is in the same class.

Four examples:

1) Run Defense: AFC Championship Game vs. Denver - The tackle he made on Mike Anderson after Anderson caught a screen in the endzone is ridiculous. He covered 10-15 yards before Anderson covered 2 and nearly tackled him in the open field for a safety.

2) Ball skills: The interception Polamalu made at Indy in the 2005 regular season on MNF. It was almost as if Polamalu was in the huddle with Manning and Harrison. His back was to the football as he read Harrison's route, suddenly he turned around and made the pick cleanly.

3) Cover man: 2004 game against Philly. Polamalu shadowed the best WR in football at the time (TO) and held him to 7.6 yards per catch, 0 TD.

4) Playmaker: His 2004 interception return for a TD against Cincy. Talk about a playmaker the guy blew through at least 5 tacklers down the middle of the field, barreling over former teammate Carson Palmer for the TD.

 
Honest question...

If there was a draft of just defenders can anyone give me some reasons why Richard Seymour wouldn't go #1? I'm of the opinion that while a lot of these other players are fantastic players no one brings the total package that Seymour does to as important position (or positions in his case) as there is in the NFL. You build winners from the trenches out and Seymour handles that area as well as anyone currently in the game...and he's not even in his prime yet.

 
By the way (and I'm guilty as well)...there's a very definite homer bias going on in this poll. Doesn't surprise me as well. Often you truly can't understand how good some defenders are until you watch them play every play of every game. Iit's just the nature of what these guys do because much of it doesn't show up on SportsCenter.

 
Puts so much pressure on an OC. His position blended with his football acumen and LeBeau's ability to maximize his talent cause problems on Sundays. You can chip, cut and rub a DE. Little hard to do the same for a SS. OC can show pass or opt into 3-4 WR sets to force Polamalu pack into coverage but that means you now have man on man blocking up front, which plays back into the Steelers favor. A DE is limited to 2 points of attack from the LE or RE position. Yes, that is subject to change in a 3-4 and or zone blitz package but just trying to keep this at a higher level for discussion sake. Polamalu can line up anywhere on the field. You can opt to run plays away or counter plays directly at an aggressive DE or a LB. Much harder to do that with someone playing back off the line behind the wash. It becomes compounded when you have a player, like Polamalu, that is intellingent and plays with discipline. Because Polamalu is in the secondary the Steelers can do many, many, many more things on defense. Someone playing out of a 3 pt stance does not necessarily have that large of an impact on a DC play calling. It is very close to call...very close to call...but I voted for Polamalu.
 
You build winners from the trenches out and Seymour handles that area as well as anyone currently in the game...and he's not even in his prime yet.
I agree 100% with that maxim and Seymour would be someone I place immediately behind Polamalu.
 
I love all the Polamalu love we are seeing around here all of a sudden, but I'm a fraid it's getting a bit out of hand IMO. I am a Steelers faithfull through and through and I would not even say he is the best S in football let alone the best D player in general. He is a very special player and one that drives OC crazy the week before they play the Steelers I'm sure. Troy however still has serious lapses in his coverage responsibilites and often times get caught looking in the backfield not making his reads. I still see too much inconsistancy from him to take him ahead of E.Reed and possibly S.Taylor. I guess that playoff push really sold the world on him. It was for good reason, he was incredible down that stretch!

 
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Puts so much pressure on an OC. His position blended with his football acumen and LeBeau's ability to maximize his talent cause problems on Sundays. You can chip, cut and rub a DE. Little hard to do the same for a SS. OC can show pass or opt into 3-4 WR sets to force Polamalu pack into coverage but that means you now have man on man blocking up front, which plays back into the Steelers favor.

A DE is limited to 2 points of attack from the LE or RE position. Yes, that is subject to change in a 3-4 and or zone blitz package but just trying to keep this at a higher level for discussion sake. Polamalu can line up anywhere on the field.

You can opt to run plays away or counter plays directly at an aggressive DE or a LB. Much harder to do that with someone playing back off the line behind the wash. It becomes compounded when you have a player, like Polamalu, that is intellingent and plays with discipline.

Because Polamalu is in the secondary the Steelers can do many, many, many more things on defense. Someone playing out of a 3 pt stance does not necessarily have that large of an impact on a DC play calling.

It is very close to call...very close to call...but I voted for Polamalu.
great post, who dat...it would be interesting to look at this question & not restrict ourselves to ACTIVE players...

with a focus on the maxim, championships are build inside out...

i can't think of a DT who i woulde put in best all around defender (position didn't get many votes here either)...

for DE, reggie white was such a dominant weapon i would go with him... he was sort of a decade or two ahead of his time in the sense that we still haven't seen his equal in terms of his balance of size, strength, speed & agility...

the three best LBs i have probably seen were LT, mike singletary & ray lewis... hard to pick between those guys... i might have to go with singletary because he had the most telepathic instincts & best first step i have ever seen from a defensive player (plus he used to break helmets against people's bodies in college :) )...

ronnie lott & kenny easley probably the two most game altering safeties i have ever seen... also maybe ahead of their time in that more than a decade later i think they are still unsurpassed...

polamalu, roy williams & ed reed are phenomenal talents... may well be among best safeties to ever play (they would all need more longevity to earn place in HOF, but they seem to have that kind of ability)... but i would take both lott or easley over those guys...

the scary thing is, polamalu may still have room to get better...

i would put sean taylor's athleticism in the same class as lott & easley, though he hasn't had their kind of impact yet...

the point i wanted to return to...

though i liked reggie white #1 to build team around... there aren't many other DEs i would take over HOF LB like singletary or DBs like lott & easley (?)... so sometimes you might make exceptions to the build inside out rule... for truly special players that happen to be at different position...

no different on offense... not too many super bowl teams have lousy offensive line... but they need more than that... a jim brown type RB behind average line might be better than average RB running behind walter jones...

 
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