yup... Deion Sanders, Mel Blount, Darrell Green, etc. ... These cats were legends but they'd be unable to play the same way in today's league and they'd give up enough big plays to have everybody saying "pffffft... he's not a shutdown corner!" The league is totally different to what it was during all of those guys careers... There aren't suddenly 20 awesome QBs every year, it's just that 3000 yards and two dozen TD passes is a mediocre QB in the present game because it's way easier to score in the passing game than it ever was before
I think Sanders style was better suited for today's passing rules. He was all about speed, quickness and the ability to locate the ball. He was never a physical corner that mugged guys at the line or made big hits downfield. His recovery speed and ability to close distance once the ball was thrown are still the best I've seen.
No doubt he'd be great today (in as much as a corner is allowed to be great, nowadays). I don't think anybody's denying that.......but he would not be the dominant force he was in his day. It's just not possible. Oh, he'd have shutdown games, but he'd have lapses. Especially after getting called for a couple of pass interference or illegal contact penalties and being forced to back off a bit.
That grab by Benjamin was on Sherman AND Earl Thomas. Benjamin got the better of Sherman yesterday and you're correct...he had a step and a half on Sherman and Cam overthrew him. That says a lot because Benjamin is 6'5" himself and stretched out to grab the pass.
Case in point. Big Ben and Andrew Luck combine for almost 1000 yards passing and 9 TD's in the same game. Obviously above average, probably elite QB's, but that's just ridiculous. Luck is on pace to throw for almost 5500 Yards this year, with a leading receiver that would be an underdog as a part of the Buddy Rydell/Slystaff height sweepstakes event.
exactly X is right that his style is more modern but he would still be hampered by the rules in place today
exactly In the 1960s, one QB had a 4,000 yard season... Joe Namath in 1967 in the much more wide-open AFL In the 1970s, one QB had a 4,000 yard season... Dan Fouts in 1979 (after the major rule changes of 1978, mind you) with the Air Coryell Chargers In the 1980s, you started to see it happen a bit more often thanks to more rule changes... A total of 12 4,000 yard seasons occurred in between 1980-1989 by a total of 10 different QBs In the 1990s, there were a total of 22 4,000 yard seasons between 1990-1999 by 14 different QBs (including such luminaries as Brad Johnson and Scott Mitchell) From 2000-2010, there were 51 4,000 yard seasons Between 2011 and last season, there were 29... So in just the past three seasons there were more 4,000 yard seasons than there were 4,000 yard seasons from 1960 to 1990 COMBINED So unless someone is prepared to argue Josh Freeman > Roger Staubach, it seems self-evident that the game has changed dramatically in favor of the passing game, which in turn has a detrimental effect on Cornerbacks and Safeties while simultaneously having a beneficial impact on QBs, WRs and TEs
for the record, the bears suck. 3-5 and what seems like no shot at the post season. yet thanks to the way the passing game of the league is now cutler, having a mediocre season, is on pace for over 4000 yards, 34TDs and 16 picks with a 96 QB rating. matt forte is on pace for 115 catches and may be the only back along with faulk and craig to go for 1000 rushing/1000 receiving yards.
Comes with the Territory...Sherman has NO Problem Beating his Chest, Proclaiming Himself "The Best Corner in the League" or Chastising QB's Throwing his Way to "Sorry Receivers like Crabtree", So it's Fair Game when Receivers Make him Look LESS than he Boasts of Being... Just like when "Revis Island" Called Randy Moss a "Slouch" and Got CLOWNED in 1-Handed Fashion... REED
THIS... Deion didn't JAM Guys at the Line or SNEAK Touches on them Down field. He THRIVED in Space and Often Used it to BAIT QB's Into Thinking a Guy was Open when he Actually Wasn't... Deion would Be Fine in Today's NFL..Bigger Guys like Michael Irvin Successfully Used SLANTS to get Nickel and Dime Yardage/Catches, and that Would Be the Case Today as Well.... But Deion would Faaaar and Away Be THE Best Corner in the League, Even if He was Playing Today. REED
Deion might very well still be the league's best CB if he played today but he wouldn't be as good as he was
Benjamin's Going to have a Lengthy, Productive Career. But as Well as he's playing, You have to Wonder How Good the TEAM Would Be with Benjamin, Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell (Who had a Big Game vs Chicago Yesterday).... GUARANfuckingTEED Cam Wonders About It.... REED
Based On? As Trplsec has Pointed Out, Deion's STYLE of Play is Polar Opposite to What Today's Refs Flag Guys For.... Sanders was a FINESSE Corner and the Game is More Finesse Oriented These Days... REED
No one is disputing Deion's resume, but you seem to be stuck on...........there's Deion, and well, everybody else sucks. If Deion played for the Seahawks today, I have a feeling you'd be posting every time somebody caught a 1st down slant pass in front of him.
A finesse CB by comparison to the time he played... Watch Deion Sanders play and you'll see plenty of good defense that would be flagged today... It's not just about beating the shit out of guys a la Blount or Lester Hayes, it's a lot of innocuous shit that gets called now... I agree he'd probably still be the best in the league but he'd clearly be hampered like everybody else that played in his era, not to the same degree that somebody rough like Lester Hayes would, but definitely he'd be hampered... It's not like just suddenly out of nowhere, great Cornerbacks just stopped being born sometime in the late 80s and they've all died off so now we only have mediocre ones... The rules make it impossible to dominate the position the way you could in the past eras
Sanders wasn't a physical player as far as tackling was concerned but he played press coverage alot and that part of his game would be affected. He'd certainly be the best corner today or any other era
It would be like if they said "Offensive tackles are now allowed to actually tackle defensive ends and will linebackers" ... Suddenly a guy would lead the league in sacks with 4 or 5 sacks... The best you could argue is that maybe Reggie White or Bruce Smith would have gotten 7
It's a lot easier to catch a ball that's being thrown to you, then to INT or knock down a ball that's being thrown away from you. DB's live in a much more consequential world then the Offensive players, they are going against. Randy Moss could disappear for 3-4 games in a row and people will forget about it the next time he catches 9 balls for 120 yards. Revis gives up a simple TD to one of the greatest WR's in history, in a game he didn't do much else in..........and REED won't let him forget it, years after it happens. :::: Lastly, why do you have so much patience with WR's who are loudmouth assholes, but have no constitution for DB's who are the same? :shadow:
LaFell was never going to get the money he got in New England. He had too many drops and was too inconsistent to get that kind of money. Plus, Cam isn't the most accurate QB so unless the ball is perfect, LaFell's more than likely going to drop or bobble it. He hadn't done much in NE until the past two weeks and let's face it...if you can't catch Brady's passes your ass should be out of the league. Steve Smith is a different case. he was under contract, they just flat out cut him. It was more to do with the current GM than anything. Plus he's playing with a chip on his shoulder and has managed to stay healthy which he wasn't able to do last season.
lafell made some tough catches against the bears. getting into a real system with real coaches may have been all he needed for the light to go on.
His overall numbers don't mean much vs the shitty bears d especially since fuller got pulled early when his hip injury flared up. Nonetheless I saw him catch some difficult passes on inaccurate throws from Brady B marshall has never been to the playoffs so perhaps his frustrations are mounting. Then he has to go spin these losses on showtime
Deion Sanders Was, w/Out Argument, THE Best Cover Corner to Ever Play Professional Football...By COMPARISON, Yeah, Everybody Else DOES Suck, in that Regard... REED Doesn't Dislike EVERYBODY that Plays for Seattle, so if Deion Wore that Uniform, REED Feels Certain he Could APPRECIATE his Greatness... REED:mj:
REED ISN'T Debating Whether Today's Rules Hamper Today's DB's...Clearly They DO... REED's Point is, Today's Rules WOULDN'T Hamper Deion Sanders...Not Appreciably, Anyways...His Ability to Operate in SPACE is the Biggest Reason Why...REED Ain't Saying Deion Would NEVER Have a Flag Thrown his Way, but @ the Same Time, REED Doesn't See Today's Rules ALTERING the Way He Played... REED:mj:
You just Described WHY REED Doesn't Particularly Care for Shittalking DB's; it's a Position DESIGNED for you to Fail... Sure, Deion was ARROGANT as Hell...NOBODY Self-Promoted Themselves More, but @ the Same Time, When Did Deion EVER Talk Shit ABOUT Receivers he was Gonna Face that Week???...If Deion Labeled Jerry Rice a "Slouch", Only to Get EMBARRASSED on National Television, REED Would Reference it to this Very Day...If Deion Called a Middle of the Pack Guy like Crabtree a "Sorry Receiver", Only to Give Up Catches to San Diego Charger Receivers NOBODY'S Ever Heard Of, REED Would Speak Up Then Too... When Deion Talked Shit, it was about HIMSELF...He Wouldn't Give Opposing Receivers the SATISFACTION of Namedropping Them... These Days, DB's have 1 Good Year & Label THEMSELVES "Shutdown Corners"...QB's Avoid Throwing to a Guys Side for 2 Consecutive Games & he's Ready to Commission a Bust for Canton...From REED's Recollection, the "Shutdown Corner" Label was Hoisted UPON Deion...& he'd Go Half a Fucking Season w/Out a Pass Coming his Way...No Comparison... When Deion was a Member of "America's Team", YOUR Dallas Cowboys, they FOOLISHLY Played him on 1 Side, Exclusively...Sooooo, Instead of Testing the Waters, the San Francisco 49'ers PURPOSELY Lined Jerry Rice Up on the OPPOSITE Side, Even w/Steve Young Throwing the Rock to him... REED:mj:
LOGICALLY Speaking, "America's Team", YOUR Dallas Cowboys, Should Blow Out the Washington FOREskins...But This is a DIVISIONAL Rivalry... Man Moooooooooons Ago, During Washington's LAST Super Bowl Season, they LOST a Regular Season Game to a WINLESS Dallas Squad, that Finished 1-15 That Year...If REED Isn't Mistaken, the FOREskins FAILED to Make the Playoffs, yet Actually SWEPT the Cowboys During 1 of Our Super Bowl Winning Seasons in the 90's... Point Being, STRANGE Shit Happens in this Matchup...But Hopefully it DOESN'T Happen Tonight...REED's Expecting a CLOSER Game (Early) than he'd Like, but a Cowboy's VICTORY, Nonetheless... Cowboys - 34 FOREskins - 21 7-1, We 'Dem BOYS!!!.... REED:mj:
