Ed Reed best safety in the league

**willy72480** · 11-16-2009, 02:14 PM

I regularly read this website called Pro Football Focus: http://www.profootballfocus.com/home.php?tab=home

It dives deep into stats and then uses a certain methodology to rank every player in the league based on every play that player has played in for the season.

To make a long story short, you should check out the site if you're into stats.

Just a few noteworthy Ravens observations from the stats rankings at the site:

1. Ed Reed is playing better than any other safety in the league. We're talking much better than anyone else at that position - he's in a class of his own. I bring this up only because a lot of talk on these boards has Ed Reed sitting the bench for the rest of the season. He isn't playing out of his mind like he did last season, but he's still the best. Teams don’t throw at Reed (78 total yards in his direction) because his excellent range makes it too much of a risk.

2. The flip-side to this is that Dawan Landry is overwhelmingly the worst safety in the league. Just down-right atrocious. Possibly why people are mistakingly perceiving Ed Reed as playing bad. It's more Landry than anything.

3. Our cornerbacks are pretty average, but not nearly as awful as everyone makes them out to be. It would seem that the play of Dawan Landry is the biggest reason for our defensive secondary problems. Although sitting Washington for Webb is supported by the stats (especially after Webb's performance at Cincy last week).

4. Kelly Gregg is playing spectacular despite just a year removed from knee surgery. He's playing better than Haloti Ngata at this point. Definitely need to find a way to keep Gregg on the team next year. He's the third-best DT in the league this year.

5. Ray Lewis, as always, is a top five ILB. He's still dominating to this day. Good thing we kept him around. Lewis is the third-best ILB this season.

6. Ray Rice and Le'Ron McClain make up the best offensive backfield in the league. Rice is second only to Maurice Jones-Drew, who are both playing way beyond any other backs in the league. McClain is the fourth best FB.

7. Our Offensive Line is looking fairly average. Tackles are good, but the interior line is a bit below-average for the league. Not good considering the high hopes we had for this group going into the season. Michael Oher is looking like the second best RT in the league, though.

8. Flacco is good, but still only the third best quarterback in the AFCN. He's ranked 11th overall. For his second year, not bad considering.

9. We have no pass rush. Both Suggs and Pryce are pitiful in this category.

Just thought I'd share with everyone. Obviously, individual gradings and stats don't win games, but there are some misconceptions about this team going around the boards/media that aren't supported by the facts. Still, it's a shame to see all the wasted talent on a 4-4 team at this point.

Hopefully the Ravens go on a tear the second half of the season.

**Mr. Mojo Rizon** · 11-16-2009, 03:04 PM

More like hocus pocus instead of focus if you ask me.

I don't care what those stats say, Ed Reed was responsible for blown assignments against the Chargers and Minnesota. He is hardly the best safety in the league.

And their research regarding Kelly Gregg is a joke.

They say stats sometimes lie. This is a perfect case in point.

**UKRavenGordon** · 11-16-2009, 03:05 PM

Seconded. Great website for getting into the detail and nitty gritty. Brilliant for backing up your point in an arguement over suggesting that the best safety in the league should be benched.

**UKRavenGordon** · 11-16-2009, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Mojo Rizon

More like hocus pocus instead of focus if you ask me.

I don't care what those stats say, Ed Reed was responsible for blown assignments against the Chargers and Minnesota. He is hardly the best safety in the league.

And their research regarding Kelly Gregg is a joke.

They say stats sometimes lie. This is a perfect case in point.

Care to elaborate?

**Mr. Mojo Rizon** · 11-16-2009, 03:25 PM

Care to elaborate?

Sure, Ed Reed is having a decent year but is at best playing above average football so far...nowhere near in line with what footballhocuspocus.com suggests. Eric DeCosta was down at the ESPN Zone showing game film and where plays broke down. No. 20 was at the heart of a few secondary breakdowns leading to big plays.

In Reed's defense, he started slowly last year too and came on strong. So we'll see how he finishes 2009.

As for Kelly Gregg, just watch him. That initial burst he once had is gone. When is the last time you saw him disrupting a play in the opponent's backfield? When is the last time he was the essential player in a "no gain" run?

He needs that quick twitch to create leverage because when he doesn't he gets pushed all around.

**UKRavenGordon** · 11-16-2009, 03:41 PM

So a great player never makes a mistake or blows an assignment. What about the Broncos game where he allowed 2 catches for -10 yards?

What made Gregg the great player he is/was is his tenacity and hard work - he's not lost that.

**Mr. Mojo Rizon** · 11-16-2009, 03:46 PM

So a great player never makes a mistake or blows an assignment. What about the Broncos game where he allowed 2 catches for -10 yards?

What made Gregg the great player he is/was is his tenacity and hard work - he's not lost that.

"A" mistake?

"An" assignment?

Take off the goggles and watch.

If tenacity and hard work is all you need to be great, then Dwan Edwards would be an All-Pro. I agree that Gregg hasn't lost that, but he has lost what made him one of the best defensive tackles in the league...that quick twitch...the explosive first step...it's gone.

When you are as undersized as Kelly, you need more than tenacity and hard work. Go watch Rudy if you disagree.

**UKRavenGordon** · 11-16-2009, 03:53 PM

Gregg is still one of the very best run stoppers at his position in the league. The Reed hate around this place these days is bizarre.

**Mr. Mojo Rizon** · 11-16-2009, 04:07 PM

Gregg is still one of the very best run stoppers at his position in the league. The Reed hate around this place these days is bizarre.

Gregg is no longer even among the best run stoppers in our division any more. Look I love the guy. His is the only jersey I have but his injury is simply preventing him from being what he was before.

And why is it that if Reed is criticized, it's hate? I call it reality.

Maybe you should deal with it.

**UKRavenGordon** · 11-16-2009, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Mojo Rizon

Gregg is no longer even among the best run stoppers in our division any more. Look I love the guy. His is the only jersey I have but his injury is simply preventing him from being what he was before.

And why is it that if Reed is criticized, it's hate? I call it reality.

Maybe you should deal with it.

I call it hate when the criticism of Reed is people (not you) complain about him making arm tackles and taking too many risks when thats what he's always done. Reed's always taken gambles trying to force fumbles and make picks, it's what makes him great. Statwise this season he's allowed 78 yards when he's been targetted. That to me is pretty damn impressive.

So who do you feel is a better run stopping DT/NT in our division?

**willy72480** · 11-16-2009, 04:30 PM

Mojo, I'll grant you that stats don't determine the whole story, but it would be nice if you had something to back up your criticism of Kelly Gregg. Because the website above, and others have Gregg as the best run stopper in the league so far this season. And this is in his first year back from knee surgery, when he won't be back to full strength until next season.

I'd say that's pretty impressive. If you want to give up on Gregg after sitting out a whole year, that's fine. But the way he's played this year and the way he'll play much better next year, I'll take my chances with him in the lineup.

The criticism of Reed is equally confusing. Opponents have gained 78 yards on him this season. How can you say he's been at the heart of several secondary breakdowns that went for big plays? I repeat, his play has resulted in our opponents gaining 78 yards on him through the air this year. Stats don't tell the whole story, but this particular stat doesn't lie.

The plays Reed has missed are ones where he's been forced to cover for Dawan Landry's blown assignments. The problem is Dawan Landry, it has nothing to do with Reed. The Ravens are essentially playing a man down in the secondary, with Ed Reed being the only safety. He's forced to cover for Landry's ineffectiveness and teams can now completely avoid him during games because Landry's side of the field is much easier to throw on. If Landry was playing even a little better, teams would be forced to gamble more and throw toward Reed, allowing him to create turnovers.

Seriously, focus your anger at Landry, not Reed.

**Mr. Mojo Rizon** · 11-16-2009, 04:46 PM

The plays Reed has missed are ones where he's been forced to cover for Dawan Landry's blown assignments. The problem is Dawan Landry, it has nothing to do with Reed. The Ravens are essentially playing a man down in the secondary, with Ed Reed being the only safety. He's forced to cover for Landry's ineffectiveness and teams can now completely avoid him during games because Landry's side of the field is much easier to throw on. If Landry was playing even a little better, teams would be forced to gamble more and throw toward Reed, allowing him to create turnovers.

Seriously, focus your anger at Landry.

Landry I agree has been awful but to say that all of Reed's mistakes are really Landry's is just wrong.

Look your Ed Reed Fathead won't lose its value...take off the goggles bro