Ray Lewis' place in history

[Ravens44]

Sooooooooooooooo, no mention of Mike Curtis???

As for Ray, to me, he is on the short list of best NFL players all time, period.
Not only was he incredible as a player, he has to be the best leader in NFL history.
He not only motivated those around him by his words, but he helped players become better players through teaching and leading by example.
So, I would agree, LT and Ray were the very best at their relative positions.
And one cannot underestimate LT having what Brandt has declared 2 other linebackers in the top 41 of all time with Carl Banks and Harry Carson. LT moved all around and went after the QB while the other linebackers did the rest.

[JimZipCode]

LT was the greatest football player I've seen. That's just my opinion. He's the only player I ever saw who was so dominant that he was always the primary focus of any game plan (and it never worked). I don't believe there was ever a better MLB than Ray, but I don't recall him being consistently the overall presence on the field that LT was.

I have to agree with this. LT was an overwhelming presence on the field. There isn't much room to be more dominant than Ray Lewis 1999-2001, but peak LT was.

Lawrence Taylor changed the game. Offenses evolved new tactics to deal specifically with him. That's impact.

[GOTA]

Can't get past how stupid it is to group OLBs and MLBs. That alone delegitimizes the whole thing. OLBs and DE's maybe should be grouped together. Not even sure about that, but at least it separates out the pass rushers.

LT was the greatest football player I've seen. That's just my opinion. He's the only player I ever saw who was so dominant that he was always the primary focus of any game plan (and it never worked). I don't believe there was ever a better MLB than Ray, but I don't recall him being consistently the overall presence on the field that LT was.

I completely agree. LT was the most destructive force an offense has ever seen. Everyone knew exactly what he was going to do and still couldn't stop him.

Ray Lewis was more a swiss army knife. He did everything a MLB was supposed to do but can that have the same impact as the most dominant pass rusher ever? That's why no list should put OLBs and ILBs together. It just doesn't work

[Rxdoxx]

Truthfully I really don't know a lot about LT
I lost a lot of interest in NFL after 1983
My memory of LT is that he was a blitzing freak, that defenses had to shift and adjust to, forced Joe Gibbs to develop an H-Back to counter the blitzing threat

I may be wrong but my overall evaluation of him is a freak, can't think of people who he played like ....
Ray Lewis however we compare directly to people who he played like Singletary-Butkus-
With LT I don't ever remember hearing "he plays like ...." "only better"

I've heard Ray compared with the slobberknockers, and early was compared with the field coverage/pass defense giants

Only comparisons to LT I've heard is one dimensional outside blitz ability ... no I'm not saying he wasn't great at it, but he was a horse of a different color - I'd say a one trick pony, but but that is probably not true I just never saw him play much short of highlights, and those highlights were blitz
Ray was a giant among peers, we talk about highlights and we are all over the place, from a TE getting devistated over the middle (Singletary), to a RB getting a broken shoulder in the hole (Butkus), to a backfield unopposed takedown of Sproles (LT), to a pass defended 30 yds downfield in a SB, to Eddie George giving him the ball

[BlackBeak]

Truthfully I really don't know a lot about LT
I lost a lot of interest in NFL after 1983
My memory of LT is that he was a blitzing freak, that defenses had to shift and adjust to, forced Joe Gibbs to develop an H-Back to counter the blitzing threat

I may be wrong but my overall evaluation of him is a freak, can't think of people who he played like ....
Ray Lewis however we compare directly to people who he played like Singletary-Butkus-
With LT I don't ever remember hearing "he plays like ...." "only better"

I've heard Ray compared with the slobberknockers, and early was compared with the field coverage/pass defense giants

Only comparisons to LT I've heard is one dimensional outside blitz ability ... no I'm not saying he wasn't great at it, but he was a horse of a different color - I'd say a one trick pony, but but that is probably not true I just never saw him play much short of highlights, and those highlights were blitz
Ray was a giant among peers, we talk about highlights and we are all over the place, from a TE getting devistated over the middle (Singletary), to a RB getting a broken shoulder in the hole (Butkus), to a backfield unopposed takedown of Sproles (LT), to a pass defended 30 yds downfield in a SB, to Eddie George giving him the ball

Man, they would run away from LT because running at him was death. Then he would catch them from behind. I think he may not have been great at pass coverage. Whatever that matters if he has smashed the QB before the throw.

[JimZipCode]

Man, they would run away from LT because running at him was death. Then he would catch them from behind. I think he may not have been great at pass coverage. Whatever that matters if he has smashed the QB before the throw.

Saw him make a leaping interception in a playoff game. He could do everything.

It just usually didn't make much sense to have him NOT rush the passer.

[Rygar64]

I put them both #1 at their positions. I think the fear factor of LT vs Ray depended on which position you played. If you were a QB, absolutely LT. But if you were a RB, TE or hell, even a WR dumb enough to cross the middle, then it was Ray. Ray used to fucking destroy people when he tackled them. How crazy that arguably the two best LBs in NFL history both have a taint on their careers? Honestly though, I'm not sure which taint is worse...a lot of folks believe that cocaine was definitely a PED...but then again, who knows what benefits of "modern medicine" Ray benefited from. Ultimately, it shouldn't matter for either...performance on the field is what should make the argument.

[WrongBaldy]

this dude is a joke

Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

did i miss the enshrinement>?

[Mista T]

#1 Dick Butkus
#2 Ray Lewis
#3 Lawrence Taylor

So it is Written, So it Shall be Done

[GOTA]

#1 Dick Butkus
#2 Ray Lewis
#3 Lawrence Taylor

So it is Written, So it Shall be Done

Butkis was before my time but to be that great on such horrible teams is just amazing. The focus he had must have been incredible

[BlackBeak]

#1 Dick Butkus
#2 Ray Lewis
#3 Lawrence Taylor

So it is Written, So it Shall be Done

Totally disagree. Butkis maybe #3. Ray was every bit the dominant run stopper, but he could be anywhere on the field he needed to be when he needed to be there to make the play. Ray was Butkis on fast forward (and the greatest leader in NFL history). Sorry but Butkis is even arguable at #3.

I already said I thought LT was the greatest PLAYER ever (NFL put him behind Rice, Brown and Montana). I thought he was like Michael Jordon to football. He just wasn't likeable. No less a dominant force.

[WNCRavensFan]

For what it's worth, as in not much:

All Time All Pro LBs (strong, middle, weak)

1) Lawrence Taylor - Ray Lewis - Jack Ham
2) Bobby Bell - Dick Butkus - Derrick Brooks
3) Junior Seau - Joe Schmidt - Ted Hendricks
4) DeMarucs Ware - Mike Singletary - Chuck Howley
5) Derrick Thomas - Brian Urlacher - Andre Tippett

feels nuts leaving Ray Nitchke and Jack Lambert off but, there you go. MLB is tough and deep all-time. Chicago probably has four of the top ten (Bill George). Not to mention Sam Huff, Chuck Bednarik, Willie Lanier, Nick Buoniconti, Zach Thomas and Patrick Willis.

also not sure where to put modern rush LB/DEs like Terrell Suggs, DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller. I suppose there should be a 4th spot for that position led by LT -- but then old school OLBs look weaker.