Linebackers article

[Lee Van Cleef]

I just thought I'd post this to get people foaming at the mouth:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_yl...rankings071210

11. Baltimore: The Ravens once boasted one of the deepest, nastiest linebacking corps in the league. To be sure, they’re still tough, but they have definitely lost their fastball. Ray Lewis(notes) still knows the game so well that he can cover for his lack of speed. Terrell Suggs(notes) is coming off his worst season, both on and off the field. Tavares Gooden(notes) and Jarret Johnson(notes) are just guys and second-year outside linebacker Paul Kruger(notes) was disappointing as a rookie. Suggs better turn it around and Kruger better improve or this group is going to slip further.

It was the JJ put down that irked me.

I also find it somewhat strange that people always say Ray is losing steps, but give Urlacher a break when his play has been mediocre the last few seasons (when he's played, speaking of which Durability issues aren't something you can saddle round Ray's neck either).

[Jeremiah W]

I just thought I'd post this to get people foaming at the mouth:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_yl...rankings071210



It was the JJ put down that irked me.

I also find it somewhat strange that people always say Ray is losing steps, but give Urlacher a break when his play has been mediocre the last few seasons (when he's played, speaking of which Durability issues aren't something you can saddle round Ray's neck either).

You know they are just not breaking down the film when they say JJ is "just a guy" and did not even mention Ellerbe who was starting.

This kind of stuff used to upset me more, but I notice they NEVER give examples or details. They never tie stats to those opinions. Ray must be slow by now he has been slowing down so long.

Suggs had a bad year, he is obviously finished. Whatever.

[purplepoe]

Just another example of someone glossing over a team and writing something to fill space.

Ellerbe isn't mentioned but Gooden is?

This is actually one of the better ones seeing as there aren't at least 3 statement of facts that are actually untrue.

I usually get to the beach in early August every year and I'll get some magazines to read while on the beach.

It's simply amazing the amount of factual errors that you read.

It used to drive me nuts but now I just expect them and try to find a few articles that appeal to me.

PP

[Dragz]

Ray is old and lost a step, meanwhile he's breaking RBs shoulders and blowing up scat backs behind the line of scrimmage. JJ is just a guy, meanwhile, he gets picks and knocks the dog piss out of quarterbacks. Suggs had an off year and nobody else started, consistently, all year. I wanna see what they say at the end of the year, when they have to eat crow.

[Dave Lap]

Yeah, the JJ thing irked me too. He's an above average linebacker that does all the little things it takes to win. At times he plays like a pro bowler.

[Stealthbirds80]

This is just slack jawed reporting and nothing more. They just wanted to write the opposite of what everyone else is saying in the media. C'mon we all have at least one friend who just disagrees just to disagree no matter how silly. This is that friend.

[CRZA938]

You know they are just not breaking down the film when they say JJ is "just a guy" and did not even mention Ellerbe who was starting.

This kind of stuff used to upset me more, but I notice they NEVER give examples or details. They never tie stats to those opinions. Ray must be slow by now he has been slowing down so long.

Suggs had a bad year, he is obviously finished. Whatever.

Yep, it's amazing Ray can even move with as many steps as he has lost. They also included Kruger in their LB "analysis".

[Sirdowski]

"middle linebackers really don’t matter the way they did 10 years ago. Unless you’re Patrick Willis, a healthy Brian Urlacher or Ray Lewis in his prime"


How about this part from the piece on st. Louis' corps. It seems to me that they're implying a healthy Urlacher is better than Ray unless its Ray in his prime... I beg to differ.

[RavenScallywag]

I think the key indicator of our LB corps is the fact that you look up and down our corps...

Ray Lewis
Terrell Suggs
Jarret Johnson
Tavares Gooden
Dannell Ellerbe
Jameel McClain
Antwan Barnes
Brendan Ayanbadejo
Sergio Kindle
Jason Phillips
Prescott Burgess
Edgar Jones

EVERY one of these guys BELONGS on an NFL roster...I mean, Edgar Jones, Prescott Burgess, Jason Phillips are all "bubble" players here, but on another team, they'd be at least ST depth.

We may not have 8 starters at LB, but our backups have above average ability. You can put down Gooden/Ellerbe for being slightly raw for starters, but you also need to mention BA, McClain, and Barnes for being above average role players

And yeah, the JJ comment shows they have not watched much in the form of Ravens games. JJ has been near Pro Bowl level the past two years.

[Lee Van Cleef]

Interestingly I was flicking through the Lindy's preview magazine last night and they have the Ravens LB corps as the number 1 in the NFL. I think that is a tad high, but I thought it was interesting.

[Jeremiah W]

Interestingly I was flicking through the Lindy's preview magazine last night and they have the Ravens LB corps as the number 1 in the NFL. I think that is a tad high, but I thought it was interesting.

I think when you include the backups, no one has a better group.

[Dave Lap]

On the NFL Network last night they rated the top inside linebackers in the NFL and, yep, Ray Lewis.........still number one.

I always take polls and player rankings with a healthy grain of salt. However, the fact that Ray is still regarded by some as the top MLB after 14 years is downright amazing. What a player.