Posted on 09/14/2005 2:23:26 PM PDT by One Proud Son
He was a remarkable athlete and revolutionized the way the game is played, but he was not really a linebacker in the true sense of the position at all -- he was basically a fast, undersized defensive end.
Wow -- I think you've been reading my mind. LOL.
To D-line lets add Bob Lilly, Merlin Olsen, Rich "Tombstone" Jackson, L.C. "Hollywood Bags" Greenwood, Reggie White, Dwight "Mad Dog" White, Doug Atkins, Gino Marchetti, Alan Page, Leroy Selmon and Carl Eller. These guys struck fear into everyone.
The 6-7, 220-pound Hendricks was deceivingly effective. Tall and comparatively skinny, he was strong, fast and a devastating tackler who specialized in blocking punts, field goals and extra point attempts. He was the kind of player that could totally disrupt an offense.
In his career, he intercepted 26 passes, which he returned for 332 yards and a touchdown. He also recovered 16 opponents' fumbles and scored a record-tying four safeties. Hendricks scored touchdowns on an interception, a fumble return, and a blocked punt.
Seemingly indestructible, Hendricks played in 215 straight regular-season games and also participated in eight Pro Bowl games, seven AFC championships and four Super Bowls (V with the Colts, XI, XV, XVIII with the Raiders). Ted was named All-Pro as a Colt in 1971, as a Packer in 1974, and as a Raider in 1980 and 1982. He also earned second-team All-Pro accolades five other times.
Lawrence Taylor,
An All-America at North Carolina, was the first-round draft pick of the New York Giants and the second player selected overall in the 1981 NFL Draft. The 6-3, 237-pound linebacker set the tone for his pro career with an outstanding rookie season during which he recorded a career-high 133 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 8 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception.
A dominant force on defense, Taylor was named first-team All-Pro in each of his first nine seasons. His ability to dominate a game with his attack style changed the outside linebacker position from a read-and-react posture to an aggressive mode.
An intense player, he had the speed to run past offensive linemen and the strength to out-muscle them. Starting in Taylor’s first season, the Giants began a 10-season streak in which they made the playoffs six times and won two Super Bowls.
Although Taylor’s accomplishments are many, he recorded his finest statistical season in 1986 when he was named the NFL’s MVP, becoming the first defensive player to do so since 1971. That season, Taylor recorded a career high 20.5 sacks, 105 total tackles, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.
In a 1988 game against the New Orleans Saints, suffering with a torn pectoral muscle in his shoulder, Taylor demonstrated his remarkable strength and determination. Wearing a harness to keep his shoulder in place, he managed to record seven tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. The Giants won 13-12.
Taylor recorded 132.5 quarterback sacks (not including 9.5 sacks he recorded in 1981, since the sack didn’t become an official NFL statistic until 1982), 1,088 tackles, 33 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries, and nine interceptions during his career. He was selected to play in 10 Pro Bowls and in 1994 was named to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.
The above are from the Pro-Football HOF entries. 'Nuff said.
NO NO NO Dan Marino is NOT as good as JOHN ELWAY....never was and never will be!!!!!
Can you name a single running back on the Denver Broncos during Elway's career before Terrell Davis came along? Sammy Winder? Gerald Wilhite? Do you really think the Broncos wasted the talents of those guys?
Bart Starr, Roger Staubach..
bttt
O.J.
#1: THE MIGHTY QUINN!
(Jonathan Quinn - QB Chi 2004)
(kidding. don't hit me, I'm in a STRANNGE mood.)
p.s. Like the new logo!
I would put Farve ahead of Tarkington.
Defintely ahead of Fouts as well.
Quarterback AND kicker George Blanda
LOL
where's Craig Krenzel on that list!?!?
Joe Germaine?!?
Honestly, I think Chris Spielman needs mentioned as a LB.
Did you catch that about sacks? Sacks were not an official stat for most of Hendrick career and the NFL does not go back and total up such stats. So we have no idea how many Hendrick had.
But keep in mind with Hendrick I was merely pointing out a rush DE type LB pre Taylor. Hendrick is one meaning all this talk about Taylor redefining DE is just hype I guess to cover up his one dimensional nature.
Taylor was a very good pass rusher but it is well known how to use that against an LB. I agree he probably should be a hall of famer despite is huge defects at playing the run and pass coverage, but I think the hall of fame issue is close. But he is in because as everyone knows hall of fames have a NYC bia due to the national sports press coverage of the "home" teams.
but he was not really a linebacker in the true sense of the position at all -- he was basically a fast, undersized defensive end.
See my post #264. He was a linebacker who changed the way the position was played. He was the prototype of today's linebackers. He broke the mold. Great players do that. Magic Johnson was a 6'9'' point guard cum small forward. He even played center in the playoffs when Karim went down.
:)
You are in a distinct minority. If you don't think that LT is deserving of being in the HOF or among the top two or three LBs ever (I think he is the best), I question your knowledge of the game. Certainly LT's peers thought he was the best and could defend the pass and the run.
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