Zach Overrated: People starting to take notice.

[Justasportsfan]

He gets hurt every year. How do you think I know the team sufferes without him?

I also hear a lot of "Tackles by Zach thomas after gains of zero, 1 or 2 yards"

I believe a lot of coaches would rather have a linebacker that consitantly makes tackles rather than one who misses a couples but makes an interception or two. That is also the thing. A good year for linebackers is 2 intercpetions and 2 forced fumbles. It is not like they make an int half of the games. Plus only half of the forced fumbles turn into turn overs. They are just pretty stats fans use to try to prove their point when they realize they haven't watched enough to make an honest assestment.

Imagine Brett Farve with Jerry Rice. That is too scary.

There is a lot of people's opinion I would rather take then yours. What does that matter?

He isn't great. Deal with it. Not a single person would question his ability if he was undoubtedly great. Even some finfans consider him done and not even HOF material. You do not question a great player. A great player does not bring doubts to anyone and some of your fellow finfans do.

A year ago, Zach was being blasted here for taking a long time to restructure his contract w/ chants of "he's not worth it anyways".

Not a single Ravens fan would question Lewis. Just like not a single Chargers fans questioned Seau during his prime.

Zach was never at Urlachers , Lewis' ,Seau's class during everyone's best.

 

[Justasportsfan]

Uhh, Zach makes plenty of short yardage stops, thank you very much. Zach, as MOST linebackers do, make tackles in the 3-5 yard range. You do understand that average lies somewhere in there, correct?

If you think Zach's biggest weakest is in coverage please stop typing now because you have no idea what you are talking about. He doesnt have the speed to stay with faster RBs man to man, but is very widely regarded as one of the best zone coverage linebackers in the game.

I dont understand where some of you people come from, whom seem to be able to judge the game not on the players actual merits but instead fantasy football stats and Stuart Scott voiced highlight reels.

Just because I said it was his biggest weakness , it doesn't mean he sucked at it.
In Spikes short career, he's already better at coverage than Zach ever was.

It's guys like you and TAy that make Zach overrated. He has consistently been solid his entire career but never great.

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

He isn't great. Deal with it. Not a single person would question his ability if he was undoubtedly great. Even some finfans consider him done and not even HOF material. You do not question a great player. A great player does not bring doubts to anyone and some of your fellow finfans do.

A year ago, Zach was being blasted here for taking a long time to restructure his contract w/ chants of "he's not worth it anyways".

Not a single Ravens fan would question Lewis. Just like not a single Chargers fans questioned Seau during his prime.

Zach was never at Urlachers , Lewis' ,Seau's class during everyone's best.

Urlacher was never at Urlacher's level. Deal with it. You talk about over rated, Urlacher is the poster child.

Also every Raven fan is questioning Lewis as he is trying to restructure his contract as we speak. Deal with that.

Who is talking about Hall of Fame? That is huge. Some people question Art Monk, who is one of the best wide recievers in the game. He is still great. Hall of fame is beyond great. It is legendary.

 

[DeeAy3000]

The fact is, the same people who ininitially put him on the podium of being a star (the media) are the same ones who in turn call him overrated. Very hypocritical in my opinion.

 

[Disgustipate]

Not a single Ravens fan would question Lewis. Just like not a single Chargers fans questioned Seau during his prime.

Zach was never at Urlachers , Lewis' ,Seau's class during everyone's best.

I'm not sure if you noticed, there are some stupid fans on this board. It's almost like Bufflorange, but without people eating lead paint chips.

Seau and Lewis I agree with. Urlacher? Hello no. Chronically overrated.

Just because I said it was his biggest weakness , it doesn't mean he sucked at it.
In Spikes short career, he's already better at coverage than Zach ever was.

It's guys like you and TAy that make Zach overrated. He has consistently been solid his entire career but never great.

Again, all you seem to know is fantasy football scoring and ESPN highlight reels. Aint no one in the league, in terms of pure coverage, who would take Takeo Spikes over Zach Thomas.

Takeo is definately a better man coverage linebacker then Zach, but it aint anywhere close. Zach is up there with Donnie Edwards and Derrick Brooks in terms of being able to shut down the center of the field.

 

[SECfootball]

I'm not sure if you noticed, there are some stupid fans on this board. It's almost like Bufflorange, but without people eating lead paint chips.

Seau and Lewis I agree with. Urlacher? Hello no. Chronically overrated.



Again, all you seem to know is fantasy football scoring and ESPN highlight reels. Aint no one in the league, in terms of pure coverage, who would take Takeo Spikes over Zach Thomas.

Takeo is definately a better man coverage linebacker then Zach, but it aint anywhere close. Zach is up there with Donnie Edwards and Derrick Brooks in terms of being able to shut down the center of the field.

I went to BuffaloRange once. There were about 6 topics on the front page relating to the Dolphins. They have some sort of obsession with us.

 

[Losman7]

Takeo is definately a better man coverage linebacker then Zach, but it aint anywhere close. Zach is up there with Donnie Edwards and Derrick Brooks in terms of being able to shut down the center of the field.

Well, if TKO was covering the center of the field he wouldn't be doing his job...

You can't really compare Spikes and Thomas, they play different positions...

Thomas get more tackles, Spikes gets more everything else.

 

[Zeke0123]

Urlacher was never at Urlacher's level. Deal with it. You talk about over rated, Urlacher is the poster child.

Also every Raven fan is questioning Lewis as he is trying to restructure his contract as we speak. Deal with that.

Who is talking about Hall of Fame? That is huge. Some people question Art Monk, who is one of the best wide recievers in the game. He is still great. Hall of fame is beyond great. It is legendary.

:rofl3:

 

[enigmatics]

Agreed but the point is the Pats have found talented players, who are as you said, interchangeable.
They have complemented every player’s ability, by finding someone who will be able to cover up for their mistakes. For example, McGinest’s speed will complement Johnson’s smarts, Harrison’s risk taking and play close to the line, is complemented by the faster E.Wilson.
Therefore, why bring in competition for Zach ? The key would’ve been to bring in complementary players who would’ve made Zach even better, just as the Pats did. Granted, Wanny recognized Zach’s weakness in coverage by drafting Greenwood who’s speciality was coverage but Zach did not get enough help from the other OLB.

............actually it's not about complementing..........again it's about the versatility in each of those players.........not to mention the smarts. BB and Pioli have a history of only bringing in intelligent players regardless of their physical attributes. They have to be intelligent and extremely versatile to run his schemes.

Greenwood's specialty was not coverage. That's why you rarely, if ever, saw him in the game after 2nd down. He only played 40%-50% of the snaps on defense each year. Zach's weakness isn't necessarily just "coverage," in fact he's excellent at reading offenses........ his weakness comes in to play when there's a mismatch with the offensive player that's his responsibility. TE's with size and speed are simply just too much for lil' Zach.

Zach worked in our 4-3 scheme under Bates, not because of who his linebackers are, but because of the DT's we've always had protecting him along with the fact that we never strayed from the vanilla formations.

 

[LAMiamifan]

Anyone remember the article in SI when he was a rookie where he said he drove over a fire hydrant once just to see if the water could shoot his car up in the air???

 

[enigmatics]

Uhhh... You do realize at that point Tommy Hendricks had been in the league, and the exact same system with the Dolphins for 4 years, right? His learning curve was long over. His number was called, and he did not perform.

Actually he did perform, the man threw up double digit tackles for a man who'd never started in his entire time with the Fins. For a man like Hendricks, that's pretty darn good and I know it kind of left me thinking about how interchangeable our MLB might have been.

Are you on drugs, sir? London Fletcher? Jonathan Vilma? You do realize that those two players are the EXACT SAME KIND of linebacker as Zach, smaller guys who cant take on blockers well but excel going from sideline to sideline?

What is wrong with you? You dont seem to know a football from a canalope.

Actually Jonathon Vilma was 6-1 230lbs his rookie year. He's naturally larger than Thomas. Fletcher, however is a short guy. I wouldn't have put him on my list.

 

[enigmatics]

The fact is, the same people who ininitially put him on the podium of being a star (the media) are the same ones who in turn call him overrated. Very hypocritical in my opinion.

............and who are these people? Is this some generic statement thrown out there to NOT make a point?

 

[Doktor Ivel]

he's not overated, he plays with heart, you cant argue with this one.

 

[DolfanISS]

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/8622837



Zach is on his way out, he's good but not great. In Zach's tenure here the Dolphins never drafted any one at the position with any legit talent; the players barely could stay on Special Teams. I commend Saban for actually bringing in some competition. When Morlon was drafted out of 'Cuse, he played MLB, before he even hit the Miami Beaches he was permanently moved to OLB. This lends to the idea that Miami’s leadership was always cool with the statue quo, 10 wins, 1 playoff win and a playoff lose, push mediocre players into superstar/playmaker roles that anyone could fill. Jimmy and Dave dogged W.H. (a good man) and left this team high and dry.

I find it hilarious that the thread title state (Zach Thomas overrated people STARTING to take NOTICE). Poeple are starting to notice going into his ninth season and after he just cracked 30 years old.

 

[DolfanISS]

Actually Zach Thomas is really only thought highly of by Dolfans. There are 31 other teams who have fans who don't rate him very highly at all.

How does the fact that 1 group of fans thinks he's great, make him overrated??????

I will always consider Zack a great MLB regardless of whatever poeple say on a message board.