i'm sure he'll be ranked high real soon if he plays like last sunday
Zach Thomas left off TSN's top 100 NFL players list
- Thread starter Ronnie Bass
- Start date
Ronnie Bass
R.I.P. - Nick is God
nyjunc said:
Here's a list of what other defensive players did at the age of 31 and beyond:
Bruce Smith - Pro Bowler, 10 sacks, would reach double didgets in sacks five more times before he retires.
Reggie White - Pro Bowler, 14 sacks, would reach the Pro Bowl seven more times before he retired and reach double didgets in saks five more times.
Ronnie Lott - Pro Bowler, three interceptions and would another Pro Bowl honor before he retired.
Junior Seau - Pro Bowler, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions, would make the Pro Bowl two more times and counting.
Kevin Greene - 12.5 sacks and would make the Pro Bowl four more times after the age of 31.
Rod Woodson - eight interceptions and would make the Pro Bowl four more times after the age of 31.
Mike Singletary - Pro Bowler and would make it back three more times after the age of 31.
Darrell Green - Pro Bowler, five interceptions and would make the Pro Bowl two more times after the age of 31.
Dennis Smith - Pro Bowler and would make it back two more times after the age of 31.
Lawrence Taylor - Pro Bowler and 10.5 sacks.
Howie Long - Three sacks and would make the Pro Bowl two times after the age of 31.
Neil Smith - Pro Bowler, 8.5 sacks.
Cortez Kennedy, Pro Bowler, 6.5 sacks.
Trace Armstrong, 12 sacks and would his only Pro Bowl appearance at the age of 35.
Marco Coleman, Pro Bowl, 12 sacks.
Aeneas Williams, Pro Bowl, and would make it two more times after the age of 31.
Dion Sanders, Pro Bowl, five interceptions and would make the Pro Bowl one more time after the age of 31.
John Randle, Pro Bowl, 10.5 sacks and would make the Pro Bowl one more time after the age of 31.
Harry Carson, Pro Bowler and would make it back three more times after the age of 31.
Sources: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/
http://www.jt-sw.com/football/
So please tell me again how players are on the decline at the age of 31, and keep in mind this research was done in less than 30 minutes and covers mostly the '90's and beyond, imagine would I could have done with more time.
Ronnie Bass
R.I.P. - Nick is God
Wildbill3 said:
Three interceptions and 2.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl at the age of 31, and would make it two more times after that, very good dude.
nyjunc said:
Actually he was better in passes defended, and tackles per game, tackles, and he did this with three less games.
2004....... Games...Tackles....... TPG... Sacks.....PDG..... INT
Thomas.... 13............118........... 9....... 2..........4... . . 0
Vilma....... 16....... ... 80........ ... 5.... ... 2.......... 2... .. 2
tay0365 said:
3 less games and 1 less start plus the near 100 more rushes aginst his team for more tackle opportunities.
Guys: I have never said zach isn't good or that he was done, I merely said he is not as good today as a few years ago and I don't think it's really arguable. I think if you ask zach he'll tell you the same thing. I very well could be wrong and he could have an excellent season, at worst i expect a solid year from him w/ a few ups and downs. I respect Zach, he's a warrior out there. I don't like him b/c he is a dolphin but I respect what he does and what he has done but anyone who says they'd rather have a 30+ yr old Zach over a 2nd yr Vilma is crazy.
nyjunc said:
You said that Vilma had a better year then Zach, and I just thought that was wrong and proved it....that's all. I am not attacking you for being a Jets fan and or preferring your players over your opponents, I do the same thing (When it is reasonable.....I am not going to tell you that Feeley is better the Chad).
Vilma is a very good talent, and show potential to one day be as good as Zach, but sorry to say he is still not there (yes, even the older version Zach). I agree that Zach is on the decline, but he is still better then the majority of the other teams M-linebacker, and when he is done, I believe we have a very good replacement for him in Crowder (Unless he shows to be such a force on the outside, that will make it tough to bring him inside).
For now be excited on having such a good talent like Vilma on your team, but also try not to compare him with elite players just yet, but maybe one day you will be able to.
nyjunc said:
Are you talking about the good guys that seem to be punching and screaming at each other :D ....sorry could not help it, lets hope for a good game with little to no big injuries.
# 1 the Jets suck and are doing down this weekend!
# 2, it's a disgrace that Zach Thomas did not make this list. There's numerous players on this list who don't have half the track record of ZT!
# 2, it's a disgrace that Zach Thomas did not make this list. There's numerous players on this list who don't have half the track record of ZT!
Ronnie Bass
R.I.P. - Nick is God
nyjunc said:
No you haven't said he was never good, but you have insisted he was never great which is just unthinkable that someone would suggest that idea and you have implied that because he was over 30 that he was incapable of playing his best football which I showed that was not the case for many other defensive players who have excelled after the age of 30 and in some cases have had their best seasons.
I could honestly care less if Vilma is better than Zach, really, what my beef is during this whole thread all you have done is sell Thomas short as a great linebacker which to any football observer would find totally absurd, even so you are starting to back off that stance a little in this post which is a start.
Ronnie Bass
R.I.P. - Nick is God
nyjunc said:
Agreed 100%.
I dont care what that says. These people say Zach Thomas isnt good because of his size etc...Well if he has 3x the heart, and has excellent football IQ he is better than them! His stats show that, yet the "experts" dont acknowledge it.
Nick is God said:
Great is ray lewis, great was Mike Singletary. I'm sorry but Zach was never at the level of those 2. That's not an insult to Zach but Singletary is a HOFer and Ray is a future HOFer while Zach will not be a HOFer. Very good player, one of the top MLBs of his generation but never truly great.