Zach Thomas left off TSN's top 100 NFL players list

[Ronnie Bass]

Do you think he is as good now as say 2000?

What can't he be??

Look, last week was one of the best games I have ever seen him play, is it a coincidence that his great play coincides with the arrival of Nick Saban? I don't think so by a country mile.

Thomas took last last seasons disaster of a football team more to heart than just about anyone on the Dolphins, now you bring an innovative defense coach who knows how to get the best of his players and is bringing a winning attitude to a team that has been lacking that for sometime now, you couldn't put Thomas career on the decline right now even if you cut his right arm off.

This man is going to have a monster year in 2005, you can keep trying to fool yourself in thinking otherwise by making lame attempts of discrediting him as has been with your weak arguements that he is old and one game doesn't make a season instead of realizing that ten years of great football and the continuous determination of a bull have shown that this man has plenty of gas left in his tank.

 

[CsonkaClone]

He should watch some replays of that goal line stand last week...Zach was as good as ever on that series...and all day as well.

 

[djfresh47]

Not even going out on a limb... yes he will be, maybe even better. Age is highly overrated. Other than his age, how do you see him declining anyway?

I don't think so at all. The problem with ranking linebackers is that, it usually isn't the LB who is doing the work, that allows them to make the play, it's the defensive tackle. Ray Lewis is an exception, but the best year Urlacher had IMO, was when he had Traylor, and some other huge guy Ted Washington maybe. The defensive tackles do the work allowing the LB to flow freely and to make the play. Zach may not of made as many tackles for a loss last year, but that's probably because the defensive tackles last season were not doing theres. Look at London Fletcher in Buffalo he is a tackling machine, and a very good LB, but if they don't have those two big guys in the middle, he's not even close to as good as he is. I know they lost Pat Williams, but Ron Edwards has been groomed for awhile and is a good player. If the defensive tackles can do there job, Zach will have a great season, but if they can't he'll probably start breaking down towards the end of the year, like last season. The same can be said for any MLB, in a 4-3 defense.

 

[djfresh47]

I fully agree with your point. Who is the leading the NFL in tackles right now?

I'm a Dolphins fan, BTW, but stats are overrated, especially in the context that you seem to be using them. Under your thinking Willie Parker is the best RB in the NFL, because he's leading the league in rushing after one game.

 

[CsonkaClone]

See...that's what I mean about Ray Lewis being overrated...Why is Ray Lewis the exception? He relies on his big guys as much as any other LB!...Damn he's overrated!:shakeno:

 

[Wildbill3]

I'm a Dolphins fan, BTW, but stats are overrated, especially in the context that you seem to be using them. Under your thinking Willie Parker is the best RB in the NFL, because he's leading the league in rushing after one game.

That kid (parker) has done nothing but run his *** off, mark these words, that kid is the real deal, and will end up costing Duce his job.

 

[djfresh47]

See...that's what I mean about Ray Lewis being overrated...Why is Ray Lewis the exception? He relies on his big guys as much as any other LB!...Damn he's overrated!:shakeno:

Ray Lewis was playing in a 3-4 defense the last few seasons.

 

[djfresh47]

That kid (parker) has done nothing but run his *** off, mark these words, that kid is the real deal, and will end up costing Duce his job.

He's ran well, but i'm skeptical about teams that can have 3 RB's play and have no dropoff, like Kc and Pitt. I think it's more of the offensive line than the Rb. Duce and Bettis probably won't be playing much longer, and Parker has looked very impressive, but I think it's the offensive line, not him.

 

[CsonkaClone]

Ray Lewis was playing in a 3-4 defense the last few seasons.

So...he's a big LB...But he's not the only big LB wo's had success in the 3-4...Not getting on you but I just hate the way he is placed above all others at his position.

 

[djfresh47]

So...he's a big LB...But he's not the only big LB wo's had success in the 3-4...Not getting on you but I just hate the way he is placed above all others at his position.

I think it is because he is better than all others at his position. Ray Lewis is a great player, and my guess is he'll be in Canton some day. I don't understand why he is overrated. He's also had success in 4-3, been defensive player of the year, took his team to a Sb, with a very average offense. If the best player at MLB is overrated, what does that make everyone else playing MLB?

 

[CsonkaClone]

So you're saying that he single handedly took his team to a superbowl title?
Lots of Players have been defensive player of the year...and lots of defensive players have been on Superbowl winning teams...
He will be in Canton because he's overrated.

 

[djfresh47]

So you're saying that he single handedly took his team to a superbowl title?
Lots of Players have been defensive player of the year...and lots of defensive players have been on Superbowl winning teams...
He will be in Canton because he's overrated.

How is he overrated?

 

[CsonkaClone]

He's overrated because people who've never seen him play much automatically think he's the greatest of all freakin' time. I live in Cincy and I've seen him play a helluva lot of games and he's not as great as everyone thinks he is in my book...But that's just my opinion...which doesn't mean anything.

 

[Wildbill3]

He's overrated because people who've never seen him play much automatically think he's the greatest of all freakin' time. I live in Cincy and I've seen him play a helluva lot of games and he's not as great as everyone thinks he is in my book...But that's just my opinion...which doesn't mean anything.

Then how does that make Ray lewis any different than Jim Brown, or barry Sanders, or even Marino? We can all agree they were all great, but did you see Jim Brown play? I didn't. How do we know he was great? By his stats, and what everyone else says. I don't remember seeing Walter Payton play either, same thing, stats and hearsay.

 

[CsonkaClone]

Look...I don't want to draw this point out....It's just the way I feel about the guy getting all the pub based on his rep...I've seen Marino, Sanders, and Payton play a lot of games...those guys are my contempararies...I'm old dude...And I've seen more film on Jim Brown than anyone in history. But it's like this...whenever they talk about Marino they throw in Elway and Montana...Whenever they talk about Barry Sanders they throw in Emmitt and Dickerson...But it seems like when they talk about Lewis it's just Lewis in a class by himself and 10 times better than his contempararies and I don't think that's the case. But look...it's just my opinion...Maybe I don't know football from a load of coal...But that's what I mean by him being overrated.:cap: