Zach Thomas vs. Brian Urlacher

[ckparrothead]

On Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith last night, I heard that in a poll conducted on players that Terrell Owens is the most overrated player in the game but they said that Brian Urlacher was second on the poll.

That tickled my memory a bit because I seem to remember past polls being done just like that and saying that Brian Urlacher was the most overrated defender in the game.

What the deal is there is that he guesses wrong pretty often...but he's got such great athleticism that he can take 2 steps in the wrong direction and still correct himself in time to make the play.

 

[Syra39]

No disrespect towards Zach but Urlacher is younger and on the up side of his career.

 

[JMarino]

That poll was a joke. Those were misc. players who came up with that poll. most of them weren't in the bears division or have even played against urlacher. I also think that they weren't thinking "OVERRATED" persay. I think "OVERHYPED" is more of what they were thinking.
TO and BU are some of the best players at their positions. Thats not being OVERRATTED, but they are OVERHYPED. Especially TO.
Thomas gets more tackels, but thats because NO ONE ELSE IS TACKELING out there. Watch a dolphins game and you will see 3 missed dolphins tackels and then ZACH come in and WRAP UP.
With the bears, guys at the defensive line are making tackles.
The bears could have nearly shut out every opponent this season.
I order to be OVERRATEED, you have to be RATED SOMEWHERE FIRST.

Someone that was drafted first round. and then later fails, would probably be overratted.
But if I remember correctly, Urlacher (and Thomas) were both like 5th round picks. and now they are the best LBs in the game? Possible HOF.
Overhyped? or Overrated?

 

[12MaN]

Hulk no disrespect but stop being such a homer and realize the facts. I can tell you love Zach and a lot of us do too, but we are not going to deny the truth. Just read all of the replies to your post none other thatn your self gives credit to Zach. Also posting those stats was horrible on your part. Urlacher does all the things that do not show up on paper. LIKE LAYING YOU OUT AND HAVE YOU LOOKING HIS WAY EVERYTIME YOU TOUCH THE BALL. Noone likes to get hit by Urlacher he brings it every hit.

 

[nyjunc]

Stats don't tell the whole story, tackle stats can be misleading. Zach has been a good player in this league but he's not close to Urlacher at his best.

 

[Behar]

You actually did the poll huh? I'm the guy that told him everyone would pick Urlacher by the way. I'm a die hard dolphin for life but the facts are the facts. I still think Urlacher is way way better than Zach. You must remember one thing about those stats. At that time Zach had big Timbo in the middle freeing him up. Urlacher is the type of player that doesn't need help. He is the help.

Zach is an Oronde G. kinda player. Good for our team but not for most teams. Urlacher/Jason Taylor good for any team anywhere any time.

 

[nuttie_buddie]

It is hard to say who is better cause Thomas is better at covering and Brain at gettting the the QB but i believe they are the number 1 and 2 MLB in the NFL...and if any one says Ray Lewis.....Ray will shoot u

 

[Dolfan5000]

I've been saying this kind of thing for years now. Who's better, Urlacher or Zach? But, I've realized that even though they're on virtually even planes of play, that I don't really care who is the "better" player.

Above all I'm a Miami Dolphin fan but, I am a Zach Thomas fan. I just love the way he's not supposed to do anything in this league and look at him now. Drafted in the fifth round with three other picks from the same round on the same team. Have you heard their names, did they do anything? I don't believe those players were on the roster for more than three years. Thomas came into camp and Johnson could see immediatley that he selected a special type of player. An animal, an instinctual mind-numbing bowling ball of a player. He overtook the MLB position in camp and went on to be Defensive Rookie of the year amassing over 150 tackles, 2 sacks, three INTs, 2 FF and a defensive TD. Six Pro Bowls and 11 some years later he still performs on an elite level.

How often do you see a 215 LB 5'9 LB throw down a 6'5 320 OL and then smack a 6' 235 LB RB in their mouth(heck, he slammed Jerome Bettis on his fat *** back in 98' when Bettis was in his own prime)? Never, unless you watch Zach Thomas play. What inspires me most about him is his compassion for the game. His compassion bleds of toughness and true grit.

Spirit is what I look for from a player. Winning is nice, but I appreciate drive over anything else.

 

[jbond]

I'll Zach anyday, no disrespect to Brian. Everyone who knows Zach says he is one of THE smartest players in the game. His production is equal or better then Urlachers and he is ALWAYS around the play, wheter a solo or ast tackle.......and he's had 4 more years in the league. We'll see if Urlacher is still around in 4 years let alone still producing the same "stats" as he is currently. Maybe Urlacher will get a TD one day....Zach's had 4. Only thing Urlacher has him beat is in Sacks...which historically we weren't the blitz happy team.

These threads are funny sometimes. No one has ever seen Zach dominate a game? Seen him take on the biggest RB's, knock out receivers and flat out drill people over for the past 10 years?

I'd take Zach for this year....but if I had to pick from today into the next 5 years Urlacher is the logical choice due to age. From a "career" standpoint...I'm happy with having Zach for the last 10+ years and wouldn't trade it for 10+ years of Urlacher from 2000-2010 that's for damn sure.

My...how everyone's on ZT's rear lately and so many people must not have been watching games the last 10 years to 'dis on ZT.

 

[jbond]

This a dumb post. Take 4 years of stats out of Zachs career and clearly Urlacher is the better player. Before i forget name me another LB other than Urlacher that can go from sideline to sideline in a heart beat and lay you out? Ray Lewis use to be able to do it but not anymore. The years have past Zach by and it is time for Fin fans to realize it. Time to go Zach, and if you are let go this year i won't be suprised if he ends up a Patriot to try and get what he never got here a ring.

Clearly? lol...ok..take 4 years out of ZT's career and compare. Guess what..you don't prove your point. I'm curious....how long have you been watching dolphins games? And I don't mean..."well, when I was 7 and really had to clue what was going on other then watching my team"...I mean...how long have you actually been following...in depth...offseasons, trades, stats, injuries, college rankings etc.? I don't think you know what you're talking about.

If you want to say....moving forward...Zach is getting older and his production will be going down moving forward so therefore from a business perspective it makes sense to let him go for salary cap reasons...that's one thing. But...you're trashing the league's leading tackler who's given my team everything he's got the last 10 years. You should go watch reruns of ZT running through, over and into people over the years...including this one.

 

[HULKFish]

I think they are both different MLBs.

Who would I rather have? Tuff call.

I live in Chicago, so I seen Urlacher every Sunday. Being a huge Dolphins and Bears fan this one would be difficult.

Numbers wise, Zach is probably a step up. But there are somethings that you can't put numbers on.

After the Arizona game and the bears were down 20 points in the 4th Qter and came back to win without an offensive touchdown, that sold me on Urlacher. I have never seen a MLB take over a game like that before.
Urlcaher basically TOOK OVER the game in the 4th Qter when everyone else quit and dominated.
It was like back in the day when Michael Jordan would just take over a basketball game.
Those types of things don't really show up on paper.

another reason why Urlcacher doesn't have as many tackles, is because of Lance Briggs and the other probably 6 pro bowl defensive players who make tackels.

I think if you were to compare them to QBs, I think

Urlacher would be more of a Tom Brady not HUGE numbers, but a winner and great in the lockeroom.

Thomas would be more of a McNabb. Bigger numbers, also a winner.

It would be really hard to say who is BETTER than who. Urlacher is SUPER fast and HUGE. I'm a big fan of speed, your not going to our run him.

It would be a tuff call, I guess it would depend on what type of defense you are running.

I like this take... Considering you are a fan of both teams and everything, good call!

Zach was NOT supposed to be covering Heath Miller on that TD, he had the underneath zone, the safety busted the coverage...

Zach also was not at fault on that Ahman Green run.

 

[Springveldt]

Right now? Urlacher.
3 seasons ago? Zach.

 

[MustangFinFan]

i dont know why any of u would prefer Zach over Brian....but Brian is 110% better...younger...faster....bigger...stronger.

 

[bigmiamifan]

Can someone take off Zach's last few years and just compare each player's first 6 years? I'd go with Brian because of the linebacker sacks. Imagine that with JT?

 

[Stitches]

i dont know why any of u would prefer Zach over Brian....but Brian is 110% better...younger...faster....bigger...stronger.

lol, like anyone has control over thier age, and some people might prefer the experience. At this point I'd pick Brian too, but Zach is smarter, and I don't know who the better player is.