RealGM's Top 103 Players list

Jeff23 · Post #1 » by **Jeff23** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:20 pm

http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... nfl_today/

Its definitely an interesting list. I dont see Ray Lewis there though, and i think Antonio Gates is ranked a very few spots to low. I also dont think Arian Foster should be ranked 22 spots higher than Ray Rice.

This are just my personal (ravens homer) thoughts. I appreciate the articles a lot by the way. Thanks for that.

NCHeels2008 · Post #2 » by **NCHeels2008** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:21 pm

No Michael Vick....wow just wow

Jeff23 · Post #3 » by **Jeff23** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:22 pm

NCHeels2008 wrote:No Michael Vick....wow just wow

woah woah i didnt even notice that.

MadCityBucky · Post #4 » by **MadCityBucky** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 10:15 pm

Needs some work but making a top player list is hard, especially in the NFL. Appreciate the effort.

However, you need to add Nick Collins (the third best safety in the league).

Post #5 » by **Icness** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 12:32 am

It was not easy to put together. I actually did it early this summer but buried it because every time I looked at it I changed about 40 spots. By no means do I think it's definitive; it was more how I felt the last time I tinkered with it.

Vick is an intentional omission that brought "feedback" from the editors here too. One good year in 5 does not make my list. If he does it again (I don't think he will FYI) then he'll make next summer's list.

In general I am a guy that appreciates consistency of performance over highs and lows or "freak peaks". I think Vick falls into that latter category, so did Peyton Hillis last year.

Feel free to badger me with questions or criticism, y'all should know by now I enjoy the banter. I like to treat it as if we are sitting at a table in a bar with a pitcher of Dos Equis in the middle, having a good talk with no ill intent. The Packers board (hopefully) knows I argue my points with a warm smile on my face.

Post #6 » by **Rich Rane** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 3:42 am

I'm one of the few here who still rank Manning over Brady. I don't know...I'm just more afraid of Manning.

LikeABosh · Post #7 » by **LikeABosh** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 5:21 am

The list looks reasonable. Of course, there are a handful players I would move/add, but that's the way it is with every top 100 list. Thank you, icness.

Only real complaint: No Nick Collins :nonono:

Post #8 » by **Manhattan Project** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 5:24 am

Five that stood out to me, but not analyzing every thing. Like you said these type of list are nearly impossible.

Big Ben over Brees, because of the offensive line?
Tamba Hali at 23?
Chris Long at 35?
Cribbs at 58 but no Hester?
Joseph over Hall?

Good read, definitely liked the spotlights.

Post #9 » by **NO-KG-AI** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 5:37 am

Drew Brees has had 1 bad year since he's been with the Saints, and that's with a knee injury all year.

He's way too low, dude is so prolific and his playoff numbers are awesome.

Post #10 » by **Da Schwab** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 4:03 pm

Shouldn't Eli be #1b if Tom Brady is #1?

TSE · Post #11 » by **TSE** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:22 pm

The punter being on the list and Ed Reed being at 20 while Polamulu is at 9 is disturbing to me. Jahri Evans at 29, holy smokes, that's nuts.

And again, Lechler over Suh? I'm done with the rest of the comments and can't read any further. lol

Post #12 » by **Da Schwab** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:44 pm

On a serious note, I can't agree with Big Ben being #13. That just doesn't compute for me.

TSE · Post #13 » by **TSE** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:01 pm

Icness wrote:Vick is an intentional omission that brought "feedback" from the editors here too. One good year in 5 does not make my list. If he does it again (I don't think he will FYI) then he'll make next summer's list.

Not sure I understand that one. If you are going by QB rating then that's not fair to him cause his game isn't about passing, it's about passing plus rushing. He has 32 rushing TDs, and if you add those into his TD/INT ratio as well as doing the same thing for every other QB, then he compares a lot more favorably to them than he does in QB rating. Plus you do the same for the yardage he gains and the first downs etc, and that's even more bonus points. I think he's done well in his whole career. 80 QB rating just on the passing element alone without all those triple bonuses being added in yet, that should give him plenty to be on the list. What is it about his game that you think makes him a bad player relative to those that were chosen in his place?

Post #14 » by **Icness** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:22 am

Da Schwab wrote:Shouldn't Eli be #1b if Tom Brady is #1?

LOL!

Nobody has a beef with Eli not being on the list, I'm guessing.

To address your other one, Big Ben is one of the greatest clutch players in the history of the game. He pulls wins out of his arse that almost nobody else can do, and he does it with a distinct style that nobody else (except maybe Freeman) could pull off. It isn't always (ever?) pretty, but if I'm down by 6 with two minutes to go on the road in a playoff game, I want Big Ben more than any other active QB. I flopped him, Rivers, and Rodgers quite a bit; I would not argue with anyone who takes those three in any order, though I do think a Super Bowl win (or two) has to count for something.

Post #15 » by **Icness** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:37 am

I'll defend Lechler all the way. He is the best punter in the history of the game. He has consistently been at least 20% over the mean average in both gross and net punting every year but one since 2003. To put that in perspective, Peyton Manning has reached that high a level just three times in his career, same as Kurt Warner and more than any RB not named Jim Brown. He is directly responsible for flipping the field almost 7 yards per game over his career. That's huge. It's not his fault his team has largely stunk around him or that he's gotten to ply his trade so often. He is another case where I believe that if he played in the NFC East he'd have statues in his honor but he's a victim of his circumstance. Ray Guy can't hold his spit cup.

There's an existential argument that having a great punter makes a team more apt to be more aggressive on 3rd down, knowing they have a punter that can bail them out or pin the other team deep. I have not done the research on that and the Raiders would be a bad example because their QBs have stunk since Rich Gannon had his career year, but it's one I wish I had the time to flesh out.

Is he more valuable than Suh or Dallas Clark or even Kris Dielman, who would have been #104? Heck no. But I have to give a nod to incredible individual skill, and this list was not about value to the team. If that was the case, Peyton Manning would be #1 and it's not even open to debate. Watch when the Colts lose their first two games 72-24 without him, then finish 9-5 with him and his wrecked neck.

TSE · Post #16 » by **TSE** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:41 am

Ok fair enough, that makes the list more interesting imo. Lists like this are never fun when the author builds them exactly the way everybody tells them to, so congrats to sticking to your guns, I'm just trying to keep you honest!

Jeff23 · Post #17 » by **Jeff23** » Mon Aug 29, 2011 4:39 pm

Mister Risdon, may i ask you why you didnt include ray lewis on your list?

Ong_dynasty · Post #18 » by **Ong_dynasty** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:05 pm

I am not the biggest fan of Vick (i kinda have to the last year since he is an Eagle), but to not consider him in the top 103 players is insane in my opinion.
My other worry is Asante Samuel, you may hate all you want with the way he plays the game, but you cannot deny he is one of the biggest playmakers on D.

Post #19 » by **Icness** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:30 pm

Ong_dynasty wrote:I am not the biggest fan of Vick (i kinda have to the last year since he is an Eagle), but to not consider him in the top 103 players is insane in my opinion.
My other worry is Asante Samuel, you may hate all you want with the way he plays the game, but you cannot deny he is one of the biggest playmakers on D.

I hate corners that try to intercept every pass. Purely subjective on my part. Same reason Deangelo Hall isn't on the list. Talented guys but incredibly one-dimensional. Any guy that dives at feet to make every freaking tackle is not a real football player to me. It's a man's game, be a man already. There's a reason Philly signed Asomugha and couldn't get their asking price for him.

Mister Risdon, may i ask you why you didnt include ray lewis on your list?

He's a poor oversight on my part. Put him two spots ahead of Urlacher, right there with Lawrence Timmons and London Fletcher, higher if I'm valuing leadership at the moment. Funny that I got like 6 emails from Ravens fans and almost all were the exact same--thanks for loving Ngata but where the :censored:

is Ray Lewis. Were you one of them?

Ong_dynasty · Post #20 » by **Ong_dynasty** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:38 pm

Icness wrote:I hate corners that try to intercept every pass. Purely subjective on my part. Same reason Deangelo Hall isn't on the list. Talented guys but incredibly one-dimensional. Any guy that dives at feet to make every freaking tackle is not a real football player to me. It's a man's game, be a man already. There's a reason Philly signed Asomugha and couldn't get their asking price for him.

I think you are underestimating both Asante's cover skills (I have said last year he was very impressive, his first year with us he was getting burned too much)and his playmaking skills if you compare him to DeAngelo Hall.

But yes, his tackling is a joke (although he did lay the wood once last year, it was crazy)