Senior NFL Analyst Pat Kirwan Ranks the best secondaries heading into the 2010 season

We can make fun of Rhodes all we want but at his best he was one of the best safeties in football. Let's not act like the guy doesn't have big time talent.

 

I'll make that bet. Whats the terms?

 

You're right.

But when football comes secondary to bad acting and gay modeling, then you get bashed by the fans.

We learned that once Leonhard came in and called the defense he shut it down instead of being a team player. That's just stupid and no one can respect that.

I bought a Rhodes jersey thinking that in this defense he'd become a pro bowler instead of a prima-donna

 

The guy is literally afraid to hit. You are not "one of the best safeties in football" if you are afraid to tackle.

 

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to get bashed but people are acting like he was awful for us from day 1. He was still a decent player the last couple of years he just wasn't a big time player like he was a few years earlier.

He was one of the best for a couple of year stretch.

 

I'd say INT's are a huge part of determining the quality of a secondary, but you have to take the INT's into context. 21 of there 30 INT's were from Cutler, Stafford, Flacco, Hasselbeck and Leinart. When they played top offenses they generally got shit on.

Code:

INT's	PA	Passing Rank
4 	15	17		vs. CHI 
2	31	26		vs. CIN
1	17	28		@STL
[B]0	30	8		@MIN[/B]
3	0	21		vs. DET
1	3	32 		@CLE
[B]0	38	8		vs. MIN[/B]
1	38	24		@TB
[B]1	7	6		vs. DAL[/B]
1	24	22		vs. SF
4	12	21		@DET
3	14	18		vs. BAL
2	14	17		@CHI
[B]0	37	9		@PIT[/B]
4	10	15		vs. SEA
3	7	12		@ARI (vs. backups for all but 1 drive)

vs. Top 10 Passing attacks
Games	INT's	PA
4	1	112
AVG/GM
INT	PA
.25	28

 

^ I'm appalled at how easy their schedule was.

 

I was kind and didn't include there playoff game in those numbers.

 

For some reason I keep forgetting about Warren. Wow. I really can't remember when we had so much potential depth in the secondary.

I agree with you on this one. Rhodes is talented. The problem is, he wasn't concerned enough with the team, just his own ego. I was as big a Rhodes defender as there was on this site, but even I have to admit, especially in light of information that came out after his exit, that this was addition by subtraction.

 

And he stopped playing as his best after 2007.

 

I think he forgot to watch Rhodes play last season. If Rhodes was any good the Jets would of kept him, clearly its addition by subtraction.