I have seen this phrase posted many times on this forum, and it always puzzles me, no matter if we're talking about Cro, Wilson, or Marquice Cole or Toast Coleman. Why not? Because he is the standard? The best? I don't care that he had a bad game, in my mind he still is the best D player in the league. So who do you compare a player to, if not the standard? Because if you don't measure them against the best, you are just making excuses. /diatribe And yeah, I know this is random, but I never had a chance to post it when it first got a hair up, so if you don't like the timing, well, screw.
He's not the standard, he's the extraordinary. If no corner in the entire league compares favorably to Revis, what is the purpose for using him as a point of comparison? We don't criticize Harris for not being as good as Ray Lewis for Maybin for not being Lawrence Taylor.
When trying to find a truly great cornerback, I've always compared them to Deion Sanders. Champ Bailey made a strong run, but Revis is the closest I've ever seen in regards to shutting down opposing WR's. One thing about Revis, that you can't say about Sanders, is that Revis has always gone up against #1 WR's, one on one on the outside, with no coverage/safety help 75% of the time. Sanders (like Aso during his time with the Raiders) would mostly line up against lesser #2 WR's. The Falcons, 49ers and Cowboys would line Sanders up against #2 WR's while rolling coverage over to the #1 WR's side. Sanders was a great athlete, explosive on returns, knew how to bait opposing QB's into throwing his way... But Revis is the better lock down-shut down type of CB when compared to Sanders. Which is truly amazing. Jerry Rice was (and still is) the greatest, but WR's of today's game are much better than the WR's of the 80's/early 90's. From Randy Moss, T.O, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Vincent Jackson, Reggie Wayne, Steve Smith etc, etc, these WR's are just more physically dominating than the Sanders era. The NFL has became a passing league over the past couple of years, like never before during the Sanders era. There has never been a better time to have a shut down CB such as Revis, I'm just thankful he's on our side. Also, lets not forget, after Sanders followed by Law and Bailey slowing down... NFL experts made it known how the NFL would never see another true shut down CB, not with these types of WR's and QB's in today's game. And then Revis came.
What is the standard if not the best? When I look at our linebackers, I don't compare them to a guy with similar ability. I compare them to Ray Lewis, because he was the complete package for over a decade. Once you lower the standard, you are fooling yourself. Compare them to greatness. Then you truly know how good they are.
Hoefully you're not trying to compare OLB's to a MLB such as Ray Lewis. And hopefully you don't down play how good a LB truly is, all because they aren't as great as a "Ray Lewis" or "Lawrence Taylor" from the outside; or else you'll always have something to complain about in regards to defensive players. Speaking of Ray Lewis... The NFL's next all-time great at the MLB posion is on the 49ers. His name is Patrick Willis. And he's a monster.
Except...Maybin is Lawrence Taylor. They've not figured it out yet. Taylor was the first...Upfield pass rushing LB. Maybin, is the Pass Rushing, Cover Gronkowski Safety/LB hybrid. Ironically enough, Tank Dupp almost hit on it today, except, being a douchebag he said, Urlacher, but lighter. I posited this to Manish earlier this season. Make Maybin a SS, he can cover ANY TE. and Rush the passer. The new hybrid.
Yeah I almost mentioned Willis, he is a machine. The linebacker position is fluid, especially for Rex. You could argue Ted vs Mike lb on the inside if you wanted, too. The fact remains, when I look at David Harris, objectively, I compare him to the greats to avoid being diagnosed with Shutdown Cromartie Syndrome. Always compare them to the best, and you will never soil your drawers when they miss a tackle on Sunday.
I had some thoughts about making Maybin the 46 SS when we first signed him, and still do not think it is a terrible idea.
I still don't get this concept. What about Maybin makes anyone think he can cover tight ends? Have any of us ever seen him play man to man on... anyone? ever? If physical attributes like height and speed were all that someone needed to be good at playing man coverage Cromartie would be better than Revis.
I agree. Sometimes I watch the 49ers play, just so I can see Patrick Willis take the field. His speed, quickness and power is something else to watch. Obviously Ray Lewis has been on another level over the years, but I'd have to say Patrick Willis is the best MLB I've seen outside of Lewis over the years, and that's saying something, because Brian Urlacher is another all-time great. But if Willis can stay healthy, a huge if, he'll find his way into the HOF as one of the greatest defensive players of all-time.
Strong points and I agree 100%. The only two positions I can picture Maybin having any type of success at, would be as a 4-3 DE and 2) 3-4 OLB. He's a pass rusher. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just because he's an undersized OLB in a 3-4 defensive scheme, doesn't mean he'll become an oversized safety who's able to man up with explosive TE's/WR's in pass coverage. The talk of Maybin becoming a future safety is worse than the talk of Brad Smith ever becoming a QB.
I would look at him shifting to a gap situationally, but he is probably less suited to drop back than Eric Smith. Doug Plank couldn't cover either.
Find where a player's talents are, and prosper from it. That is Rex all day long. He isn't a cover man, but his speed is too valuable to rush the edge all day long. Think about it, who knew that The Dark McKnight had skills at cornerback? Not this man.
Something like that would be fine for him since he would still have the same basic responsibility he does as a OLB/DE. I just highly doubt that a pass rush specialist who took 3 years to effectively rush the passer is going to be a very good cover guy at any point in his career.
Some players need more guidance than others, and Rex's pedigree is the front 7, as much as he beats his meat to defensive backs. He turned Bart Scott from an undrafted nobody into the Hood Champ, and he started on the outside. Maybin has physical ability that most players lack. Rex, IMO, is going to use him in some unorthodox ways, but I think he wants to get him comfortable on the edge.
