Ray Lewis explains why elite quarterbacks are less valuable than dominant defensive players

[tempests]

Yeah. You are right.

NO WAY Fav-re gets that ring without Reggie White leading that D!

And neither of them have that ring without Desmond Howard.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Your post has good merit with an Hall Of Fame QB like Kurt & Marshall. I got to thinking how many SB's did we win with with an unbelievable stacked amount of dominant & pro bowl offensive players ?

I tend to get into the weeds a bit & say the Ram "D" back in those wining seasons did not have a dominating player like you said i.e. AD but they did have a very large cadre of good defensive starters who did get selected to Pro Bowls & named First-Team All-Pro's like Todd Lyght, London Fletcher, Kevin Carter & Leonard Little to name a few. When you add in other D players like Keith Lyle, D'Marco Farr , Ray Agnew, Grant Wistrom, Mike Jones & Dre Bly well It would be hard for me to say otherwise that the Defenses sure played a major role with our winning success during those seasons.

One last element into this discussion ....who secured the Rams only SB Championship with " The Tackle" ?:heh:

If someone doesn't know it was Mike Jones, they are either VERY young, or have been living under a rock!!

 

[LACHAMP46]

Most D-linemen are going to be quicker than the offensive linemen. Some of them are stronger than offensive linemen — and that’s where I think the gems are found. When you find an Aaron Donald, who has a motor like that, or you find a J.J. Watt.”

Speed & power...hard to block guys with speed/strength....

Lastly, the 99 Rams did not have a 'dominant' defensive player

I thought we had quite a few good pieces...Led by London Fletcher.

 

[Loyal]

Speed & power...hard to block guys with speed/strength....

I thought we had quite a few good pieces...Led by London Fletcher.

Didn't DE Kevin Carter have like 17 sacks in 1999? He left the Rams in FA to the Titans....

 

[Soul Surfer]

And neither of them have that ring without Desmond Howard.

The MVP? Right!
I have played the game.
I understand superstar worship.

I get it.

And it is hard not to focus on the quarterback when he handles the ball every play.

But it is a team game.

It not only takes the 53 on the roster.
It takes the coaches.
It takes the coordinators.
The takes the proper schemes offensively and defensively.
It takes the proper plays called at the proper moment.
It even takes luck.

Focusing on the superstars is short-changing the entire operation in my opinion.

 

[Zodi]

The MVP? Right!
I have played the game.
I understand superstar worship.

I get it.

And it is hard not to focus on the quarterback when he handles the ball every play.

But it is a team game.

It not only takes the 53 on the roster.
It takes the coaches.
It takes the coordinators.
The takes the proper schemes offensively and defensively.
It takes the proper plays called at the proper moment.
It even takes luck.

Focusing on the superstars is short-changing the entire operation in my opinion.

Yeah, I think a lot of people have played the game. But nothing we've encountered is comparable to the current state of the NFL.

If you don't have a legitimate elite QB in today's NFL, no matter how good the other guys on your team are, you will not have sustained success-- see: Houston, KC, etc.

 

[Angry Ram]

I like how he brings up Donald as more valuable than an elite qb, but we didn't even have a winning season any of the last 3 years. The last time we had an elite qb we did. Haven't had one since he left (or we kicked him out, whatever).

So your saying Marc Bulger was elite.

Anyway, this topic is dumb. As much as I despise Ray Lewis, the headline is not reflecting what he's saying. Never once did he say quarterbacks are less "valuable". He just thinks defenders barely get the credit vs. the QB.

And you obviously need good offensive players and defensive players. I can list a whole bunch of elite defensive players on teams that haven't done anything. Likewise I can do the same with quarterbacks.

 

[Ram65]

I like what Ray is saying but I disagree.....somewhat.
For a defensive player to be more valuable than an 'elite' QB - he would have to be an all time obviously best player by a wide margin. IMHO we have never seen that.

The QB handles the ball on every snap (outside of the wildcat) on offense. An elite QB has too much to do with the offense to be 'less' valuable than a 'dominant' defensive player that does not directly impact each and every defensive play. And while you do need a good defense to win a championship you must score points to win. And the vast majority of scoring is done with the offense.

Lastly, the 99 Rams did not have a 'dominant' defensive player, but they did have an elite QB. They had a bunch of really good ones, but no 'dominant' defensive player. I realize the 2000 Ravens won, but that was a great defense AND I argue the best teams in the NFC that year (Rams, Bucs) choked, so the Ravens got a not that great Giants team to play in the Super Bowl.

JMHO

I don't see it either. It's a QB driven league. Warner was elite but, he had a lot of help too. Still like you stated the QB handles the ball and has so much to do with the offense. Kevin Carter had 17 sacks and was a big part of the defense. He was close to being dominate but, he too had help too. It's still a team game and you would always pick a QB first.

I wonder in the end if Donald's contract will provide the return for the Rams

 

[Ram65]

Pro Football Focus released their ranking of the top 50 players in the NFL heading into the 2017 season — and two defensive studs edged Patriots quarterback Tom Brady at the top of the list.

According to Pro Football Focus, Rams star Aaron Donald is the best player in the NFL, followed by J.J. Watt. Brady, a five-time champion, was listed third.

On Tuesday's episode of "Undisputed," Ray Lewis, Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless reacted to the ranking.

Anyway, this topic is dumb. As much as I despise Ray Lewis, the headline is not reflecting what he's saying. Never once did he say quarterbacks are less "valuable". He just thinks defenders barely get the credit vs. the QB.

And you obviously need good offensive players and defensive players. I can list a whole bunch of elite defensive players on teams that haven't done anything. Likewise I can do the same with quarterbacks.

After rereading the article it's PFF giving the rankings and I agree it's a bad title. Donald is great but, I don't start a franchise with him over an elite QB. Lewis makes a good point of how dominate DL can help others (LBers). Warren Sapp was one I thought made a big difference.

 

[Soul Surfer]

If you don't have a legitimate elite QB in today's NFL, no matter how good the other guys on your team are
.......

Nah.

Sometimes the QB is "elite" and sometimes his weapons and O line make him look that way.

Sometimes the defense is so dominating it makes the Offense and QBs job easier and makes him look elite.

Sometimes it is just like you say and the quarterback is kicking butt and IS elite.

Every situation is different to a certain degree.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Ray makes a strong point. Now hopefully the Packers GM sees things the same way and we can trade Aaron Donald for Aaron Rogers straight up!

 

[So Ram]

And neither of them have that ring without Desmond Howard.

If Sterling Sharpe didn't have a career knee injury I think they do. He was one of the best at the time.

 

[So Ram]

Ray makes a strong point. Now hopefully the Packers GM sees things the same way and we can trade Aaron Donald for Aaron Rogers straight up!

Yeah !! Great . Maybe we can just let him go as a FA like Ryan Pickett.

Ram fans want to talk real bad about Scott Linehan. I'll always remember the season he put together for SJ39 . He had to make all those hard changes with 3 Ram HOF's . Those salary caps & then deal with Bulger & SJ39 .

Hasslett was a back stabber. Ryan Pickett was a serious core player & he wanted him , but damage was already done.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Yeah !! Great . Maybe we can just let him go as a FA like Ryan Pickett.

.

Nowhere did I say we should let Donald walk. But if some idiot team was willing to trade an elite QB for him, then we would be stupid not to do so. (It won't happen) But I was being theoretical about it.

Elite QBs will win WAY more championships than an elite defensive player of any position.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

An elite defense may win a championship over a high scoring offense, but they do not keep you in the playoff discussion year after year. Name an elite defense that lasted a longer than a few seasons. I can't but I can name QBs that were consistently in the playoffs.

 

[Zodi]

Nah.

Sometimes the QB is "elite" and sometimes his weapons and O line make him look that way.

Sometimes the defense is so dominating it makes the Offense and QBs job easier and makes him look elite.

Sometimes it is just like you say and the quarterback is kicking butt and IS elite.

Every situation is different to a certain degree.

Name me one current NFL team that has sustained success in the last ten to twenty years without an elite QB. Unless my memory is deceiving me, I can't think of any.

 

[UKram]

sorry i love AD99 probably my favourite player from last year but thats the point we had him last year and 4 wins

there is no more important position than the QB

 

[jrry32]

If Ray said what's in the thread title, he's definitely wrong.

 

[shaunpinney]

I have to disagree with Ray there. An elite QB can make things happen, read D's and punish the opposition. We saw Brady do it in the last SB. You can't win games by having a great D (alone) otherwise the Rams would have been contenders in recent years - that comment sounds a bit like something Fisher would say....

 

[leoram]

What I liked best about the article was his recognition of Sam Adams. Though Sam went from the Seahawks to the Ravens (Sam really hated Holmgren...said he was too good to ride up the elevator with players), he kept his home and family in Washington where he played in my restaurant's charity golf tournament (my partner and I had a Las Margarita's in Totem Lake, a part of Kirkland where the Seahawks had their headquarters). When he invited my son and I to watch a game from his box seats with his wife and son, I was really honored. He was so underrated and I understandably followed his career intently. I saw him at a Fred Meyer's buying groceries after winning the Super Bowl. I couldn't wait to congratulate him since he was so unappreciated by Holmgren. Most people think of that Raven D-line having "Goose" (Tony Siragusa) who sure has personality, but Ray is right...Sam Adams was the man who made Ray's job so much easier. I remember Sam talking about how difficult it was for D Tackles to develop and get recognition because they toil in obscurity and frequently are double teamed. This is what is so impressive about AD. He stepped in and dominated from the beginning. The scary thing is this...HE'S STILL IMPROVING!

By the way...Sam was still gracious to me though I was an unabashed, unapologetic Ram fan. We sold the restaurant in '01, and I moved back to Missouri. Man, it was fun watching the Rams beat the Seahawks at Husky Stadium.