OT: Deion Sanders--best DB ever?

[Flying Fungi]

This is a tangentially related topic as the burger king did play for this week's opponent for a spell.

Very simple--is he the BEST defensive back in the history of the NFL?

 

[makoute]

He's the best that I saw play.

 

[CTPatsFan]

This is a tangentially related topic as the burger king did play for this week's opponent for a spell.

Very simple--is he the BEST defensive back in the history of the NFL?

I suppose if you took physical contact and tackling out of the equation...

He could run and jump with the best of them.

 

[mgcolby]

He wasn't the best DB of his era. Rod Woodson was a much better DB. Green wasn't to shabby either.

 

[Nordy]

I suppose if you took physical contact and tackling out of the equation...

He could run and jump with the best of them.

There's no need to tackle if the guy doesn't catch the ball

 

[primetime]

He's the best cornerback ever. I think Ronnie Lott and Ed Reed are better defensive backs; I voted that he was, simply because the poll is a result of my argument anyways.

 

[dryheat44]

He was the best man-to-man cover corner I've probably seen. Nobody could get open against him, and it took a perfect route by the WR and a perfect throw by the QB to complete a pass against him. Call me a homer, but I think the best all-around CB I've seen was Mike Haynes, although I was young and largely ignorant then.

If I'm not mistaken, Deion went through an entire season where he gave up two or three completions. He also went though entire seasons where he made two or three tackles.

 

[desi-patsfan]

Best CB..Sanders
Best BD..Lott

 

[wpdougie2180]

I'd take Lott or Woodson over Deion both played exceptionally well at corner before becoming Safeties and they could both TACKLE.

 

[boys4life01]

I would have to say he was the best coverage cornerback ever. Deon is the only corner to completely eliminate one side of the field for opposing offensive coordinators. It was not because teams feared they would not complete a pass on Deons side, it was because he had a nack for pick sixes. I recall A QB (cant remember who) say that Deon had a way of making a receiver look wide open down field baiting the QB to throw and get the pick.

 

[FrontSeven]

I thought Mike Haynes and Darrell Green deserved at least some mention.

It's easy to pick on Deion's lack of tackling ability but his impact made up for it. He scared QBs and OCs and he forced a game plan that the offense did not choose. He dictated. That type of impact is obviously hard to find.

Deion would have tackled and sacked if he had played for Bill Belichick. He might have taken snaps as a receiver too. He might have run back punts too. I just think that a guy plays the way his team needs him to play, and he was such an elite cover guy that they decided what they decided. In NE he would have played a different game. I'm not sure it would have mattered. Randy Moss is not going to be remembered for his blocking. The fact that he does block is "nice" but I don't think it defines his career in any way.

This comes down to not asking a greyhound to pull a dog sled, and not asking a husky to run down the rabbit on the track.

 

[gomezcat]

This is a tangentially related topic as the burger king did play for this week's opponent for a spell.

Very simple--is he the BEST defensive back in the history of the NFL?

Ronnie Lott; he could cover, hit, hit and hit. Did I mention that he was a hard hitter who could cover well?

 

[Deus Irae]

Sanders is almost universally acknowledged to be the best coverage db during his era and up through today. Whether you want to claim that he's #1, or only #2 or #3, etc. in league history is simply a matter of slotting the very best, and will likely hinge solely on how much emphasis you place upon tackling. Nobody in my lifetime (consider mid 70's as the beginning of my football watching for evaluation purposes) has been able to take away half the field the way Sanders could in his prime.

 

[dryheat44]

It's easy to pick on Deion's lack of tackling ability but his impact made up for it. He scared QBs and OCs and he forced a game plan that the offense did not choose. He dictated. That type of impact is obviously hard to find.

Well said. Just like Lawrence Taylor. They guy never played the run, and later in his career, teams gladly ran right at him. He did one thing and one thing extremely well. He wasn't the best all-around LB ever, but he forced the opposing offenses to account for him every single pass play like nobody else in the league. That's impact, brother.

 

[CTPatsFan]

There's no need to tackle if the guy doesn't catch the ball

Touche

10 char

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Deions is a top 5 for sure but Michael Haynes was the best IMO

 

[Warren94]

I'd take Darrell Green over Deion. Deion never tackled.

 

[DarrylS]

He is one of the best, but so hard to compare as the game changes all the time.. Mike Haynes, Ronnie Lott and Darryl Green are a few names that come to mind.. but any comparison is difficult as the game and styles change. He may have been the best during his time of play, but all time.. nah.. does not work well.

 

[cartmen]

Im sorry but how can TY in his prime not be on this list. Ints are not the only measure, Ty actually tackled and played against much better teams in his prime due to FA. There were maybe 4 good teams then with FA brought more parity. instead of facing 4 really good teams Ty faced 8-10 decent to good teams.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Deion is the best pure cover corner ever. As for the best overall CB, look up Mel Blount's career and compare with Deion before making any Deion claims.

Regards,
Chris