Dez Bryant vs Devin McCourty

[TruthSeeker]

Is this a joke? Dez Bryant had 1400 receiving yards and 12 TDs last year, he is one of the best in the NFL. Dez is a pro bowler. McCourty has been so sub par, he's been demoted from CB and picked on the last 2 years.

I'd say, to borrow a boxing term, Dez wins in a 2-1 split decision. McCourty definitely won round 1 (rookie season), Then McCourty was pretty bad in season 2, so I'd give that round to Dez, and season 3, though McCourty was better than his second season, Dez was a Pro Bowl receiver.

I think overall, Dez is a better player, BUT, who knows how he would have picked up the Pats offense. Then add in, prior to Hernandez's legal issues, Dez was a much bigger problem personally. He's not the greatest as far as being a good citizen, Jerry actually assigned body guards to make sure he get's home at a decent time and stays out of trouble. You certainly don't need that with McCourty, he's a very solid person, and never get's into trouble.

I really don't know if Dez is worth the trouble, AND, who knows if he would have even lasted with BB past his 2nd season. We could dream about what the offense would have been like with Dez, Gronk and AHern, but since we didn't have many games where Gronk and AHern played together, it'll just be a fantasy. I personally was for drafting Dez, and think he would have found a way to be good with the Pats.

 

[borg]

It is always good to get the Jets fan's perspective. And yes, we know that Kyle Wilson would have been a better pick too because it is clear he is awesome.

Where does this "Jets fan" assumption come from? Born and bred M******* who moved away after college. If you can find one link professing my love for the NYJ, I would find that most enlightening. I did attend many games at the Meadowlands during my NYC years....usually to watch NE vs NYJ or NYG.
Now in S FLa and get to one game most years...guess which teams.
I'm sorry I am not able bleed Elvi blue like you need...it is possible to view the team from a different perspective outside the indoctrination zone of NE. Sorry that doesn't align with your simpler definition of real fan.

 

[SVN]

Our defense did enough to win the SB in 11 and the playoff loses we've had the past few years. Our offense playing subpar has been the reason why we've lost in the playoffs.

For what it's worth, our defense has done it's job in the playoffs. And a receiver like Dez would have most likely put us over the top.

Well, we can disagree on that. I dont think we were a receiver away from winning the SB. Last yr our 1 CB goes down and we cant stop the ravens. Yes our offense has not done its job in the playoffs but playoffs are supposed to be hard. We are supposed to win low scoring games and its been a long long time since we won one of those 13-10 type games which we won routinely in 2003/2004. How many times we cringe before a 3rd and 5+ that its going to be completed vs How many times we wonder if brady can get a 3rd and 8. Clearly we get a premier CB/Pass rusher over any receiver I would take it. Not sure McCourty is the answer but I dont miss taking bryant. Hindsight is 20/20 after what happened this yr but dont think not taking bryant is a regret. I regret on the numerous whiffs on CB/DBS and WRs more.

 

[chasa]

just curious, how many times have the police been called to break up a fist fight between mccourty and his birth mother?

One point mccourty.

 

[PatsFan2]

I going to say it, I think Dez White would have been a Great Patriot player. And if we had Drafted him and all who said he wouldn't fit would have all had his jersey. Football fans are so hypocritial especially when the player is on the other Team...ie I am sure if Alfonso Dennard was on the Jets or Dolphins he would be called the most bone headed player ever after his last incident. But because he's on the Patriots and means so much to our secondary...the Cops are out to get him. Seriously Guys if we had drafted Dez Bryant this thread would not have so many absurd responses. Dez Bryant > McCourty.

 

[Oswlek]

First, it isn't who is the better player, but who is the better fit. Bryant is a bad fit for the Pats' offense. He is a guy with a $100 million talent and a ten cent head. Smarter receivers have had trouble grasping the Patriots' offense. The guy is such a basket case that he actually had to impose a set of curfews and rules for himself and hire babysitters to make sure he adhere to these curfews and rules. This is a guy who is so out of control that he doesn't even trust himself.

Second, I don't think it is nearly the landslide that you think. I think there are plenty of GMs out there who wouldn't take Dez Bryant unless he was playing for the veteran minimum to make him easily cuttable because he is too much of a risk. Even then, there are probably GMs who wouldn't touch him. Even the Cowboys said last year, that if he screwed up one more time they would cut him. Bryant has only had one great year in three and has been more of a problem than he is worth for the other two. There is no guarantee he will reproduce the production of last year and no guarantee that he won't implode at any time.

From a pure talent basis, yes Bryant is better. But that isn't how you judge players. You need to look at system fit. You need to look at whether their personal life affects their on the field production. Bryant still has some red flags that rivals Hernandez's prior to him committing murder.

Bingo. People underestimate just how much of a headcase Dez has been in his time. Seems to be maturing now, so we'll see how it plays out from here.

It always kills me when I hear the "he's not a good fit argument" when it comes to talented players who we pass on by mistake in the draft. It's like everyone's built in excuse when BB makes a mistake lol. $h!t happens. BB is still great. No one is denying that.

McCourty looks like he could be a good Safety and we need him back there, but looking back his rookie year at CB was a fluke. He's awful at CB. If he had developed into a legit shutdown CB, then I could see why GMs or BB would pick him over an elite WR. But McCourty is just a good safety. That's it. He's not Ed Reed or Polamalu. No one is gameplanning for McCourty at safety.

Listen, I'm sure if BB were to do it again in the draft, he'd pick Dez over McCourty. He's not a stupid guy.

It wasn't a fluke, it is that NE switched from primarily zone to primarily man, and he proved to be less effective in the latter. He is a hell of a safety, though, particularly for someone who didn't even have one camp at that position prior to this year.

I suspect people will be game planning for Devin soon enough.

 

[Rob0729]

Where does this "Jets fan" assumption come from? Born and bred M******* who moved away after college. If you can find one link professing my love for the NYJ, I would find that most enlightening. I did attend many games at the Meadowlands during my NYC years....usually to watch NE vs NYJ or NYG.
Now in S FLa and get to one game most years...guess which teams.
I'm sorry I am not able bleed Elvi blue like you need...it is possible to view the team from a different perspective outside the indoctrination zone of NE. Sorry that doesn't align with your simpler definition of real fan.

If you aren't a Jets fan, you are a troll. All you ever do is come on this board and tell everyone how much this team sucks and how incompetent Belichick is. If you ever posted a positive comment about the Patriots, the entire Internet would implode from the shockwaves.

 

[cstjohn17]

With another successful season Devin McCourty is going to be considered a pretty decent secondary player around the league, especially with his versatility to play both CB/S.

He's also the kind of proven leader/4 yr starter that has parlayed his opportunity into a captain's role which equates to a very nice 2nd term pact here in NE.

Pretty decent !!! Very nice !!! That is your expectation level?

Wow, I am sure every GM is the league would trade McCourty for Bryant, BB would even drive him to the airport.

 

[PatsFan2]

Pretty decent !!! Very nice !!! That is your expectation level?

Wow, I am sure every GM is the league would trade McCourty for Bryant, BB would even drive him to the airport.

Funniest post in the whole thread yet true.

 

[Oswlek]

Funniest post in the whole thread yet true.

It is pretty funny. Not entirely accurate, though definitely funny.

 

[JMC00]

Love the hindsight going on here.

But why do people keep forgetting Moss was still with the team and was coming off an 83 rec 1265 yards 13 TD season. At the time picking a WR in the 1st round just wasn't needed as there was a few things they needed more than a #3 WR and they were CB, TE, run stopping LB, and DE

Now if you want to make the argument that maybe they should have went with Cobb, Smith or Little with the 1st pick of the 2nd round instead of Dowling that's another thing.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Love the hindsight going on here.

But why do people keep forgetting Moss was still with the team and was coming off an 83 rec 1265 yards 13 TD season. At the time picking a WR in the 1st round just wasn't needed as there was a few things they needed more than a #3 WR and it they wre CB, TE, run stopping LB, and DE

Now if you want to make the argument that maybe they should have went with Cobb, Smith or Little with the 1st pick of the 2nd round instead of Dowling that's another thing.

Different years.

 

[TruthSeeker]

This is Dez Bryant's stats line after 3 seasons.

Career Total 43 43 200 2,871 14.4 85 27

43 career starts, 200 catches, 2,871 yards and 27 tds. he also has 2 tds via return.

Avg season 67 receptions 957 yards 9 tds.

Methinks his stats might even would have been higher if he was with a better QB (Brady).

NFL Network had him rated #30 out of the NFL's top 100 players, I doubt McCourty would be in the top 150. Overall, I'd take Dez over McCourty in a heartbeat.

 

[Pats0204]

It's obvious some people don't actually watch games. Instead they just look at stat lines and make an assumption.

I'm still laughing at the thought of Bryant being the second best WR on the NFL. Holy Christ that's some funny *****.

Glad you found that much entertainment in it.

P.S. You're easily entertained.

 

[Claremonster]

Is this a joke? Dez Bryant had 1400 receiving yards and 12 TDs last year, he is one of the best in the NFL. Dez is a pro bowler. McCourty has been so sub par, he's been demoted from CB and picked on the last 2 years.

He plays for Dallas. Maybe that is the team that you should be rooting for.

And you thought Ochostinko was a meathead?

 

[Rob0729]

This is Dez Bryant's stats line after 3 seasons.

Career Total 43 43 200 2,871 14.4 85 27

43 career starts, 200 catches, 2,871 yards and 27 tds. he also has 2 tds via return.

Avg season 67 receptions 957 yards 9 tds.

Methinks his stats might even would have been higher if he was with a better QB (Brady).

NFL Network had him rated #30 out of the NFL's top 100 players, I doubt McCourty would be in the top 150. Overall, I'd take Dez over McCourty in a heartbeat.

Several things:

• The stat average of three years doesn't mean much when he had so much last year. His rookie season was downright mediocre. He was ok in his second year. He was great last year.
• The NFL Network ranking is for one season only. It isn't who is the best. It was who were the best 100 players in the 2012 season.
• I don't know if Bryant would be any better with Brady throwing to him. As highlighted in this thread, there is no guarantee that he would pick up the offense. Also, we do not know if the Pats would utilize him the same way or nearly as much as Dallas does. Romo is not the surgeon Brady is and he throws down the field far more than Brady even before Bryant had his break out year.
• McCourty's three year total stats are pretty impressive too. He has 197 tackles, 1 sack, 14 INTs, 43 PD, 11 tackles for losses, and 5 force fumbles. That is an average of 65.7 tackles, 4.7 INTs, 14.3 PDs, 3.6 tackle for losses, and 1.7 forced fumbles per year. That is pretty good numbers for a DB.

 

[RayClay]

Dez Bryant's record 8-8.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Several things:

• The stat average of three years doesn't mean much when he had so much last year. His rookie season was downright mediocre. He was ok in his second year. He was great last year.
• The NFL Network ranking is for one season only. It isn't who is the best. It was who were the best 100 players in the 2012 season.
• I don't know if Bryant would be any better with Brady throwing to him. As highlighted in this thread, there is no guarantee that he would pick up the offense. Also, we do not know if the Pats would utilize him the same way or nearly as much as Dallas does. Romo is not the surgeon Brady is and he throws down the field far more than Brady even before Bryant had his break out year.
• McCourty's three year total stats are pretty impressive too. He has 197 tackles, 1 sack, 14 INTs, 43 PD, 11 tackles for losses, and 5 force fumbles. That is an average of 65.7 tackles, 4.7 INTs, 14.3 PDs, 3.6 tackle for losses, and 1.7 forced fumbles per year. That is pretty good numbers for a DB.

Bryant finished his rookie season with 45 receptions for 561 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns. Also a 98 yard kick return. All in only 12 games started (missed 4 games due to injury). If that's MEDIOCRE, please God, let Thomkins, Dobson, Sudfeld and Boyce all have mediocre rookie seasons !

 

[RayClay]

Total offense 2012

New England 6846 427.9
Dallas 5994 374.6

I guess our receivers last year must be much better thatn Dallas' overall.

 

[Rob0729]

Bryant finished his rookie season with 45 receptions for 561 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns. Also a 98 yard kick return. All in only 12 games started (missed 4 games due to injury). If that's MEDIOCRE, please God, let Thomkins, Dobson, Sudfeld and Boyce all have mediocre rookie seasons !

They are decent rookie stats. Nothing outstanding. Again, it is basically mediocre. I can find plenty of first year WRs who do far better. If at least one of the rookies on this team this year does not get considerably more than 561 yards, they all better get get 561 yards or more or this team is in big trouble. I bet Thompkins has a better season than Bryant has his rookie season.