Other than QB it has always been the O-line for me. You put together a great to at least very good O-line and the so-called skill positions don't have to be quite as good. A great O-line allows the QB to "operate" and everybody else to function at a higher or their best level. On "D" it's two positions ( maybe three) depending on the D played ( NT in a 3/4 is the 3rd) - But it's the Mike backer and the Nickle corner. If you pay attention to the teams that really have a very good Nickle they always seem to do better on their overall coverage, players don't get burned as much at other places by stretching out to help, which makes the entire D better! And the Mike is usually the leader and really needs to be on both types of D , so it starts there.
I'm more of a players guy, than a position guy. I get attached to individuals just because of who they are, not so much what position they play. I don't think I really have a favorite position.
My mental answer to the pop quiz was 5,000. Pretty close.
I like tight ends a lot. It's like chess boxing, you have to be really good at two things, and you can get by if you're excellent at one of them and passable at the other. But unlike chess boxing, you have to compromise at how you treat your body (if you have a perfect boxing physique, that won't impair you at chess). You need the weight and anchor to play the sumo of blocking, and the agility to play catch.
For me it’s MLB or inside LB. The QB of the defense. When I first started watching, the incredible focus and reaction of guys like Mike Singletary or Jack Ham and Lambert. Or that first Michael Jackson, no not the singer, #55.
Nietske was one I was tempted to write, but only due to history etc, like Butkus, but they were before my time. Went with guys I saw play in late 70’s when I played backyard/PE flag football
I voted for running back. When I was young, I was very fast. I ran a 4.2 40 in the JFK Fitness Program when I was in junior high in 1962. The P.E. teacher didn't believe it and made me run it again. I ran a 4.4. I was too small to play football on the varsity, but in intramurals in both high school and college, I was called "Tiger." My favorite play was the end sweep. If I made it to the edge, you couldn't catch me.
I was kicked off the high school track team when the coach found out I had asthma. Pseudafed may have had something to do with my 4.2 in junior high.
For many years Darren Sproles was my favorite NFL player.
My favorite non QB position is running back, for a lot of reasons. For starters, there's no prototype. Barry Sanders and Christian Okoye are both hall of famers and you'd never guess they played the same position by looking at them. You can be little and shifty and have success or be a beast like Derrick Henry. And as much as anything, they are responsible for some of the most exciting plays on the field, and we watch football to be entertained. I hate the devaluation of the running back position and hope it rebounds in the coming years.
Instantly thought of LB for my Pick, regardless of Unit. A great MLB is the Glue to you Defense, calls the plays, covers the middle, stops the run, rushes the passer.
Ray Lewis, Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner,...
Already legendary players for me.
Sure every position is crucial for team success but for me LB just has some extra swagger because of the impact they can have on all spots of the field.
We’re a pretty mature readership age-wise, guess that’s going to relate to appreciating old school football positions. Let the young ‘uns busy themselves with the prima donnas playing catch.
At University I played a little WR (but this is the UK, so don't treat this as anything serious), and in the modern airmail offence spectacular of the NFL the WR's are the second stars of the team. But it's no secret I love both a RB (still gutted we didn't take Bijan) and an O-Line mauler. WR is the pretty, stylish, show off - the pretty boy who gets all the attention and girls. But the RB and O-Line are the key functions without whom everything falls apart.
Defence is easier. LB! Inside, Outside, Off The Ball, Rushing, Coverage, LB's do it all. Always leaders, always physical, always crucial. But the DB's are not far behind, because I was raised on the NFL by the LoB so a shutdown secondary of loud mouth heros sit high up my list. Plus, Tim Riggins, c'mon, best young character in FNL was a LB. (Best offence player was of course Saracen but we can't pick QB here. Although Landry is close, giving some love to ST. Best overall Character was Mr & Mrs Taylor, it's a tie because how do you even consider separating them?!)
I like TE, simply because it’s a Wild card position. It’s like the queen on the chessboard, but sneakier. The TE can play like a second OT, take a few steps back and play H-Back, sneak out for an outlet pass, or run a seam route. It can be used to bait the defense into coverage mismatches, stealing a CB and forcing the 240 lb LB to cover a speedster. It’s as if the TE can take on any offensive role besides center and QB. The one-eyed Jack of all trades. The player who makes the DC say, “Oh crap.”
Personally I’ve been hooked on middle linebacker since watching Mike Singletary’s eyes, when I was a little kid. Watching him Blowing up the run game inspired me to be an incredibly poor HS middle linebacker who was too small and too slow, but loved to knock snot bubbles out of running backs/ (read unfortunate small WRs in zone coverage).
I agree completely with this: "For a long time I’ve said that football is an individual sport playing inside of a team sport" but it isn't just applied to the QB position, and frankly it is the reason why the OL/DL play is something that I am drawn to, not the QB. Can you beat your man on the other side of the line of scrimmage, mano y mano? That is where games are won, and lost. But the principle plays throughout the roster: can you win that 50/50 ball? Can you make that tackle? Can you beat that man to the edge? Every play to be successful requires every player to "win" his assignment; conversely, on D to be successful means not letting the other guy win (at the point of attack particularly).
Occasionally you do see individual players who, for a series, a quarter, or a game, who are able to transcend the players around them and "win" even when many of their teammates are not being successful, but that is rare.
It is also why I think we put too much emphasis on the QB for wins/losses when so much of the QB's success is scheme-dependent. But that's just me.
Other than QB it has always been the O-line for me. You put together a great to at least very good O-line and the so-called skill positions don't have to be quite as good. A great O-line allows the QB to "operate" and everybody else to function at a higher or their best level. On "D" it's two positions ( maybe three) depending on the D played ( NT in a 3/4 is the 3rd) - But it's the Mike backer and the Nickle corner. If you pay attention to the teams that really have a very good Nickle they always seem to do better on their overall coverage, players don't get burned as much at other places by stretching out to help, which makes the entire D better! And the Mike is usually the leader and really needs to be on both types of D , so it starts there.
I'm more of a players guy, than a position guy. I get attached to individuals just because of who they are, not so much what position they play. I don't think I really have a favorite position.
No fasting here. Seaside Joe article “everyday”! May the 12s be with you and Go Seahawks!
My mental answer to the pop quiz was 5,000. Pretty close.
I like tight ends a lot. It's like chess boxing, you have to be really good at two things, and you can get by if you're excellent at one of them and passable at the other. But unlike chess boxing, you have to compromise at how you treat your body (if you have a perfect boxing physique, that won't impair you at chess). You need the weight and anchor to play the sumo of blocking, and the agility to play catch.
I remember when you got to 1K. Wow!! How cool are you!!
For me it’s MLB or inside LB. The QB of the defense. When I first started watching, the incredible focus and reaction of guys like Mike Singletary or Jack Ham and Lambert. Or that first Michael Jackson, no not the singer, #55.
I immediately thought of Hamm, Lambert and Nietchke(sp?)
Nietske was one I was tempted to write, but only due to history etc, like Butkus, but they were before my time. Went with guys I saw play in late 70’s when I played backyard/PE flag football
I voted for running back. When I was young, I was very fast. I ran a 4.2 40 in the JFK Fitness Program when I was in junior high in 1962. The P.E. teacher didn't believe it and made me run it again. I ran a 4.4. I was too small to play football on the varsity, but in intramurals in both high school and college, I was called "Tiger." My favorite play was the end sweep. If I made it to the edge, you couldn't catch me.
I was kicked off the high school track team when the coach found out I had asthma. Pseudafed may have had something to do with my 4.2 in junior high.
For many years Darren Sproles was my favorite NFL player.
I can see why Sproles was a favorite. He was really good in fantasy for a few years. Dang man you were fast!!
My favorite non QB position is running back, for a lot of reasons. For starters, there's no prototype. Barry Sanders and Christian Okoye are both hall of famers and you'd never guess they played the same position by looking at them. You can be little and shifty and have success or be a beast like Derrick Henry. And as much as anything, they are responsible for some of the most exciting plays on the field, and we watch football to be entertained. I hate the devaluation of the running back position and hope it rebounds in the coming years.
Adrian Peterson might be my favorite to watch in the last 10 years or so. Do yourself a favor and watch his career highlights. They're mesmerizing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVSUShhf3co&ab_channel=THXALOT
I agree 100%!!
Surprised that safety and linebacker rank so high in the above. If it weren't for 54, 6 and 33, would 12s still rank those positions so high?
Instantly thought of LB for my Pick, regardless of Unit. A great MLB is the Glue to you Defense, calls the plays, covers the middle, stops the run, rushes the passer.
Ray Lewis, Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner,...
Already legendary players for me.
Sure every position is crucial for team success but for me LB just has some extra swagger because of the impact they can have on all spots of the field.
31, 45, 21
45
We’re a pretty mature readership age-wise, guess that’s going to relate to appreciating old school football positions. Let the young ‘uns busy themselves with the prima donnas playing catch.
I may be old, but my wife is never gonna call me mature.
You got me, I voted LB cause of 54.
I put safety because of 45. Kenny Easley was my favorite player as a kid (Largent 2nd). That's also why I put WR for face non-QB
Oh god is it a complicated question...
At University I played a little WR (but this is the UK, so don't treat this as anything serious), and in the modern airmail offence spectacular of the NFL the WR's are the second stars of the team. But it's no secret I love both a RB (still gutted we didn't take Bijan) and an O-Line mauler. WR is the pretty, stylish, show off - the pretty boy who gets all the attention and girls. But the RB and O-Line are the key functions without whom everything falls apart.
Defence is easier. LB! Inside, Outside, Off The Ball, Rushing, Coverage, LB's do it all. Always leaders, always physical, always crucial. But the DB's are not far behind, because I was raised on the NFL by the LoB so a shutdown secondary of loud mouth heros sit high up my list. Plus, Tim Riggins, c'mon, best young character in FNL was a LB. (Best offence player was of course Saracen but we can't pick QB here. Although Landry is close, giving some love to ST. Best overall Character was Mr & Mrs Taylor, it's a tie because how do you even consider separating them?!)
I like TE, simply because it’s a Wild card position. It’s like the queen on the chessboard, but sneakier. The TE can play like a second OT, take a few steps back and play H-Back, sneak out for an outlet pass, or run a seam route. It can be used to bait the defense into coverage mismatches, stealing a CB and forcing the 240 lb LB to cover a speedster. It’s as if the TE can take on any offensive role besides center and QB. The one-eyed Jack of all trades. The player who makes the DC say, “Oh crap.”
Personally I’ve been hooked on middle linebacker since watching Mike Singletary’s eyes, when I was a little kid. Watching him Blowing up the run game inspired me to be an incredibly poor HS middle linebacker who was too small and too slow, but loved to knock snot bubbles out of running backs/ (read unfortunate small WRs in zone coverage).
If you need a WR3 for a couple plays in week 1 why not put Kenny Mc. in the slot?
We may never know if Joe Flacco is elite at playing catch but Robert Saleh’s son has cast his vote.
I agree completely with this: "For a long time I’ve said that football is an individual sport playing inside of a team sport" but it isn't just applied to the QB position, and frankly it is the reason why the OL/DL play is something that I am drawn to, not the QB. Can you beat your man on the other side of the line of scrimmage, mano y mano? That is where games are won, and lost. But the principle plays throughout the roster: can you win that 50/50 ball? Can you make that tackle? Can you beat that man to the edge? Every play to be successful requires every player to "win" his assignment; conversely, on D to be successful means not letting the other guy win (at the point of attack particularly).
Occasionally you do see individual players who, for a series, a quarter, or a game, who are able to transcend the players around them and "win" even when many of their teammates are not being successful, but that is rare.
It is also why I think we put too much emphasis on the QB for wins/losses when so much of the QB's success is scheme-dependent. But that's just me.
I agree with you. The QB, often, gets too much blame or too much credit when so much is scheme-dependent in game outcomes.
Is it (inter)national Tight Ends day yet already?
AKA Techno Thursdays at the VMAC