SI's Best NFL Players by Number

[greenwichjetfan]

Champ was incredible. He was more than a generational talent, he was a once in a lifetime talent. 

 

Revis though. Revis is a once in 5 lifetimes type of talent. If he puts up 3 more years of his current level of play, and an additional 3-5 strong "twilight" yrs, it'll be criminal to even bring up Champ, Ty, Green, Blount, or Deon in the argument for best CB ever.

 

Even as it stands now, with all of the rules and favoritism towards passing offenses, and the freaks of nature Revis is going up against as opposed to the guys Champ/Deon/the older guys were going up against, it's bordering on crazy talk when people are so dismissive about Revis as the all time greatest. 

[greenwichjetfan]

Also, when SI did this in 2010, #24 was Lenny Moore of the Colts, and the runner up was Willie Wood.

 

What, in the past 5 years, has Lenny, Willie, or Champ done to shuffle those rankings? If anything, Champ's stock should have fallen since 2010. 

[BurnleyJet]

I'm not saying you should blitz Revis, and I am agreeing Revis is the best overall CB at covering a receiver. He blankets his guy from the moment he is off the line and never lets him free. He takes away the best option at receiver completely. Champ Bailey was very good at it as well, but not as good as Revis. What Bailey was better at was giving a QB a false look as if the receiver was open and then creating a turnover. Revis doesn't create turnovers his way because his receiver is always covered. A QB looks Revis' way and there's nothing to even think about, the guy is covered he doesn't throw there. Bailey was better at creating turnovers and making big plays. If you blended Darrell Revis with Rod Woodson you'd get Champ Bailey. Not quite as good as Woodson creating turnovers and blitzing the QB, but still great. Not quite as good as Revis at blanketing a receiver, but still great. As for Bailey's last 5 years, Revis hasn't gotten to his last 5 yet so we have no idea what he's going to look like yet. Revis is not as good today as he was in his prime pre-injury, so it's safe to say there will be decline, just like Bailey and pretty much every other player in the NFL.

Bailey is a HOF CB. Revis will be as well when all is said and done, and he'll likely be unquestionably the best CB to wear #24 ever, but right now as of today Bailey has the career and pedigree to bear that title.

Disagree, Baileys played more years, but even in the shorter time Revis has played he's the #24.

Revis directly himself does not create turn overs, but he gives others that opportunity. More time for the Dline to get the QB, forced throws, panic plays. He makes the whole D better, not just himself. Just watch the Pats D this season without him. See how much more pressure we can now put on the QB.

[David Harris]

We're seriously going to nit pick and choose bad games here or there over a 14 year career!?  Because I have a very vivid clear memory of Randy Moss running right at me sitting in the end zone catching an 80 yard bomb with Revis trailing 5 yards behind him.  The ridiculousness of me even trying to use this example as a point is as ridiculous as yours. 

A. Relax

 

B. Using examples of football performance to compare football players is valid

 

C. Revis has been burned for a touchdown here or there - that's simply what happens to every CB by nature of them covering guys whose job it is to catch touchdowns. 

 

D. Revis has never been "owned" for a whole game.  He has guarded the best receivers of his generation and never had a game where the receiver crushed him, given up some play like everyone else, sure.  His prowess, his reliability to be great just about every single game is unmatched in history.  No one has every beat him for 60 minutes the way that Johnson owned Bailey.  Revis has never been bested like that for a whole game.  It's unparalleled and remarkable.

 

E.  I used this example to highlight one of the reasons that Revis is the best #24 and IMO the best CB in history.  It was a great illustration.  You simply name called to argue against it.  It's a specific example of why I think Revis is better.  If we're not going to compare how well they played football, and if we're not going to cite specific examples, I'd love you to suggest a better way to compare them.  Perhaps how how well their socks matched their unis? 

[Snell41]

A. Relax

 

B. Using examples of football performance to compare football players is valid

 

C. Revis has been burned for a touchdown here or there - that's simply what happens to every CB by nature of them covering guys whose job it is to catch touchdowns. 

 

D. Revis has never been "owned" for a whole game.  He has guarded the best receivers of his generation and never had a game where the receiver crushed him, given up some play like everyone else, sure.  His prowess, his reliability to be great just about every single game is unmatched in history.  No one has every beat him for 60 minutes the way that Johnson owned Bailey.  Revis has never been bested like that for a whole game.  It's unparalleled and remarkable.

 

E.  I used this example to highlight one of the reasons that Revis is the best #24 and IMO the best CB in history.  It was a great illustration.  You simply name called to argue against it.  It's a specific example of why I think Revis is better.  If we're not going to compare how well they played football, and if we're not going to cite specific examples, I'd love you to suggest a better way to compare them.  Perhaps how how well their socks matched their unis? 

 

I didn't name call you bro, I just said it's ridiculous to nitpick individual plays of a CB getting burned as an argument.  Revis has been burned too.  Bailey was in his 30's and on the decline when he got owned.  Revis will probably be there one day too.  Rod Woodson, also one of the best CB's in history, converted to Safety once he lost a step and started getting owned.  It happens to them all, and it'll probably happen to Revis too.  As to my argument, you can see it below from the other day, which was posted before your last response. 

 

I'm not saying you should blitz Revis, and I am agreeing Revis is the best overall CB at covering a receiver.  He blankets his guy from the moment he is off the line and never lets him free.  He takes away the best option at receiver completely.  Champ Bailey was very good at it as well, but not as good as Revis.  What Bailey was better at was giving a QB a false look as if the receiver was open and then creating a turnover.  Revis doesn't create turnovers his way because his receiver is always covered.  A QB looks Revis' way and there's nothing to even think about, the guy is covered he doesn't throw there.  Bailey was better at creating turnovers and making big plays.  If you blended Darrell Revis with Rod Woodson you'd get Champ Bailey.  Not quite as good as Woodson creating turnovers and blitzing the QB, but still great.  Not quite as good as Revis at blanketing a receiver, but still great.  As for Bailey's last 5 years, Revis hasn't gotten to his last 5 yet so we have no idea what he's going to look like yet.  Revis is not as good today as he was in his prime pre-injury, so it's safe to say there will be decline, just like Bailey and pretty much every other player in the NFL. 

 

Bailey is a HOF CB.  Revis will be as well when all is said and done, and he'll likely be unquestionably the best CB to wear #24 ever, but right now as of today Bailey has the career and pedigree to bear that title. 

 

As I said, I do think as of now Revis is the best cover corner in history.  He's nowhere near Champ at creating turnovers, he is not electric like Sanders, he's not a ballhawk like Woodson, he's not a multi-faceted CB like Woodson.  He does one thing, and he does it better than any other CB in history.  He covers a receiver completely and never gives the QB any kind of look of that receiver being open.  He prevents throws going his way and defends the pass if it does.  That is awesome, and I don't mean to diminish it.  But some people do value the ability to create turnovers, and be electric with the ball when they do, and have a knack for blitzing the QB sometimes.  And some people would accept a slight coverage level drop from Revis to Bailey's level if it meant having those other qualities as well.  Some may also consider that Bailey has been at it for far longer than Revis, and would like to see Revis continue at his level before annointing him.  So I stand by my statement, as of today, Bailey has earned the right to being called the best player to wear #24.  Revis probably will be if he continues playing at the level he does with a reasonable decline due to age over the same span. 

[David Harris]

I didn't name call you bro, I just said it's ridiculous to nitpick individual plays of a CB getting burned as an argument. Revis has been burned too. Bailey was in his 30's and on the decline when he got owned. Revis will probably be there one day too. Rod Woodson, also one of the best CB's in history, converted to Safety once he lost a step and started getting owned. It happens to them all, and it'll probably happen to Revis too. As to my argument, you can see it below from the other day, which was posted before your last response.

As I said, I do think as of now Revis is the best cover corner in history. He's nowhere near Champ at creating turnovers, he is not electric like Sanders, he's not a ballhawk like Woodson, he's not a multi-faceted CB like Woodson. He does one thing, and he does it better than any other CB in history. He covers a receiver completely and never gives the QB any kind of look of that receiver being open. He prevents throws going his way and defends the pass if it does. That is awesome, and I don't mean to diminish it. But some people do value the ability to create turnovers, and be electric with the ball when they do, and have a knack for blitzing the QB sometimes. And some people would accept a slight coverage level drop from Revis to Bailey's level if it meant having those other qualities as well. Some may also consider that Bailey has been at it for far longer than Revis, and would like to see Revis continue at his level before annointing him. So I stand by my statement, as of today, Bailey has earned the right to being called the best player to wear #24. Revis probably will be if he continues playing at the level he does with a reasonable decline due to age over the same span.

Fair enough-we're very close in opinion and agreement- you are correct you did not name call. you did use the word "ridiculous" and nitpicking which my argument was not. Bailey was 28 and in his prime in 2006 when he got toasted.

You are correct that Revis does not "bait" the QB into throwing his way to take picks because he is so intensely on top of his assigned man. Good problem to have but it does increase turnovers. However this is a pro, not a con,because he completely shuts down the Vincent Jackson's, Calvin Johnson's, chad Ocho cincos and the andre Johnson's so that the QB has to throw else where. He gives the QB no chance to his his covered guy forcing throws to secondary targets. It does beg the question if he should lay back so he can get the int but he's not built like that- he refuses to give the wideout any space due to his intense focus of being all over his receiver. It's like picking between Bach and Beethoven.

I pick Revis because he simply could not get beat like that in 60 minutes. He's the class of the field, the best player of the 22 and won't allow the other guy to feel he's winning for a moment. He's a ****n gangsta out there- Don Corleone.

[David Harris]

I didn't name call you bro, I just said it's ridiculous to nitpick individual plays of a CB getting burned as an argument. Revis has been burned too. Bailey was in his 30's and on the decline when he got owned. Revis will probably be there one day too. Rod Woodson, also one of the best CB's in history, converted to Safety once he lost a step and started getting owned. It happens to them all, and it'll probably happen to Revis too. As to my argument, you can see it below from the other day, which was posted before your last response.

As I said, I do think as of now Revis is the best cover corner in history. He's nowhere near Champ at creating turnovers, he is not electric like Sanders, he's not a ballhawk like Woodson, he's not a multi-faceted CB like Woodson. He does one thing, and he does it better than any other CB in history. He covers a receiver completely and never gives the QB any kind of look of that receiver being open. He prevents throws going his way and defends the pass if it does. That is awesome, and I don't mean to diminish it. But some people do value the ability to create turnovers, and be electric with the ball when they do, and have a knack for blitzing the QB sometimes. And some people would accept a slight coverage level drop from Revis to Bailey's level if it meant having those other qualities as well. Some may also consider that Bailey has been at it for far longer than Revis, and would like to see Revis continue at his level before annointing him. So I stand by my statement, as of today, Bailey has earned the right to being called the best player to wear #24. Revis probably will be if he continues playing at the level he does with a reasonable decline due to age over the same span.

Fair enough-we're very close in opinion and agreement- you are correct you did not name call. you did use the word "ridiculous" and nitpicking which my argument was not. Bailey was 28 and in his prime in 2006 when he got toasted.

You are correct that Revis does not "bait" the QB into throwing his way to take picks because he is so intensely on top of his assigned man. Good problem to have but it does increase turnovers. However this is a pro, not a con,because he completely shuts down the Vincent Jackson's, Calvin Johnson's, chad Ocho cincos and the andre Johnson's so that the QB has to throw else where. He gives the QB no chance to his his covered guy forcing throws to secondary targets. It does beg the question if he should lay back so he can get the int but he's not built like that- he refuses to give the wideout any space due to his intense focus of being all over his receiver. It's like picking between Bach and Beethoven.

I pick Revis because he simply could not get beat like that in 60 minutes. He's the class of the field, the best player of the 22 and won't allow the other guy to feel he's winning for a moment. He's a ****n gangsta out there- Don Corleone.