oochymp 2,393 Posted March 23, 2011 ESPN's bloggers continue their skill position rankings with a top ten pass rushers, an interesting response to the question of how to deal with 4-3 vs 3-4 defenses Here's the top ten: 1. DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys 2. Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers 3. Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis Colts 4. Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings 5. Tamba Hali, Kansas City Chiefs 6. James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers 7. John Abraham, Atlanta Falcons 8. Julius Peppers, Chicago Bears 9. LaMarr Woodley, Pittsburgh Steelers 10. Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins And here's the explanation and breakdown of voting: Link I think Paul Kuharsky may have let a bit of an AFC South bias slip in voting Dwight Freeney #1 (the only blogger to put anyone but Demarcus Ware there) and voting Mario Williams #4 and Robert Mathis #6 (as the only blogger to include either in his list) but overall I think it's a pretty good list, probably the best one I've seen from them so far Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted March 23, 2011 Jared Allen is way high, and Cameron Wake is too low. I am actually kinda surprised Wake is on the list at all. He usually flies pretty under the radar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted March 24, 2011 No Trent Cole on the list at all? Epic fail. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oochymp 2,393 Posted March 24, 2011 No Trent Cole on the list at all? Epic fail. Mike Sando had him 10th, but nobody else ranked him, his omission is pretty bad, but that's really the only thing I see majorly wrong here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted March 24, 2011 I mean, I hate to come off as a whiny homer, but Trent Cole deserves to be on this list. Since it is the top ten "pass rushers," I'm assuming they're just considering that dimension and nothing else (coverage, run stopping), which is fine, but Cole should be top five. The other issue is to put Wake higher, but looking at the guys in the top five, it'd be tough to give any of them a bump. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted March 24, 2011 Trent Cole is too balanced and too awesome to be one of the best pass rushers. Or to be recognized as such anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted March 24, 2011 Trent Cole is too balanced and too awesome to be one of the best pass rushers. Or to be recognized as such anyway. Well...I guess I can live with that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) Well...I guess I can live with that. It's like Jared Allen.. he is one dimensional and doesn't even have that many pass rush moves. He just runs up field and prays that the LT makes a mistake. That's what you call elite pass rushing skill. /sarcasm Oh.. and I will admit I'd move Clay down a tad too. Ware, Hali, and Wake would be in my top 3 in no order. Edit: Oh, and Cole too. Honestly.. I didn't even think of him until stevo said something. And that isn't to say I don't know about cole.. but just that he is under appreciated and flies under the radar himself (as a pass rusher anyway) Edited March 24, 2011 by Favre4Ever Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Durant4MVP Posted March 24, 2011 -Trent Cole isn't on the list -Jared Allen is too high -Cameron Wake is too low -in b4 Zack says Woodley and Harrison should be higher than Ware 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phenomenal TJ 28 Posted March 24, 2011 They shouldn't be higher than Ware, but to not see at least one of them in the top five is...surprising. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) -Trent Cole isn't on the list -Jared Allen is too high -Cameron Wake is too low -in b4 Zack says Woodley and Harrison should be higher than Ware Wake has had one great season; he is where he should be for now (and where Hali should be as well). Harrison and Woodley are consistently dominating in the pass rush department while rushing the passer half as much as the other people on the list. Ware rushes as much as the average 4-3 DE, who rush nearly every play. Woodley and Harrison drop into coverage 50% of the time. List should look like this: 1. DeMarcus Ware 2. LaMarr Woodley 3. Trent Cole 4. James Harrison 5. Clay Matthews 6. Jared Allen 7. Dwight Freeney 8. Osi Umenyiora 9. Cameron Wake 10. John Abraham/Justin Tuck/Tamba Hali/Robert Mathis/Julius Peppers Edited March 24, 2011 by Zack_of_Steel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted March 24, 2011 Wake has had one great season; he is where he should be for now (and where Hali should be as well). Harrison and Woodley are consistently dominating in the pass rush department while rushing the passer half as much as the other people on the list. Ware rushes as much as the average 4-3 DE, who rush nearly every play. Woodley and Harrison drop into coverage 50% of the time. List should look like this: 1. DeMarcus Ware 2. LaMarr Woodley 3. Trent Cole 4. James Harrison 5. Clay Matthews 6. Jared Allen 7. Dwight Freeney 8. Osi Umenyiora 9. Cameron Wake 10. John Abraham/Justin Tuck/Tamba Hali/Robert Mathis I agree on most but why have Jared Allen so high? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) I agree on most but why have Jared Allen so high? I think Jared sucks at run support and is FAR from being the complete player that Trent Cole, James Harrison, and the like are. However, it's hard to look past what he's done since joining the league pass rush wise. To average just under 12 sacks a year (11.8) over his 7 seasons in the league is pretty remarkable. To put it into perspective a bit, Bruce Smith averaged 10.5 sacks over his career and Lawrence Taylor averaged 10.2. Hell, after seeing this, I might even have Jared up a spot or two in my list. Edited March 24, 2011 by Zack_of_Steel 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
әightninә. 39 Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) @Zack this is top ten PASS RUSHERS. Freeney is getting the attention he should get; because he has the ultimate combination of power and versatility with that spin move. [/homer] Edited March 24, 2011 by әightninә. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted March 24, 2011 @Zack this is top ten PASS RUSHERS. No fucking shit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maverick 791 Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) ^ As far as the list goes, I don't have any major problems with it. Trent Cole should be given some love, though... Edited March 24, 2011 by Maverick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
