Lovie Smith Says Bears DE Julius Peppers Is The 'Best Player In The NFL'

Discussion in 'Chicago Bears' started by Sweets, Feb 24, 2012.

  1. Sweets

    Sweets All-Pro

    Coach Lovie Smith on DE Julius Peppers and his 11 sacks: "Julius Peppers is arguably the best player in the NFL, that is what I think. I get a chance to watch him. The things he does, you know, he will very seldom lead the league in sacks because he gets respect always – double team, triple team. But he had a heck of a year."

    Source: CBSSports
     
  2. Steve12

    Steve12 The night is dark and full of terrors

    Very very arguably. Lol.
     
  3. Agent Zero

    Agent Zero I rode the short bus

    To say the least.. I say Ware is better than he is. And I don't consider Ware the best player in the league. .02
     
  4. TheDuke

    TheDuke Breast Man

    I don't know about best PLAYER in the NFL but he sure is the best JULIUS in the NFL!
     
  5. 86WARD

    86WARD -

    Nope.
     

  6. Peppers is the most dominant / disruptive defensive player in the NFL hands down. Ware is overrated, he gets a lot of sacks because he plays 3-4 outside linebacker and lines up very wide in a wide 9 technique and just pins his ears back and rushes the quarter back. Ware also sees several single blocks by tight ends and running backs compared to Peppers who is double teamed and chipped more often due to the fact he is a down lineman on every play and the Bears hardly ever blitz. Jared Allen is overrated as well because he doesn't see half the doulbe teams that Peppers does, he doesn't get the respect that Peppers does because teams don't fear him as much. I would't say Peppers is the best player in the NFL, but he is the best DEFENSIVE player in the NFL.
     
  7. Crowned

    Crowned Doesn't give a shit.

    That's fine that you have a raging hard on for Peppers, but pretty dumb to discredit D Ware in the process of you stroking it.
     
  8. Tarkus

    Tarkus The Thread Stalker



    While Peppers is my boy & I don't think he gets his righteous props as a rule, I wouldn't go that far, Pred.

    However, for a first post, you've hit the ground running, well over a 100 word effort while showing a good amount of insanity & to top it off, got Crowned's blood pressure up. :drinks:

    Not a bad day's work. :icon_thumright:

    Welcome to the boards...
     
  9. DaBearsrule4ever

    DaBearsrule4ever Hall Of Famer

    I don't know about the best player in the NFL but i'd go as far to say one of the top 5 best DEs in the NFL.
     
  10. Crowned

    Crowned Doesn't give a shit.

    Easily.
     
  11. D Ware is overrated. People worship him because he gets a lot of sacks, but playing defense is not all about sack numbers. Peppers stops the run, gets sacks, pressures, forced fumbles, interceptions, passes defensed, blocked field goals. Ware is very good but Peppers is definitely a more all around force.
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2012
  12. He's the top DE in the NFL.

    1. Peppers
    2. Allen
    3. JPP
    4. Tuck
    5. Freeney
     
  13. CaptainStubing

    CaptainStubing Gave her a Dirty Sanchez

    is this 2007? Freeney and Tuck? :wtf1:

    Based on the 2011 season, here were the best DE's in the game:

    1. JPP -- no one has a better all around game right now at this position

    2. Allen - he's not the strongest against the run but he gets in the backfield quicker than any DE in the league

    3. Peppers -- Still one of the top forces in the league with a great all-around game

    4. Clemons -- this guy doesn't get much attention playing in Seattle but he single-handedly makes their d-line decent

    5. Babin -- This guy is constantly in the backfield. One of the more underrated DE's in the league right now.

    Up and Comer: J.J. Watt -- this guy is very young and really improved throughout his rookie season. If he keeps this going, he will be in the top 5 very soon.
     
  14. JJ Watt is a 3-4 DE, I was listing 4-3 DE.

    Top 4-3 DE.

    1. Peppers
    2. Allen
    3. JPP
    4. Tuck
    5. Freeney
    6. Cole
    7. Long
    8. Osi
    9. Babin
    10. Mathis
    11. Abraham
    12. Avril

    Top 3-4 DE

    1. Justin Smith
    2. Haloti Ngata
    3. JJ Watt
    4. Calais Campbell
    5. Antonio Smith


    Top 10 defensive players.

    1. Julius Peppers
    2. Justin Smith
    3. Jared Allen
    4. Troy Polamalu
    5. Patrick Willis
    6. Darrelle Revis
    7. James Harrison
    8. Haloti Ngata
    9. Jason Pierre-Paul
    10. Demarcus Ware
     
  15. CaptainStubing

    CaptainStubing Gave her a Dirty Sanchez

    ok, you seem to really like lists.

    all i will say is that tuck and freeney are dinosaurs and are not top players anymore (in any defense) and JPP is the best DE in the league right now.
     
  16. I guess you didn't see Tuck play in the Super Bowl. Tuck was injured much of last year, he is still under 30 years old and is a very good player. Freeney didn't rack up as many sacks because the Colts had a crappy offense with out Peyton so teams didn't have to throw as much to keep up with the Colts. He can still rush the passer as good as anyone. JPP still can't hold Peppers jock strap. He isn't near the all around force that Peppers is yet. Maybe one day.
     
  17. Walnuts

    Walnuts All-Pro

    3 times as many tackles, more passes defensed and 5.5 more sacks than Peppers disagrees with you.
     
  18. Peppers played on a bad MCL in his knee for most of the season, yet was still a dominant force. Teams didn't give JPP as much respect as far as double teaming JPP because they didn't know he was this good, his numbers will drop off next season. Peppers had more forced fumbles and more blocked kicks than JPP. Peppers is far better against the run than JPP, and smarter than JPP because of his experience. Like I said, JPP could one day be as good as Peppers but I doubt it, Peppers is the best DE since Reggie White.
     
  19. CaptainStubing

    CaptainStubing Gave her a Dirty Sanchez

    actually, i did watch Tuck a lot this season. Regardless of any injuries, Tuck is now the 3rd best DE on his own team. Osi and JPP are the studs on that line. Even Osi played better than Tuck this season and Osi had just as many injury concerns.

    and freeney can still get in the backfield some, but he has absolutely nothing else left in his game. he is nothing more than a pass rusher and i would like my DE's to have some strength against the run, eat up blockers when needed and be able to knock down some passes. Freeney has none of that anymore.

    As far as JPP and Peppers, it's obvious you don't think that JPP has passed Peppers in the all-around game. For me, what I saw this past season leaves no doubt in my mind that JPP is the new Peppers and has passed him as best all-around End in the game.
     
  20. Peppers will be the top End for another 5 years IMO. He can play till he's 40 if he so chooses.