Thread: Overrated Players in the NFL?

Just running this list out there, please feel free to add your own. In no specific order:

1. Chad Pennington. Why is this guy considered to be good again? I mean he has no arm, can do nothing but complete short passes, doesn't exactly make a lot of good decisions either. Oh yeah, the guy can't have a good TD to INT ratio to save his life.

2. Cedric Benson. Now it may just be because I live in Illinois, but I heard nothing but love for Benson and how he was going to turn into an amazing starter and blah blah blah. The guy has no heart and coughs the ball up a lot. At least last year the Bears only one stinker at an offensive skill position....

3. Rudi Johnson. I know I know he has had a lot of productive years in Cincinnati right? Well statistically that is correct, but when you ask yourself why and look at the team Rudi Johnson....well he sucks. On most teams the running game sets up the pass, but on the Bengals it's just the opposite. Rudi Johnson used to be a very fine running back, and in his defense the guy has no quit in him at all. In the years 2004 and 2005 Rudi Johnson was a monster, he was slow but strong as an ox. And while he was slow for a RB, he could hit the line of scrimmage fast enough to put some poor linebacker and defensive lineman on their arse. The incredible thing about the 2005 season was that he was playing on a bum knee the entire year. 2006 rolls around and Palmer is coming back on a bum knee of his own, so our running game is more important to our team then it ever was in the Marvin Lewis era. Rudi Johnson drops weight to gain some speed and to take some stress of his knee. This has to be a great idea right, I mean the guy was slow but not Jerome Bettis slow, this new found speed will make him a more complete back right? Unfortunately for the Bengals this is not the case. While he may have gained a small amount of speed he lost a ton of power, and when you are a power back that isn't good at all. He also decided to try to dance at the line of scrimmage which is even worse then his power drop off. Rudi Johnson NEVER had any moves in his arsenal other than just knocking you flat on your arse. In short when a running back has no vision, no moves, below average speed and a drop off in power and is still touted as a very good back he is overrated. Now, I admit that I am a Rudi Johnson hater, I never liked him very much at all. He is a drive killer, and against good defenses he fades away. He will have a good series or two and then get shut out for the rest of the game. This year he has played terribly. Against Baltimore he misread blocks and was dancing at the LOS. He even got tackled in the backfield with nothing but grass in front of him by a linebacker who started on the other end of the field. Rudi Johnson, if you can hear me gain back some weight or donate your paychecks to the Help the Bengals find a new center foundation. Oh yeah, in his defense we have never really found a good replacement of Rich Braham. Rich Braham was a MONSTER.

5. Reggie Bush. Do not get me wrong, Reggie Bush is a very good football player. He has some of the best moves in the game, great hands, great speed and he plays all out. At this moment he is overrated, and it pains me to say that. He is a running back, and I hate it when everyone excuses a running backs poor performance by saying "well his offensive line isn't good". Well sure the Saints offensive line is poor, but you pay players to do their job. There comes a point where quarterbacks have to make great throws, linebackers have to make tackles, cornerbacks have to deflect passes, and running backs have to make runs. Dear Reggie Bush, you have great speed, make someone miss please. Love every Saints fan and Reggie Bush fantasy owner in the world.

6. Steve McNair. I grew up loving this guy, one of my all time favorite players. McNair was supposed to bring stability to the Raven offense. He was supposed to hit the open guy, not throw stupid passes and make good decisions. I know that he is hurt, but man watching him play against Cleveland made me sad. This guy used to be a top tier QB, he was the toughest QB in the game (yes other Favre, Favre hasn't had half the injuries in his career that McNair has) and he was a great running QB. He is still really tough, but all that other stuff.....not so much.

7. Brett Favre. Ok this one is up for how you interpret the word overrated. Look, he is playing well, but people are making him out to be an amazing QB still. He is not a great QB at this point, he is a great story. I kinda hate Chicago fans right now, so I guess I am rooting for the Packers at the moment.........sorta. He still has a very good arm, and right now he is making good decisions on the football field. And I won't completely bash Brett Favre, last year a lot of his mistakes where due to his WR's playing like idiots. But at the end of the day he made more then his fair shair of poor plays. Hey, if he keeps up the good play then I will gladly take him off the list.


8. Ray Lewis. This is not year 2000, he can not shed blockers anymore. He isn't even the most intimidating player on their team, that would be Terrel Suggs or Ed Reed. Just because you have a stupid dance and your a leader doesn't mean your a great player. He is a good MLB, but when you are a sideline to sideline player and you start to lose speed and not make as many tackles as you used to, you shouldn't be as heralded as Ray Lewis is. I think this makes him overrated as a player.

9. Joey Porter. Last year Sports Illustrated called him the most feared player in the NFL. For a linebacker who is supposed to be so scary you would think he could manage more then two ten sack years. His career started off fast with two nine sack years in a row, his production dropped off for several years and then he had a 10 sack year for the Steelers in 05. My god, this guy was a product of the Steelers. How many guys have they let go and had no trouble replacing. The only two true standout players that they have on their defense is Troy Polomalu and Casey Hampton.

10. Any starting running back on the Denver Broncos. They aren't really that good, your offensive line is.

The offensive line isn't the only reason for Denvers success running the ball, imo, the majority of the credit should go to the coaches.

It's the coaches that get this production out of offensive lineman that NOBODY else wants. Lineman that nobody else has any use for...

I would take Brett F off the list and replace him with

Larry Johnson...

Originally Posted by KCLady

I would take Brett F off the list and replace him with

Larry Johnson...

Ouch! .......

Originally Posted by KCLady

I would take Brett F off the list and replace him with

Larry Johnson...

A few bad games does not detract the greatness of Larry Johnson. After LT Larry Johnson is IMO the best back in football.

Originally Posted by King87

A few bad games does not detract the greatness of Larry Johnson. After LT Larry Johnson is IMO the best back in football.

I agree....LJ isnt off to a good start,its called sarcasm...

Originally Posted by Link

The offensive line isn't the only reason for Denvers success running the ball, imo, the majority of the credit should go to the coaches.

It's the coaches that get this production out of offensive lineman that NOBODY else wants. Lineman that nobody else has any use for...

I think you have a point, although I would argue with the way that you worded it. The majority of a teams success is due to the players. Coaches don't make plays out on the field, they can only put their team in the best position to make things happen. I think that they have a really nice eye for talented players in the wrong system, but at the end of the day players go out on the field and perform. Just my opinion.

Originally Posted by KCLady

I agree....LJ isnt off to a good start,its called sarcasm...

Touche salesman, touche.

All RB's in football are overrated.

It's a natural fill in position.

LT? Look at Michael Turner.

LJ? Look at Priest Holmes. Hell, even Derrick Blaylock averaged over 4.5 yards per carry at KC.

Originally Posted by silkamilkamonico

All RB's in football are overrated.

It's a natural fill in position.

LT? Look at Michael Turner.

LJ? Look at Priest Holmes. Hell, even Derrick Blaylock averaged over 4.5 yards per carry at KC.

I think if a team has a good O line...and good receivers you can

almost get by with a medicore QB and RB....

Originally Posted by King87

A few bad games does not detract the greatness of Larry Johnson. After LT Larry Johnson is IMO the best back in football.

After LT would be Steven Jackson... I like Johnson, but Jackson is a better all-around back than Johnson.

Originally Posted by bengaaaaals1688

After LT would be Steven Jackson... I like Johnson, but Jackson is a better all-around back than Johnson.

Jackson has never put up the yards Johnson. Jacksons catches are inflated, he doesn't actually run out past the LOS for passes. Larry Johnson would make as many catches as Jackson if he was used that way. LJ consistently scores more TDs, and carries his offense. Jackson has Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce to help him out, and Bulger throwing the ball, Larry Johnson has.......Tony G? Johnson does more with less.

Originally Posted by silkamilkamonico

All RB's in football are overrated.

It's a natural fill in position.

LT? Look at Michael Turner.

LJ? Look at Priest Holmes. Hell, even Derrick Blaylock averaged over 4.5 yards per carry at KC.

Yeah, because the chiefs offensive line was helping him break all those tackles past the LOS. You can just tell that some backs are great when you watch them. Holmes just happened to get hurt and was never the same.

Originally Posted by King87

Yeah, because the chiefs offensive line was helping him break all those tackles past the LOS. You can just tell that some backs are great when you watch them. Holmes just happened to get hurt and was never the same.

Some backs are great for the position, and I would put LT and LJ in that category.

But the NFL's best players? No.

LT has never been a difference maker a series of big games. Neither has LJ. I could go on and on about RB's. They're simply a product of their system. Derrick Blaylock averaged 4.7 ypc during his tenure at KC. No disrespect to LJ, but they make a system better, they don't make the system.

RB is the most overrated position in the NFL in terms of difference makers on a team, and leading their team to the promise land, and everything that goes along with utmost success. Sure they might have great games here and there, but a stretch in the playoffs?

Who was the last one to do that? Terrell Davis?

Originally Posted by silkamilkamonico

Some backs are great for the position, and I would put LT and LJ in that category.

But the NFL's best players? No.

LT has never been a difference maker a series of big games. Neither has LJ. I could go on and on about RB's. They're simply a product of their system. Derrick Blaylock averaged 4.7 ypc during his tenure at KC. No disrespect to LJ, but they make a system better, they don't make the system.

RB is the most overrated position in the NFL in terms of difference makers on a team, and leading their team to the promise land, and everything that goes along with utmost success. Sure they might have great games here and there, but a stretch in the playoffs?

Who was the last one to do that? Terrell Davis?

Funny, I thought that Willie Parker, Cory Dillon,Marshall Faulk and Eddie George where all pretty good in the playoffs... ....

There is no overrated position in the NFL. You aren't going to win anything with no running game in the playoffs. You usually need a good QB, you certainly have to have a good defense filled with good players.