Top 10 Tacklers of All Time (The Snubbing of London Fletcher)

[tml6157]

What I like about this is Fletcher should finish at least 6th possibly 5th overall when done.

[Skin'Em84]

best post i've ever seen you make. couldn't agree with you more.

fletcher has a lot of good numbers - and probably should make the probowl.

but he isn't flashy - or a game changer. he just does his job. not saying that doesn't deserve the pro bowl - but thinking about it that way gives it a little perspective.

He isn't flashy..but he is a game changer. I think players that do their job well and consistently change the game for the better. He may not make the playmaker plays, but he sets up the playmakers by being a consistent force in the field.

[rick1796]

BLC is consistently one of the most vocal and least intelligent posters on this forum. Just because he is persistent doesn't mean he is right. He is sucking on the media teet just like most pro bowl voters. Nothing Fletcher does is game changing or qualifies him as a beast because that doesn't serve his point. He should be embarrassed to be that "loud" and that wrong, but he just can't bring himself to see the reality.

London Flethchercareer tackle solo asst sacks stf stfy ff bk int yrds lng td pd

1480 1055 425 30.0 50 41 12 0 15 139 9.3 27 2 60

ray lewis

1759 1340 419 36.5 41 38 14 0 28 473 16.9 64 2 107

I know it's hard to read but the point is ray has two extra season on fletch and their stats are very similar. Ray is better sure, but ray is top 3 mlb all time, Fletch is a BEAST of a player.

ok i am going on voluntary "timeout" after reading the god awful drivel that is BLC's numerous posts.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

BLC is consistently one of the most vocal and least intelligent posters on this forum. Just because he is persistent doesn't mean he is right. He is sucking on the media teet just like most pro bowl voters. Nothing Fletcher does is game changing or qualifies him as a beast because that doesn't serve his point. He should be embarrassed to be that "loud" and that wrong, but he just can't bring himself to see the reality.

London Flethchercareer tackle solo asst sacks stf stfy ff bk int yrds lng td pd

1480 1055 425 30.0 50 41 12 0 15 139 9.3 27 2 60

ray lewis

1759 1340 419 36.5 41 38 14 0 28 473 16.9 64 2 107

I know it's hard to read but the point is ray has two extra season on fletch and their stats are very similar. Ray is better sure, but ray is top 3 mlb all time, Fletch is a BEAST of a player.

ok i am going on voluntary "timeout" after reading the god awful drivel that is BLC's numerous posts.

lol, thank you for that glowing endorsement. again, fletcher is NOT a monster linebacker. hes a very good solid sound linebacker who does his job. hes NOT a game changer, as much as youd like to kid yourself into thinking. its the reason nobody knows him. ray lewis makes huge plays. patrick willis makes huge plays. jon beason makes huge plays. brian urlacher makes huge plays. THESE are the game changers.

call it a snub all you want, anyone that follows football closely knows fletch is a great asset to any team he plays on and hes defied the odds for years, and i love him as a player. however, hes not in that tier of linebackers that i listed. hes not a scary player. nobody that plays the redskins worries about london fletcher ruining their day.

[TheLongshot]

lol, thank you for that glowing endorsement. again, fletcher is NOT a monster linebacker. hes a very good solid sound linebacker who does his job. hes NOT a game changer, as much as youd like to kid yourself into thinking. its the reason nobody knows him. ray lewis makes huge plays. patrick willis makes huge plays. jon beason makes huge plays. brian urlacher makes huge plays. THESE are the game changers.

That sounds more like a perception issue than anything that actually exists out there. I mean, when you get right down to it, ultimately the way 4-3 MLBs make an impact is by making tackles, since the good ones have to go sideline to sideline. As far as that goes, he IS an impact player.

Maybe he got lost in the shuffle being on bad teams since the Rams, but I personally would put him up among those guys and above some of them. Longevity will do a lot of that.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

That sounds more like a perception issue than anything that actually exists out there. I mean, when you get right down to it, ultimately the way 4-3 MLBs make an impact is by making tackles, since the good ones have to go sideline to sideline. As far as that goes, he IS an impact player.

Maybe he got lost in the shuffle being on bad teams since the Rams, but I personally would put him up among those guys and above some of them. Longevity will do a lot of that.

i just want everyone to be clear, i love the guy and will be sad when he goes. however, hes not a scary LB. hes not a highlight reel guy. he doesnt make "wow" plays.

honestly ask yourself, do you really think teams gameplan around staying away from london fletcher? when you play the bears, you gameplan for brian urlacher. when you play the 49ers, you stay away from patrick willis. when you play the ravens, you know where ray lewis is on every snap. IMO, teams do not fear london fletcher, therefore hes not in that upper echelon of LBs. this is why he misses the probowl all the time.

and great players are on bad teams all the time. the 49ers blow and Willis is regarded as one of the best if not THE best defensive player in the league, and easily currently the best LB. urlacher was on some weak chicago teams and he never had problems staying in the spotlight with his great plays. the fact is fletcher has been on bad teams, but hes not the kinda guy that makes you turn your head. hes just a great blue collar LB thats been getting the job done for a decade +.

[CommDownMan]

i just want everyone to be clear, i love the guy and will be sad when he goes. however, hes not a scary LB. hes not a highlight reel guy. he doesnt make "wow" plays.

You mean like Lavar Arrington?

honestly ask yourself, do you really think teams gameplan around staying away from london fletcher? when you play the bears, you gameplan for brian urlacher. when you play the 49ers, you stay away from patrick willis. when you play the ravens, you know where ray lewis is on every snap. IMO, teams do not fear london fletcher, therefore hes not in that upper echelon of LBs. this is why he misses the probowl all the time.

and great players are on bad teams all the time. the 49ers blow and Willis is regarded as one of the best if not THE best defensive player in the league, and easily currently the best LB. urlacher was on some weak chicago teams and he never had problems staying in the spotlight with his great plays. the fact is fletcher has been on bad teams, but hes not the kinda guy that makes you turn your head. hes just a great blue collar LB thats been getting the job done for a decade +.

Being regarded as the best defensive player based on what...tackles? INTs? Wow plays?

I compare it to beer league softball...just because a play wows you, doesn't mean it had to look that hard in the first place. I'm sure all are good middle linebackers, but the numbers don't lie. Fletcher has numbers as good as any of these guys and even some wow plays (do a search).

Blue collar, quiet, non-showboater is a reason I'd believe. Good guys finish last. He shows up, does his job right, stays quiet and for that no one notices...unless he's on your team.

[grhqofb5]

It's sad that the Redskins have essentially wasted 3 prime years of Fletcher's career. By the time this team gets its act together he may be long retired.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

You mean like Lavar Arrington?

lavar was an undisciplined LB that lived off of his highlights in college, who ended up with a few good seasons here. and yes i think teams were scared of lavar for a short period of time, however it didnt last.

Being regarded as the best defensive player based on what...tackles? INTs? Wow plays?

I compare it to beer league softball...just because a play wows you, doesn't mean it had to look that hard in the first place. I'm sure all are good middle linebackers, but the numbers don't lie. Fletcher has numbers as good as any of these guys and even some wow plays (do a search).

Blue collar, quiet, non-showboater is a reason I'd believe. Good guys finish last. He shows up, does his job right, stays quiet and for that no one notices...unless he's on your team.

if youre talking about willis, hes tops in all of that. tackles all the time, gets big INTs, i think he has defensive touchdowns each of the last 2 years. its why he just got a massive pay raise.

willis is not a showboater and he gets media love. just because youre a loud showboater doesnt mean youre going to get praise, you have to be great as well. the media hasnt snubbed fletcher, hes just not that elite type linebacker. he wasnt with the rams, he wasnt with buffalo, he isnt here. hes exactly what you said, blue collar, quiet, and non showboating. hes awesome and a valuable asset, but hes not a scary linebacker that teams fear and gameplan for.

[Hitman21ST]

hes awesome and a valuable asset, but hes not a scary linebacker that teams fear and gameplan for.

I'd agree that's he's not a big play, wow-type scary playmaker, but he has a knack for knowing exactly where the 1st down is and stopping guys one yard short, which is playmaking in it's own right. Not necessarily pro-bowl worthy, but playmaking nonetheless.

And I'd say it's to our advantage that he's "quiet" and teams don't gameplan for. That way teams aren't focused on stopping him which allows him to do his thing and rack up the tackles. He's sneaky scary.

"Berry, berry sneaky, sir"

[Commander Adama]

That sounds more like a perception issue than anything that actually exists out there. I mean, when you get right down to it, ultimately the way 4-3 MLBs make an impact is by making tackles, since the good ones have to go sideline to sideline. As far as that goes, he IS an impact player.

Maybe he got lost in the shuffle being on bad teams since the Rams, but I personally would put him up among those guys and above some of them. Longevity will do a lot of that.

Very much agree. When has being a very reliable, consistent producer, and a leader on the defense make him less of a linebacker than a Ray Lewis? What makes Fletcher great is he can read the offenses, and he guides his teammates to be in a certain position to make plays. It's called being unselfish. I said it before, and I said it again, I would take a whole team of guys like London Fletcher and win countless superbowls.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

I'd agree that's he's not a big play, wow-type scary playmaker, but he has a knack for knowing exactly where the 1st down is and stopping guys one yard short, which is playmaking in it's own right. Not necessarily pro-bowl worthy, but playmaking nonetheless.

And I'd say it's to our advantage that he's "quiet" and teams don't gameplan for. That way teams aren't focused on stopping him which allows him to do his thing and rack up the tackles. He's sneaky scary.

"Berry, berry sneaky, sir"

well im glad someone sees where im coming from though. its like if i dont say hes a top 5 linebacker i somehow hate the guy lol. its great having him here, hes a major asset to this team. and id agree, he definitely has a knack for knowing where the sticks are and being a great example setter on the field. but too many times people complain about him getting snubbed. the casual football fan doesnt care about this sorta thing. they wanna see insane hits, big time INTs, massive forced fumbles, dudes just wreaking havoc on a football field and looking scary while doing it. fletcher is NOT that guy, which is why he doesnt get the limelight.

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

Very much agree. When has being a very reliable, consistent producer, and a leader on the defense make him less of a linebacker than a Ray Lewis?

Because he's not anything more than that.

Ray Lewis is a linebacker that can change a football game on any given snap. Time and time again, he has shown the ability to singlehandedly make plays to change the outcome of a game.

London Fletcher is great at stabilizing a defense - providing leadership, toughness, and consistency for an entire season - but if you need your defense to WIN a game for you, like the Ravens have needed for so many years, would you really put Fletcher in the same league as Lewis?

Fletcher is a stabilizing force on the defense. Lewis is an ELEVATING force on the defense.

[TheLongshot]

Fletcher is a stabilizing force on the defense. Lewis is an ELEVATING force on the defense.

You know, people keep saying stuff like this, but I have yet to see anyone actually QUANTIFY this. Really, what it seems to come down to is that he's not flashy. Yet, that seems to make him less of a LB than some of the guys listed, which doesn't make much sense to me. I certainly think he will be considered better than some of the guys who won Pro Bowl berths by being flashy rather than good over a long period of time. (Trotter comes to mind.)

I certainly think Fletcher elevated this defense when he arrived here. That being said, one player doesn't make or break a defense.

[Commander Adama]

You know, people keep saying stuff like this, but I have yet to see anyone actually QUANTIFY this. Really, what it seems to come down to is that he's not flashy. Yet, that seems to make him less of a LB than some of the guys listed, which doesn't make much sense to me. I certainly think he will be considered better than some of the guys who won Pro Bowl berths by being flashy rather than good over a long period of time. (Trotter comes to mind.)

I certainly think Fletcher elevated this defense when he arrived here. That being said, one player doesn't make or break a defense.

Well Ray Lewis certainly has a better intro and he looks more fired up, so that must mean he is better. Ed Reed was more a difference maker in the Baltimore Defense than Ray Lewis. Now the years without Pierce were abysmal, then when we got Fletcher in the Defense made a 180. That is an impact player.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

You know, people keep saying stuff like this, but I have yet to see anyone actually QUANTIFY this. Really, what it seems to come down to is that he's not flashy. Yet, that seems to make him less of a LB than some of the guys listed, which doesn't make much sense to me. I certainly think he will be considered better than some of the guys who won Pro Bowl berths by being flashy rather than good over a long period of time. (Trotter comes to mind.)

I certainly think Fletcher elevated this defense when he arrived here. That being said, one player doesn't make or break a defense.

not true. look at how poor the steelers defense becomes when polomalu is out. imagine the 9ers without willis out there. take ed reed away from baltimore and see if they keep up their awesome pace. imagine if revis was off the jets, or think of the raiders defense with asomugah.

these are game changing pro bowl monster players. sorry, fletcher aint one of these guys.

[boofMcboof]

London Fletcher is nice and all but Neal Olkewicz gets NO love.

[TheLongshot]

not true. look at how poor the steelers defense becomes when polomalu is out. imagine the 9ers without willis out there. take ed reed away from baltimore and see if they keep up their awesome pace. imagine if revis was off the jets, or think of the raiders defense with asomugah.

these are game changing pro bowl monster players. sorry, fletcher aint one of these guys.

If missing one player hurts you that bad, you have bigger issues as a team. I mean, we lost Sean Taylor (who no one doubts was a monster player) and the defense didn't drop off that much without him.

[DeaconBlue]

BLC, of course youre entitled to your opinion but you articulated it months and months ago. We understand your position and nearly to a man it appears that we think it stinks. We know what kind of LB Fletcher is and what he deserves because we've SEEN it. Get it through your head that there is NOTHING , I repeat NOTHING that you can possible say to change that. He IS a great linebacker that does NOT get the credit that he rightly deserves, period. Suck it up, get over it and move the hell on please.

[Skin'Em84]

I'm sorry, anyone that is a human wall is a top level player.

He may not be the heat seeking missile we would love him to be (Like Willis, Troy, ST was), but he is a wall. If you run near him, he will stop you. You will not go past him. That is an invaluable asset to a defense.

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

Well Ray Lewis certainly has a better intro and he looks more fired up, so that must mean he is better. Ed Reed was more a difference maker in the Baltimore Defense than Ray Lewis. Now the years without Pierce were abysmal, then when we got Fletcher in the Defense made a 180. That is an impact player.

Never mind that while Fletcher was here, we were NEVER a great sack producing team, NEVER great at producing turnovers other than a half-season where we had Sean Taylor, and only led a top 5 defense in a year where Laron Landry was a top 5 safety, Carlos Rogers was a top 10 CB, Shawn Springs was a top 10 CB when he was on the field, we had Deangelo Hall as essentially our #3, Chris Horton was looking like DROY, etc, etc.

Ray Lewis was leading top 10 defenses with NO talent around him outside a young Reed and a few hard-working castoffs. Also, with worse offenses than Fletcher has had to carry. Do you REALLY think Reed was a bigger difference maker than Lewis, at least until the past few seasons?

Fletcher elevated this defense in a sense - from being really bad, to being above-average. But it has never been a great defense. It never produced sacks. It never produced turnovers. It never won games, except for half a season when ST was alive and GW was the defensive coordinator. I love Fletcher as a player, but to suggest that he has ever been a top 5 LB in the game at ANY point in his career is pure homerism.

[Mr. Sinister]

If missing one player hurts you that bad, you have bigger issues as a team. I mean, we lost Sean Taylor (who no one doubts was a monster player) and the defense didn't drop off that much without him.

Right and wrong. Teams eventually make adjustments, and the players collectively step their games up, but it can be difficult starting out, case in point, after the Eagles game, we were absolutely torched through the air by Romo sits to pee for 4 TO touchdowns.

[Commander Adama]

Never mind that while Fletcher was here, we were NEVER a great sack producing team, NEVER great at producing turnovers other than a half-season where we had Sean Taylor, and only led a top 5 defense in a year where Laron Landry was a top 5 safety, Carlos Rogers was a top 10 CB, Shawn Springs was a top 10 CB when he was on the field, we had Deangelo Hall as essentially our #3, Chris Horton was looking like DROY, etc, etc.

Ray Lewis was leading top 10 defenses with NO talent around him outside a young Reed and a few hard-working castoffs. Also, with worse offenses than Fletcher has had to carry. Do you REALLY think Reed was a bigger difference maker than Lewis, at least until the past few seasons?

Fletcher elevated this defense in a sense - from being really bad, to being above-average. But it has never been a great defense. It never produced sacks. It never produced turnovers. It never won games, except for half a season when ST was alive and GW was the defensive coordinator. I love Fletcher as a player, but to suggest that he has ever been a top 5 LB in the game at ANY point in his career is pure homerism.

What are you smoking? Seriously. Baltimore had no talent around him? What? Laron a top 5 safety? Seriously? You lost all credibility there.

[Veretax]

Don't worry, when the Skins win the SUper Bowl this year lead on D by Fletcher, he'll have all he needs to justify his en-canton-ation </homer>

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

What are you smoking? Seriously. Baltimore had no talent around him? What? Laron a top 5 safety? Seriously? You lost all credibility there.

There were several years where Ray Lewis had absolutely atrocious defensive talent around him - from about 2003-2005, when guys like Boulware and Adams were wearing down, Reed hadn't hit his stride yet, their defensive depth was shattered, and they were just transitioning into the 3-4.

Laron was an elite cover safety in 2008. I don't know why people just gloss over this fact. It's really baffling - Laron Landry played REALLY REALLY GOOD for a year, then he has a bad year and all of a sudden that's what he is.