Is Darrell Green Really The Best Corner Ever?

[MrSilverMaC]

Originally posted by TK-IV II I

You were, but you'd be surprised how many people don't know about the databases here.

Yeah I believe that. I like to win arguements, I've used the data base as a clincher. It's a beautiful thing.

Thanks for the assist though:)

[MaddogCT]

To play corner, you have to tackle. Deion could not tackle. Darrell not only could tackle, he was fearless in covering the sweep or the quick out. Deion was a lot of flash, Green was the complete corner.

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[Conrad87]

Deion in a redkins/ravens uniform...NO...Deion in any other uniform....YES!!! Greatest of all time....I'm sorry...I love ya Green...but I have to give Prime Time (in his prime) the edge here

[PhiladelphiaFecals]

Originally posted by MaddogCT

To play corner, you have to tackle. Deion could not tackle. Darrell not only could tackle, he was fearless in covering the sweep or the quick out. Deion was a lot of flash, Green was the complete corner.

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Say what? When was the last time a cornerback got into the HOF for his tackling ability? Their job is to stop the pass, and no one has ever done it better than the only true shutdown corner in NFL history, Deion Sanders. I mean he literally used to shut down half the field.

[MaddogCT]

Originally posted by PhiladelphiaFecals

Say what? When was the last time a cornerback got into the HOF for his tackling ability? Their job is to stop the pass, and no one has ever done it better than the only true shutdown corner in NFL history, Deion Sanders. I mean he literally used to shut down half the field.

Why do you think the position is called the "CORNER"? Part of the job as a cornerback is to make tackles on the corner. Deion would jump out of the way or make a half-a*sed attempt at a tackle. Green who was smaller, put is facemask into people's chests.

Green was the shutdown corner in the NFL before Deion was playing in college. To call Deion the only true shut down corner in NFL history is wrong.

He didn't shut down the Redskins in 1991:

Mark Rypien threw for 442 yards and a team record tying six touchdowns to lead the Redskins to a 56-17 pasting of the Falcons.

“We didn’t do much of anything right on pass defense,” said Atlanta coach Jerry Glanville. Wow, what insight; you just can’t get one past ol’ Jerry, can you?

Rypien spread the goodies mostly between Art Monk and Gary Clark. Monk caught seven passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. On both of his scoring catches, his hapless defender was flagged for pass interference, but Monk made the grabs anyway.

Clark wasn’t a target quite as often as Monk was, but he made the most of his chances. His four catches gained 203 yards and included touchdown plays of 61, 19, and 82 yards.

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[Larry]

Some more references for DG:

I believe Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, and Randy Moss have all said that Darrell was the best corner who ever covered them.

I'll also point out, to all the Dallas homers who claim that "Deion invented the role of 'cover corner'":

I became a Darrell fan after a Skins-Niners game in the early '90s. Madden made the comment that Darrell had a funny role on the team, that nobody else had ever done before. Madden said that Darrell was listed as "cornerback", but he didn't really play a position, so much as he played a person. Madden said that, today, Darrel's assignment was Jerry Rice, and thet's all he's going to do, all day long, was play Rice. If Rice goes into motion, Darrell will follow him. If Rice comes out of the game for a breather, Darrell will, too.

I became a Darrell fan that day, because I thought there was something heroic about a defensive player nobody'd heard of, who's mission was to study his enemy, pick out the best, most famous guy on the opposing team, and say "It's you and me, buddy. All game long".

And then, next week, to take on the next team's best guy.

Edit: And maddog's correct. Darrell was doing it while Deion was still in High School.

[sjinhan]

Originally posted by MaddogCT

Why do you think the position is called the "CORNER"? Part of the job as a cornerback is to make tackles on the corner. Deion would jump out of the way or make a half-a*sed attempt at a tackle. Green who was smaller, put is facemask into people's chests.

Green was the shutdown corner in the NFL before Deion was playing in college. To call Deion the only true shut down corner in NFL history is wrong.

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come on lets be real now...

Deion in no way was gonna stop a RB or a WR head on and keep that player from gaining that extra half a yard to first down marker but he didnt play matador and let the opposing player run down the field with the ball...

Deion maybe didnt make the ball carrier fear him but he did enough to get the player down... and if he didnt tackle the dude he sure did slow down the ball carrier enough that the second defender brought him down... I mean sure D. Green make solid tackles but it wasnt like he was feared by anyone....

Yeah Deion isnt the only true shut down corner but he is the best shut down corner in the history of NFL during his prime...

only thing Green has over Deion is that during off their prime years, Green played better and longer...

[sjinhan]

Originally posted by MaddogCT

He didn't shut down the Redskins in 1991:

Mark Rypien threw for 442 yards and a team record tying six touchdowns to lead the Redskins to a 56-17 pasting of the Falcons.

“We didn’t do much of anything right on pass defense,” said Atlanta coach Jerry Glanville. Wow, what insight; you just can’t get one past ol’ Jerry, can you?

Rypien spread the goodies mostly between Art Monk and Gary Clark. Monk caught seven passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. On both of his scoring catches, his hapless defender was flagged for pass interference, but Monk made the grabs anyway.

Clark wasn’t a target quite as often as Monk was, but he made the most of his chances. His four catches gained 203 yards and included touchdown plays of 61, 19, and 82 yards.

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you try to make it like if Green didnt have a bad game here and there either... and also how do you know Deion was the one beaten on all those passes...

[Henry]

Darrell in his prime did it as well as Deion in his prime. Darrell as an old man was FAR better than Deion as an old man. Deion at 37 was making a spectacle of himself as a glorified mercenary nickle back who missed half the season to injury. Darrell at 37 was making the pro-bowl as a starter ... on the same team that drafted him.

Is Darrell the best EVER? I can't say that about any player at any position, except for maybe Jerry Rice. Right up there with Green I'd put Aeneas Williams, Rod Woodson (though he had to convert to safety, so maybe not) and yes, Deion. But Darrell is among the elite of his era, and it's a pretty long era.

[NavyDave]

Yep best ever

[sjinhan]

Originally posted by Henry

Darrell in his prime did it as well as Deion in his prime. Darrell as an old man was FAR better than Deion as an old man. Deion at 37 was making a spectacle of himself as a glorified mercenary nickle back who missed half the season to injury. Darrell at 37 was making the pro-bowl as a starter ... on the same team that drafted him.

Is Darrell the best EVER? I can't say that about any player at any position, except for maybe Jerry Rice. Right up there with Green I'd put Aeneas Williams, Rod Woodson (though he had to convert to safety, so maybe not) and yes, Deion. But Darrell is among the elite of his era, and it's a pretty long era.

I guess more and more i think about it i am torn between Deion and Darrell... because i am still convinced that in their prime Deion was better but Green played at highest level for such a long time compared to Deion...

eck whatever i am going to go with Darrell... the length of his career is too much to over look...

[Nighthawk]

Darrell Green was a great corner, is a great Redskin, a great football player, a great athlete, and a great human being but he was not the best corner ever. He could have been better.

If he had better hands he would have been the greatest corner but way too many times he dropped interceptions that could have killed drives on 1st and 2nd down only to drop them or knock them down giving the other team another chance at sustaining a drive, which they did.

That's my opinion.

[MaddogCT]

First, I'm not the only person who thinks Dioen is a poor tackler. Coaches and Announcers have been saying that since he came into the league. And he has dogged runners on the corner. He has made half-a*sed attempts as tackles. He has taken plays off. Green on the other hand was a real tackler. He broke is forearm making a tackle.

Second,

I posted that game because of the 6 TD passes! Deion was burned on one of them from what I remember. Plus Glanvile's quote was great. PhiladelphiaFecals, said Deion was the NFL's true shutdown corner, I was using an EXTREME example that Deion was not perfect.

Third,

Deion emulated Green not the other way around. To say Deion was the ONLY shutdown corner in NFL History is wrong. Mike Haynes was another player who took over half the field. And he could hit. He was like Ronni Lott, only faster. I would take him over Deion any day.

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[MaddogCT]

Originally posted by Nighthawk

Darrell Green was a great corner, is a great Redskin, a great football player, a great athlete, and a great human being but he was not the best corner ever. He could have been better.

If he had better hands he would have been the greatest corner but way too many times he dropped interceptions that could have killed drives on 1st and 2nd down only to drop them or knock them down giving the other team another chance at sustaining a drive, which they did.

That's my opinion.

But on the other side of the coin he would make plays that only he could make. Example.

12/17/95 vs The Rams.

A reciever, Bruce, had Green by 2 steps. Rypien (yes. THE Mark the Rypper), throws what looks to be a perfect pass. While the ball is in the air Green makes up the two steps, leaps, and bats the ball down. He saved a TD, and the Redskins went onto win 35-23. Green was in his 12th year as a corner. Sanders retired after his 12th year. (This past year not withstanding)

PS

Nice Signature

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[cphil006]

Originally posted by chet06

7 pro bowls and fastest man 3 times.

I thought he was fastest man 4 times, everytime he went.

Deion had a few good years when he was a great cover corner, but he really lacked in the run-support department...he was one-dimensional. Jerry Rice said the best corner he ever faced was Darrell Green. When Jerry Rice's streak started it happened right after he was shut-out in a game against...Washington...

Darrell Green "brought it" longer than anyone...on and off the field he was a man of character and the best corner to every play the game...

[Larry]

Originally posted by sjinhan

Yeah Deion isnt the only true shut down corner but he is the best shut down corner in the history of NFL during his prime...

Funny thing. Jerry Rice played against both of them. And he says Darrell was better.

Irvin played against and with Deion. And he says Darrell was better.

(And both of those players played Darrell when he was their ages, but played Deion when they (the receivers) had 5-10 years on him. When Darrell was 28, he was playing a 28-year-old Rice. When Deion was 28, he was playing a Rice who was, what, 35?)

Now, was Darrell the best ever? That's a subjective opinion.

Was he the best of the last 20 years? That's still an opinion, but I'll go with the opinions of Rice, Moss, and Irvin. (And me).

[Beaudry]

If you asked this question to anybody but a Redskins fan, the answer is "No". Darrell is one of the best, but almost every post here tends to glorify him as the perfect player.

Deion was better at coverage, had much better hands and was better are returning picks. Darrell was a better tackler (no better than "very good" though), was slightly faster, and Darrell wasn't an A$$hole.

[Mr. S]

Well you all have said, Deion was in his prime only a few years, I think mainly with the Falcons and 49ers, he was pretty solid with the Cowgirls I think.

Darrell, well, how many 45 year olds can still almost school players 20 years younger than him in the fastest man competition? Deion may have gone to the pro bowl more often, only cause of stats, he was a playmaker, and a great one at that. I think Green is the better corner though, no one will chase people down like he can.

Another point to make is his last 2 seasons, he sidestepped so Sanders and Smoot could start in his stead, though he could have gone to another team and started for them, probably for more money as well. He deserves every bit of praise everyone gives him.

[flyingtiger1013]

Green was the better football player...period. I remember when I played defense that the most important thing to do was to tackle the ball carrier. Green did that. I don't recall Sanders making any tackles although I'm sure someone had to trip over him at some point. Sanders liked to play 2-hand touch.

[Thiebear]

One was loud and flashy and we all know they get more attention.

One was quiet and professional and STILL gets all the credit.

(not an easy thing to do).

[illone]

I'd take DG over Deion anyday, even considering how he played at Atl and SF.

He played like garbge for us. DG is better than him hands down.

[roqnap1]

For my choice here, I put a lot of weight on fans attitude toward the player in question. I have the luxury of seeing it from another perspective; See, my girlfriend was born and raised in Texas and is *sigh* one of "them." Her entire circle of family and friends in Texas are fans of "them" as well. And from what I can tell...they all dislike Deion as much as Redskin fans do.

I find that interesting to say the least. Was Green the best corner ever? I don't feel right commenting seeing as I don't know much pre-1983 football. However, DG v. DS...please! See my sig.

[GURU]

I really don't find any need to declare one player "the best" at any position, because there are always a handful of players who contributed something unique to the game.

During Super Bowl week last month, Jerry Rice was interviewed on ESPN radio, and he was asked to name the guy who covered him the best. He refused to name one, but he mentioned Rod Woodson, Deion Sanders, and Darrell Green in one breath. That's high praise from possibly the best football player, at any position, of all time.

Darrell's speed was absolutely breathtaking, from the second he stepped on the field. Simply stunning. Unreal. His level of skill and longevity defied physiology. The knocks on Darrell would be his size--it did cause him problems at times, although he did a marvelous job of compensating for it. And there were always a couple of receivers whom he seemed to struggle against. Early in his career, when he was relying mostly on his athletic ability and was a little shakey in his technique, the Cardinals' Roy Green absolutely gave him fits with his double moves. Later in his career, Michael Irvin usually got the better of Darrell, seemingly outmuscling him for every pass. The fact that Irvin played for Dallas made matters practically unbearable. Green would silence most receivers. He even got the better of Jerry Rice, at times. But he would occasionally struggle with some of the bigger, more physical receivers.

Woodson has to be up there. He might have been the most compete cornerback to ever play the game. His combination of speed, size, and strength are unsurpassed. He was equally at home in zone and man coverage. He would knock your block off, both in pass coverage and in run support. Much like Darrell, Woodson was all class and was one of the best athletes to ever play the game.

Deion. Oh, Deion. I hate thee with a passion. He was always a poster boy for what's wrong with professional athletes in the past 15 years or so. It's always about ME, ME, ME. Deion wanted to win championships to safisfy his own ego. Championships were simply a vehicle to boost his own sense of stardom. Teammates were irrelevant.

That being said, Sanders erased opposing receivers more completely than any player I have ever seen. In his prime, I can't remember ANY receiver making any significant plays against him. No one.

(For the poster who cited the game in '91 where Ryp threw for over 400 yards -- Deion did NOT play in that game. He was injured. He DID play in the playoff game that season, but that game was played in a near-monsoon and the passing game wasn't much of a factor for either team.)

Deion was also the best I've ever seen at baiting quarterbacks into throwing his way. Most of the time, passers simply avoided his area of the field (hence, the "take-away-half-the-field" notion). But it seemed, every few games, he would actually let a receiver get a few yards behind him, usually on a post pattern, bait the QB into throwing the ball, and run it down for an interception--every time.

In run support, Deion was a real coward. But I still haven't seen anyone so capable of making whomever he was covering completely irrelavent. Hate him to the core. Gotta give him props, however.

Two others to mention while talking about the best of all time: Mike Haynes and Mel Blount. Haynes might have been the original "shut down" corner before that term was even coined. 9 Pro Bowls and was All-Pro 5 times. He and Lester Hayes held Art Monk and Charlie Brown to a total of 4 irrelavent catches in Super Bowl XVIII.

Blount, at 6'3" and 205lbs, was synonomous with "bump-and-run" coverage. He simply punished receivers and is probably the player most cited for the rules changes in the '70s that implemented the 5-yard rule. He wasn't a thug, though. He was physical, not dirty. But he was a great athlete who adjusted to the rule changes and helped the Steelers to two more back-to-back titles after the changes.

Those are my top corners of all time. But Darrell Green is tops in my heart. As great a player he was, he is an even better person. Darrell is a TRUE role model. His class and loyalty to the Redskins, their fans, and to the community in Washington D.C. should NEVER be forgotten. Although he had the classic "athletic arrogance," thinking he would never get beaten on the field, he's too modest to toot his own horn about his accomplishments. We should. VERY LOUDLY!

[Warhead36]

Course he is. You're on a god damn Redskins board!!

Darrell Green at 45 can still run with 25 year olds. Enough said.

[RedDawg36]

Lots of burgendy shades being worn again. What a surprise.

The answer is - no he is not.