Lawrence Taylor Run Defense

that this youtube poster provides. As much as I love the LT Run Defense vid that EricJ posted, my favorite is actually the LT Goal-Line Defense vid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQrQh-dueKM

His closing speed is unlike anything I've seen. The fact that he's the "deep safety" in a lot of the Goal-line highlights shows how much respect the coaching staff had for his sideline-to-sideline speed/tackling ability. Even if you transported Von Miller to Khalil Mack or the Bosas to the 1980s, I don't think they would have the sideline-to-sideline speed to play the deep safety position at the Goal-line like LT did.

He stands out so much from a strength/speed/hustle standpoint on these vids. All that crazy speed I mentioned above yet he is out there throwing Lomas Brown and Joe Jacoby around with realtive ease.

I think you could make an argument for Reggie White as the Defensive GOAT based on his longevity. Reggie Whit at age 35 was the defensive MVP of a Super Bowl team in '96, where he was absolutely dominant in the big game. Reggie White was league DPOY at the age of 37 in '98. Whereas LT was done being an impact player at the age of 31 and retired at the age of 34.

But in terms of defensive impact at their best, I don't think anyone is on LT's level. His versatility forced the game to evolve in order to limit his greatness from single-handedly wrecking games.

Lt was the best defensive player ever, yet many of the youthful BBIers would cut him in a heartbeat, simply because of his off the field distractions and problems. He never would have had the chance to play. Fantasy football and keyboard courage at it's best...

In comment 14907337 smshmth8690 said:

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That's player, not just LB. Any positional arguments, mostly for SF players, Momtana, Rice, Lott are moot. Same goes for Singletary, and Payton.

Agrred! He's the best football player of my lifetime and its not close.

That's why he's the greatest football player of all time.

You couldn't run at him. You couldn't run away from him. They created entire pass blocking schemes just to keep him from wrecking the game...and it slowed him down a bit some weeks. He could cover. He had good hands. He was the strongest. He was the fastest. He had elite instincts. He could sniff out a screen or other BS.

It wasn't fair.

That's why he's the greatest football player of all time.

You couldn't run at him. You couldn't run away from him. They created entire pass blocking schemes just to keep him from wrecking the game...and it slowed him down a bit some weeks. He could cover. He had good hands. He was the strongest. He was the fastest. He had elite instincts. He could sniff out a screen or other BS.

It wasn't fair.

of a Reggie White. He played with absolutely no regard for his own well-being and it took a toll. LT never made "business decisions".

Didn't help that he never trained at all.

In comment 14907403 Greg from LI said:

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of a Reggie White. He played with absolutely no regard for his own well-being and it took a toll. LT never made "business decisions". Didn't help that he never trained at all.

LT played at a very high level for 6 seasons, then was still a very good LB for the rest of his career. You really think there was some way 1982 LT blowing up tackles and rag dolling RB's should have still been happening in 91-92?

Reggie White's longevity a good measuring stick for any player. And Reggie White, as great as he was - NEVER played at LT's level. Noone did.

In comment 14907403 Greg from LI said:

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of a Reggie White. He played with absolutely no regard for his own well-being and it took a toll. LT never made "business decisions". Didn't help that he never trained at all.

Yea it's one of the craziest things about him. Almost every other "GOAT tier" athlete in sports always talks about how hard they trained and practiced. They go out of their way to prove to the public that their work ethic is why they reached the pinnacle.

LT was the opposite. He wanted people to know that he was just more naturally gifted than everyone else and it didn't matter how hard he worked. That level of cockiness is just wild, especially when he could back it up until he got older. Makes you wonder.

In other sports people wonder "Could Mantle have been the GOAT if he didn't tear up his leg at the beginning of his career and if he took better care of his body in his later years instead of being an alcoholic?" or "Could Shaq have been the GOAT if was more focused on basketball than off-the-court entertainment pursuits when he was young and if he took better care of his body instead of ballooning in weight as he got older?". Guys who still end up as all-time greats but fall short.

"Could LT have been the GOAT if he wasn't a drug addict who chose not to take weight training seriously?" That's a legitimate question we could've been asking. Except LT was so damn good that he STILL became the defensive GOAT. But you still have to wonder if there was another level he could've reached had he been more responsible with his body. Or maybe it takes away something from his game if he wasn't living such a wild lifestyle. Interesting to think about.

or it was overshadowed. Routine shedding two blockers, sometimes three. And simultaneously setting the edge taking on a block and making a TFL diving at the RBs ankles while blocked.

In comment 14907403 Greg from LI said:

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of a Reggie White. He played with absolutely no regard for his own well-being and it took a toll. LT never made "business decisions". Didn't help that he never trained at all.

12 years is a pretty long career.

I started watching football in 1984.
Then we had Strahan, Osi, Tuck, Jpp.

So I took for granted decades of good edge play, along with multiple SBs as a result.

However, as we all painfully know, our D's in the past few years are flaming dumpster fires. Even in the Dave Brown/Kent Graham/Kannell days, there was always a good D to keep me satisfied as fan.

Probably a bit shorter than the average for Canton, I'd guess.

Was correct, LT and Jim Brown were the 2 greatest players that ever played the game. Jim Brown could also dominate a game, he was fun to watch also, big, strong, and fast.

Averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 104.3 yards per game, Emmit averaged 82 yards per game, Sanders 99 per game, Payton 88 per game, Dickerson 91 per game, Faulk 69 per game. Tiki averaged 68 per game. Barkley 79 per game. Elliott 96 per game.

ever fooled by a misdirection, PA, sweep, fake sweep or misdiagnose a play?

The best football player I ever saw.

being his favorite Giant as a boy always said Jim Brown was the best he ever saw and called LT #2.

On CenterStage Frank Gifford was asked who he thought the 3 best of all time were and he said "Jimmy Brown, Jimmy Brown, Jimmy Brown"

teams planned there offense on how to stop LT. He was by far my favorite player to watch. Couldn't wait for Sundays to get start.

In comment 14907498 Coach Red Beaulieu said:

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ever fooled by a misdirection, PA, sweep, fake sweep or misdiagnose a play?

*ever*? Yes, but rarely. Usually could recover with his speed and god forbid anyone ever blindsided him. As vengeful as any player I've ever seen.

the RB and QB where very afraid of him.

4 second clip
Link - ( New Window )

Landeta turned the eff away with the quickness at the start! lol.


The Real LT - ( New Window )

In comment 14907683 Optimus-NY said:

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Landeta turned the eff away with the quickness at the start! lol. The Real LT - ( New Window )

LT exploded into players, which you never really seen out of Strahan, Watt, Ware, etc.,

move on the football field was like watching Michael Jordan move on the basketball court. He was so good and so athletic... it’s like they were seeing and reacting in slow motion... When they say “the game slowed down for me” in a positive way. For someone like LT it must have been as slow as molasses in a good way.

In comment 14907270 Spider56 said:

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In comment 14907267 x meadowlander said: Quote: Dominance. Marshall was an All-Pro, Burt and Martin very stout against the run, excellent at maintaining their gaps, allowing the All-World linebackers to make plays - Harry Carson was already an All-Pro by the time LT arrived, you cannot overstate that units greatness. Opponents realized running up the gut was futile - a brick wall, running outside worse. Banks could stand up any Tackle or TE, would consistently blow up double teams. LT would consistently catch backs running away from him for losses and strip fumbles. Off-tackle plays, sweeps usually feature pulling linemen and do NOT block that backside LB - LT FEASTED. Teams actually started running AT Taylor - felt the back had a better chance if he could see Taylor. It didn't work And these guys were coached by the GOAT ... in retrospect, it doesn’t seem fair... but yet they only won 2 SBs

Defenses win championships, but offenses are needed for dynasties.

SF & DC had enough defense but better offense.

greatest all around LB of all time.I watched every single game the man played.The greatest pass rushing LB though was not LT.It was Derrick Thomas.I won't go through the stats,because they are not as important as film.Get film on Thomas and you will be amazed.He played in KC.If he played in NY he would have been more heralded.

Phenomenal closing speed. Strong as hell. He just would blow up runners. YES GOAT.

In comment 14907683 Optimus-NY said:

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Landeta turned the eff away with the quickness at the start! lol. The Real LT - ( New Window )

Whoa!!! How about that block on the Perry Williams INT!!!!!!!!

Changed the way the game was played. Offenses game planned exclusively for him. The 2 TE set was created by Joe Gibbs because of LT. he was the single biggest wrecking force the game has ever seen.

in an era where it was incredibly difficult to win one at all, unlike the past fifteen years or so.

and LT would run them down anyway. He played at a different speed than most, and no player had more will than LT during his prime. He also gave Strahan a blueprint to understand how important backside pursuit is to being a complete end.

In comment 14907953 JonC said:

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and LT would run them down anyway. He played at a different speed than most, and no player had more will than LT during his prime. He also gave Strahan a blueprint to understand how important backside pursuit is to being a complete end.

1985 Skins at Giants. End around by the Skins WR (Gary Clark??). LT ran along the LOS, when Clark turned up field WHAM! LT met him head on and clobbered him.

what might have happened if LT and Reggie White had played together.I'd say there would definitely be some rule changes.But at the end of the day,things happen for a reason sometimes,and Reggie ended up in a good situation.His coach got the most out of him and his talent.

In comment 14907950 JonC said:

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in an era where it was incredibly difficult to win one at all, unlike the past fifteen years or so.

When 1/2 the teams in the Super Bowl the last 15 years have been the Patriots, how is it easier?

I would say that before Plan B, dynasties were stonger and lasted longer. 90's Cowboys, 80's Giants, Niners, Skins, Bears, 70's Raiders, Steelers, Vikings - these teams were good with All-Pro loaded rosters for YEARS and if it weren't for the 87 strike and Parcells fucking the organization after 90, I'd say the Giants would have DEFINITELY had another one or 2 Lombardi's.

teams of the past fifteen years played in a era of very few great, dominant teams. The Patriots have been great in this era, but how many of those teams were really great? Whereas in the 70s and 80s and even in the first half of the 90s, teams had to run a gauntlet to win it all.

Teams now are fundamentally poorer, have less depth, face less defense and physicality in the game, and more often than not the healthiest team is winning it all. Removing what defenses used to be able to do has fundamentally made the game much different in the negative, imv.

Take the Patriots 18-1 team, perhaps the best team of the past fifteen seasons ... do you think they beat any of the great teams of the 80s or 90s? Not me.

in my view has everything to do with their ability to build a culture, mentality, and systems that enable them to be great in their era. They are consistently the sum of their parts, and able to play a low-mistake, above the Xs and Os brand of football, to borrow a phrase from Coughlin.

They're proof the old way still works, within the constructs of the modern CBA. But, they're not as talented as SB winning teams of the past, imv. Teams now are unable to replicate this success due to lack of practice time, lack of physical contact in the game. The result is a poorer fundamental, backyard type of football game.

But, ultimately how many SBs would the Belicheck Pats have won in the Golden Age? Maybe two, imo, which is also why Brady isn't the goat in my book.

to 1995.

And I also don't think that 18-1 Pats team would fare well against the big boys of the 70s and 80s.

In comment 14908151 Victor in CT said:

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to 1995. And I also don't think that 18-1 Pats team would fare well against the big boys of the 70s and 80s.

What? Don't get me wrong, I was no fan of the 07' Pats, but that was the best season any team ever posted. Go back and look at those crazy High School scores they put up nearly all season long. It was an excellent, complete team.

Frankly, I always thought the opposite. Pats beat the Warner Rams for Chrissake. That Ram offense was the best I ever saw.

I was there for the 70's and 80's and yes, it was a golden age, but don't go watering down the great teams of this century.

I don't have, the NFL watered it down for us, that's the point.

In comment 14908076 x meadowlander said:

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In comment 14907950 JonC said: Quote: in an era where it was incredibly difficult to win one at all, unlike the past fifteen years or so. When 1/2 the teams in the Super Bowl the last 15 years have been the Patriots, how is it easier? I would say that before Plan B, dynasties were stonger and lasted longer. 90's Cowboys, 80's Giants, Niners, Skins, Bears, 70's Raiders, Steelers, Vikings - these teams were good with All-Pro loaded rosters for YEARS and if it weren't for the 87 strike and Parcells fucking the organization after 90, I'd say the Giants would have DEFINITELY had another one or 2 Lombardi's.

Giants didn't have the offensive power to proclaim they would have won more.

They won just as much as they should have.

And I mean no one, was able to elude, and or embarrass a TE, T, & FB, in order to tackle a RB for a loss. His game was devoid of mistakes & his physical ability was eclipsed only by his knowledge of the game.
Any doubt, watch the 88 “Saints,” game in N.O., with a LBer corps that was on par with ours.
If LT, was injured ina game, he went into a different gear. The only Giant, that gave you the play you absolutely had to have, always.

In comment 14907403 Greg from LI said:

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of a Reggie White. He played with absolutely no regard for his own well-being and it took a toll. LT never made "business decisions". Didn't help that he never trained at all.

LT's drinking and drug use are why he didn't have a longer career. Not faulting him for it, probably a big part of why he was such a god damn animal. Dudes like him def like to party.

When asked what made LT So superior on the field:: BB,s retort was tantamount to “I’ve never watched a player use his body with the reckless abandon of LT, on every play.”

Say what you will about the man with nary the drive to improve his innate ability within the weight room, nor the ability to conform to the pragmatics imposed upon him. IMHO, drug use detracted from his game, & I take umbrage to those whom use it to infer that his choices made him the player he was. The greatest player to ever grace the gridiron, no position excluded.

Did someone say that? In 1988 he missed the beginning of the season due to suspension and came back and was pretty much dominant. That was his 8th season. He was very very good in 1989 and 1990.

He was an absolutely complete defender. He had his demons off the field and he may not have had a love for practice and training. But, he was more than just a physical freak and certainly more than a pass rusher. He was the most dominant player I've ever seen on either side of the ball. The only player in my lifetime who was even close was Reggie White and it wasn't close because LT could do so much more.

He played at a high level his entire career. Ecen at the end of his career, when the combination of age, drugs, and injuries started to take effect, he was still a very good LB. He was still better than most of the league. The difference was he had to pick his spots to dominate for stretches of a game. He was still capable, just not forn60 minutes.

I would take 1993 LT over any LB we've had in quite some time, for example.

I believe it was 90, season. Played 27 holes of golf, signed his contract, and sacked Cunningham 3, times, (if memory serves me) all before His head hit the pillow.

As for the poster whom inferred Thomas, was a better pass rusher. He would have never posted those numbers in the NFC, let alone against the “Hogs.” And, I believe Even Dave Craig (sp.) would attest to that, having dealt with LT, making he, Williams, and Warner look pedestrian as a Seahawk.

And good enough in 90 where we’re allowed to round up a little bit. He was the best player in football for ten straight years. In LT’s oldest, slowed down year of that era, 90, he managed to recover the biggest fumble of his career and help win the second super bowl title. 81-90. That era belonged to LT.

Anyone saying 6 years didn’t watch him play.

but he was almost purely a speed rusher. He was just as quick as, if not quicker than, LT at the snap. But again, he was a pure speed rusher who almost always got to the QB by going outside the Tackle. He'd mix it up and use an inside move too, but that was just to keep the Tackles honest and was again based mostly off of his speed. He still wreaked havoc but was a little one dimensional and it's one of the reasons why his Home vs. Road stats are so different (Arrowhead's crowd noise + Thomas' quickness = OT was in trouble).

LT would toss around tackles on top of having similar quickness at the snap. His power game was significantly above what Thomas had, completely different levels.

Thomas sacrificed run defense in order to pressure the QB. This was such a big hole in his game that he was benched in the AFC Championship Game vs. the Bills because they kept running it at him. LT never sacrificed his ability to stop the run in order to get to the QB.

I think Von Miller is a better comp for Thomas, and even then Miller was the more complete player and had a historic SB/playoff run so I'd lean towards him in that comparison too. Almost as quick as Thomas and arguably no one's ever been better at dipping their shoulder to get around the corner.

on the football field when about 90% of those runs plays were running away from LT. He still got the tackle. I mean who can do that in today's NFL? LT did it consistently.