Showing posts with label NFL History 101. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL History 101. Show all posts

Friday, March 22, 2013

NFL History 101: Top 5 Defenses of All-Time

It's been a while since we've posted an NFL History 101 article, so I'd say it's about time for another one, don't you think?

There's been a debate for years: who has the best defense of all-time? Or at least during the Super Bowl era. The interesting thing about this debate is that there are two or three different defenses who could be considered "the greatest of all-time."

So we're here to settle the score once and for all. Here are the top 5, in addition to honorable mentions:

5. 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 12-4, Super Bowl XXXVII champions

Scoring-wise, head coach Jon Gruden's '02 Bucs may be one of the most prolific defenses ever. Meaning, if we were ranking scoring defenses, they'd be No. 1 on this list. Capped with five Pro Bowl defenders, with a possibility of three ending up in the Hall of Fame (Warren Sapp will be enshrined in August), this was surely a dominating unit.

Including a 3-0 postseason run, the Bucs scored nine defensive touchdowns. All Pro outside linebacker Derrick Brooks was responsible for five of them. In 16 games, Monte Kiffin's squad surrendered 196 points (12.2/game), recorded two shutouts and allowed 20+ points just five times. The defense and special teams was so strong in comparison to the offense, led by quarterback Brad Johnson, that two of the team's wins were thanks to Martin Gramatica field goals and no offensive touchdowns were scored.

In the postseason, Tampa Bay allowed San Francisco and Philadelphia to put up a combined 16 points while limiting them to no more than 80 yards on the ground and forcing eight turnovers. Cornerback Ronde Barber sealed a victory late in the NFC championship game by returning a Donovan McNabb pass 92 yards for a score in a 27-10 win. The Super Bowl was, aside from the 1985 Bears, one of the most dominating defensive performances in Super Bowl history.

Against the pass-heavy Oakland Raider offense with Rich Gannon, Tim Brown and Jerry Rice, Tampa Bay forced five turnovers. Three of those Gannon interceptions were returned for touchdowns (Brooks, two by Dwight Smith). The Bucs came away with an easy 48-21 victory, with 12 of those 21 Raider points coming in the fourth quarter and the game already decided.
4. 1990 New York Giants: 13-3, Super Bowl XXV champions

The '90 season was definitely a memorable one for the New York Giants, specifically on defense. The best Giants defense ever assembled, in fact. Led by three Pro Bowl defenders, two of which came from the linebacking core, head coach Bill Parcells road the defense all the way to a Super Bowl championship victory over the Buffalo Bills, 20-19.

Lawrence Taylor, the best and most-feared linebacker of all-time, led the Giants 10.5 sacks, which was his seventh consecutive double-digit sack season. But LT had plenty of help inside New York's 3-4 defensive scheme, as fellow linebackers Pepper Johnson (115 tackles, 3.5 sacks; Pro Bowl appearance and All Pro selection) and Carl Banks (50 tackles, 1.0 sack in eight starts) welded together the middle of the field. Opposite of Taylor, LILB Steve DeOssie put up the best season of his 12-year career, recording 53 tackles over 13 starts.

During a 13-3 regular season run, the defense had 12 games with multiple forced turnovers against a very tough schedule. In fact, the Giants' only three losses came against playoff-bound teams (Eagles, Niners, Bills) and they started the season with a 10-0 record. Combine this with a 31-3 Divisional round victory over Chicago, a 15-13 NFC championship win over Joe Montana's Niners and a 20-19 Super Bowl win, and you've got yourself a perfect end to a superb defensive season. The run defense even limited Chicago and San Francisco to under 40 rushing yards in the first two postseason games.
3. 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-4, AFC champions

The Pittsburgh Steelers of the '70s had multiple top 5-worthy defenses, led by Hall of Famers Mean Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham and Mel Blount. Though the Steelers fell to the Raiders in the AFC Championship in '76, this may have been, by far, the team's best defense of the decade. With eight of its 11 starters being named to the Pro Bowl (Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Lambert, Ham, Blount, J.T. Thomas, Mike Wagner and Glen Edwards), the Steel Curtain allowed just 9.9 points per game.

Ranked first in points allowed, total yards allowed, first downs allowed, rushing yards and rushing TDs with 46 turnovers, Pittsburgh dominated opposing offenses. Surrendering 30+ points just twice, the Steelers overcame a 1-4 start to finish with 10 wins and a postseason appearance. During the late-season playoff run, the defense allowed just 22 points over the final eight games of the regular season, which included five shutouts.

In a Divisional round 40-14 victory over the Baltimore Colts, the '76 team forced two more turnovers and allowed just 170 total yards. Though the glory run stopped there, as rival Oakland defeated Pittsburgh 24-14 the following week. Nevertheless, 1976 was one of the best defensive runs the Steelers' Steel Curtain had, even without getting a championship that season.
2. 2000 Baltimore Ravens: 12-4, Super Bowl XXXV champions

The Ravens of 2000 could be argued as the best, but I think a close second will have to do. With a porous offensive attack and a quarterback swap midway through the regular season, there's no hesitation when we say the defense is the only reason the Ravens even managed to make the postseason. In 16 games, Baltimore surrendered just 165 points (10.3/game) to opposing offenses and managed 12 wins despite the offense going 21 straight quarters without a touchdown. Miraculous.

Led by the young Ray Lewis and vets Tony Siragusa and Rod Woodson, there were no weaknesses on this unit. Siragusa and fellow defensive linemen Sam Adams, Rob Burnett and Michael McCrary anchored the front seven that ranked No. 1 against the rush. Four shutouts and eight additional games of holding the opposition to 10 points or less isn't even the most impressive part of this defense. Lewis (25), Jamie Sharper (26) and Peter Boulware (26) made up one of the youngest linebacking cores in the league, and ran sideline-to-sideline to make tackles on every play. As a whole Baltimore's defense dismantled ball carriers and swarmed on every play. It wasn't just a bring-down-the-ball-carrier defense, the 2000 Ravens were more of a stingy, punch-you-in-the-mouth kind of defense.

In the postseason, Baltimore's defensive tear continued. Holding the Denver Broncos to just nine first downs and 177 total yards in a 21-3 Wild Card match-up was just the beginning. The following week Lewis sealed a 24-10 victory over division rival Tennessee with a 50-yard interception returned for a touchdown. In the AFC championship game, 330 pound D-tackle Siragusa knocked Oakland's quarterback Rich Gannon out of the game and the defense then picked off two Bobby Hoying passes to seal a 16-3 win. The Super Bowl was the perfect ending to a phenomenal season, shutting down Kerry Collins' Giants 34-7 and forcing five turnovers. In all, Baltimore outscored opponents 95-23 with 12 forced turnovers in four postseason games.
1. 1985 Chicago Bears: 15-1, Super Bowl XX champions

Speaking of stingy defenses, our all-time best defense during the Super Bowl era is the 1985 Chicago Bears, or the "Monsters of the Midway." Led by six Pro Bowlers, three of which are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Bears went 15-1 during the regular season and surrendered 198 points (12.2/game). Including the postseason, head coach Mike Ditka's Bear defense scored seven times and forced a league-leading 53 turnovers. Five different Bears picked off at least four passes throughout the season (Leslie Frazier, Gary Fencik, Dave Duerson, Mike Richardson and Wilber Marshall) while both Richard Dent (17.0) and Otis Wilson (10.5) finished with double-digit sack totals.

William Perry, the 325 pound defensive tackle, anchored a defensive line that helped limit offenses to just 1,319 rushing yards and 6 TDs, ranking first in attempts, yards and TDs. The lone Chicago loss came against one of the most prolific scoring offenses in the league, the 12-4 Miami Dolphins. Besides the 38 points Chicago allowed against Dan Marino's Phins, the Bears D gave up 20+ points just two other times that season (Week 1 vs. Tampa, Week 3 vs. Minnesota).

In a 3-game playoff run, including the Super Bowl, defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan's creation of the 46 defense destroyed opponents. They didn't have any trouble putting away the Giants (21-0) in the Divisional round and the Los Angeles Rams (24-0) in the NFC championship. Then Mike Singletary & Co. embarrassed the 11-5 New England Patriots in the Louisiana Superdome. Chicago led 23-3 at the half and then completely took over the second half, allowing just 116 total yards in a 46-10 victory. Craig James and Tony Collins led the way for the Pats run game, which managed just 7 yards on 11 carries. Richard Dent recorded 1.5 of the Bears' 7 total sacks and captured the game's Most Valuable Player award.
Just missed the cut:

1962 Green Bay Packers: 13-3, NFL champions
1st in points, 2nd in total yards

*Allowed just 10.6 points/game and forced 50 turnovers in 14 games under Lombardi.
*3 shutouts
*5 All Pros/2 Pro Bowlers
*5 Hall of Famers started on defense

1971 Minnesota Vikings: 11-3, lost in Divisional round
"Purple People Eaters"
1st in points, 2nd in total yards, 1st in rushing TDs

*Allowed 139 points (9.9/game)
*Allowed 30+ points just one time (30 in loss to Chargers)
*3 shutouts
*Held opposing QBs to a 40.4 rating.
*3 Pro Bowlers (Carl Eller, Alan Page, Paul Krause)
1969 Kansas City Chiefs: 11-3, Super Bowl IV champions
1st in points, 1st in total yards

*Ranked 1st in passing yards, TDs, INTs and rushing attempts, yards and TDs
*2 shutouts
*Never allowed a team to put up 30 points.
*6 Pro Bowlers (Curley Culp, Buck Buchanan, Bobby Bell, Willie Lanier, Jim Marsalis and Johnny Robinson).

1975 Los Angeles Rams: 12-2, lost in NFC championship
"The New Fearsome Foursome"
1st in points, 2nd in total yards, 1st in rushing TDs

*Allowed just 9.9 points per game, a league-best.
*Led by what is now know as the new "Fearsome Foursome" of Jack Youngblood, Fred Dryer, Merlin Olsen and Larry Brooks...the original foursome consisted of Rosey Grier, Lamar Lundy, Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen in 1963.
*Allowed an average of 5.3 points/game during the final six games of the season.
*5 Pro Bowlers
1972 Miami Dolphins: 14-0, Super Bowl VII champions
"No-Name Defense"
1st in points, 1st in total yards

*Allowed 171 points (12.2/game)
*Still only team in history to finish regular and postseason with undefeated record.
*Six out of the 11 starters never made a Pro Bowl roster or All Pro team during their pro careers.
*4 Pro Bowlers/2 All Pros

Best nicknames for Defenses:

Purple People Eaters––1960s-70s Vikings
Steel Curtain––1970s Steelers
Doomsday Defense––Cowboys of the 1970s
Monsters of the Midway––Bears of the '40s and '80s
Orange Crush––1970s Broncos
No-Name Defense––1970s Dolphins
Gritz Blitz––1977 Falcons
Fearsome Foursome––Defensive line of the 1960s Rams
Houston Hitmen––1988 Oilers

Any other defenses you think are worth mentioning? Let us know in the comment section below!

Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Adrian Peterson's Magical Season: How Does he Stack up Against the League's All-time Greats?

It's no secret that the Minnesota Vikings' 27-year old running back Adrian Peterson (also referred to as "AP" or "AD," which is short for "All Day") is just 294 yards away from further immortalizing himself within Pro Football history by breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing yards record of 2,105.

With two games left to play Peterson, less than a year removed from surgery to repair a torn left ACL and MCL, is set to become just the 7th player in history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a given season.

Now I know I've said this here on the All-Out Blitz numerous times, and you may start to get tired of hearing about it. But I have yet to dedicate an entire article on Peterson's historic season. And that's exactly what I plan to do: stack AD's 2012 season, and career for that matter, against some of the great ones from season's past.
Not only will I compare 2012 to Dickerson's famed 1984 season among others, but I will also be comparing Peterson's 6-year career to the first six seasons of a couple of Hall of Famers and soon-to-be Hall of Famers.

First off, I'd like to point out that just one season in his so-far illustrious pro career has ended without 1,000 yards rushing, which happened to be last season (970 yards, 12 TDs in 12 games) just prior to receiving his bionic left knee––just kidding, his knee isn't actually robotic, right?

First comparison is the obvious one: Eric Dickerson in 1984.

Eric Dickerson--1984, Los Angeles Rams
Second season in pros, 24-years old

16 games: 379 rushing attempts, 2,105 yards, 14 TDs, Long: 66 yards
5.6 Y/C, 131.6 Y/G on 23.7 A/G

- - - - -

Adrian Peterson--2012, Minnesota Vikings
Sixth season in pros, 27-years old

14 games: 289 rushing attempts, 1,812 yards, 11 TDs, Long: 82 yards
6.3 Y/C, 129.4 Y/G, 20.6 A/G

**Dickerson through first 14 games: 326 rushing attempts, 1,792 yards, 11 TDs

The key to the above comparison is Dickerson's stat-line through the first 14 games. Looking at that and you can tell Peterson is well on his way to surpassing Eric on the list of most impressive rushing seasons of all-time. In terms of both individual and team, Peterson's got the edge. The Rams finished the season at 10-6 with a playoff berth thanks largely to the on-field production from Dickerson.

Much like the Vikings this season, the Rams had an average-at-best quarterback completing 50% of his passes and throwing 20 passes a game with the 25-year old Jeff Kemp. Los Angeles was a middle-of-the-pack defense and was a playoff team based solely on Dickerson's success.

Minnesota is sitting at 8-6 and in line for a wild card spot if they can manage to win out and end the season at 10-6. Second-year quarterback Christian Ponder has underachieved this season after showing promise as a rookie last season. His 2,527 yards, 14 TDs (12 INT) and a 78.6 rating has been just enough to get the Vikes by in terms of passing. It's been AD's career-high 1,812 yards and 11 TDs that has put Minnesota in playoff contention coming out of the North.

With opposing defenses keying in on stopping Peterson and the team's running game, they have still failed to slow down this Vikings offense. Peterson has been on a roll ever since Week 7 against the Cardinals, rushing for 100+ yards for eight consecutive games––150+ in six of those games and 200+ in two. Also over that 8-game span AD has combined for nine of his 11 touchdowns on the ground and Minnesota has put up 34 or more points on two occasions.

A 2-0 finish to the season would put the Vikings in the playoffs and match the regular season record of the 10-6 Rams. Not to mention, if Adrian does break the single-season record he would likely achieve it with much less carries and would have put up the greatest single-season for a running back in NFL history. By far.

I never even mentioned the fact that Dickerson fumbled the ball a total of 14 times during the '84 regular season. Peterson? Just four fumbles through his 14 starts this season. So unless he fumbles five teams in each of his last two games (not likely) he will have beaten Dickerson in that category as well. All Dickerson has left is his 107 yards and 1 TD in LA's 16-13 NFC Wild Card loss that season.

Peterson is just 294 yards in the final two games away from posting the best season by a running back ever. But where does that leave him in terms of his first six seasons as a pro? Here he is next to some legends:



























First six seasons in NFL (sorted by yards gained; Hall of Famer; Leader among the 6):
*Eric Dickerson, 88 starts: 2,136 attempts, 9,915 yards, 75 TD, Long: 85; 4.6 Y/C, 110.2 Y/G
*LaDainian Tomlinson, 95 starts: 2,050 starts, 9,176 yards, 100 TD, Long: 85; 4.5 Y/C, 96.6 Y/G
*Emmitt Smith, 91 starts: 2,007 attempts, 8,956 yards, 96 TD, Long: 75; 4.5 Y/C, 96.3 Y/G
*Barry Sanders, 87 starts: 1,763 attempts, 8,672 yards, 62 TD, Long: 85; 5.0 Y/C, 97.4 Y/G
*Adrian Peterson, 80 starts: 1,695 attempts, 8,564 yards, 75 TD, Long: 82; 5.1 Y/C, 98.4 Y/G
*Walter Payton, 83 starts: 1,865 attempts, 8,386 yards, 65 TD, Long: 76; 4.5 Y/C, 94.2 Y/G

Considering that among the group of six listed above––consisting of four current Hall of Fame members and one first ballot Hall of Famer––Peterson has the best yards per carry average through six seasons, I'd say he's in pretty good shape.
Averaging 1,427.3 rushing yards per season, Peterson needs just six more of his "average" seasons and he'll be an automatic lock for the hall and in sight of Emmitt Smith's league record 18,355 rushing yards all-time. Though he's not quite to Dickerson's near-1,000 yards through six seasons, or LT's 100 TDs, Peterson has a lot to be proud of, ranking with the big boys. With two games left to go in his first six career seasons, Peterson can surpass Sanders' 8,672 yards and possibly even reach 80 rushing TDs.

Being on pace and ahead of guys such as the greats Barry Sanders and Walter Payton at this point in his career says a lot for a guy of Peterson's caliber, and it's really scary when you think about what he can accomplish before he hangs up his cleats.

He's got an eye-popping combination of size, speed and power. He's a nightmare in the open field for defenders and no matter which way you slice it, we could be witnessing the best this league has ever seen.

Embrace it.

Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

NFL History 101: Throwback Thursday

It's "Throwback Thursday," everyone!

To celebrate, here's an entire team of throwback photos. Enjoy.


Sorry, I had to throw Dante Hall in there at the end as the "Throwback" return man. Don't lie, you guys know you miss Hall's days with the Chiefs in the early 2000s. Some of his returns were better-looking than any of Devin Hester's kick return TDs. Hey was electrifying!

Hope you enjoyed the first of many Throwback Thursday's here at the All-Out Blitz!

Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

NFL History 101: All-time Top 12 Defensive Tackles Weighing 300+ lbs

Here at All-Out Blitz we've decided to come out with a series I like to call "NFL History 101." This is a series that will feature a different subject/topic each time and will focus on anything that has to do with NFL history, ranging from past to current players, season recaps of certain teams, records being broken, playoff/Super Bowl flashbacks and more.

The first installment of the series is a closer look at some of the game's most dominant 300+ pound defensive tackles, both past and present. In no particular order, I've picked out 12 of the league's most fan-friendly, popular and dominant defensive tackles weighing over 300 pounds and have included images of course.

The list includes four active players, five Super Bowl champions, one Hall of Famer and one soon-to-be Hall of Famer.

Tony Siragusa 330 lbs––12 seasons with Colts, Ravens

Tony A.K.A. "The Goose" spent just over a decade clogging up the middle of the defensive line and punishing quarterbacks. Siragusa anchored the defensive line of arguably one of the best defenses of all-time, helping the Ravens' snag a Super Bowl championship in 2000. He may be best-known for knocking Oakland Raider quarterback Rich Gannon out of the AFC Championship game that season, falling on top of his shoulder with his 330 pound frame.
Vince Wilfork 325 lbs––9 seasons with Patriots (active)

For a 325-pounder, Mr. Wilfork sure does move fast. And, lets face it, it's a lot of fun watching a 300-pound man running down the field. The Goose never picked off a single pass or scored a touchdown, but Wilfork has two career interceptions and has a defensive TD to his name. All three of these occurrences happened last season, which ended with his fourth Pro Bowl appearance. One of the most exciting and dynamic d-tackles in the game today.
Casey Hampton 320 lbs––12 seasons with Steelers (active)

Hampton, 35, has started all 13 games for Pittsburgh this season, and is just as effective at stopping the run as he has been over the last dozen seasons. He's not the most exciting 300+ guy on this list, but he's no slouch when it comes to stopping running back in their tracks. Not a good idea to run up the middle when Hampton's on the field.
Cortez Kennedy 305 lbs––11 seasons with Seahawks

The lone Hall of Famer on the list, the 8-time Pro Bowler had a freakish combination of power and speed, and was a physically-imposing threat at the defensive tackle position. Kennedy, due to the fact he was never on a championship team, seemed to fly under the radar for a majority of his career, but he was no doubt the biggest threat on the Seahawk defense during his time.
Warren Sapp 303 lbs––13 seasons with Buccaneers, Raiders

Sapp is the guy on this list that is a soon-to-be Hall of Famer, as this year is his first year of eligibility (he's one of 27 semi-finalists). With 13 seasons as not only a dominating force up the middle, but one of the most eccentric personalities of his time, I strongly believe Sapp will be enshrined into Canton within the next two years. With four seasons of double-digit sack totals and nearly 100 for his career (96.5 to be exact), Sapp struck fear into every quarterback he went up against.
Haloti Ngata 335 lbs––7 seasons with Ravens (active)

At 6'4"/335 pounds, the 28-year old has certainly established himself as the best d-tackle Baltimore has seen since the Siragusa days. With 45 combined tackles and 4.0 sacks in 12 starts this season, he's looking to capture his fourth consecutive, and career, Pro Bowl appearance this season. Ngata is the second-heaviest player on our list of 12, and is arguably the most dominant of the four active players.
Tim Bowens 325 lbs––11 seasons with Dolphins

Bowens spent his Dolphin career as more of a role player than anything else, but the two-time Pro Bowler managed to squeeze out a spot on the list mainly because of his productivity and his consistency. Bowens missed just four starts in his first nine seasons in the league and accumulated 22.0 sacks over his career. He was reliable, though never as flashy or electric as the likes of Sapp, Siragusa or Wilfork.
Gilbert Brown 340 lbs––10 seasons with Packers

Brown was not all that productive over his decade-long career in Green Bay. Nope, Brown simply made this list because of his size. Now 41, the 6'2"/340 pounder was always interesting to watch move around the field. By far the largest man on the list in terms of weight, I had to give him and Bowens a spot simply because there were not too many other big men to choose from. Some of the most dominant defensive tackles in NFL history ranged from 275-290 pounds, not 300-plus.
Brentson Buckner 305 lbs––12 seasons with Steelers, Bengals, 49ers and Panthers

Buckner began his career with the Steelers, being a part of the great 1995 Steeler defense that represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. As a second-year player that season, Buckner started all 16 games at D-tackle while raking in 49 combined tackles and 3.0 sacks. It wasn't until he began his final stint, with Carolina, in 2001 that he became a household name, however. Buckner made 146 tackles and 14.5 sacks in five seasons with the Panthers to end his career.
Roger Brown 300 lbs––10 seasons with Lions and Rams

Brown was actually the league's first 300-pound lineman in history, interestingly enough. Playing with Detroit from 1960-66 and Los Angeles Rams from 1967-69, Brown went to 6 Pro Bowls, was named to 2 First Team All Pro rosters and was much faster than you'd expect from a 300-pound defensive lineman. Lets just say Brown paved the way for 300-pounders. Roger says you're welcome, everybody.
William Perry 325 lbs––10 seasons with Bears and Eagles

I don't think there are any NFL fans that are not well-aware of William "The Refrigerator" Perry's antics, whether you were living in the '80s or not. Perhaps the owner of the best NFL nickname of all-time, Perry wasn't just a threat on the defensive side of things (524 combined tackles, 29.5 sacks). Perry is best-known for playing fullback in goal-line situations for the Bears, most notably in 1985, when Chicago's "Monsters of the Midway" defense led Chicago to a 46-10 Super Bowl victory. Perry has four career offensive TDs (3 rushing, 1 receiving), one of which came in the Super Bowl victory.
Ndamukong Suh 307 lbs––3 seasons with Lions (active)

Too soon to add the 25-year old Suh? No way. Ndamukong has already established himself as one of the league's "dirtiest" and "most-hated" players and he has yet to even complete his third season in the league. There's no questioning his toughness and physicality, but there is plenty of questions swirling around his intent on the field. Whether or not he plays hungry, or just plays flat-out angry football, there's no questioning the fact that he's one of the most feared defensive tackles in the game right now.
The Next BIG Thing: Dontari Poe

The 22-year old Kansas City Chiefs rookie nose tackle has just 28 combined tackles and no sacks in his first 13 career NFL starts, but the 6'3"/346 pound NT has the size and ability to be the next big star. Literally. He certainly turned heads at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last February, running a 4.87 40-yard dash in front of dozens of scouts. Pretty scary for a man pushing 350, huh? Give him some time in KC and he could develop into a huge threat up the middle.
Writer's note: Now, clearly the 300-pound defensive lineman is a relatively new concept. There's just two guys on the list that are pre-1990 (Perry, whose rookie season was 1985 and Roger Brown, who played from 1960-69). The rest played either in the '90s or 2000s, and four of which are still active.

If this article were to read "most dominant defensive tackles in NFL history" this list would look completely different. In fact, it would likely be guys such as "Mean" Joe Greene, Bob Lilly, Randy White, John Randle, Merlin Olsen, Alan Page, etc. etc.

But once again, if there are any you believe I may have miss or simply overlooked, feel free to enlighten us in the comments section.

I'll just leave you with one last piece of evidence, a Youtube video of Vince Wilfork's top 5 moments in his career. A couple of the plays will have you double-taking:


We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.