Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

[18 eighty 5]

What are they.

[kingkilla56]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

I dont understand what this means.

[SPTO]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

I'm not sure what this means either but i'll take a wild stab

1993 Week 17 Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants: Emmitt Smith plays with a separated shoulder after getting injured late in the 1st half and rushed for 168 yards on 32 carries.

Other more obvious examples would be Phil Simms' performance in SB XXI against the Broncos where he was 22 of 25 with 2 of the incompletions being drops by his receivers and Super Bowl XXII with Doug Williams amazing 2nd quarter where he threw 4 TDs and overall threw for 340 yards.

[brayTxiv]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

Peyton Manning 2011. Colts stink up the joint without Manning.

[12]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

I was at this game right here:

Seahawks beat Chargers 27-20

Seattle had no business winning that game. Rivers lit up the our D to the tune of nearly 500 passing yards. Our offense could not get anything going at all.

Leon Washington had 253 kickoff return yards and returned two for touchdowns. He also had like an 88-yard punt return that was called back that game as well.

Without him, the Seahawks would have got handled easily. Other than him, the team was hot garbage that day.

[NateDogPack12]

I THINK he meant something different. I think he's referring to a roundtable discussion on NFL network the other day when Brady talked about how BB is still not afraid to call him out for mistakes in the filmroom.

His exact quote was, "You know when [the individual] is above the team, it's time to move on."

[18 eighty 5]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

I THINK he meant something different. I think he's referring to a roundtable discussion on NFL network the other day when Brady talked about how BB is still not afraid to call him out for mistakes in the filmroom.

His exact quote was, "You know when [the individual] is above the team, it's time to move on."

No, sorry, I am in Australia, never saw it, just a coincidence. Just interested in NFL stories where the individual becomes greater than the team to get the job done.

Any running back stories? I imagine to be a good back you need a good offensive line but have there been great backs that have carried weak offenses and lifted the team to greatness?

[nyj721]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

No, sorry, I am in Australia, never saw it, just a coincidence. Just interested in NFL stories where the individual becomes greater than the team to get the job done.

Any running back stories? I imagine to be a good back you need a good offensive line but have there been great backs that have carried weak offenses and lifted the team to greatness?

Barry Sanders pretty much his whole career.

[jnofx]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

When I read the title of this thread, my first thought was "what the hell is he talking about?" My second was "Barry Sanders"

[18 eighty 5]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

When I read the title of this thread, my first thought was "what the hell is he talking about?" My second was "Barry Sanders"

Perhaps the NFL is not the best sport for this question because there are such dominant positions on the field like QB. Perhaps a better question might be could a DE ever be as important as a QB?

[KBLover]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

Perhaps the NFL is not the best sport for this question because there are such dominant positions on the field like QB. Perhaps a better question might be could a DE ever be as important as a QB?

See: 2000 Ravens.

The QBs on that team were the LEAST valuable parts.

Probably could argue the Bucs as well, especially with Trent Dilfer. Heck, if your QB sucks - your DE BETTER be more valuable.

Or maybe I'm just cynical from watching Dilfer, Banks, and Boller on two of my three teams...

[18 eighty 5]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

Thanks KB, I have a basic knowledge of the positions on a football team so I guess it would be safe to say that a strong offensive line could make an avg QB or HB look better than they are?

[KBLover]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

Thanks KB, I have a basic knowledge of the positions on a football team so I guess it would be safe to say that a strong offensive line could make an avg QB or HB look better than they are?

Definitely, especially a HB. A good run blocking line and scheme can create lanes for the HB to pick from. A weaker line would expose an average HB since he's less able to turn nothing into a few yards, a loss into no gain, and make bad decisions in the backfield.

A strong offensive line will just make a good HB that much more annoying to stop. The HB will make good decisions and have great vision and the line will give him lanes to choose from and drive the defense back, giving the HB almost like "free" yards even before the defense can start to close in on the runner.

For QB - I almost think the other way - a bad OL can make a solid QB look horrible. An average (or worse) QB is going to be what he is, though any QB will tend to do better when he's got nice protection, but usually, you see more damage with a bad line hindering a solid or better QB since even the elites tend to suffer under constant pressure.

On the other hand, a strong offensive line can make a top level QB nearly impossible to stop.

[18 eighty 5]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

Ok, what about safeties? Let's say you have weak LB's and corners, (is a safety different to a corner or is it the same guys playing different roles depending on the formation?) Can excellent safeties pull a team up or are they too easy for the opposing offense to ignore by throwing away from them?

[KBLover]

Re: Real life examples where the individual is greater than the team...

Ok, what about safeties? Let's say you have weak LB's and corners, (is a safety different to a corner or is it the same guys playing different roles depending on the formation?) Can excellent safeties pull a team up or are they too easy for the opposing offense to ignore by throwing away from them?

Safeties are different than corners and have different responsibilities and often different skills.

I think if you have weak corners, the safeties might not help much. There's too many ways to avoid safeties, even the best. Weak corners just won't stay with their men and break down in zone coverage. They'll get "caught looking" on play action, giving the receivers time to break free of coverage. Not to mention cause more defensive pass interference and holding, giving away free first downs and field position.

Weak linebackers can be a problem on intermediate routes and defending the middle area of the defense and are even worse in run defense. Weak linebackers pretty much mean no chance of putting one on a tight end, making one more thing for your safeties to have to deal with.

Linebackers, especially the middle linebacker, are very important to a defense. Safeties have an important place as well and many of the good ones can help on run defense and are good blitzers like an "extra" linebacker, but you really do need good linebackers and cornerbacks.

On the other hand, top level corners can, literally, negate a WR completely. Guys like Champ Bailey, Deion Sanders (when he played), Charles Woodson, Darrelle Revis can eliminate his man on many passing plays. There's only a few guys that can do that regularly no matter who the WR is, but when you have one of those guys, he's a major defensive weapon. The cornerback blitz can be very dangerous because of the angle they blitz from (hard for OL/HB/FB to see and handle them and they can disguise like they are going to be in coverage so the QB can't always pick up on it pre-snap).

Top level LBs are exceedingly versatile defenders than can fill many roles and clamp down on running backs. (The defensive line occupies blockers and the linebackers flow through and make the tackles). Elite LB pass rushers (Demarcus Ware, for example) are feared by most teams and always must be accounted for. If you have a collection of LBs like that? Your defense is immediately that much stronger, no matter what the offense does, but even one dynamic force among the linebackers can improve a defense.