Tampa-2

Bob's All-Time NFL Team

Hey, I'm Bob.

Here are my thoughts on the all-time NFL team. 

Gameday Roster 

QB: Joe Montana.                      Bart Starr
HB: Jim Brown.                         Barry Sanders, Walter Payton

FB: Marion Motley.                 
TE: John Mackey.                      Mike Ditka, Tony Gonzalez

WR: Jerry Rice, Don Hutson, Paul Warfield, Lance Alworth, Devin Hester, Steve Tasker

C: Dwight Stephenson                Bruce Matthews

G: John Hannah, Jim Parker     Larry Allen 

T: Anthony Munoz, Forrest Gregg.   

DT: Joe Greene, Bob Lilly          Alan Page, Merlin Olsen
DE: Reggie White, Deacon Jones.   Bruce Smith, Gino Marchetti

MLB: Dick Butkus                              Jack Lambert

OLB: Derrick Brooks, Jack Ham    Ted Hendricks, Bobby Bell

CB: Dick Lane, Mel Blount.   Herb Adderley, Rod Woodson, Darrell Green

S: Ronnie Lott, Emlen Tunnell.       Ed Reed

P: Ray Guy.                                 Adam Vinateri

K: Adam Vinateri.                       Ray Guy

PR: Devin Hester.                       (Jack Christiansen), Rod Woodson

KR: Devin Hester.                      Herb Adderley

LS: Bobby Bell.                          Bruce Matthews

H: Ray Guy.                                Bart Starr

Reserves: Sid Luckman, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Otto, Jonathan Ogden, 
Steve Largent, Ray Lewis, Jack Christiansen

Responses to probable questions and objections...

Honorable Mentions: There are over 200 players in the NFL Hall of Fame, all of  whom would obviously be outstanding players on this team. The following players are the ones I most wish I had room on the roster for: Johnny Unitas, Emmitt Smith, Lorenzo Neal, Kellen Winslow, Raymond Berry, Mike Webster, Gene Upshaw, Art Shell,  Warren Sapp, Willie Davis, Mike Singletary, Kevin Greene, Mike Haynes, Ken Houston, Larry Wilson

Depth: I have 26 players on offense, 25 on defense, and 2 on special teams (22, 22, and 2 dressed). My special teams players have each both kicked and punted in college, so they are each other's emergency backup. Ray Guy is also my emergency quarterback, as he was with the Raiders 

No Lawrence Taylor: LT revolutionized the linebacker position, but he is ultimately a 3-4 player and I'm running a 4-3 scheme.  Sure, he could be converted to a 4-3 DE, but he wouldn't be as good as the four I've selected. He wasn't particularly gifted at coverage, so he certainly wouldn't replace any of my LBs. Sorry, but thems the breaks.

No Deion Sanders: Deion Sanders is not a particularly gifted tackler. My selections are all among the hardest-hitting corners to ever play the game. My two starters hit so hard that the NFL had to change the rules! While Deion Sanders is a Hall of Fame caliber player, his coverage skills are comparable to the harder-hitting players I've selected. Lem Barney is another example of a Hall of Fame caliber CB who doesn't hit hard enough to make the team.

No Jim Thorpe: I did not feel comfortable putting a player without footage to evaluate on my team.

No Randy Moss or Terrell Owens: While both are incredibly talented players, they are both a toxic presence in the locker room and are therefore not welcome on my team. 

Back-up Quarterbacks: While very few would disagree with Joe Montana at #1, most people do not have Starr and Luckman in their top 10, let alone their top 3. But both Starr and Luckman have incredible post-season passer ratings, incredible regular season stats (in their respective eras), and led their teams to become championship dynasties. The more difficult question is why Montana isn't 2nd or 3rd. The answer to that is he has the highest championship game passer rating of all-time at a staggering 127.8. Though I reach different conclusions from them, I'd like to give special thanks to The Cold Hard Football Facts for their quarterback analysis, which heavily influenced my own. 

Strategy...

DEFENSE: I will be running the Tampa-2 defense. I chose this defense because it suits my personnel extremely well. Derrick Brooks is all but synonymous with the Tampa 2 defense as the definitive Will linebacker. Jack Ham is Brooks's equal incoverage and is superb at shedding TEs at the line, which he will do as the Sam. The airthight undernath coverage combination of Ham and Brooks will be nearly unbeatable, and is the main reason I selected the Tampa 2. Butkus is not only brutal against the run, but could also make plays downfield, so he is well-suited to the Mike position. Blount and Lane are both incredibly physical corners who will outmatch their opponents at the line. They are also viscous tacklers, which is necessary since the Tampa 2 requires the corners to be active in run support. Lott and Tunnell are both ballhawks and ferocious hitters who can separate the receiver from the ball. Lastly, Greene will make for an incredible 3-technique (backed up by Page, sorry Warren Sapp), Lilly will be a dominant 1-tech nose tackle, and White and Jones will, of course, consistently bring pressure from the edge. 

       

OFFENSE: I will use smashmouth, ball-control running to set up play-action passing. I certainly have the personnel to run a more complex passing scheme, but I prefer simple concepts that are well-executed. I will be using a tandem backfield where my four backs will receive a roughly equal number of carries per game (although I also plan on using Motley as a lead-blocker, so he will probably receive slightly fewer carries overall). I envision lots of power outside running with my incredibly mobile offensive linemen. When the running game isn't clicking, I have a quarterback known for short timing routes and three of the greatest receivers after-the-catch of all time in Rice, Mackey, and Motley. 

Overall: I realize the decision to cut Taylor, Sanders, and Moss will not be popular. But a team is more than a laundry list of great players. A team is a strategy, a chemistry, and a philosophy. The players I've assembled will best achieve my specific vision. 

I'd love to hear what anyone has to say at stephenproctorjr@gmail.com

 (LT was at his best when he could roam around and pick his spots to attack. Unfortunately, the Tampa-2 presents the opposing offense with a largely static look. )