Five Scariest Football Players In My Generation

Yesterday Mike Golic put up his five best players of all time and although I am not arguing with his list, I just didn’t get to see some of the guys on his list play football. I’ve heard the stories and I have seen some clips but I haven’t seen the body of work that most of the guys he had on his list put together outside of Reggie White and Ray Lewis.

After watching his list, I decided that I would put my own list together of the scariest players that I’ve seen play in my generation. Since I am a man in his mid 30’s my list will probably be a little different than yours, but still I am sure you cannot argue with anyone on my list.

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There Hasn't Been A Player Like Ray Lewis In A Long Time

If you are a real football fan, you appreciate greatness. Greatness doesn’t just come around all the time. Sometimes we forsake greatness until it has gotten old and slow then we realize how great a player was.

In my generation greatness has been amongst us in several instances. I was able to watch the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game as Jerry Rice rewrote the record books. I was also able to catch the end of the career of Walter Earl Payton as he excelled into the realm of great backs in the league. I witnessed the decade of Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders that will not be duplicated by any two backs of different styles for that period of time. I even witnessed the greatness that is Lawrence Taylor, who in my estimation is the greatest outside linebacker to ever play the game.

Sometimes as fans we take greatness for granted. Enter Ray Lewis. Following the career of Ray Lewis has been remarkable for me. When he was at the University of Miami, #theU, he was a wrecking machine. However no one knew he would be that great on the next level. When he was drafted by the Ravens, I happened to be in Baltimore doing an internship and when I saw him on the practice field, I was like he is going to get killed at that size on this level.

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Jets Fans: There Is No Need To Panic...Yet!

All you bandwagon riders, don’t be so quick to jump ship, the New York Jets aren’t as bad as they appeared to be on Monday night. The Jets just happened to be playing a team that well looked like them. Keep in mind that the Ravens were once Rex Ryan’s defensive baby that grew up and matured like a fine wine. 

Watching the Jets and the Ravens play was like playing Madden and both players choosing the same team. Flacco and Sanchez are both young and inexperienced so both teams lean on the ability to run. The Ravens have Ray Rice, a young running back who has just found himself and is beginning to come into his own. They also have an experienced veteran in Willis McGahee to pick up the slack when Rice gets tired. The Jets have a young runner themselves in Shonn Greene who is starting his first NFL games. The Jets also have an insurance policy in LaDainian Tomlinson who will pick up the team when Greene is unable to deliver.

The passing game of both teams limits the explosive receivers that both of them have. Weapons like Braylon Edwards, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Santonio Holmes, and Anquon Boldin will all have numbers that will be somewhat frustrating to elite receivers due to inexperienced quarterback play.

Even on defense these teams are so similar it’s eerie. The only difference between the two teams is the secondary. The Jets have an elite secondary headed by Darell Revis and the Ravens have an experienced secondary that is missing its leader Ed Reed. One thing is for sure, is that both of these teams will hit you. The front seven of both of these teams is as big and fast as any that the NFL has ever witnessed. Both are deep and both deliver.

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AFC North: The Bengals, Browns, Ravens, and Steelers Get Physical

Day 3 of breaking down the divisions has led us to the AFC North. When I say AFC North all you should think of is power football. This conference is responsible for earning Super Bowl titles with one word “physicality.” If you aren’t a physical team, you have no business even trying to compete in this division.

The Baltimore Ravens are the benchmark of being physical. They are led by their defense and when playing the Ravens expect to have the ball pounded down your throat. The Ravens offense is led by third year quarterback Joe Flacco. The running game for the Ravens is solid featuring a trio of backs headed by Ray Rice. The wide receiver core is a little aged but got better with the recent addition of Anquon Boldin. The offensive line pretty much returns in tact and the tight end postion is held down with the great Todd Heap.

Defensively the Ravens are immense. They have a ferocious defensive line led by newest addition Terrance Cody. The linbacking core is led by the great Ray Lewis. The secondary will be the biggest question as pro bowl safety Ed Reed will probably miss the first 5 – 6 games as former Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin steps in and takes his spot.

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