Tuesday, February 26, 2019

All-Decade Career Years

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney
We define a "Career year" as a top performance by a player that is above and beyond an All-Pro year, the best of his career, or at least near it.

We've done this with TEAMS and now are extending it to decades, beginning with the 1950s through the 2010s. Of course, after the 2019 season, we will make changes as needed.

Some are obvious, MVP, Player of the Year Awards, big stat seasons, others less so. We may pick a player who was not even All-Pro for that season, but we make those choices from an informed point of view. So, we welcome criticism and challenges, but be aware we know who was All-Pro in any given year, we know who had the big stat seasons for major stats, but we also know many years of grades from Pro Preview and also crib from the writings of Joel Buchsbaum and others.

So, fire away.







24 comments:

  1. I'll start with the o-line I guess. In career years for teams you had Shells 77 season as best, what made you change him to 74?

    A lot of sacks allowed for Joe Jacoby in 83. Didn't Joe Bugel prefer one of his late 80s years?

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    1. Shell was a typo, but yes Bugel said 1987. I like 1984 or 1983 better. In 1987 he gave up 5 sacks in 12 games, fewer in 16 games in 1983, that was difference,

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  2. Thats fair for Jacoby.

    In the 90s you liked Randle and McGlockton over any of Bryant Young's seasons?

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    1. Young right there...Young better player but this also used some stats, and Perry and McGlockton had years with a pile of run stuffs. Young didn't...but it doesn't mean I don't like Young. Young > Sapp

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    2. I figured Kennedy's 92 was just an easy automatic pick. Never realized McGlocktin had a lot of run stuffs. Did Randle have the run stuffs to mitigate his issues against the run?

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  3. 1950s - wasn't Towler a FB? Also, Casares/56 or one of Perry's 1000-yards seasons over Motley's 1950 year.

    1960s - TE Jackie Smith/67 clearly superior to Mackey/66, and possibly even Ditka/61.

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    1. Towler was a halfback, but he was big. Motley was a monster on film. If not for Jim Brown, his 1950 season was best of 1950s.

      Mackey was better blocker...and better all-around

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    2. 1966 Colts rushing - 1556-3.7-7
      1967 Cards rushing - 1839-3.9-15

      I thought the Cowboys brought in Smith specifically for his run blocking. Many TEs are good blockers, but how many TEs can average 21.5 on 56 receptions? JMO. Like your lists.

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  4. Yeah always wondered about Jackie Smith and how his blocking was. You know with Ditka and Mackey they are going to be moving people in the run game.

    Curious if Klecko's 1981 season was close to making the cut over Gastineau's 1983?

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    1. Yes, however, Gastineau had 1.5 few sacks and 3-4 more run stuffs. Certainly if someone took Klecko over Gastineau, it would be a fair choice, but Gastineau gets a bad rap and Klecko is kind of NY media darling, but when I watched them, to me, Gastineau had better year, more dangerous as a rusher and stuffed a lot of RBs that year

      Also, give you a tidbit, Gastineau's 1981 season was ranked slightly higher than Kelcko's 1981 season by PSI

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    2. Wow, that is serious stuff. Dr Z picked Klecko as his player of the year in 1981. Wonder what the disconnect was with scouts and Z?

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    3. I don't think it is a disconnect, just a difference of opinion. One guy was rated 2nd and the other 3rd, no one is 'wrong' or right. But things are not always what they seem... PSI is independent and don't care what the All-Pro teams say. They just watch film and grade.

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    4. I hear you. Z's all pro teams were pretty special though you have to admit. He did his film studies.

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  5. Great lists! But I take issue with John Riggins 1983. Riggins only averages 3.6 yds/carry. His 24 TDs is eye popping, but 20 of those come from the 1 or 2 yd line. He only has 5 recpetions. So we have a workhorse wwgi great goaline, all with the benefit of a killer offensive line. I think we can find better within that decade.
    Possible rel placements for Riggo
    William Andrews-1981
    Walter Payton-1984, 1985
    Roger Craig-1985, 1988
    James Wilder-1984

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    1. All good points...and any number of seasons would be fair and smart choices, I count short-yardage as important, and I like how Riggins was huge part of offense.

      But, if somone picked those other seasons, I'd have no criticism..especially Craig.

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    2. Roger Craig's 1985 campaign gets talked about the most b/c its 1000yds rush & 100yds receiving. But I think he's '88 campaign more impressive

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  6. Difficult to overlook Michael Lewis's 2002 that will be an NFL record until kickoff returns once again are part of the game.

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    1. he was considered, but the tie breaker was touchdowns...

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  7. MTS I think Riggins was absolute money on third and short situations. JT would have to confirm that.

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    1. Given what a powerful runner Riggins was, and how strong that Hogs off line was, tough tom imagine he wasn't a force on short yardage/goaline.

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  8. With some of the linemen who had many great seasons like Randall McDaniel or John Hannah what were the deciding factors?

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  9. I was watching some colts steelers in 76 and noticed lambert being taken out in some passing situations. Wonder if that was a rarity or common for him?

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