In Further Defense of our Players

by Michael Bean on Jun 27, 2007 12:49 PM EDT in News

In the spirit of his boss Peter King at SI.com, Bucky Brooks has tackled a list of his own: the top 25 WRs in the NFL . Here are Brook's 'metrics' for ranking these players:

In taking the entire game into account -- route running, hands, run-after-catch ability, blocking and overall impact on the game -- here are my top 25 wide receivers based on how I think they will fare in 2007:

Of course, most of these criterium are very subjective. How exactly do you measure who has the better set of hands between Steve Smith and Reggie Wayne? What about run-after-catch ability? Nobody would argue that Hines Ward is one of the speediest guys in the league, yet he seems to make enormous plays after the catch all the time.

I'm not going to spend all my time bashing this guy's list--although I have problems with Steve Smith at #1 and Mr. Owens at #5. I'm just here to stick up for our man Hines who comes in at #23 on the list! What a bunch of bull. Hines Ward is apparently worse than Reggie Brown of the Eagles, Mark friggin Clayton of the Ravens, here's one of the best laughers--Laveranues Coles of the NY Jets, Lee Evans, and Plexiglass Buress.

Look, these lists aren't easy to compile and somebody is always going to have a problem with some aspects. I'm just tired of seeing the Steelers get snubbed this offseason due to their poor showing a year ago. Last time I checked Hines was a recent Super Bowl MVP who brings a tremendous amount of explosiveness, experience and versatility to an offense. He's extremely durable, is the best blocking WR in the league, rarely if ever drops passes, runs solid routes, makes big plays after the catch, and can even throw the ball in a gadget-play.

Where would you put Hines?

Tweet Comment 19 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Absurd

What a ridiculous analysis. Hines is one of the most steady receivers in the NFL, blocks like no other, is the heart and soul of the team in many regards, and, yes, is good at catching footballs.

He's a top ten guy, no questions asked.

Ugh.

by Peter Bean on Jun 27, 2007 3:09 PM EDT reply actions

Another crazy poll

We all know Hines is greatness and we know that what he brings to this team goes alot further than his contributions on the field. He's hurt in these rankings by several reasons: speed, age and the best part of his game (blocking and leadership) is highly undervalued. If I was ranking them I'd have him somewhere around 10-15. These are guys that I'd definitely put behind Ward:

Santana Moss
Plax
Lee Evans
TJ Hous?
Deion Branch
Lavern Coles
Mark Clayton
Reggie Brown
Calvin Johnson - I know I'll get blasted for this b/c he's the "next great one" but until he takes a snap as a professional I'm not ranking him ahead of a future HOFer.

by cgolden on Jun 27, 2007 3:10 PM EDT reply actions

Disagree on Santana Moss

I think it's reasonable to put him in front of Ward, because I'm a patisan.

I'd point to his 2005 season which was, in many ways, better than anything Ward has done in his career. There's a substantial YPC advantage towards Moss as well.

Hogs Haven

by Skin Patrol @ Behind the Steel Curtain on Jun 27, 2007 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

patisan=partisan

Hogs Haven

by Skin Patrol @ Behind the Steel Curtain on Jun 27, 2007 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Moss and Ward are very close as a total player

Moss is obviously far more physically gifted but Ward brings much more to the game, in my opinion of course. Moss has to the wheels to inflate the YPC stat, while Ward is really more of a possession receiver.

I'll also be the first to admit that I'm biased toward most Steelers, and I'm sure a Skins fan as yourself would much rather have Moss.

by cgolden on Jun 27, 2007 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree

Ward is definitely top 15, maybe top 10. I was just making my own list of guys who should definitely be behind Ward and I came up with the exact same guys as cgolden. Move him ahead of those guys and he would be no worse than #14 on the list.

by nycsteeler on Jun 27, 2007 3:19 PM EDT reply actions

Don't be shy.

If Steve Smith at #1 is a problem, who deserves to be there?

Hogs Haven

by Skin Patrol @ Behind the Steel Curtain on Jun 27, 2007 4:14 PM EDT reply actions

Anyone else notice...

Torry Holt at #12? I don't know if I'd exactly put him #1 or anything, but at #12, I think he's definitely the most underrated on the list. He's gotta be at least top 5.

But it's all pretty much moot because I think we've established that these lists are pretty much nothing more than material for debate...

by Cotter on Jun 27, 2007 5:36 PM EDT reply actions

In Further Defense of our Players

I'm new to this site but I have to admit after being a Steeler fan for over 30 years that I'm a little disappointed in my fellow Steeler fans. Every time there is a sports listing published that may have omitted or misplaced a Steeler player. All I see is a bunch of bashing of the poor soul that wrote it. Did any of you ever consider that the author may have been under the weather, uneducated or just an idiot try to pass as someone that knows something? It's easy to look good and sound intelligent when you know and keep up on the subject you're writing about. These guys spend 10s of minutes a week thinking, or at least trying to, of the article they're writing. Yet all you do is bash them for try get by on little or no actual knowledge of much of anything.
Let's give them credit for not being unemployed, at least for now.

by kingj228 on Jun 27, 2007 7:45 PM EDT reply actions

kingj

that's funny stuff. took me a moment to get it, but well done.

by Michael Bean on Jun 27, 2007 9:40 PM EDT reply actions

one thing

to mention is that Ward has done all that he has done in a predominately run-oriented offense(except for the tommy=gun season). I mean several years there we were 60 - 40ish in run/pass rations.

by steelerark on Jun 27, 2007 11:46 PM EDT reply actions

heh

ration = ratio

by steelerark on Jun 27, 2007 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions

steelerark...

great point, one that I meant to make in my article. Hines hasn't gotten to have any of those 100+ reception seasons like Larry Fitzgerald, Anquoin Boldin due to our offensive philosophy. That shouldn't count against him though, especially if you remember he's a big reason why we've been so good running the football.

by Michael Bean on Jun 28, 2007 1:30 AM EDT reply actions

don't care for the article but....

like the QB article before it he is not ranking who are the best, he's ranking who he thinks will perform the best next year. I think that's one reason its skewed a bit towards younger players

by schnifin on Jun 28, 2007 2:25 PM EDT reply actions