Weapon X is #5

by Remis on Jul 11, 2008 10:01 PM EDT Comment 6 comments

Brian Dawkins is number 5 on the NFL safety rankings conducted by USA Today.

They have two columns: Today, which represents which players are the best TODAY; and Super Bowl era, which represents which players are the best EVER. (sorry for the excessive use of the word "which")

via i.a.cnn.net

Dawkins is number five on the Today column. I mean, it's nice to see Dawkins get some of that national recognition that he hasn't gotten in a while (it seems like). But also, you could make an argument for him to be on the Super Bowl era column. He didn't even get one vote from the "judges" to be in that column. B-Dawk is widely believed to be a first-ballot hall-of-famer so you would think that he should get more votes than Rodney Harrison and Darren Woodson and non-hall-of-famer Donnie Shell. (a lot of hypens in that sentence).

About him: A stalwart of the Eagles defense, Dawkins has won more games (96) than any player in franchise history. With 33 interceptions and 26 forced fumbles, Dawkins has produced the second-most "disruptive plays" in the NFL during his career. Only Sharper's 62 outrank him. A six-time Pro Bowler and a four-time first-team all pro, Dawkins is known for landing heavy hits. He is one of just four NFL players to record at least 33 interceptions and 18 sacks in their career (with Leroy Butler, Rodney Harrison and Barber).

Notable stats: Dawkins became the first player in NFL history to record a sack, an interception, a fumble recovery and a TD reception in one game vs. Houston on Sept. 29, 2002, when he caught a TD during a fake punt.

Poll

Should Brian Dawkins be in the "Today" column or in the "Super Bowl era" column?

"Today"

47 votes

"Super Bowl era"

257 votes

304 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

polamalu # 3 safety i the nfl?

bwahahahhahaha…. heis like # 19…troy is AWFUL even a steeler fan will tell you that. that list is a joke.

by Joe_D on Jul 13, 2008 2:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

#43

When he’s healthy, he really is a very good safety (look at his stat lines for 2004 and 2005), but he hasn’t been healthy for 2 years. Him getting into the Pro-Bowl those 2 years was a joke, but it also speaks to how hard it is to evaluate the play of safeties. If they’re doing their job, you don’t notice them unless their hair is flying around.

It’s interesting that most of the “now” vote-getters are either strong safeties without elite cover skills (Polamalu, Sanders, Wilson, Williams [it’s a joke he even got a vote]) or older vets (Dawkins, Sharper, Harrison). There’s a shortage of younger safeties who can make themselves known for coverage skills like Dawkins and Reed. I guess Rhodes and Hamlin fit that mold, but they don’t seem quite as spectacular.

by BadMaafala on Jul 14, 2008 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs