Pete Prisco's Over and Underrated Players
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports puts in his take of the most overrated and underrated player on each team in the league. His arguments/explanations are weak, but it's an interesting discussion. Here's what he had to say about our Eagles and the rest of the NFC East.
Philadelphia Eagles
Overrated: RB Brian Westbrook. He's a good player but some think he's great. He doesn't stay on the field, and for a guy who didn't rush for 1,000 yards last season, you'd think he was Adrian Peterson the way some talk about him.
Underrated: S Quintin Mikell. He was the Eagles' best safety last season, not Brian Dawkins. He's a good tackler who has improved in pass coverage.
Rushing yards only tell part of the story when talking about a back like Westbrook. He is more a weapon than he is a true RB. Obviously, you can't be an elite back if you can't stay healthy, but I think it's hard to hate on him for his injury concern. I'm not sure how he is common rated, but I think most people would mention an 'if healthily when discussing Westbrook. I guess not the people Prisco talks to. In fairness he had to pick someone and our only high touted players are him, McNabb and Asante Samuel. I probably would have went Asante. He's a play maker for sure, but not a top of the line shutdown guy.
Glad to see Q get some love. In his first year as a full time starter, he put up Polamalu like numbers at the SS position, yet he was just the other safety, to casual football fans. Bradley was another option here, or Trent Cole.
As it vaguely pertains the Eagles:
Overrated: FS Brian Dawkins. He isn't what he was a few years ago. He's not as good in coverage at age 35.
For our divisional rivals.
Dallas Cowboys
Overrated: WR Roy Williams. Has he ever lived up to the hype? He had better now or Dallas will be in trouble at receiver.
Underrated: NT Jay Ratliff. How he didn't make the Pro Bowl last season is a mystery. He was dominant.
No complaints here. Roy gets talked up as a 'true number 1 WR' but only has had one season over 850 yards.
Good 3-4 lineman commonly get overlooked. They do the hard work like clog running lanes and eating up blockers while edge rushers can get sack or even just tackles that actually show up in the box score.
New York Giants
Overrated: MLB Antonio Pierce. His bark is bigger than his bite. He is a good player but not nearly as good as some would believe.
Underrated: LT David Diehl. He isn't an elite player, but after moving from guard, he has done a nice job at left tackle.
Once I again I'm in agreement. I think Pierce is on the decline and manages to get himself mentioned with some of the elite at the position.
The O-Line as whole gets some well deserved credit, but how about some love for the guys on it. Diehl has stepped up and has done a great job at LT. If not Diehl I would have said Corey Webster. He was one of the better CBs in the league last season, and I rarely see him get any respect for it.
Washington Redskins
Overrated: CB DeAngelo Hall. He played well for the Redskins when he was picked up last season, but he isn't as good as he thinks -- or others think.
Underrated: CB Carlos Rogers. He looked like a Pro Bowl corner at times last season but has some inconsistency. If he can work through that, he should be a better player than Hall.
I think we've recently had this discussion on here. DeAngelo is more physical tools and hype than he is a good corner. If he can ever put it together, he might have something, but until then, he belongs on here.
Rodgers was statistically one of the better corners last season, but got little recognition.
As an additional note I'm slightly disappointed Matt Ryan wasn't the Falcon's overrated player as he's not the 2nd coming and/or a top tier QB (at least not currently). Oh well.
Your thoughts?
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15 comments
Comments
Carlos Rogers
I don’t think I’d call him underrated… IMO everybody always rates him to be exactly what he is, a decent #2 corner who does an adequate job. While he has shown playmaking ability at times, his inconsistency is the reason why he is not underrated.
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by IronHank on Jul 4, 2009 10:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i think these are fair assessments...
however, i don’t appreciate the dawkins bash-fest. how many 35 year-old safeties are there in the league? and yet dawkins had 75 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, 3 sacks, and an int last year. maybe dawkins doesn’t have the same speed as a 25 year-old, but you can’t undervalue a veteran like dawk.
i already know the arguments against me…
he’s not as good as he was a few years ago.
he’s going to be 36 next season.
the broncos overpaid for him.
but if dawkins was still 28, people wouldn’t be having this discussion. they just look at his age and predict a imminent collapse. dawkins had an amazing year for a 35 year-old. give credit where credit is due.
by awd777 on Jul 4, 2009 10:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I love Dawk to death but...
The only reason why he made the Pro Bowl was because of his name and Jim Johnson putting him in the box. If Johnson never did that then we could of possibly seen the Eagles safety that deserved to go to the Pro Bowl and that was Mikell.
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by The Legend on Jul 4, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
but if dawkins was still 28, people wouldn’t be having this discussion
That’s the main problem. People do decline with age, and lot of people are failing to recognize this, and his continuously diminishing cover skills.
For a career his greatness is fair, but going into this season, with lots of people pretending he’s still that 28 year old, makes him overrated.
by FredEx on Jul 4, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The big problem I have with Prisco’s assessment of Westbrook was the quote, “You’d think he was AP the way people talk about him.” Is he forgetting Westbrook’s 2,000 yard season in 2007, and the mere fact that just about every single defensive coordinator in the league that faces Philly notes that he’s the hardest offensive player in the game to prepare for?
If you want to knock him for his durability issues, no problem. But to question his talent is just beyond stupid.
by Bye, Dawk :( on Jul 4, 2009 10:22 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I agree whole-heartedly
with you, Bye Dawk. Does Pete Crisco remember who helped break open the two Eagles playoff wins last year? Yes, football is a team sport, but Westbrook had two stellar runs, one against Minnesota and one against New York, that were huge in the victories. Not to mention, those runs came at crucial times in those games.
Is he injury prone? Yes. But that doesn’t mean the guy is over-rated. Like you said, every DC in the league talks about knowing where Westbrook is at all times when he is on the field. You don’t give that much respect to an over-rated player.
by J800 on Jul 4, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't forget Westbrook's blocking ability
You really notice it when you are at the games. The guy does a great job of picking up rushers. With all of Westbrook’s versatility and ability, Prisco is way off base calling him over-rated.
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by Baron Dainer Von Tresvant on Jul 5, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i think it’s because noone else even comes close to having that title “overrated” i wouldn’t really agree with calling westbrook overrated but who else even comes close?
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by Remis on Jul 5, 2009 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I had that thought as well. Our highly rated players are McNabb, Westbrook and Samuel. I think it has to be one of those 3. Who gets the most talked up about those guys?
It’s very possibly Westbrook, especially if people are talking of him in terms of a being ‘pure runner’.
by FredEx on Jul 5, 2009 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
DeAngelo Hall SUCKS
I look forward to watching any of our WRs burning him
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
by Joe_D on Jul 4, 2009 10:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
As an additional note I’m slightly disappointed Matt Ryan wasn’t the Falcon’s overrated player as he’s not the 2nd coming and/or a top tier QB (at least not currently). Oh well.
I don’t get why you dislike Ryan so much. His 16 TD were most by a rookie QB since Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 (17) and Peyton Manning in 1998 (23). He also had a YPA of 7.9 (right behind Drew Brees for second in the league), had a completion percentage of 61.1 and had a passer rating of 87.7. And now he is going to have another year under his belt. What’s to dislike?
Speaking of hate, what’s with Pete and hating guys? John Abraham is overrated? He had 16.5 sacks last year. Jared Allen had 14.5. Bolden overrated? Dude racks up 89 catches and 11 TDs while missing four games. How is Jake Delhomme overrated when everyone hates on him after the Cardinals playoff game? Everyone knows Jevon Walker is over the hill.
I wonder if he was just naming players off the top of his head…
Moo.
by Imp on Jul 4, 2009 3:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Delhomme is overrated
You guys dont know Delhomme is to carolina like Mcnabb is to philly. Ppl down here hate delhomme bc he plays good all season but in a big game he chokes BIG TIME. The cards game was the worst you gotta remember the seattle nfc championship game and a win and in game against new orleans. He is a good game manager but not a great qb
by birdsflyinhigh2590 on Jul 4, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t dislike him personally. What’s to dislike? A lot of the media wants to make him out to be so much better than he is. He did everything he was asked, and has a great upside, but he’s not there. He’s not an elite game changing QB. I just despise the hype. He did nothing wrong, but I can only handle so much slurping by the media.
by FredEx on Jul 4, 2009 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It’s kind of the opposite end of the spectrum with Brett Favre ( who I legit hate for his retirement nonsense). Sure the guy was good, but he’s not anymore, calm down. He doesn’t mean the Viks are going be Superbowl favorites.
Matt Ryan is the opposite end for me. Sure he has the make up and tools to be great. But he’s not there. And maybe it’s just me, but I hear people put him in that top tier discussion.
If it wasn’t for sports media, which I try to expose myself to less and less of, I wouldn’t dislike the guy at all.
by FredEx on Jul 4, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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