Top 10 AFC North players?

**wickedsolo** · 06-10-2012, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by purplepoe

Finally a list with Joe Thomas where he belongs.

No way he should be less than 2 or 3 on anyone's list.

PP

Originally Posted by jonboy79

I know, right?
Best LT in football... probably the 2nd most important position in football... certainly on offense.
I just happen to find Ngata to be the best Dlinemen in all of football. Last year's Quad injury may cloud that decision to some, but I know how good he really is.

Joe Thomas is very very good, but he had a rough year last year regarding pass protection. He wasn't nearly as dominant as he was in previous years. Might be new offense...who knows.

Right now though, I'd vehemently argue that Andrew Whitworth is the best LT in the AFC North and possibly the entire AFC.

**wickedsolo** · 06-10-2012, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

I have to disagree with you here, if you are ranking based on 2011, then Suggs is clearly the better player.

I think Suggs is the better overall player, but I think Woodley is the better pass rusher.

Like I said, it's kind of 50/50 with me. One day I feel like Suggs would be above him and then the next I think that what Woodley did in 10 games was pretty outstanding.

**jonboy79** · 06-10-2012, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Joe Thomas is very very good, but he had a rough year last year regarding pass protection. He wasn't nearly as dominant as he was in previous years. Might be new offense...who knows.

Right now though, I'd vehemently argue that Andrew Whitworth is the best LT in the AFC North and possibly the entire AFC.

Well the LT's in the NFC are pretty damn crappy. Yes even Jason Peters.

That said, you are a prisoner of the moment. Joe Thomas has beent he the best LT in football since the day he stepped on the field. While Andrew Whitworth had a good year, he wasn't particulalry special prior. Let's see him repeat it, and I'm fairly certain Joe Thomas will not be repeating his year, and will return to top form.

**wickedsolo** · 06-10-2012, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by jonboy79

Well the LT's in the NFC are pretty damn crappy. Yes even Jason Peters.

That said, you are a prisoner of the moment. Joe Thomas has beent he the best LT in football since the day he stepped on the field. While Andrew Whitworth had a good year, he wasn't particulalry special prior. Let's see him repeat it, and I'm fairly certain Joe Thomas will not be repeating his year, and will return to top form.

Don't get me wrong, I'd still put Joe Thomas as a top 5 LT in the league. I happen to think that Ryan Clady is one of the better LT's in the league and he had a down year as well. Thomas struggled last year and you could probably attribute some of it to Pat Shurmur and a lot of it to Colt McCoy, but on the year (which is how I was looking at it) I think Whitworth was the best LT. Honestly, as I think about it there is a good argument for him being the best OL'man in the AFC North last year.

**jonboy79** · 06-10-2012, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Don't get me wrong, I'd still put Joe Thomas as a top 5 LT in the league. I happen to think that Ryan Clady is one of the better LT's in the league and he had a down year as well. Thomas struggled last year and you could probably attribute some of it to Pat Shurmur and a lot of it to Colt McCoy, but on the year (which is how I was looking at it) I think Whitworth was the best LT. Honestly, as I think about it there is a good argument for him being the best OL'man in the AFC North last year.

We aren't disagreeing that much, simly more to do with how much you value last year compared to a career. Last year, I agree that Whitworth was great, but prior??? not so much. He has been steadily improving, but one year does not a career make.
I too like Clady and Long, and consider both of them to have superior careers to Whitworth.
I also think Colt McCoy and the Andy Reid deciple played a big part in Joe Thomas' only year that was average. He was superb, and IMO, EASILy the best in football prior to that.

**RavensNTerps** · 06-10-2012, 02:00 PM

Thomas is overrated and really regressed last year, but he's still the best LT in the division.

Scratching my head at how anyone can possibly think Roethlisberger isn't far and away the best QB in the division with absolutely no close 2nd.

Ray Lewis does not belong in the top 10 players in the division as of today. Terrell Suggs absolutely does.

**leachisabeast** · 06-10-2012, 02:33 PM

But jonboy I love the call on Haloti Ngata, even though he has already broken out as the best DT in football, next year I think he is going to have one of those "make your self a future HOFer" type season.

**jonboy79** · 06-10-2012, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by RavensNTerps

Thomas is overrated and really regressed last year, but he's still the best LT in the division.

Scratching my head at how anyone can possibly think Roethlisberger isn't far and away the best QB in the division with absolutely no close 2nd.

Ray Lewis does not belong in the top 10 players in the division as of today. Terrell Suggs absolutely does.

Point of information, the players int he whole league voted him as top 30 in the entire league, So I'd say there is nothing wrong with him being top 10 in our division, one of 6 inthe NFL. for that matter AJ Green Joe thomas and Lamar Woodley are the only ones out of my top 10 NOT in the top 30 on NFL Networks list.

**duffybr** · 06-10-2012, 04:14 PM

He would be #1 in the top over-hyped players. He will meet Dez Bryant in the I'm a hall of famer but my coach thinks i'm a third stringer club. He and Dalton will fade this year and subsequent years

**JimZipCode** · 06-10-2012, 07:02 PM

This leads to an interesting question. If you put together an "all star" team of the best players at each position in the AFC North – and put that team up against the all-star teams of the other divisions in an 8-team playoff – who would win? Which division has the best players?

I'm really struck by how awesome a football team you could put together, with Joe Thomas and Whitworth at the tackles, and Ray Rice, with Big Ben under center throwing to AJ Green and whomever you like better from Antonio Brown / Mike Wallace et al. A defense with Haloti Ngata & Terrell Suggs & James Harrison & Woodley & Polamalu & Ed Reed & the best of the Ravens/Bengals corners on it.

But that's a stupid thing to say, right? All of the 8 teams would be awesome.

Maybe the AFC North all-star team would have the best defense, and the best offense would be – the NFC North? With Aaron Rodgers throwing to Calvin Johnson?