2005 season review: linebackers

[backrow]

Linebackers:

Brian Urlacher, Bears: 121 tackles, 6 sacks, 5 passes defended
comments: heart and soul of bears great defense in 2005...

Zach Thomas, Dolphins: 158 tackles</font>, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 4 FF</font>

Dan Morgan, Panthers: 75 tackles, 3 sacks</font>, 1 FF, 1 FR
comment: if he ever stays healthy, watch out NFL

Derek M. Smith, 49ers: 116 tackles, 1 INT</font>

Mike Vrabel, Patriots: 108 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 INT</font>, 1 FF

Tedy Bruschi, Patriots: 62 tackles and 2 sacks with a FF in 9 games
comments: this guy came back after suffering a stroke; and with him playoff hope came back to New England

Keith Brooking, Falcons: 115 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 4 INT for 50 yards, 6 passed defended</font>

Ben Taylor, Browns: 113 tackles</font>

Lofa Tatupu</font>, Seahawks: 104 tackles, 4 sacks and 3 INT including 55 yards and a TD
comment: great young MLB, very athletic and smart

Colby Bockwoldt, Saints: 89 tackles, 3 passes defended in 16 starts as a OLB</font>

Nick Greisen, Giants: 85 tackles</font>, 1 sack, 3 FF, 3 FR in 12 starts</font>

Hunter Hillenmeyer, Bears: 63 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT in 12 starts</font>
comments: another important component of that Bears D, he missed 3 games with an injury

Peter Sirmon, Titans: 69 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 FR returned for 41 yards</font>

Brad Kassell, Titans: 77 tackles, 1 INT for 21 yards and a TD, 3 passes defended, 1 FF, 3 FR</font>

Scott Fujita, Cowboys: 53 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 FF</font>

Brandon Chillar, Rams: 52 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR, blocked punt returned for a TD</font>

David Pollack</font>, Bengals: 28 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 1 FR

Jason Babin, Texans: 35 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 FF

Matt Wilhelm, Chargers: 30 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT returned for 10 yards, 1 FF</font>

Brady Poppinga</font>, Packers: 28 tackles, 2 sacks


Looking to get better in 2006: Rocky Boiman, Titans; Monty Beisel, Patriots; Jeff Ulbrich, 49ers; Scott Shanle, Cowboys; Matt Stewart, Browns;


Young and fearless: those are the players that should be playing a lot more come 2006, young class of linebackers that have been studying the game and playing mostly special teams until now:

Barrett Rudd</font>, Buccaneers (will probably take over for aging Quarles next season),
Jordan Beck</font>, Falcons: he got injured in 4th preseason game, he led Falcons in tackles in other 3... once he is back he should be pushing for a starting spot;
Dan Cody</font>, OLB/DE Ravens rookie spend his first NFL season on IR, he should make impact next season...
Teddy Lehman, Lions had his season cut short because of the injurym he should be back and starting for Lions once he's healthy;
Caleb Miller</font>, Bengals: in December when he got some playing time he showed he can play, hopefully will see more field in 2006
Sean Tufts</font>, Vinnie Ciurciu Panthers: hard hitters on the special teams, seem to have what it takes to play more than on kickoffs
Cody Spencer and Rob Reynolds, Titans; another two good young linebackers that TN seems to have a surplus of... one of them might get increased playing time (on a side note another talented LB who left TN and went to Colts saw no field this season)
Chase Blackburn</font>, Giants: rookie who flashed brilliance returning an interception for a TD and recording 31 tackles for NY
Jeremy Cain</font>, Bears: can be another good player for Bears if he continues to develop and learn from Urlacher
Ryan Fowler</font>, Cowboys: had 9 tackles in last regular season game...

*RED</font> denotes a rookie player
*BLUE</font> denotes a career highEdited by: backrow

 

[backrow]

and that's my last positional review

took me a while but it's fun doing that, for the most part... for obvious reason i am not going to do QBs, O-Lineman and K/P

 

[JoeV]

You neglected to mention Vrabel's offensive prowess

 

[backrow]

true Vrabel is probably their deadliest red zone weapon

 

[whiteCB]

Brian Urlacher wins Denfensive MVP this year. 120 tackles 6 sacks and the leader of the best D in the NFL.

 

[Bear-Arms]

Howcome team stats are different than official NFL stats?

 

[backrow]

Howcome team stats are different than official NFL stats?

because tackle stats are unofficial, teams keep track of them as well, which often results in misaccord...

 

[hollywoodnorth]

By the way Backrow, Lofa Tatupu is HawaiianEdited by: hollywoodnorth1

 

[hollywoodnorth]

Urlacher (the best)!!Edited by: hollywoodnorth1

 

[backrow]

By the way Backrow, Lofa Tatupu is fully Hawaiian, he shouldn't be on the list.

yes he should because i support every race but the one that NFL seems is the chosen one to play football... hence White, Polynesian, Asian, Hispanic etc guys are eligible to be on my list...

 

[hollywoodnorth]

?In that case, what about Junior SeauEdited by: hollywoodnorth1

 

[backrow]

Junior is on decline, Pisa didn't have a great season, neither had Dat or Justin Ena... Wong is mixed, and we all know that those guys don't have it any harder than black guys...

plus of course my emphasis is on white player and never once have i claimed that this is complete list!

 

[hollywoodnorth]

I didn't say your list is complete. Edited by: hollywoodnorth1

 

[backrow]

I didn't say your list is complete. I'm just saying I won't normally root for a guy taking one of the few LB jobs from whites, whether he's black/yellow/hawaiian/ mexican/green/blue/red,etc...

that's your opinion and that's still my list... so thanks for chipping in...
like i said caste system not only discriminates against whites...

 

[hollywoodnorth]

I never said it didn't; in fact, I bet most coaches roll their eyes at even the best Asian athletes. I was surprised when Tim Chung, a record-setting Hawaii U quarterback was given an undrafted FA tryout in Arizona. Of course, he was promptly cut and will never be heard of again. However, Hawaiians are well-represented & live up a stereotype of being big and strong. Edited by: hollywoodnorth1

 

[jaxvid]

You guys have both done an excellent job!!

Required reading on the site as far as I am concerned.

On the issue of non-white, non-black athletes, I personally don't mind a mention of them here and there but have absolutely no interest in them.

This is a site for celebrating white athletes and that is why I'm here and others visit. BTW it pisses me off that there are ANY asian players as they are generally the worst athletes in the world and even they get more of a pass from the caste system.

 

[backrow]

yeah you speak some truth hollywoodnorth1, they probably get more of a pass than us, whites...
plus i see that you're very knowledgeable and your arguments are well weighted and well informed...

like i said, i follow a lot of non-black athletes, and Lofa might be the only one i put on any of my season reviews lists (the only one that would deserver a mention is Polamalu, but people see him as black, so i skip him altogether)

 

[hollywoodnorth]

People see Polamalu as black? Well now I have heard everything. just because he actually runs really well and has so much athleticism. What's next? An article detailing John Riggins' "secret" black grandfather? Larry Csonka the "Black Bulgarian"?Edited by: hollywoodnorth1

 

[Don Wassall]

I think it'sjust ignorance on most people's part. They assume non-white football players are black, and Polamalu resembles some of the light-skinned blacks in the league. Or, they assume Polynesians are Negroes of some sort. A lot of white people don't know the first thing about racial differences.


BTW one of the rumors in the '20s and '30s was that Babe Ruth had a black grandfather, but that was based mostly on his working class background and roughly-hewn appearance.

 

[hollywoodnorth]

Yea, I read how Negro Leaguers used to cheer for him as one of their own. Although I agree the average white American can't tell apart a Sri Lankan from a Black person or a Polynesian from a Black person ,which is pretty pathetic, people still would assume he has some black in him due to his speed. So it isn't just ignorance, it's also stereotype. I say this because I have heard some people asking this very thing: he must have some black in him because he runs so fast.


(I kid you not)Edited by: hollywoodnorth1

 

[backrow]

Yea, I read how Negro Leaguers used to cheer for him as one of their own. Although I agree the average white American can't tell apart a Sri Lankan from a Black person or a Polynesian from a Black person ,which is pretty pathetic, people still would assume he has some black in him due to his speed. So it isn't just ignorance, it's also stereotype. I say this because I have heard some people asking this very thing: he must have some black in him because he runs so fast.


(I kid you not)

i totally agree... it's incredible how ignorant people are when it comes to race and caste system in sports (most of all football)

 

[Guest]

Looks to be a good year for white LB's in the draft. Hawk, Shclegel, Carpenter, Greenway, Havner could all be first day guys. Will Derting is also a good prospect but injuries have really decimated his chances of being drafted on the first day if at all.