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ATLBound · (This post was last modified: 10-15-2012 06:58 PM by Radical.)

Out for the season...

I like Ray so its a shame, but is he the greatest LB ever?

AUTiger7222 · 10-15-2012, 06:51 PM

I don't know if he's the greatest linebacker ever but it sucks he got hurt. One of my favorite players to watch play.

juraitwaluzka · 10-15-2012, 07:09 PM

To me the greatest linebacker ever is Tommy Nobis. Dick Butkus agrees according to what Steve Bartkowski said.

**papachaz** · 10-15-2012, 07:11 PM

so they did lose ray ray for the season. wow, him and webb. ngata hurt his knee and is questionable for next week, suggs just getting back from PUP list and not quite ready. gonna suck for their D for a while.....

goody goody

hitwriter · 10-15-2012, 07:52 PM

Everyone keeps saying for the season... 17 years is more like career retirement.

Hall of Famer for sure.

Yes on Nobis!

Drathdon · 10-15-2012, 10:45 PM

End of an era for sure. The man did wonders for selling viewers on Defense as an exciting part of football in an offensive age.

Was fun to watch. He will be missed.

**papachaz** · 10-16-2012, 12:45 PM

(10-15-2012 07:52 PM)hitwriter Wrote: Everyone keeps saying for the season... 17 years is more like career retirement.

Hall of Famer for sure.

Yes on Nobis!

agree with this (both statements)

seems I'd heard mentioned somewere earlier this season that he'd been saying this was probably his last year, he want's to spend time with his family and esp he wants to get to watch his son play college ball

pauliwood · 10-16-2012, 12:53 PM

I wish Ray Ray the best, he was one of my favorite non Falcons in the game. an icon for sure.

Jesus · 10-16-2012, 01:21 PM

I know its pure homerism but it is interesting to compare the career stats of Jesse Tuggle and Ray Lewis

Tuggle was never dominate in the way that Lewis could be (he won that SB all by himself) but he has pretty impressive numbers considering he played on some real lousy defenses. Lewis was great but he was also surrounded by some real great talent and coaches over the years. Tuggle had Jerry Glanville.

They played a different style Tuggle was expected to fill the gap and play the run. I doubt he would have done real well in coverage so he doesn't have all the INTs and he never rushed much so he has like half the sacks but he played 3 years less and just 200 fewer tackles.

The Falcons were never one to build a team around players until now. So much talent wasted. At one point we had Tuggle, Case & Sanders. Get a real pass rusher and we could have built an early 90's Ravens style D.

Career
Tuggle - 14 years 209 games 1804 tackles 21 sacks 6 ints 10 fumble rec 6 td
Lewis - 17 years 228 games 2073 tackles 41.5 sacks 31 ints 20 fumble rec 3 td

Tuggle was undrafted which is amazing. Lewis was a first round pick. Think of what the Falcons could have done with Tuggle in his final years and there was his replacement but wait we didn't have a 1st or 2nd round pick in 96. We had traded them away and the 3rd pick we spent on a player who never played in the NFL.

Sure glad times have changed