mrags Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 I think there have been more than a few WRs that have been more talented, or physically intimidating than Jerry Rice, but here's the thing: none of them match Rice in terms of work ethic, desire, and mental focus/attitude. That is what sets him apart from the rest of the supremely talented WRs in NFL history. I think TO's work ethic and desire are at the top of that list as well. His mental focus/attitude are under constant watch. At the end of the day, its possible that TO, and Moss's statistics both surpass Rice. And they most likely wont need 20 years to do it either. I know statistics dont mean everything. But if that is how were finding greatness, its the best guide. Last I checked the HOF isnt based on the attitude and off the field production of players.
Big Daddy JC Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 You mean the Jerry Rice who was no longer on the 49ers after the 2000 season? He IMO doesn't come close to Rice in terms of overall production, but let's not toss out lame excuses. Ask Trent Edwards how big Jim Kelly's shadow is, and he hasn't played in quite a while. It's hard to replace a legend. As any one of the long line of Alabama coaches can tell you; the longer Bear Bryant has been gone, the better he was.
VOR Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 I think TO's work ethic and desire are at the top of that list as well. His mental focus/attitude are under constant watch. At the end of the day, its possible that TO, and Moss's statistics both surpass Rice. And they most likely wont need 20 years to do it either. I know statistics dont mean everything. But if that is how were finding greatness, its the best guide. Last I checked the HOF isnt based on the attitude and off the field production of players. No one will match Rice's stats. He averaged over 77 catches, 1,100 yards and 10 TD's a year.
zazie Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 Hear me out before you call me crazy. Jerry Rice had 2 HOF QB's throwing to him for the most part of his career in Montana and Young. I dont think that any QB that has ever thrown to TO will make the HOF. And yes I know that in San Fran TO had Steve Yound but that was only for a few seasons. Obviously Rice is a class act and was a saint compared to Owens but I think that if you consider who Owens had throwing to him, he should be given more credit than he has gotten. And let the ripping begin! That you, Skooby?
H2o Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 Jerry Rice is the greatest WR to ever put on an NFL uniform, IMO. It didn't matter who was throwing him the ball, he would get open and if it touched his hands it was going to be a reception. To even try to compare TO to Rice is crazy. Rice also put up excellent #'s catching balls from Rich Gannon remember? His yardage, reception, and TD totals will never be broken. Never. He is quite possibly the greatest football player of all time, not just the greatest WR.
C.Biscuit97 Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 Jerry Rice is the greatest WR to ever put on an NFL uniform, IMO. It didn't matter who was throwing him the ball, he would get open and if it touched his hands it was going to be a reception. To even try to compare TO to Rice is crazy. Rice also put up excellent #'s catching balls from Rich Gannon remember? His yardage, reception, and TD totals will never be broken. Never. He is quite possibly the greatest football player of all time, not just the greatest WR. He maybe the greatest football player ever. TO is very good but Rice is by far and awy te greatest receiver ever.
billsfreak Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 Pass around what you have been smoking please! Everywhere T.O. has been he has been playing with a Pro Bowl QB (Steve Young, Jeff Garcia, D. McNabb, Romo). He isn't anywhere Rice's level, not even close. Rice was a big reason why Young and Montana are Hall of Famers, and an even bigger reason why the Trophy Case in San Francisco is full of Lombardi Trophies.
Tcali Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 Hear me out before you call me crazy. Jerry Rice had 2 HOF QB's throwing to him for the most part of his career in Montana and Young. I dont think that any QB that has ever thrown to TO will make the HOF. And yes I know that in San Fran TO had Steve Yound but that was only for a few seasons. Obviously Rice is a class act and was a saint compared to Owens but I think that if you consider who Owens had throwing to him, he should be given more credit than he has gotten. And let the ripping begin! Terrell is a top 15 of all time receiver. That being said.......dont be silly.
Big Daddy JC Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 Terrell is a top 15 of all time receiver. That being said.......dont be silly. I thought the FBI only did a top 10 list.
billsfan89 Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 Well when TO had McNabb in Philly he had a guy who was playing at a HOF level. Remember when McNabb had Todd Stinkston and Fred Ex ( as well as no tight end and Duce Staley running the ball ) to throw to he willed an offense to the NFC title game three years in a row. Than McNabb got TO and Westbrook to throw to and he got them to a Super Bowl that they lost by just three points ( to a team that was most likely cheating ). Than the year after TO could have been beloved in the city of Philly but he decided to blow up the team because he went after more money in the wrong way. McNabb got injured the next few seasons untill this year when he got better wide recivers ( no one great but a bunch of #2 wide outs are better than a bunch of scrubs ) and Westbrook to run and catch he got the Eagles back to the title game but fell three points short. So TO had a three to four year window to win a Super Bowl and he closed it after just one season. So the fact that he had worse QB's than Jerry Rice is partly TO's fault. Also Rice had good seasons on Oakland when he was older and had Rich Gannon to throw him the ball ( he even got them to a Super Bowl ) so Rice would have been one of the greatest wide receivers of all time in almost any situation. TO great but not in the conversation with Rice as the greatest.
Nightcrawler Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 I think there have been more than a few WRs that have been more talented, or physically intimidating than Jerry Rice, but here's the thing: none of them match Rice in terms of work ethic, desire, and mental focus/attitude. That is what sets him apart from the rest of the supremely talented WRs in NFL history. Amen! Couldn't say it better than myself. If you broke down attribute by attribute of what makes a good football player...Jerry Rice is the greatest receiver of all-time without a question. Fastest? No. Strongest? No. Best leaping ability? No. Best Blocker? No. Tallest or most athletically-gifted? No. But, Jerry Rice out-worked, out-classed, out-studied, out-thought and always played outSTANDING when it mattered most--the Playoffs and in Super Bowls. This coupled with his consistency, natural skills, and professionalism puts Jerry Rice way out of Owens league now and always. Best Receivers of All-Time #1. Jerry Rice #2 (no one is deserving of the second spot) #3 This is where a discussion can begin with people such as Irvin, Moss, Fitzgerald, Largent, Monk, Reed, Owens, Carter, etc. etc.)
Tcali Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 Amen! Couldn't say it better than myself. If you broke down attribute by attribute of what makes a good football player...Jerry Rice is the greatest receiver of all-time without a question. Fastest? No. Strongest? No. Best leaping ability? No. Best Blocker? No. Tallest or most athletically-gifted? No. But, Jerry Rice out-worked, out-classed, out-studied, out-thought and always played outSTANDING when it mattered most--the Playoffs and in Super Bowls. This coupled with his consistency, natural skills, and professionalism puts Jerry Rice way out of Owens league now and always. Best Receivers of All-Time #1. Jerry Rice #2 (no one is deserving of the second spot) #3 This is where a discussion can begin with people such as Irvin, Moss, Fitzgerald, Largent, Monk, Reed, Owens, Carter, etc. etc.) alworth,bruce,taylor(john and otis),paul warfield,lynn swann,flipper anderson,elbert deubenion,steve smith....
offde-fence Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 IMO they're both similar in that they keep in very good shape, despite age, and are extremely focused on football. Their work ethic is similar. Their styles are different, though. I think if you put T.O. in those offenses for those years, he'd put up similar numbers. Maybe more, maybe less. I think we're lucky to have him as is. It's one of those you'll never know questions - like the greatest boxer or baseball player. The one thing I like about those questions is that it puts into context the very thing that makes football, and sports, great. If you were to just add up measurables - speed, jump, strength, etc. - like at the combine, you'll find that the greatest measured players don't match the greatest performing players. There is an intangible or two that makes someone, or a team, for that matter, great. I'll call that thing that which enables a lesser team or player to beat a greater team or player, where measurables are concerned. Let's hope the Bills have a lot of "it" this year!
mrags Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 No one will match Rice's stats. He averaged over 77 catches, 1,100 yards and 10 TD's a year. Im not going to do that math. But if TO plays for about 4 more years and has his season averages that he has had, he will pass quite a few of rices records. Moss is the same. And they both would be played less seasons as rice. Look up their stats and prove it. You cannot.
Max997 Posted May 28, 2009 Posted May 28, 2009 Hear me out before you call me crazy. Jerry Rice had 2 HOF QB's throwing to him for the most part of his career in Montana and Young. I dont think that any QB that has ever thrown to TO will make the HOF. And yes I know that in San Fran TO had Steve Yound but that was only for a few seasons. Obviously Rice is a class act and was a saint compared to Owens but I think that if you consider who Owens had throwing to him, he should be given more credit than he has gotten. you must not have watched Rice play during the late 80's and early 90's you state that TO didnt have a HOF QB throwing to him then just dismiss the fact that he had Steve Young throwing to him while they were in San Fran together....one could also argue that McNabb is a potential HOF QB TO has been a great receiver in the NFL but he isnt Jerry Rice and to debate otherwise is just stupid
VOR Posted May 28, 2009 Posted May 28, 2009 Im not going to do that math. But if TO plays for about 4 more years and has his season averages that he has had, he will pass quite a few of rices records. Moss is the same. And they both would be played less seasons as rice. Look up their stats and prove it. You cannot. Obviously you haven't looked-up their stats. To approach Rice's numbers, both WR's need to have over 80 receptions, 1,000 yards, and 7 TD's EACH YEAR for the next 7 (TO) or 9 (Moss) years!
Big Turk Posted May 28, 2009 Posted May 28, 2009 I think there have been more than a few WRs that have been more talented, or physically intimidating than Jerry Rice, but here's the thing: none of them match Rice in terms of work ethic, desire, and mental focus/attitude. That is what sets him apart from the rest of the supremely talented WRs in NFL history. I always remember everyone talking about how Jerry Rice wasn't that fast, but noone ever seemed to catch him in the open field...
Big Turk Posted May 28, 2009 Posted May 28, 2009 Well, interestingly enough, on a per game basis Rice and Owens are almost an exact match. Here are their stat breakdowns: Rice 5 catches, 75.6 yards and .67 TD per game Owens 5 catches, 74.7 yards and .74 TD per game Here are some others: Marvin Harrison on a per game basis has stats that are actually better than Rice's--- 5.8 catches, 76.7 yards and .67 TDs Moss: 4.9 catches, 77.7 yards, and .79 TDs per game Torry Holt: 5.5 catches, 80 yards, and .47 TD per game very interesting how they are all extremely close to each other when you compare them on a per game basis. The thing that makes Rice so great is that he was able to maintain that production over 22 years, whereas most of the others are lucky to play 14 years...
kota Posted May 28, 2009 Posted May 28, 2009 TO is good great even but Rice is just flat out better. Lets just say you lost your memory but you had knowledge of football. Someone put you, Rice and TO in the same room and then asked you a question about the other two. The question being "Who is a HOF WR?" Chances are you would probably pick TO based upon Physical Attributes. Rice wasn't the fastest or biggest WR in the league but he managed to always get open. You could put the fastest DB in the league on him and Rice would make him look like a child. I dont' think anyone really knows how he did it but he did. That is why Rice is better than TO. TO will probably end up in the HOF as well but it isn't guaranteed like it will be for Jerry Rice.
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