Ray Lewis Retiring: “This will be my last ride”

[HOU-TEX]

One of the best to ever play the position, imo.

One of the greatest players in NFL history is preparing to hang it up after the playoffs.

Ray Lewis, the Ravens linebacker and future Pro Football Hall of Famer, said today that he plans to retire following this season. The Ravens open the playoffs on Sunday against the Colts, in what will likely be Lewis’s last game in Baltimore.

“This will be my last ride,” Lewis said.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-my-last-ride/

[Mr teX]

GOAT mlb...

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by Mr teX

GOAT mlb...

Not to take anything away from Ray, as I've got tremendous respect for him.

But, he's no. 2 right behind Mike Singletary in my book.

[handswarmer]

No, he's the BEST EVER.

I'll get to see him one more time......

[gtexan02]

Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar disagree. He should never have had this many seasons. He should've been in jail.

[amazing80]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

Not to take anything away from Ray, as I've got tremendous respect for him.

But, he's no. 2 right behind Mike Singletary in my book.

lol MS is so over rated

[Goatcheese]

Originally Posted by amazing80

lol MS is so over rated

[Mr teX]

Originally Posted by amazing80

lol MS is so over rated

captain of arguably the greatest defense ever overrated? Hmm...

[iLoveTexans]

Im gonna miss seeing him try his hardest every game. You will be remembered #52!

[Trap_Star]

jay foreman, the greatest MLB ever.

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by amazing80

lol MS is so over rated

...said no one ever.

Singletary and Lewis are so close in records that a good argument could be made either way. The main reason I give Singletary the nod is that Lewis has called him his mentor. Singletary coached Lewis for two seasons with the Ravens, btw. Video

They were both captains of the two best defenses in the last 30 years. I'd go back farther in time, but the 1970's Steel Curtain is easily considered the best ever. Both of these cats look up to Jack Lambert.

[jaayteetx]

Too bad the Texans choked, then we could've seen him play his last game in Reliant.

[powda]

Originally Posted by Trap_Star

jay foreman, the greatest MLB ever.

Ahh man, thats harsh. Foreman was a fantastic linebacker once the ball was 5 yards past the line of scrimmage.

[Texecutioner]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

...said no one ever.

Singletary and Lewis are so close in records that a good argument could be made either way. The main reason I give Singletary the nod is that Lewis has called him his mentor. Singletary coached Lewis for two seasons with the Ravens, btw. Video

They were both captains of the two best defenses in the last 30 years. I'd go back farther in time, but the 1970's Steel Curtain is easily considered the best ever. Both of these cats look up to Jack Lambert.

The Steel Curtain is not even in the top 3 much less the best ever. Hell, you'd have to find at least one season to try and compare instead of trying to use a decade of a defense. Statistically the Ravens Defense blew their defense out of the water the year they won the SB. The Ravens played against waaaaaayyy better offenses. The Ravens won their SB with nothing but defense and were the first team to ever win a SB with straight defense and no offense.

And by your theory, you're basically saying that these guys are better because they were older. I could argue that LB"s before Lambert were better by that notion just because they were older. Now days LB's like Ray Lewis have more responsibilities though. Lambert and Singletary weren't practically coaches on the field the way Ray Lewis has been. Not to the same level any way. And I don't see what Singletary being a mentor has anything to do with him being better. That just means he coached him at one point. Ray Lewis was already a HOFer before Singletary ever coached him any way.

The only LB that is really even close to being in the discussion to Ray Lewis is LT, and Ray Lewis was easily better because he wasn't the detriment to his team like LT was. LT helped his teammates to get into trouble and to do tons of bad things off the field. Ray Lewis helped his teammates to stay out of trouble and to buy into everything they were doing on the field. He helped to even minister some of his teammates and help them with their faith in the lord.

Ultimate leader on and off the field. Best LB of all time. Best defensive player of all time. Best leader of all time. This is an opinion of course, but there is a ton of evidence to back up that claim as a strong argument.

[Double Barrel]

Type in Google "greatest NFL defenses of all time".

Everyone (but the brilliant Tex) agrees that it's the Steel Curtain.

Here's your "one season", dood:

In the 1976 season, the Steelers' defense was a juggernaut, arguably the greatest defense of all time. After the Steelers started 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, the Steelers' defense took over for the remaining nine games. The Steelers recorded five shutouts, including three in a row, during this stretch. During this nine-game stretch the Steelers allowed a total of two touchdowns (in the same game) and five field goals. The defense allowed an average 3.1 points per game and the team had an average margin of victory of 22 points. Eight of the Steelers' starting eleven defensive players were selected for the Pro Bowl that year. Four would be selected to the Hall of Fame.

Source

So whatever, man. Your credibility just went out the window.

The Steel Curtain is not even in the top 3 much less the best ever.

You dissing the Steel Curtain! BWAHAHAHAHA!!

I'm not dissing the Ravens D (like you seem to be with the Steel Curtain). I'm just a NFL history fan, and your take of trying to make them look bad is so freakin' whack that I find your post to be humorous than anything else. "Humorous" as in uneducated full of shit.

I think a case could be made that Ray Lewis is G.O.A.T. I said it earlier. So very much unlike you, I can see both sides.

You and your agendas. So obvious! lol

[toronto]

I went from despising Lewis and having little respect for him to debating if he was the greatest player I ever saw live.

He's top 5 alltime on defense. LT and Butkus are the only two I immediately have above him.

ESPN puts Reggie White ahead of him but I hesitate at that.

[Texecutioner]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

Type in Google "greatest NFL defenses of all time".

Everyone (but the brilliant Tex) agrees that it's the Steel Curtain.

Here's your "one season", dood:

Sorry, but the Ravens defense averaged less points per game as far as what they gave up to opposing defenses in a 16 game season. That's by far the most important stat of any stat of a one year defense. They gave up the least amount of points and won the SB doing it as well. Points is always the most important stat when describing an entire unit that win a SB. To not allow teams to score. They only gave up "23 points in four games of the playoffs!!". Show me where the Steelers dominated a post season like that even in their run oriented era. Their best season was 1976 where they lost in the playoffs. I've always said that whether it's on offense or defense. Points are what matter when comparing one unit against the other. The Ravens gave up the least. The only team that gave up less were the Vikings (Purple People Eaters) way back in the day and they weren't even playing in 16 game seasons either, nor did they win it all like the Ravens did. The Vikings like the Steelers didn't play with these complex offenses either where QB's routinely were throwing for 3,500 to 4,000 yards a season. A defense dominating like the Ravens and Bucs did is a lot harder now days then it was back then.

For a 14 game season the Steelers were the best I'd say in their era where the defenses had a much better advantage to dominate back then. In a 16 game season the Ravens only allowed 152 points to their entire season. The Steelers allowed 138, which would be a 14 point difference from two games.

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

So whatever, man. Your credibility just went out the window.

My cred went out the window because you posted some link? Yet you didn't even pay attention to the meat and the potatoes of which made the defenses so great?? Okaaaaayyy. Hell, the 1976 Steelers didn't even win the SB that year either.

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

You dissing the Steel Curtain! BWAHAHAHAHA!!

I'm not dissing the Ravens D (like you seem to be with the Steel Curtain). I'm just a NFL history fan, and your take of trying to make them look bad is so freakin' whack that I find your post to be humorous than anything else. "Humorous" as in uneducated full of shit.

I think a case could be made that Ray Lewis is G.O.A.T. I said it earlier. So very much unlike you, I can see both sides.

You and your agendas. So obvious! lol

Didn't diss the Steel Curtain. They were great, but they had a few HOF's on offense as well. The Ravens didn't have squat. They had a garbage QB, a decent rookie RB who barely posted a 1,000 yards, and total garbage at WR. The only good offensive player they had really was Ogden on the O line. The Steelers however had a HOF QB which the most important position on the field who had already led his team to 4 SB's, a HOF WR, and a HOF RB. Yeah, they had a great defense and all, but their run is extremely legendary because they won 4 SB's. They won those 4 SB's in an era that favored defenses a lot more then they do now, and they also didn't have free agency where player movement is all over the place like it was for the Ravens who never had a great QB much less a HOF one. I'd put the 85 Bears and the Bucs defenses above the Steelers as well. The Bucs were probably a close 2nd to the Ravens.

[powda]

I dont have a horse in this race and would like to consider myself impartial. I'd offer the better defense didnt just give up the least points to opponents. Defensive scoring and turnovers would have to be a consideration as well since they do and can have a direct impact on the scoreboard. Dont know who's ahead in either of those categories...

[powda]

Total points allowed per game:

Ravens (152÷16 = 9.5)

Steelers (138÷14 = 9.857)

[Texecutioner]

Originally Posted by powda

I dont have a horse in this race and would like to consider myself impartial. I'd offer the better defense didnt just give up the least points to opponents. Defensive scoring and turnovers would have to be a consideration as well since they do and can have a direct impact on the scoreboard. Dont know who's ahead in either of those categories...

Good point. I've never looked that up. I'll see if I can find the stats for that, as I'd like to compare the Bears, Bucs, Steelers and the Ravens. My first guess is that the Ravens or the Bucs had the most. But that's a valid point.

I think the Ravens had the worst offense out of all of those teams though. The Steelers had by far the best players on offense to help the entire team out though.