Originally posted by Afrikan:
What's interesting is... I feel Fred is an all around better Middle Linebacker than P-Willy...mainly because Fred's elite coverage skills, agility, and jumping ability...to go along with the rest of his game. Yes Willis could cover too, but as good as Fred.. especially WRs going deep in the middle of the field.
BUT that being said...I've seen Warner miss tackles, saw him miss one tonight. Where as Patrick Willis... I can't remember him missing a tackle.. he was that f**king consistent. I hope they touched on that during his HOF introduction. I saw Luke Keuchly miss tackles..seen Ray Lewis miss tackles.. but seeing Patrick miss a tackle was like watching Jerry Rice drop a pass in his prime... it stood f**king out.
The fact that I watched every NFL snap of Willis' career and noticed few few miss tackles... yet didn't watch nearly as much snaps of those other HOF players, because they were on other teams...yet remember then messing up...says a f**king lot.
I wonder if the wording you used there is a little confusing... "An all round better middle linebacker"..... I wonder if you mean a better multi-role LBer.
I think Willis is a better LB in every aspect of the game, minus coverage and probably durability.
Having said that, Warner got the wrong coach, and the wrong era. As great as he is, he would have been legendary in Dungy's Tampa 2. He is the prototype for Tampa 2. That defense would have set Warner up to do what he does best, every single down. Right in the middle of the defense looking into the back field and matching coverage in depth with the play always in front of him ready to lay the big hit.
That is the big difference between Willis and Warner...big plays....ints-FFs-Sacks....I think Warner would have had more pass defenses, FFs and ints in a Tampa 2.
In most defenses I would take Willis, in a Tampa 2 I would take Warner hands down 10 out of 10 times.