AZ_Bearfan wrote:Tillman was a beast. Name one guy that could contain Megatron and shut down Moss twice a year.
I hate to correct a praise of Peanut Tillman, because he may be my favorite Bear of all-time.
However, his career only overlapped with Moss in Minnesota for two seasons in 2003 and 2004. He only started two of those four possible games. 03 was his rookie year and the first game vs Minnesota was very early in the season (week 2). He was not getting much playing time at that point. Later in the year was the "taking it away from Moss" play - where he undoubtedly stepped up. In 2004 he was injured and only saw Minnesota once in the Chad Hutchinson game. Which the Bears won. Moss also caught 9 of 11 targets for 93 yards and a TD.
So, he only faced Moss twice and one time Moss had a really good day. "Shutting down Moss twice a year" not only makes it sound like the two engaged in two epic battles per season... but that Tillman typically emerged on top. As much as I would love to agree, it's just not the case on either front. He saw Moss twice, he made a memorable play against him and the total results were mixed.
In my view, Tillman was NEVER EVER a shutdown corner. He was a very good CB, particularly at the end of his career. It was Tillman's outrageous propensity to knock the ball loose that made him great.
I'd assert that Donnell Woolford in that one year when he was really, really good, was clearly a better coverage guy than Tillman ever was. In that one year, he was the only CB I ever saw in a Bears uni who deserved the term "shutdown corner". So I'll say that Donnell Woolford is underrated, IMO.
Mikefive's theory: The only time you KNOW that a sports team player, coach or management member is being 100% honest is when they're NOT reciting "the company line".
AZ_Bearfan wrote:Tillman was a beast. Name one guy that could contain Megatron and shut down Moss twice a year.
I hate to correct a praise of Peanut Tillman, because he may be my favorite Bear of all-time.
However, his career only overlapped with Moss in Minnesota for two seasons in 2003 and 2004. He only started two of those four possible games. 03 was his rookie year and the first game vs Minnesota was very early in the season (week 2). He was not getting much playing time at that point. Later in the year was the "taking it away from Moss" play - where he undoubtedly stepped up. In 2004 he was injured and only saw Minnesota once in the Chad Hutchinson game. Which the Bears won. Moss also caught 9 of 11 targets for 93 yards and a TD.
So, he only faced Moss twice and one time Moss had a really good day. "Shutting down Moss twice a year" not only makes it sound like the two engaged in two epic battles per season... but that Tillman typically emerged on top. As much as I would love to agree, it's just not the case on either front. He saw Moss twice, he made a memorable play against him and the total results were mixed.
In my view, Tillman was NEVER EVER a shutdown corner. He was a very good CB, particularly at the end of his career. It was Tillman's outrageous propensity to knock the ball loose that made him great.
I'd assert that Donnell Woolford in that one year when he was really, really good, was clearly a better coverage guy than Tillman ever was. In that one year, he was the only CB I ever saw in a Bears uni who deserved the term "shutdown corner". So I'll say that Donnell Woolford is underrated, IMO.
1992 looks like Woolford’s best year. He had 7 picks and 94 tackles that year. Tillman never had more than 5 INTs in a season. However it was the fumbles (no surprise) that puts Tillman over the top. He had 44 forced fumbles over his career (10 in one season! 2012) v Woolford’s 3. I also remember that Woolford had a fantastic year and it was on a bad 1992 Bears team on top of it. In my opinion though, Tillman was better.
