If not, then the offensive attack could've tilted toward what was perceived as the weaker side. Belichick's foremost example of that happening? Of course, Taylor, who was a player offensive coordinators tried to avoid as much as possible.
If you can somehow find a way to work Taylor into a special teams conversation. When Belichick was posed a question about starting players contributing -- and putting forth good effort -- in the kicking game, he came back to Taylor.
And [he] made an impact on all of them, too. Players that are competitive that want to help their team win, want to help their team win in every situation, not selectively. That's exactly what he did when he was asked about another rare -- if not comparable -- athlete. Was LawrenceTaylor a prototype outside linebacker? Defensively you have to be able to defend those things. How do you construct the defense so you can handle the different challenges that you have?
Belichick has coached his share of strong tacklers. Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung frequently come up in that conversation as among the best he's ever coached. Any guesses as to who else might've worked his way into that conversation for Belichick?
It depends on maybe who you were pulling for. But that was a great tackle. Terry Kinard was a great tackler. Devin McCourty is an outstanding tackler. Look, everybody is going to miss, just like every receiver is going to drop a pass, just like every quarterback is going to throw an interception, just like every running back at some point is going to drop the ball.
And it shows up in the kicking game, too. Belichick's love for Taylor extended to the entire linebacking corps he had in those years. As strong as the linebacker group was in -- with Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower and Collins at the core -- Belichick still went with the unit headlined by Taylor, as he should have.
Most thought Taylor would be the first pick, but that designation went to Heisman Trophy winner, George Rodgers. As time passed, New Orleans and Bum Phillips would realize the error they had made. To set the record straight, Taylor was not excited to go to New York. He wanted to be a Cowboy. Taylor did what was expected of him and said all the things he was supposed to say. Lawrence Taylor came out of college with all the intangibles.
Add to all of those his great football IQ, and you have yourself a star player. In Taylor tallied 9. He would also be voted All-Pro for the first time. He had the ability to take over a football game. The linebacker position until then had been played primarily as a read and react position. He had nagging injuries, and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has openly questioned Clowney's work ethic. But Spurrier was around Clowney every day. Does he have an axe to grind?
I suppose he might, but why would he? And so should the teams at the top of this draft. I mention Taylor because I believe being great as a pass-rusher and pulverizing the quarterback got him out of bed in the morning. And he was a sick, sick competitor. In , the Giants were without Phil Simms, Harry Carson and Carl Banks for a crucial game at New Orleans, and there was absolutely no way Taylor should have played in the game; he had a partially torn pectoral muscle and torn shoulder ligaments, and he played with a harness strapping his upper left arm tight to his torso.
Taylor had three sacks, two forced fumbles and seven tackles. Giants, That happened in a replacement game in With the Giants , Taylor crossed the picket line and tried to beat the Bills by himself, playing both ways, linebacker and tight end.
Buffalo lined up a truck driver from Illinois, Joe Schulte, to block Taylor. Schulte was called for seven penalties on Taylor. In the second half, with the refs not watching, LT drove his fist into Schulte's throat. The Giants lost, but owner Wellington Mara thought it was Taylor's best game as a pro. Jadeveon Clowney dazzled the NFL with a blazing 4. My point: Can Clowney have that kind of rare desire, or even 75 percent of it?
Can he play through the pain when his team really needs him? I came here Monday to speak to a couple of Penn State classes, and afterward was able to spend some time with new football coach James Franklin. In the past two seasons at Vanderbilt, Franklin game-planned for Clowney in the SEC twice and Clowney made his share of plays, getting three sacks. I asked Franklin if he saw a consistent force when Vanderbilt prepped for Clowney. With Peppers, we always felt like you were better off running at him, not away.
He was so athletic, he could run you down. I remember two years ago, we took the same approach with Clowney.
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