BEST Defensive Ends on BEARS- WHO YA GOT?
Well Seems moon mullin gave up the Series, so figured since been some good debates and discussion, and helps some of the newer fans learn the older players, will continue it, with my Own rankings and discussion:
Like most "D" positions the bears have a long and storied history at the Defenive end poistion, and just want to put the Caveat of esp the first 30 years of football, really no such thing as the DE, we know today and even until th 1970's sacks wasn't even an official stat, so some of the greatest DE , never get the credit or if try and look up stats, how good they were.Also because they played both "O" and "D" hard to seperate some of the lineman of "O" and "D"
Top Defensive Ends:
1. Doug Atkins- Simply the best and esp. for the 1960's a frightning beast of freakish size and a bad temper to boot,just dominated the position for most of decade. At 6'7' 285 back when 6'3" 250 was considered "Big" he had the respect of all.Everyone knew that holding or tripping Doug was an absolute no-no, something akin to committing suicide. When angered, his contemporaries remember, Atkins inflicted the kind of devastation upon enemy lines and quarterbacks that seldom, if ever, has been equaled on any football field. Even when he was playing at his natural "easy-going" pace, the monstrous Tennesseean did his job so well that he is still respected today as a classic defensive end. The Saints' head coach, Tom Fears, summed it up during Atkins' final 1969 season: "They threw away the mold when they made Doug. There'll never be any other like him."
2. richard dent- Finally the injustice of Dent not making the hall of fame has been rectified this year, and really lookign forward to his Induction in Aug. The classic 1980's DE and pass rusher.
3. *Dan hampton-"daninal" just the physical beast you want from a "D" line player, and he remarkably was the only player to be a multiple probowler at both DT and DE. He was named to the NFL Team of the ’80’s by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors and was a Pro Bowl performer four times during that decade (1980, 1982, 1984 and 1985), twice as a defensive end and two times as a defensive tackle. Hampton was named Defensive MVP by Pro Football Weekly in 1982 and started the first 48 games of his career where he established himself as a dominant pass rusher, recording 25 sacks during his first three seasons in the league.
4. Ed Sprinkle- 'the claw".. ed the prototypical DE of the rough and tumble 1940's and 1950's players.. that 90% of his play would never be allowed in today's game. Sprinkle was dubbed "The Meanest Man in Pro Football" in his playing days. He used his left arm in ways that opponents accused him of dirty play, especially after the whistle had sounded to halt the action. There are also those who say he used his cleats to stomp on the opposition
5.Julius Peppers- while his career in chicago just getting started already leaving his imprint on team, and hopefully before all is said and done , he has moved up the list
honorable mentions:
Mike hartenstine, ed O'bradovich, alex brown, adewale ogunleye
WHO YA GOT?
