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Originally Posted by Bloozcrooz
Again not taking anything from the greats before him. Obviously the 85 Bears remains one the best deffenses of all time and I'm not disputing that. But that was a team at a time when one team usually was dominant every year over the rest of their conference and sometimes the entirety of the NFL as a whole. Before free agency came along some teams benifitted more than others building teams and remained at the top year in and year out. I think the league today has a more "its anybodys super bowl" feel to it and the amount of talent out there is spread more evenly. On any given Sunday a nobody team may suprise what some would consider the elite. Of course this was some what true back then as well but on a much smaller scale than today imo. There were a lot more Jacksonville Jaguar like teams back then than today to me. The Patriots I think are the only ones in todays modern era who people really never count of contention but other than that its anybodys ring. Again this is just my opinion.
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I'd agree that there is more semblance of parity then there has ever been in the NFL in todays age. But that doesn't mean the top tier players are necessarily that much better then the greats of past generations. I don't buy that anybody in the current NFL was in better shape coming to the NFL then say Herschel Walker was coming out of Georgia. Guys have been running 40's slightly faster then back then, but what is the real difference between a guy running a 4.25 40 and guy running a 4.3 40. Even strength and agility tests from the combines from past eras rank very closely with the newer guys coming into the league. I'd say if these guys were blowing away and shattering combine totals from past eras the way Usain Bolt is blowing away guys 100 meters records then something could be said, but its not exactly happening that way. I will say I think strength and conditioning equipment has really evolved into something on a much higher scale which helps. I do think AP is gonna shatter some records, just that I think its too early to call him the best at this moment in time.