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Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks is a great cornerback. Darrelle Revis of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is also a great cornerback. There, can we stop bickering now?
Honestly, is this really worth debating? Should these two be jawing at each other? Sure, fans and media members love rankings, as this is part of the game. Who is the best QB? Running back? Defense? Coach? Who has the best stadium? The best fans?
Ultimately, these are the types of debates that can never be settled, simply because there is no benchmark for measurement. How do you measure the quality of a good corner? Obviously, you can factor in certain statistics such as picks, pass deflections and tackles.
However, certain positions are not just about numbers. A great defensive lineman may not get a lot of tackles during the year, but he may be a dominant and obvious force in the middle of the defense. Likewise, the cornerback is not always about numbers. In fact, a truly great corner might have very few stats that show up in the box score. If a defensive back has the reputation of being a lockdown corner, a quarterback might throw his direction on a very rare occasion.
That won’t show up in the box score, but you can bet a football-savvy observer will notice that certain defenders are not being tested.
Sherman and Revis are talented players, both with their play and their talking. Neither has a ring. Revis has more individual awards, but this is to be expected given that he has a few more seasons under his belt.
Who is the best corner right now? Does it matter? Not really. What matters is wins. Based on that statistic, Sherman may have bragging rights by the end of the season. That is what should matter. At the moment, the two of them should stop talking and focus on their performances between the lines.
It is time to stop the verbal banter. Time for football. Let your play do the talking.
Todd Pheifer covers the Seattle Seahawks for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @tpheifer, “Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google+.
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