I think we need a linebacker

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(03-21-2018, 09:41 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Well we're not all that far apart. 

Every player plays a role, and I doubt a team wins a chip with giant gaping holes at LB. It's just that when I look at championship squads, LB isn't usually the position where you say "that's why they won the chip". Especially with 4-3 teams. The Eagles had exceptional QB play, a beast run game, great blocking and maybe the best front 4 in football last year. Honestly, I didn't even know who their LB's were until this conversation. 

With our team, LB seems even more downplayed. You want solid players there, but I don't think a LB will ever be the difference between us winning a championship and not winning a playoff game. That's all I was trying to say.

Not too far apart, but a little far on the bolded bit....

Eagles actually seem more of a outlier than anything on the whole LB/Championship thing:
'17 Eagles: As Stated

'16 Patriots: Dont'a Hightower (his absence is probably a big part of why their 2017 defense was ran all over)
'15 Broncos: Von Miller, Brandon Marshall, Danny Trevathan
'14 Patriots: Jamie Collins, Dont'a Hightower
'13 Seahawks: Bobby Wagner, Bruce Irvin
'12 Ravens: Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs (they played the 49ers, who had Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman)


Then once you go back a bit further, you start adding more like Ray Lewis/Lawrence Timmons/James Harrison/Tedy Brusschi/Mike Vrabel/etc

I'm not saying all those guys are total gamechangers, but I look at them and go "yeah, they're probably a big part of why they won".