GumboBC

Sarsippius –

As far as I’m aware, there are no stats for the information you are looking for. And I’ve looked !!

I think when referring to “shut-down� cornerbacks, people aren’t suggesting that they will take a receiver completely out of the game, but they will “limit� the degree of success they have. Or, something along those lines. In any event, they aren’t saying they will shut every receiver down.

I agree with you that there are better receivers today. Or, at least there are a LOT more of them.

My whole point is that “shut-down� cornerbacks aren’t needed to win a championship and average cornerbacks CAN and HAVE gotten the job done.

I think the cornerback position is ONE of the least important positions on defense. I’m not saying you can put just anyone back there, just saying a great D-line helps them out so much.

And it’s true that CB’s help the pass rush out. But, CB’s don’t help the D-line out nearly as much as the opposite.

I’d love to have pro-bowl players at every position, and that includes CB. However, that’s not possible. Defense has and always will be about stopping the run and rushing the passer.

Teams are always going to be lacking in some areas. And I don’t think CB is a bad place to be lacking when compared to other positions. The CB’s get all the glamour. But the front four makes or breaks a defense. I have yet to see a great defense with “shut-down� CB’s and an average D-line?