Ready to get ripped: I think Larry Fitzgerald is overrated.

[Lomax to Green 84]

There I said it. Rip away.

Here are my reasons:

1. How many times have we heard over the last 3 yrs. about a certain guy on our team (#11) having trouble getting separation?

2. How can a player rated as a top 5 reciever, play alongside another top 5 reciever (Boldin) and still have games where he can't get open? Last night Ditka mentioned numerous times that the Niners were playing man to man coverage (one on one coverage) with our recievers.

3. Stay on your freaking feet. Sure he makes highlight catches, but he also leads the league in 6 yard highlight catches when he needs 10 yards. The quickout he got from Leinart in the 4th quarter should have been a huge (30-40 yard gainer had he gone for it), instead he dives for the first down.

4. Route running leaves much to be desired: Once again Mike Ditka mentioned it more than once about Fitzgerald running sloppy routes. How many times have we heard that?

I have to admit that saying this about Fitzgerald is hard for me because I have been a huge fan of his throughout his career. However, I think we need to temper our Larry Fitzgerald is a superstar stuff until he does some things that actually help our team consistently win games. Highlight reel catches are nice and very fun to watch, but I just don't see Fitzgerald in the Marvin Harrison, Steve Smith, or Tori Holt category at this point of his career. Very good young talent, but not in that category.

 

[nashman]

Because he's not like the receivers you listed? Fitz is a stud but he is still young and can learn. And sorry but Ditka is an idiot if he said they were playing man to man. If they were in man to man we would have been throwing the ball all night long. Fitz is one of the best players on the team you have been ripped, what a silly post! haha

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Because he's not like the receivers you listed? Fitz is a stud but he is still young and can learn. And sorry but Ditka is an idiot if he said they were playing man to man. If they were in man to man we would have been throwing the ball all night long. Fitz is one of the best players on the team you have been ripped, what a silly post! haha

Agreed that he is one of the best players on the team, but that is not what I am saying. Most people (including myself for the last 3 years) have considered him one of the best players in the league. I am beginning to dispute that. Being one of the best players on a crappy team doesn't make somebody one of the best players in the league. Just my opinion.

 

[nashman]

He has not yet reached one of the top receivers in the league IMHO

 

[Russ Smith]

I didn't like the dive either its like sliding into first base it gets lots of "what great hustle" comments but is usually a bad idea(except to avoid being tagged).

Fitz had more room down the sideline but he dove, and it wasn't like it was 4th down.

I think Ditka was wrong though every replay I saw they had bracket coverage a CB and a safety on both guys. They covered us as well as anybody has because it was a good not great pass rush, wasn't one of those games where guys were open but the QB had no time, it was a game where even when he had time, nobody was open.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

3. Stay on your freaking feet. Sure he makes highlight catches, but he also leads the league in 6 yard highlight catches when he needs 10 yards. The quickout he got from Leinart in the 4th quarter should have been a huge (30-40 yard gainer had he gone for it), instead he dives for the first down.

Are you kidding? Its not like he had no one in front of him. He secured the 1st down. He doesn't have the speed to run away from everyone, and the one play that he did (fleaflicker) Matt looked away. Fitz had just as good of a day as Boldin.

You should feel ashamed right now.

 

[nashman]

Boldin, TO, Moss, Harrison, Holt, Chad Johnson, Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne just off the top of my head are all better than Fitz!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Boldin, TO, Moss, Harrison, Holt, Chad Johnson, Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne just off the top of my head are all better than Fitz!

Moss, Reggie Wayne, and Boldin are definitely debatable.

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Are you kidding? Its not like he had no one in front of him. He secured the 1st down. He doesn't have the speed to run away from everyone, and the one play that he did (fleaflicker) Matt looked away. Fitz had just as good of a day as Boldin.

You should feel ashamed right now.

Why should I feel ashamed? I like Fitz alot, I just think he gets way to many props from a fanbase desperate for something to cheer about (and I am including myself in that desperate fanbase).

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Why should I feel ashamed? I like Fitz alot, I just think he gets way to many props from a fanbase desperate for something to cheer about (and I am including myself in that desperate fanbase).

Ashamed that you think that he is overrated. If anything, Boldin is overrated on this board. I love Boldin, but the praise that he gets over Fitz on this board, almost makes Fitz underrated here. Both Fitz and Boldin bring different things as WR's.

Boldin wasn't open last night either. He has those same separation issues that Fitz has. You are looking through rose colored glasses.

The TD that was thrown, was thrown into tight zone coverage, and was Matt's best throw of the night.

You said that you were ready to get ripped, and I oblige. No way in hell Fitz is overrated.

 

[Shane]

Moss, Reggie Wayne, and Boldin are definitely debatable.

No. No there not.

 

[Gee!]

No. No there not.

Well, Moss is debatale..

 

[football karma]

I didn't like the dive either its like sliding into first base it gets lots of "what great hustle" comments but is usually a bad idea(except to avoid being tagged).

Fitz had more room down the sideline but he dove, and it wasn't like it was 4th down.

I agree. I found the dive curious.

Went out of bounds, stopping the clock and either saving 30 secs or so, or a 49er timeout.

 

[Zeno]

There I said it. Rip away.

3. Stay on your freaking feet. Sure he makes highlight catches, but he also leads the league in 6 yard highlight catches when he needs 10 yards. The quickout he got from Leinart in the 4th quarter should have been a huge (30-40 yard gainer had he gone for it), instead he dives for the first down.

This is really the only one I disagree with. He was diving for the first down and trying to stay inbounds. There is no way thats a 30 yard gain, not with the entire secondary sitting right in front of him.

 

[Duckjake]

Fitz and Boldin are very good at what they do which is catch short passes in traffic.

Problem is if your QB is off those are incompletions, interceptions, or tuck the ball and runs.

 

[Southpaw]

Roy Williams or Fitz? That was the question back then.

Is Fitz a #1 receiver or a #2 on this team?

2004 was one helluva draft year

2004 NFL Draft Results


Round 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
Team-by-Team Selections

1. San Diego - Eli Manning, QB Mississippi
*Traded to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers and the Giants third-round pick this year and their first and fifth round picks in the 2005 draft.

2. Oakland - Robert Gallery, OT Iowa
3. Arizona - Larry Fitgerald, WR Pittsburgh
4. NY Giants - Philip Rivers, QB North Carolina State
Traded, along with their third-round pick this year and their first and fifth round picks in the 2005 draft, to San Diego for Eli Manning.

5. Washington - Sean Taylor, S Miami (Fla)
6. Cleveland ( from Detroit) - Kellen Winslow Jr, TE Miami (Fla)
7. Detroit (from Cleveland) - Roy Williams, WR Texas
8. Atlanta - DeAngelo Hall, CB Virginia Tech
9. Jacksonville - Reggie Williams, WR Washington
10. Houston - Dunta Robinson, CB South Carolina
11. Pittsburgh - Ben Roethlisberger, QB Miami (Ohio)
12. NY Jets - Jonathan Vilma, LB Miami (Fla)
13. Buffalo - Lee Evans, WR Wisconsin
14. Chicago - Tommie Harris, DT Oklahoma
15. Tampa Bay - Michael Clayton, WR LSU
16. Philadelphia (from San Francisco) - Shawn Andrews, OT Arkansas
17. Denver (from Cincinnati) - D.J. Williams, OLB Miami (Fla)
18. New Orleans - Will Smith, DE Ohio State
19. Miami (from Minnesota) - Vernon Carey, G Miami (Fla)
20. Minnesota (from Miami) - Kenechi Udeze, DE USC
21. New England (from Bal) - Vince Wilfork, DT Miami (Fla)
22. Buffalo (from Dallas) - J.P. Losman, QB Tulane
23. Seattle - Marcus Tubbs, DT Texas
24. St. Louis (from Denver thru Cincinnati) - Steven Jackson, RB Oregon State
25. Green Bay - Ahmad Carroll, CB Arkansas
26. Cincinnati (from St. Louis) - Chris Perry, RB Michigan
27. Houston (from Tennessee) - Jason Babin, DE Western Michigan
28. Carolina (from Philadelphia thru San Francisco) - Chris Gamble, CB Ohio State
29. Atlanta (from Indianapolis) - Michael Jenkins, WR Ohio State
30. Detroit (from Kansas City) - Kevin Jones, RB Virginia Tech
31. San Francisco (from Carolina) - Rashaun Woods, WR Oklahoma State
32. New England - Ben Watson, TE Georgia

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Can't blame Edge today so time to offer up the other scapegoat on the board, Fitzgerald.

It's just maddening to read this board at times. Who gives a crap if Fitz is the #4 or the #7 best receiver in the league. Seriously.

Anyone in the top 10 is a star, regardless of wether it is Boldin or Fitzgerald.

 

[Gee!]

Can't blame Edge today so time to offer up the other scapegoat on the board, Fitzgerald.

It's just maddening to read this board at times. Who gives a crap if Fitz is the #4 or the #7 best receiver in the league. Seriously.

Anyone in the top 10 is a star, regardless of wether it is Boldin or Fitzgerald.

Just so you know,, I blame Eric Green..

 

[RonF]

I think the biggest problem last nightwas Leinart. He couldn't hit the open receiver, his timing was off and it seemed like he was lost out there.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Some of us have been saying this for years now. These two WR's are studs but b/c neither are fast, the cb's just sit on the routes and smother them. Thats why when someone says "Would you trade Steve Smith, Chad Johnson, Reggie Wayne" etc for Fitzgerald? I say yeah. Cant teach speed and neither Boldin or Fitz has it and it hurts us in games like this.

 

[WildBB]

There I said it. Rip away.

Here are my reasons:

1. How many times have we heard over the last 3 yrs. about a certain guy on our team (#11) having trouble getting separation?

2. How can a player rated as a top 5 reciever, play alongside another top 5 reciever (Boldin) and still have games where he can't get open? Last night Ditka mentioned numerous times that the Niners were playing man to man coverage (one on one coverage) with our recievers.

3. Stay on your freaking feet. Sure he makes highlight catches, but he also leads the league in 6 yard highlight catches when he needs 10 yards. The quickout he got from Leinart in the 4th quarter should have been a huge (30-40 yard gainer had he gone for it), instead he dives for the first down.

4. Route running leaves much to be desired: Once again Mike Ditka mentioned it more than once about Fitzgerald running sloppy routes. How many times have we heard that?

I have to admit that saying this about Fitzgerald is hard for me because I have been a huge fan of his throughout his career. However, I think we need to temper our Larry Fitzgerald is a superstar stuff until he does some things that actually help our team consistently win games. Highlight reel catches are nice and very fun to watch, but I just don't see Fitzgerald in the Marvin Harrison, Steve Smith, or Tori Holt category at this point of his career. Very good young talent, but not in that category.

He'll have his share of big games. Walt Harris is underrated as Ditka also mentioned numberous times and Clements is very good but undersized. (I would have liked to take more advantage of that fact.) Bottom line was , it's only the first game, albiet a painful one. Head up.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

No. No there not.

Yes, yes they are. You cannot tell me that beyond all doubt that Fitz is worse than Wayne, Boldin, and Moss.

Hell, you can't even tell me that Fitz isn't the best receiver on his team and have there be concrete proof to back it up.

 

[ajcardfan]

He had separation on the flea-flicker. If Leinart had thrown the ball to him it would've been six.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Can't blame Edge today so time to offer up the other scapegoat on the board, Fitzgerald.

It's just maddening to read this board at times. Who gives a crap if Fitz is the #4 or the #7 best receiver in the league. Seriously.

Anyone in the top 10 is a star, regardless of wether it is Boldin or Fitzgerald.

I hear ya. It is sickening at times. How come we have heard nothing about Boldin and his false start? (well you did mention it) Hell, even #75 has gotten off pretty darn easily.

This board has selective memory on a lot of issues.

Boldin and Fitz are both top 10 receivers. You can argue the top 5 WR's in the league are better than Boldin/Fitz, but after that it is a crapshoot.

 

[ajcardfan]

I hear ya. It is sickening at times. How come we have heard nothing about Boldin and his false start? (well you did mention it) Hell, even #75 has gotten off pretty darn easily.

This board has selective memory on a lot of issues.

Boldin and Fitz are both top 10 receivers. You can argue the top 5 WR's in the league are better than Boldin/Fitz, but after that it is a crapshoot.

There isn't a single team in the league that wouldn't jump all over a chance to have either Boldin or Fitz on their roster.