Is Larry Fitzgerald underrated?

[Tony D'Amato]

That's why i said about the same. Somebody in this thread earlier posted all 3 of there stats during the length of time both Moss and TO played amd Fitz stats hold up to those two

Thats damn near 2 whole seasons

 

[Blessings]

Those stats aren't really relevant as Fitz played the duration of the 2010s where 5000 yard passers and 150+ targets became the norm. We all know the 10s became much more pass-centric and TO was out in '10 and Moss only played two seasons this decade...

Those guys are older so were at the end of the road, imagine Moss and Owens playing in this era. Between the two of them they only had one 1500 yard season, while Julio has already done that three times. Benefit of the era...

So if you compare Fitz to those guys the numbers aren't the best way to go unless context is provided. Fitz was 27 and very much within his prime at the top of the decade, the other guys were not and didn't have the benefit of playing in the passing explosion if the 10s...

To me there's a sharp distinction from Fitz to those guys. Of course he has moments in his day, but he couldn't take over and dominate a football game with regularity the way TO and Moss could. Moss wanted in effort at times and TO definitely didn't have the most trustworthy hands but those guys were dynamic everywhere else...

I think my main thing with Fitz isn't that he's an All-Timer, because he is. But he's kind of within the pack of several great receivers of his day and at this point I think most people would say Julio is probably greater peak for peak, so add Julio to Harrison and Andre and Calvin, where exactly is Fitz standing out from guys, either than the fact he's played longer? You get points for durability but not so many points that it can be ignored other guys were better in the era in which you played at your peak...

beat me to it...
/thread

 

[malbaker86]

beat me to it...
/thread

But then we gotta hold this current crop of pass catchers to how numbers are "inflated" now

 

[David_TheMan]

But then we gotta hold this current crop of pass catchers to how numbers are "inflated" now

I think a lot of people do, same as QBs

 

[malbaker86]

Thats damn near 2 whole seasons

Aint Fitz fault they got hurt & missed games, no?

 

[malbaker86]

I think a lot of people do, same as QBs

Right. Which makes this debate a great one

 

[murksiderock]

But then we gotta hold this current crop of pass catchers to how numbers are "inflated" now

I'm cool with that too, except Fitz was very much a part of this decade so he benefited from the same rules and styles of guys of said era. So they all benefited from it, you can still evenly evaluate his skillset as to whether he was better than these guys...

You can easily make a case that AB, Megatron, Julio, Nuk are every bit as good or even better than Fitz ever was, they just don't have the time in the game yet....and I don't think most people would even argue against Julio at this point at all, he has played 9 years so it isn't a tiny sample size...

 

[WhoShotCha]

I dont think Larry is underrated. He gets his due. In fact, people dont even mention that he played with Anquan Boldin for 7 years they only mention how shytty his QBs were. Andre Johnson the most underrated WR ever.

 

[Tony D'Amato]

I dont think Larry is underrated. He gets his due. In fact, people dont even mention that he played with Anquan Boldin for 7 years they only mention how shytty his QBs were. Andre Johnson the most underrated WR ever.

Jimmy Smith or Plaxico is more underrated than AJ

 

[murksiderock]

I dont think Larry is underrated. He gets his due. In fact, people dont even mention that he played with Anquan Boldin for 7 years they only mention how shytty his QBs were. Andre Johnson the most underrated WR ever.

Texans GOATs in general (Andre, Hopkins) have gone thru it lol. Mostly poor QB play and lack of consistent help at wideout. Those nikkas put in work to get those numbers knowing the defense game planned against them...

Spot on post, this idea that Fitz is underrated when people rant and rave over him constantly and never mention Boldin's presence and how schematically that freed Fitz and made his job easier, is odd. People also never bring up how he was largely an empty stats guy when he didn't have an elite QB or Boldin taking pressure off of him. Andre (with Arian Foster) was helping carry Matt Schaub to the playoffs lol...

 

[PortCityProphet]

Those stats aren't really relevant as Fitz played the duration of the 2010s where 5000 yard passers and 150+ targets became the norm. We all know the 10s became much more pass-centric and TO was out in '10 and Moss only played two seasons this decade...

Those guys are older so were at the end of the road, imagine Moss and Owens playing in this era. Between the two of them they only had one 1500 yard season, while Julio has already done that three times. Benefit of the era...

So if you compare Fitz to those guys the numbers aren't the best way to go unless context is provided. Fitz was 27 and very much within his prime at the top of the decade, the other guys were not and didn't have the benefit of playing in the passing explosion if the 10s...

To me there's a sharp distinction from Fitz to those guys. Of course he has moments in his day, but he couldn't take over and dominate a football game with regularity the way TO and Moss could. Moss wanted in effort at times and TO definitely didn't have the most trustworthy hands but those guys were dynamic everywhere else...

I think my main thing with Fitz isn't that he's an All-Timer, because he is. But he's kind of within the pack of several great receivers of his day and at this point I think most people would say Julio is probably greater peak for peak, so add Julio to Harrison and Andre and Calvin, where exactly is Fitz standing out from guys, either than the fact he's played longer? You get points for durability but not so many points that it can be ignored other guys were better in the era in which you played at your peak...

He couldnt take over a game? Did you not see his playoff run?
And how you gon deem his stats irrelevant in the 10s you mean the same 10s he played with Derek Anderson, Kevin Kolb, Drew Stanton and old ass Carson Palmer. None of ever threw for 4500 yds in a season.
Moss and T.O. may have a combined 3 years in their career with QBs that bad.
You blinded by hype, highlights, and star power and thats ok.

 

[WhoShotCha]

Jimmy Smith or Plaxico is more underrated than AJ

I'm from Jacksonville, all Jags greats are underrated.

 

[MooseMouthMthafuga]

I'm from Jacksonville, all Jags greats are underrated.

That '96 run with Keenan McCardell, Jimmy Smiths, and Brunell.Never seen a LT play better than Tony Boselli during those playoffs.

Dude made me respect offensive linemen.The dominance jumped out at you like a Tiger.Young me was thinking "Oh so that's why left tackles

are so important!"....I'm a Cardinals fan, but the '96 Jags are one of my favorite squads ever

 

[OGBobbyJohnson]

 

[MooseMouthMthafuga]

I tell everyone this. If I need a 1st down that's 3rd and 10..its Larry Fitz over any WR alltime.
He has the best Coordination of any WR ever. His Ball skills when in the air are 2nd to none. He has the most reliable hands in history and is a 'ball hawk.'

Yeah..Being a Cardinals fan, he ruined WR's for me.The way that guy knew how to twist, contort, use his body to shield off defenders;all while high pointing the ball with his hands;fukking splendid!

It's the one area where MHJ is weak.He has the route running, but he tends to wait on the ball, and catch with his body.Larry had crazy timing & eagle-eye vision.His grandfather was an eye doctor.Had him doing those penny with a whole in it/focus drills since he was 10 ys old.They said he had 20/10 vision.Wasn't an crazy athlete, but when the ball was in the air, maybe the best pure ball skills ever.Moss was taller and could just tower over you, but I think Fitz was the superior jump ball catcher.Technically efficient, cerebral kind of guy.Like a Tim Duncan/Kareem Abdul Jabbar in WR form.