Who is our fastest DB?

Serious question. I know people have raved about Earl's range, but I'm wondering how that translates to speed. Earl is also mentioned as one of the fastest guys on the team, but...

I'm wondering if he is somehow faster when running at someone toward him than when he's chasing someone. When Gore broke that run, both Earl and Sherman pursued him, and it looked to my eyes like Earl couldn't gain any ground on Gore while Sherm overtook him eventually. Last year, when Adrian Peterson broke his long run, it was Browner that chased him down, not Earl.

Am I missing something?

You missed Earl running after Ginn on that return a few years ago, and Earl hanging right there with him. Ginn is ridiculously fast.

1. Earl
2. Maxwell
3. Lane
4. Sherm
5. Thurmond

I'd bet Lane is actually the fastest. And don't show me his 40 time as proof he's not.

It has to be Earl Thomas. Whwn he gets a turnover and starts running, regardless of where he is, he is looking to score. The range... not just side to side. He will come up in run support to stop a run at the LOS. He misses sometimes because of it, but once Earl has his hands around their legs they are going down.

King Dog":2jwqm0y7 said:

You missed Earl running after Ginn on that return a few years ago, and Earl hanging right there with him. Ginn is ridiculously fast.

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How about the return in Buffalo after rolling on the ground? In preseason with 2 to the house. Nobody can catch Earl. Too bad he isnt a kick returner.

Oh.. and Browner is too, but he has to get those long legs going. For the long run he has closing speed.

It's probably between Lane and Thomas

Throwdown":1cvj6sv3 said:

It's probably between Lane and Thomas

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If I were to guess I would say Lane over Thomas by a tiny bit, but it's probably so close it hardly matters.

Lawyer Milloy mentioned Earl as being the fastest player he's even been on the field with.

loafoftatupu":3rc846eh said:

It has to be Earl Thomas. Whwn he gets a turnover and starts running, regardless of where he is, he is looking to score. The range... not just side to side. He will come up in run support to stop a run at the LOS. He misses sometimes because of it, but once Earl has his hands around their legs they are going down.

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I wonder if Thomas just understands angles better than anybody else. When I saw gores run I was super surprised...

BlueTalon":2518bjlk said:

Serious question. I know people have raved about Earl's range, but I'm wondering how that translates to speed. Earl is also mentioned as one of the fastest guys on the team, but...

I'm wondering if he is somehow faster when running at someone toward him than when he's chasing someone. When Gore broke that run, both Earl and Sherman pursued him, and it looked to my eyes like Earl couldn't gain any ground on Gore while Sherm overtook him eventually. Last year, when Adrian Peterson broke his long run, it was Browner that chased him down, not Earl.

Am I missing something?

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Well first you've got to understand the problem of angles on that run. Earl was running forward then slightly to the side and then reversed course. Sherman was already running that way. And then Gore was also shading towards the sideline, which Sherm was already on that side and Earl was trying to get around Sherm while not tripping him up.

Earl is definitely faster. However, it looks like not by as much as I thought. IMO, Sherm has actually improved his speed since coming here.

Also, I agree with the others. Lane is uber explosive and might actually beat Earl by a hair. I'd probably have to go with a tie though. Lane only ran in the 4.4s, but he really, really flashes. His vert is what....40 some inches? Uber explosive at long speed, fast twitch, agility, all of the above. Extremely good athlete.

Thomas. Both the fastest and quickest guy on D (and of the quickest in the league imo).

But, wasn't Thurmond a track guy at one point?

Not saying he's the fastest, but I think Sherman's speed is very underrated. He also has a great vertical (see: INT from the 49ers game in week 2). He gets a lot of credit for being a smart player, but he's also one of the best athletes on the team.

Jeremy Lane. He's had some plays where it's almost cartoonish how fast he is. I believe Carroll has mentioned how he's the fastest guy on the team, as well.

thomas is def the quickest.

Sherm may over take him after the 40 yards though.

BlueTalon":3n06akn4 said:

Serious question. I know people have raved about Earl's range, but I'm wondering how that translates to speed. Earl is also mentioned as one of the fastest guys on the team, but...

I'm wondering if he is somehow faster when running at someone toward him than when he's chasing someone. When Gore broke that run, both Earl and Sherman pursued him, and it looked to my eyes like Earl couldn't gain any ground on Gore while Sherm overtook him eventually. Last year, when Adrian Peterson broke his long run, it was Browner that chased him down, not Earl.

Am I missing something?

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No offense, that play is a poor example.

Thomas was running with steam at Gore before Gore made that ridiculous and gorgeous cut pretty much forcing Thomas to make a sharp turn and locking up his hips for a moment, stalling much of his momentum.

Sherman on the other hand was already facing the way Gore was running as a product of a big hold on Vernon Davis. Sherman didn't have to make an ankle breaking cut upfield to recover so he was able to run full stride before Thomas could. Which is why they started out about the same but Sherman was able to gain more ground. Sherman has a much bigger stride than Thomas, and that was the difference. That and Thomas losing his momentum on Gores's cut.

If I had to guess.

1. Thomas 4.3
2. Lane 4.3
3. Maxwell 4.4
4. Margagos 4.4
5. Thurmond 4.4
6. Shead (220 pounds and runs 4.5)
7. Sherman 4.5
8. Tharold Simon 4.5
9. Jeron Johnson 4.5
10. Browner 4.6
11. Kam Chanchellor 4.6

40 times are just a range.

.

Mtjhoyas":1uq1duxg said:

Jeremy Lane. He's had some plays where it's almost cartoonish how fast he is. I believe Carroll has mentioned how he's the fastest guy on the team, as well.

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I agree that its probably Lane I have heard more than once he is the fastest guy on the team. Im sure Carroll said it and the other was from a player, might have heard it on the radio.

Bruce irvin

Brandon Browner still doesn't get enough mention, the guy is fast when he INT's a ball, Kam tripped him once on an INT because Browner caught him so fast.

Earl and Sherman are both fast.

I just re-watched Super Bowl XL, all our DB's are faster than the players we had then. Watching Willie Parker run 80 yards for a TD would never happen against this team.