Bill Barnwell (ESPN) ranks the NFLs defensive triplets

[autobon7]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/16392 ... s-top-list

Once again the Vikings get snubbed (ranked 18th)......!!!!! He used Griffen, Smith and Barr. I should not get upset about a crap list like this but come on.... I guess it will take another division title and more All Pro selections to garner the respect I'm expecting.

[Boon]

Not only did he use those three, ignoring Joseph who some might argue is the third best defensive tackle in the nfl at this point, but they ranked the packers and lions above us rofl, that alone is a good knee slapper

[PurpleMustReign]

I could come up with a similar list by listing the best three players on a team and then not listing the Packers best players either. Why couldn't they just list the same positions?

[jackal]

considering ESPN thinks the Packers won our division last year,

[Laserman]

The Vikings will never get respect from these folks until they Take it by force by winning it all or going deep into the playoffs for a few years.

[Jordysghost]

Not only did he use those three, ignoring Joseph who some might argue is the third best defensive tackle in the nfl at this point, but they ranked the packers and lions above us rofl, that alone is a good knee slapper

Well aside from the fact that the Packers had a higher ranked D then the Vikes for a good portion of the year, and finished allowing barely a point more then the Vikes, I think there is enough reason to believe that Clay, Sheilds and Daniells is equal to or greater than Smith, Griffen and Barr. (Which of course, as mentioned already in this thread doesn't take Linval into the picture, but that hardly affects a comparison of those 3 vikings players in relation to other teams players)

I agree the Lions are too high, and their ranking makes it hard to take any of this crap seriously.

[Jordysghost]

I could come up with a similar list by listing the best three players on a team and then not listing the Packers best players either. Why couldn't they just list the same positions?

Who do you think the best player that got left off is? Linval I imagine?

[KSViking]

I take almost all of these ranking pieces with a grain of salt, but I think the Vikings strength is more that there is no ONE star on the defense, it is good because of a lot of guys doing a good job. We don't have a JJ Watt where someone is in on virtually every play. I would love to have a few guys that are the best at their position, I think H. Smith is the closest you will come to that on our team, and even then many around the league would argue for others.

Like is was previously posted, the Vikings in general are going to have to win something, or get consistent before anyone is going to give them respect. And in the end, whether a beat writer things we have the number 1 or number 17 defense, it has little impact on how we play. They can shove all their lists up their collective poop shoots.

[Jordysghost]

I take almost all of these ranking pieces with a grain of salt, but I think the Vikings strength is more that there is no ONE star on the defense, it is good because of a lot of guys doing a good job. We don't have a JJ Watt where someone is in on virtually every play. I would love to have a few guys that are the best at their position, I think H. Smith is the closest you will come to that on our team, and even then many around the league would argue for others.

Like is was previously posted, the Vikings in general are going to have to win something, or get consistent before anyone is going to give them respect. And in the end, whether a beat writer things we have the number 1 or number 17 defense, it has little impact on how we play. They can shove all their lists up their collective poop shoots.

Yea, well, to be fair, this entire list is dumb, so you shouldn't feel to slighted by the Vikings ranking on it.