Who Was Better: Bruce Smith or Reggie White

[Phil The Thrill]

2 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

As someone who's literally getting over the flu right now, I completely disagree with your disapproval of Bruce not playing that game.

 

Players playing with the flu is NOT that common.

 

Michael Jordan's 38 point game with the flu was the exception, not the norm.

 

That said, I think I'm a little shocked at the homerism. This poll should at the very least be close to even. Is everyone here who voted old enough to have watched both guys in their prime?

 

It might be 1a and 1b, but Reggie White is definitely 1a to me. I've never seen a more dominant defensive player than the Rev.

 

Sure, Bruuuuuuce is the 2nd most dominant, but he also benefited from a consistently better supporting cast.

 

Did you refuse a flu shot like Bruce?

[Patrick Duffy]

4 minutes ago, Phil The Thrill said:

 

Did you refuse a flu shot like Bruce?

Doesn't always protect you against the flu. Just a certain type.

Edited June 8, 2019 by Patrick_Duffy

[Phil The Thrill]

1 minute ago, Patrick_Duffy said:

Doesn't always protect you against the flu. Just a certain type.

 

I know - it’s not like a measles vaccine but it does reduce the chances.  The rumor on here was that Bruce refused to get the flu shot.

[Ga boy]

On ‎6‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 5:07 PM, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...kind of a mute point....despite efforts to determine it by film study reconstruction, Deacon had sacks before they were recordable.....bottom line is Bruce, Reggie & Deacon were THE best and arguing order will be a never ending discussion...at least some of us were blessed to have seen all three.............

Deac was on the QB in a blink, but the OL back then was smaller.  There were games that Bruce would disappear, and he took plays off.  Never saw that with the Rev.  Bruce wsa quicker, but Reggie was a bone breaker.

[transplantbillsfan]

1 hour ago, Phil The Thrill said:

 

Did you refuse a flu shot like Bruce?

 

Actually I haven't gotten a flu shot in over a decade. Last time I got one I had a fever for an entire weekend that peaked at 102.

 

And even getting the flu this week, I still probably won't be getting one next year.

 

Flu isn't exactly common in Hawai'i. And I broke the fever in less than 4 days.

 

Luckily (or unluckily) it coincided with the start of my Summer break, anyway.

Edited June 8, 2019 by transplantbillsfan

[BuffaloBillsGospel]

Reggie White had an amazing cast of players around him ... Clyde Simmons, Seth Joyner, and RIP Jerome Brown who could have been one of the best to play inside. When Bruce came in he was virtually doing it himself through countless double teams, Reggie did also but I'm not sure he did with the Eagles so for me it's Bruce, who was also stout against the run plus he's the sack leader so to me there is no question it's Smith.

[BADOLBILZ]

 

 

At their peaks Reggie was the better all around DL but:

 

-White was also about 50#'s heavier than Smith.

 

-White played in a very aggressive and pass rusher friendly 4-3 all of his career while Bruce played much of his prime in a read and react 3-4 scheme.

 

-White's supporting cast on the DL in Philly created opportunities Bruce rarely had wrt matchups.

 

-As a LDE White lined up against RT's who were far inferior as pass blockers to LT's of that day(think of his SB performance against the immortal Max Lane while Bruce Smith would have been going against Bruce Armstrong).    Using stud pass rushers on RT's to exploit favorable matchups has become a more common thing since then..........see Michael Strahan who also feasted on lumbering RT's.

 

-People often cite Bruce's bad days against great LT's............but Erik Williams of Dallas absolutely dominated Reggie White.................White just rarely saw a RT who was anywhere near as good as a good LT.

 

If Bruce played in a 46 for most of his career he would have had about 300 sacks IMO.............even old and tired he put up 10 sacks in Washington when finally introduced to a 4-3 defense............and he had some of his best games in Washington versus Walter Jones and Orlando Pace.    Two sack games against each of them........I think that was the only two sack game Jones ever allowed and the only two sacks he allowed that season.    

 

He was the greatest pass rusher of the "sack statistic era"  IMO........I don't know about Deacon Jones that was a different game then............and Lawrence Taylor might have been better over the short run but Bruce was not only great but also had the size and work ethic to endure that the explosive Taylor did not. 

 

[Gugny]

7 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

At their peaks Reggie was the better all around DL but:

 

-White was also about 50#'s heavier than Smith.

 

-White played in a very aggressive and pass rusher friendly 4-3 all of his career while Bruce played much of his prime in a read and react 3-4 scheme.

 

-White's supporting cast on the DL in Philly created opportunities Bruce rarely had wrt matchups.

 

-As a LDE White lined up against RT's who were far inferior as pass blockers to LT's of that day(think of his SB performance against the immortal Max Lane while Bruce Smith would have been going against Bruce Armstrong).    Using stud pass rushers on RT's to exploit favorable matchups has become a more common thing since then..........see Michael Strahan who also feasted on lumbering RT's.

 

-People often cite Bruce's bad days against great LT's............but Erik Williams of Dallas absolutely dominated Reggie White.................White just rarely saw a RT who was anywhere near as good as a good LT.

 

If Bruce played in a 46 for most of his career he would have had about 300 sacks IMO.............even old and tired he put up 10 sacks in Washington when finally introduced to a 4-3 defense............and he had some of his best games in Washington versus Walter Jones and Orlando Pace.    Two sack games against each of them........I think that was the only two sack game Jones ever allowed and the only two sacks he allowed that season.    

 

He was the greatest pass rusher of the "sack statistic era"  IMO........I don't know about Deacon Jones that was a different game then............and Lawrence Taylor might have been better over the short run but Bruce was not only great but also had the size and work ethic to endure that the explosive Taylor did not. 

 

 

So what's your vote?

[BADOLBILZ]

12 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

So what's your vote?

 

I chose Bruce.

 

But because of the factors outlined it was never actually the apples/apples comparison that people wanted to make it.

 

And IMO Bruce would be even better in todays game..........White would be great but not as great as he was in his day.

 

[Augie]

3 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

I chose Bruce.

 

But because of the factors outlined it was never actually the apples/apples comparison that people wanted to make it.

 

And IMO Bruce would be even better in todays game..........White would be great but not as great as he was in his day.

 

 

I agree that the quickness vs power game gives Bruce greater value today, for sure. 

 

But I’ll  take either!