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Like L.T., Peppers has the ability to alter how his position is played

Sporting News, The, Dec 6, 2004 by Brian Baldinger

Years from now, we might be talking about Carolina's Julius Peppers the way we talk about Lawrence Taylor today. Peppers has the ability to redefine the defensive end position, as L.T. did at outside linebacker.

Peppers' phenomenal game last Sunday against Tampa Bay offered a glimpse of how good he can be. He blocked a field goal. He intercepted a Brian Griese pass and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown. He sacked Griese--his seventh sack in his past four games. He saved a touchdown on a screen pass by catching Michael Pittman almost 70 yards downfield. Peppers was the difference in the game.

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With his strength, speed and mobility, Peppers is the best athlete in the NFL. He has tools that no defensive end before him had--at least not anyone I can think of. He is so athletic he could be a Pro Bowl tight end if he played both ways, and he could be an NBA power forward if he played two sports. Easily. Instead, he's becoming the most dominant left end in football.

What makes him special is his ability to drop back in coverage. I used to get upset when I'd watch defensive ends do that. They were pass rushers, and it was a waste of their abilities to keep them away from the quarterback. They were doing the offense a favor, especially because nobody really expected them to defend a receiver; they were there to make a tackle. But Peppers shuts receivers down--running backs, wide receivers, anybody. He can be as dangerous dropping back as he is moving forward.

And he'll only get better as a pass rusher. When he got 12 sacks in 12 games as a rookie in 2002, he did it with athleticism--speed, mostly. He's stronger now, thanks to full-time devotion to football after having played basketball and football at North Carolina, and he has added an inside rip move that's as good as anybody's. So teams already must respect his upfield speed and his inside move. If he can add a counter move to the outside, a club, he'll be like a pitcher with a great fastball and curve who adds a slider to his repertoire. He could be unstoppable.

He could be more than that. He must stay healthy and continue to improve, but Peppers could change the way defensive ends are viewed forever.

Brian Baldinger, an offensive lineman for 12 NFL seasons, can be heard on Sporting News Radio and seen on FOX Sports. Listen online at radio.sportingnews.com.

Like L.T., Peppers has the ability to alter how his position is played

Sporting News, The, Dec 6, 2004 by Brian Baldinger

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