Greatest D-Line in Vikes History?

by biggity2bit on Sep 1, 2008 9:49 AM CDT

While reading the PiPress' assessment of the Vikings' roster this year, I was a little surprised by their take on the D-Line:

"This might be the best defensive line in team history. The "Williams Wall" plugs the middle and gave the team the No. 1 run defense in the NFL last season. With Allen on board, the Vikings feel they finally have the pass rusher they need to make life miserable for quarterbacks."

This got me wondering what rube nation thinks about this. I think our D-line is quite good, but until they help carry us to a Super Bowl I have a hard time placing them above Marshall, Page, and Eller. The current squad are monsters, but those guys did it for years and years and with a lot of success.

I do think our linebackers are quite good though, especially the starting three. I would believe that the current group would rank in the top three all time for the Vikings based off of their production last year, especially in sacking the QB, causing turnovers, and being disruptive in the run game. What other linebacking trio's have been better in Vike's history? I'd be really interested to find out.

This FanPost was created by a registered user of The Daily Norseman, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the site. However, since this is a community, that view is no less important.

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No question

Marshall, Eller Page & Larsen are the greatest d-line in Viking history. These new guys have the potential, but have not played a regular season down together…yet. Hopefully they make it a great debate in the future. And as you said, the “Purple People Eaters” did it for years!

by Odin on Sep 1, 2008 7:52 PM CDT reply actions

Studwell...

I’m not sure who a better trio of LB’s would be. But, Studwell will probably be my favorite Viking LB for life. In a pre-HIV league he played almost every down with blood stains (in most cases caused by his own elbow pads rubbing against his scabs) dripping from his arm to his pants. In my mind, he was iconic…

by Anthony Carter on Sep 3, 2008 10:34 AM CDT reply actions

Greatest D-Line

Without giving away my age, I can tell you, and some of you will also remember, how Eller Page Larson and Marshall would dominate a game to the point where on several successive plays -45 yards on three sacks and everyone would watch, shake their heads in empathy for the other team. They were THAT good. For THAT long. Oh, and quite often Bpbby Bryant, Krause or Matty Bair (my #1 LB in a close one w/Stud) would pick one. They were at the time, the undisputed monster defense of the NFL.

by JackPineSavage on Sep 6, 2008 10:55 AM CDT reply actions

So what about LB's?

I’m really curious about the greatest set of LB’s to suit up for the Vikes. I barely remember Studwell in his playing days. Eddie Mac was the first great LB I got to know. The current trio is still a little short on name recognition, especially around the league, but they play very, very well behind our line.

As for the ~~45 yards, I would love to have seen that happen on a routine basis. Is that even possible anymore in today’s NFL? Seems like teams are so good at getting the ball out quickly~~-and the rules support the offense more—that we might never see that kind of domination again.

by biggity2bit on Sep 6, 2008 3:48 PM CDT reply actions

Ancient LB's

I’ll let someone set me straight here…The greatest era of Viking linebackers was Jeff Siemon in the middle, originally Lonnie Warwick and Roy Winston on the flanks, then replaced by Matt Blair and Wally Hilgenberg. There was a McNeill in there somewhere I think. There have been some outstanding LBs down through the years, and I hate to throw out names from way back, but they were the best…Let’s hope that very soon we can talk about current and yet to come in the same category.

by JackPineSavage on Sep 6, 2008 6:51 PM CDT up reply actions

hmmm...

Didn’t mean for that part of the sentence to be lined out. sorry.

by biggity2bit on Sep 6, 2008 3:48 PM CDT reply actions

Viking Linebackers

The best group of Viking linebackers were the group that played with our tremendous front four of Eller, Page, Larsen and Marshall. Those 3 were Warwick, Hilgenberg and Winston. Jeff Siemon came later, but these 3 played together. Siemon was a star and played with the 3 greats, but he was a bit younger then them. Matt Blair and Scott Studwell were tremendous also. I am giving my age away, but my god those Viking teams were the most talented we have ever had. Also don’t want to forget the great defensive backs as well,i.e., Karl Kassulke, Paul Krause, Bobby Bryant, Jeff Wright and later Joey Browner.

by versailles viking on Sep 9, 2008 1:12 PM CDT reply actions