Hey gang, it feels good to back up and running with the blog again due to circumstances I had to shut it down for a bit, but it feels good to be back.
Any who, With the Super Bowl being this Sunday, I thought I'd open the new blog and the New Year with something that can carry a deep conversation and show everyone’s difference in opinion. I do love when you all give your opinion. And what better topic than the NFL, with the NFL season coming to an end and the possibility of not having football next year with a impending lockout :( the league has given us many things to talk about. With Old faces coming back to greatness and new faces emerging as the league's next big thing, Here is the list of the league's top 50 best players.
Now before we get started, understand that this is not the 50 best players this year, nor the 50 best players of all time. This list has been carefully constructed with this year’s stats as well as career numbers, play, moments and especially impact to the team. It's safe to say that usually the best player on the team holds the largest impact on and off the field. This list is not exempt from controversy as you will see; out of 32 teams 9 don't have a single player on this list. Those teams include (Giants, Redskins, Bucs, Seahawks, Chiefs, Browns, Bengals, Panthers and Bills)... While the Colts, Falcons, Ravens, Cowboys and Eagles dominate the list with 4 players each. It's not the number of players that will be controversial, but the place where they land.
With the help of ESPN.com and NFL.com's statistical breakdown and CBSSPORTS.com's Pete Prisco, I was able to construct a list most people will find at the very least interesting. So let’s jump right into it you football nuts.
50. Logan Mankins.
Respected around the league as arguably the best OG in football, Mankins has helped protect Tom Brady's blindside for the last six seasons. A 3x pro bowl selection and a 1 all pro selection. With his holdout earlier in the season the Patriots never really clicked until he was back on the O-Line. Still Mankins is very unhappy with his situation in NE and will be a good addition via trade to any team that gets him, with recent talks having him going to the Eagles; he would provide the protection that Mike Vick so desperately needs. But if I know NE Brady is saying anything he has to to make sure our #50 player stays put.
49. Jay Ratliff.
Ratliff has become arguably the best NT in the business; the funny thing is it was by mistake. Ratliff was stuck as the 3rd string backup on the Cowboys roster, but an injury to starting NT Jason Ferguson in 2007 sent him to the starting lineup. Ratliff never looked back. Racking up 3 pro bowl selections and 1 all pro selection (Not including this year) Ratliff is fast approaching that dominate title. But unlike Mankins before him I (along with other "experts") didn't consider him to be the best linemen on the list, thus the reason they are so low.
Can't think of a more dangerous player in all of the NFL. Since arriving in the league he leads the league in touchdowns of 20+ yards and has that ability to be able to change a game with one catch. The thing with DeSean is that the right coverage can contain him as a receiver, and he isn't the most polished guy as the number 1 option for the Eagles, but on the other hand he is the most dangerous player on that team. As shown in the second Giants game this season when he took the 60+ yard punt return for a touchdown to win the game. To quote Coach Reid "He made one play all game and it was the one that mattered". I also can remember in Cowboy stadium a simple out route and a missed tackle and boom, next thing you know he out runs every one for a 80+ yard TD. His stat line read 4 catches for 210 yards and 1 TD that game. That’s how dangerous he is. When he learns how to play the receiver spot better he may be the best player in the league because he would be able to change the game in so many levels. Make a list of scariest players and he is for sure number 1 because you will never know when that one big play will come.
47. Devin Hester
Hester is a talent like no other, he already is a Hall of Fame player for his talents on special teams and he is turning into a very valuable threat at receiver. His 14 total kick returns for touchdowns is the most in NFL history, to put in in perspective Hester has more career returns for touchdowns than D. Jackson(4), L. Washington(7) and D. Bryant(2) combined (The other 3 men considered for the pro bowl returnee). And his achievements keep going 3x pro bowler, 3x all pro, NFL 2000's all decade team. The scary thing for the league is that Hester is finally starting to get the hang of playing receiver so we have yet to see the best he can offer.
46. Matt Ryan.
Matty Ice as he's been nickname by many, Ryan is one of the best young QB's we have playing today. Surely when Peyton and Tom call it quits he will be one of the names that will challenge for the title "Best QB", but you can't hide the facts. 2 career playoff games and 2 loses, one coming as an embarrassment at home as the number 1 seed. Still I don't take much away from Ryan, he's one of the best talents that we have in the game today he just doesn't have that signature moment just yet. Still his numbers are very impressive and have been since he arrived in the league. Plus as shown last season when he's not there the offense just isn't the same.
45. Steven Jackson
Simply put Jackson is a monster in a football uniform. The fact that he's never had a winning season can never be traced back to his performance on the field, the 3x pro bowler and the 2x all pro selection has made an impact on the entire league since coming into it. And now that he has a QB capable of winning games the load that he's had to carry for so long on his own has all of a sudden gotten a lot lighter.
44. Tony Gonzalez
Tony has done it for what seems like forever. He is the league's all time receptions, yards and TD leader for TE's and it seems like he doesn't slow down. Tony's list of accomplishments run a mile long, 11x pro bowl selection, 6x all pro selection, 3x second team all pro and the first TE ever to catch 100 passes in a single season, joining LaDainian Tomlinson as the only two position players that aren't wide receivers to do so. Tony also received a huge honor this past summer when the NFL network placed him among the top 100 greatest players ever.
43. Brandon Marshall
Marshall is a talent the league hasn't seen since a young Terrell Owens. The only issue with Marshall is that sometimes that he has the attitude to match but there is no mistaking his talent. Once Marshall was inserted into the starting lineup he hauled in 100+ balls each of his first 3 years as a started. A 2x pro bowl selection Marshall has yet to even reach the highest level of his talent. Once he gets with the right QB that can place the ball in spots where he can excel, look for 120+ catch season(s) from Marshall. Something Owens never did.
42. Ray Rice
Ray has proven to be a value at the running back spot for the Baltimore Ravens and the team's best offensive player. Without him QB Joe Flacco doesn't have the success that he has had so far in his career. For two straight seasons he's not only led the Ravens in rushing yards but also in receptions, something that was almost certain to go down with the trade of Anquan Boldin this past summer. He's not the touchdown guy a lot of people wished he was because Willis McGahee takes care of the redzone duties. But make no mistake that the work horse of the team is.
41. Tony Romo
Of course as a Cowboys fan I feel like this is too low, but on the other hand I was being unbiased. Now many people have come to me and said that he is overrated and shouldn't be on the list in the first place but if you look closely that's not the case. Tony started only 10 games in 2006 and missed 10 games this year. All and all he's missed 19 games total since becoming a starter and has compiled more yards than Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. Fewer interceptions than Philip Rivers, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger. And also more touchdowns than Big Ben. The thing that puts most of those guys ahead of Tony is what they have accomplished in the playoffs. Tony maybe the star QB that the Dallas Cowboys need but he has yet to have that playoff run that most of the elites need.
40. Julius Peppers
You Think Julius Peppers aren’t one of the top 50 best players right now? Ask the Carolina Panthers. He single handily changed the value of two franchises, The Panthers who finished dead last in sacks this year and total Defense and the Chicago Bears where is a MVP candidate. Peppers led the league in sacks for the while mid season and then he became the victim of a lot of double teams. He still finished this season with 8 sacks, 9 passes defended and 2 interceptions.
39. Wes Welker
Welker has emerged as the best little wide receiver in the league, all the things you would ask of the bigger receivers you get out of Welker. A 2x time pro bowler Welker endured a lot of criticism with the trade of Randy Moss. For years people went on and on about how he was the product of Randy Moss being on the other side, even though he caught more balls than Moss each year they spent together in NE. He also led the league in receptions last season and piled on another 86 this year, and to all the Moss believers who still say he is the product of Moss. Welker went on to catch more passes in the next 6 weeks after the Moss deal, including his bye week than Moss caught all season.
38. Champ Bailey
It's almost amazing that Champ Bailey has stopped getting the respect he deserves, when people speak of the best cornerbacks in football almost no one mentions Bailey. He's a 9x pro bowl selection and a 3x all pro who rarely gets challenged by the opposing QB. He is one of those players who can shut down the team’s best weapon at receiver and play the run really well. He should be making the move to safety soon to keep years on his career, But like Rod Woodson before him I don't think that Champ will find much of a problem with that being as though it will give him the chance to read the QB a little more and add to his career interception total and his already Hall of Fame career.
37. Ray Lewis
The Master of Defense is arguably the greatest LB ever. He also received the honor of being named to the NFL's top 100 greatest players list, a 12x pro bowler Lewis holds that record for inside/middle linebackers, a 7x all pro, Super Bowl XXXV champion and MVP and a 2x defensive player of the year. There is nothing that Lewis hasn't done in his career and is almost a lock as a first ballot Hall of Famer. Why isn't he higher then? Simple, while he may have been great he is no longer the best; Lewis has clearly lost a step and doesn't dominate the game like he once did. He can be blocked now, the right move and you can go right by him plus he is no longer the best or the most important person on that defense anymore. There is no replacing the heart he brings to that team however which puts him a lot higher than most of the guys on here.
36. James Harrison
I call him the "Maniac" because that’s exactly how he plays, like a maniac. But, I can say it is rather affective for the Pittsburgh defense. He is 4x pro bowl selection, 3x all pro, Defensive player of the year and 2x super bowl champion. Not to mention he has the longest recorded play in Super bowl history. He is one of those players that you must game plan for and take notice of where he is every single second he is on the field. And sometimes that still doesn't work.
35. Dallas Clark
The Best Route running TE in the NFL. A little smaller than your average TE but a little bigger than the typical WR, and Clark uses the combination of size, speed and hands to his advantage. He is Peyton Manning's favorite target and is always among the league leaders in receptions and yards every year. The Value of Clark was shown when he went down this year and Peyton struggled to get to 10 wins without him and got knocked out of the 1st round of the playoffs this year. I would have love to seen how the season would have gone had he not gotten hurt. It's always going to be tough to replace a pro bowl player at a QB's most comfortable position.
34. Roddy White
He is another one of those guys that unless you are a die hard football fan you don't pay attention to. Most people forget he was Michael Vick's number 1 guy at receiver before his departure from Atlanta. But he wasn't this polished yet and since Vick's departure White has become one of the top 5 receivers in football. a 3x pro bowler White is sure to make his debut on the all pro team this year because of his league leading 115 receptions.
33. Ryan Clady
The best LT in all of the NFL. He's a monster pass blocker and a great run blocker to boot, before this season Clady allowed a league low 3 sacks in 2 seasons. This year he had a major drop coming off a knee injury early in the pre-season, but not enough of a drop to really allow any other LT to pass him bye. The Denver Broncos did finish the season with the league's 7th best passing game with Kyle Orton as the starting QB.
32. Michael Turner
The real work horse of the entire NFL. For 2 of the last 3 season Turner has led the league in attempts, this year he racked up 1,371 yards on 334 attempts. All those years of running behind LT in San Diego made him ready for when he got his own chance. Turner is the reason for such a productive development in QB Matt Ryan, when you can run the ball on 3rd and 7 and feel comfortable about making a first down, it tends to make your job as a QB really easy.
31. Clay Matthews
He wins for the best nickname in football; "The Bloodline" has shown that he is more than just flash unlike most of the players that come from The "University of Spoiled Children" in 2 seasons he has shown that he is the best player to come from USC in years. Clay has racked up 10 sacks in his rookie season, and then this year he piled on with 13.5 sacks, 60 tackles, 4 PDef and a 62 yard interception return for a touchdown. Clay will most likely be named defensive player of the year and in my opinion is right there with DeMarcus Ware as best outside LB in football.
30. Trent Cole
The Most underrated player in the entire NFL to me. He doesn't get that appreciation from the rest of the NFL as one of the league's best pass rushers as he should. Since entering the NFL in 2005 there are only 3 players ahead of Cole for sacks by active players. DeMarcus Ware, Jared Allen and John Abraham 2x pro bowler, 1x all pro selection Cole's stock is rising faster and faster every season.
29. Jason Witten
The Best TE in the NFL, but for this list it hurts him for being on a team so stacked with offensive talent. He is the most important piece on the Cowboys' offense, he makes Romo, Austin, Jones, Bryant and Williams all better. But, the fact that he plays along side those guys if he were to go down(God forbid) the team wouldn't struggle as much because they would still have so many pieces to move forward with. It still doesn't take away the fact that he is a great player, He led all TE's in catches and yards, and finished 2nd in TD's. And take into account that Tony Romo missed 10 games. Witten's production just keeps going up and he is starting to separate himself among the rest of the TE's in the NFL.
28. Jared Allen
3x First team all pro selection and a 3x Pro Bowl selection, Allen has proven that he was worth more than 1st round pick the Minnesota Vikings sent to the Chiefs for him. Allen led the league in sacks in 2007 and has finished in the top 5 of the category ever since. It's safe to say that Allen is the dominate player on the Defense of the Vikings and his production continues to get better as he gets older, which is rare in the NFL.
27. Michael Vick
Vick is the most talented player to ever come into the NFL. He has a stronger arm than most QB's in the NFL today and faster than most running backs and the fact that he's getting more accurate with time is going to make him more dangerous as he enters his 30's, this will more likely add years to his career that he may not have had if continuing his previous style of play. Already a 4x pro bowler and a MVP candidate, Vick has proven that a great talent and strong work ethic can over come anything. Vick spent 2 years in prison and last season on the bench with no real value to the team. However this year Vick showed that once he got back into the "Football" shape he needed, he was going to remind us of the amazing talent that we saw in Atlanta before he went away. The scary thing for the rest of the NFL is that Vick is getting better. It hurts to say this but, Way to go Eagles.
26. Charles Woodson
Woodson has proven that he is the best all around corner back in the entire league. When the Pack are playing a scrabbling QB, he is responsible for spying him. He comes off the blitz, plays zone still at a high rate and always covers the teams best WR when dropping into coverage. He is a play maker in every sense of the word, the only reason he may not be higher is because of his age. He does everything at such a high rate but when doing things like coverage he doesn't have the feet to stay with some of the leagues best receivers. He may not shut guys down every week but he's always going to make a play when it counts. A 7x pro bowler, 3x all-pro and a former Defensive Player of the Year winner playing in his second Super Bowl. Woodson is not only a rare Heisman Trophy winner who has come into the NFL and dominated, but stayed consistent in his dominance and surely has built a resume that will land him in Canton.
25. Reggie Wayne
The biggest argument about Wayne was that playing the other side of Marvin Harrison made him as great as he was, WRONG! In 2007 Wayne recorded 104 receptions on the opposite side of Harrison leading the colts to believe that they would be safe in allowing Harrison to walk. Wayne hasn't disappointed, leading the league in receptions in 2009 and making the pro bowl each year since 2006. Wayne is quoted to have arguably the best hands in football, and being the best toe tapper on the sidelines that the business has. Playing with Peyton Manning can't hurt either, but with guys like Austin Collie, Blair White and Pierre Garcon on the other side of him Wayne steps up to the task every year.
24. Maurice Jones-Drew
MJD is the shortest starting running back in the NFL but is arguably the toughest. Take into account that he started 1 game his rookie season due to injury to Fred Taylor, Jones-Drew still rushed for 941 yards and 13 TD's. And hasn't let the Jaguars down since becoming the starter completely in 2009 Drew has posted numbers rivaling some of the leagues best, in fact the only man to hold better numbers in that time frame would be Chris Johnson. MJD has run for more yards since becoming the starter than Adrian Peterson, Steven Jackson, Ray Rice and Michael Turner. He has said before that he is the best, maybe its time we start believing him.
23. Calvin Johnson
Name what you want in a starting WR and Mega-Tron is it. Calvin is listed at 6'5'' and 235lbs and ran a freakish 4.35 40 at the NFL combine. Add the fact that he has great hands and its understandable why they named him after a robot, Calvin is just a machine. He is always among the top of the league in catches and always among the bottom half in drops, which is what you want out of your starting receiver. He just finally cracked the pro bowl roster for the first time this season, but playing in a conference which had names like Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Terrell Owens, Steve Smith and Torry Holt in it for so long its understandable why he missed a few trips to Hawaii. But after the break performance that he had this season look for that achievement to become a every year thing.
22. Nick Mangold
Probably the most important player on the offense that isn't a QB. Mangold is the leader of a Jets team that needs him to succeed in order to be successful. He is not only the head protester of the Jets young QB the offense doesn't really move with Mangold there telling everyone including the QB what they need to know. Since coming into football Mangold has made it clear that he is the best Center the league has, locking up not only the starting Center spot in the pro bowl the last 3 seasons but the Center spot on the all pro team the last 2. And there's nothing you have on durability Mangold has played and started every game in the NFL since being drafted, something the rest of his counterparts can't claim.
21. Asante Samuel
"The BEST OFF corner in football" as quoted by Deion Sanders. And Deion is right, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he is great talent. Can he cover man to man, NO.? Not as well as you would like your number 1 to do but he understands one thing, that he has as much right to the ball as the receiver and he is better than most receiver when going to go get it. He has a love affair with the football and isn't afraid to be passionate in public. Samuel has accounted for 42 interceptions in his career and returned 4 of them for touchdowns, sure most of them come in zone coverage but I don't care how you get them, just get them! Play to your strengths and no one does that better than Samuel, with more interceptions since coming into the league than any other CB add in the fact that he is a 2x Super Bowl Champion and a 4x pro bowler, and you are watching a Hall of Famer at work every time he steps onto the field.
20. Antonio Gates
6'4'' 260lb basketball player that was told by NBA "experts" that he'd never making in the Association, Gates decided to "take his talents" (see what I did there) to the NFL. After a typical rookie season for most TE's 24 catches 389 2 TDs, Gates broke down the wall the very next season and hasn't looked back since. Racking up an amazing 7,005 yards in his career numbers that can only be matched by Wide Receivers in that time frame. Even this year before getting hurt Gates piled on with 785 yards on only 50 catches and 10 TD's, imagine what would have happened if he didn't miss the last 6 games of the regular season. I feel like Jason Witten is the best TE in football because of his overall ability. But Gates is the Philip Rivers biggest threat, the ability of the entire offense declines when he isn't in the game the importance of Gates along with his superstar ability is what puts him ahead of Witten on this list.
19. Haloti Ngata
Ngata gets the benefit of playing with two Hall of Fame players in Ed Reed and Ray Lewis on his defense, not to mention that he is lead man for pro bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs. But Ngata has proven that he is truly the best player on that defense. He rushes the passer as well as anyone in football and plays the run extremely well, the Ravens have a package where it calls for him to play linebacker and he drops back into coverage at times. And seriously when's the last time you've seen a 350lb man run step for step with TEs in this league? That’s Ngata he is the person that opens up so much for the other guy like Lewis and Suggs at this point in their careers to be successful.
18. Larry Fitzgerald
Ok, for years people have asked and alot of my friends have asked me which guy is better? Larry Fitzgerald or Anquan Boldin? For so many years they alternated Starting Pro Bowl Receiver responsablities while on the same team, BUT after this year that should never be a question asked again. Aquan went to a team ready to be successful where he could shine, had a ready QB in Joe Flacco and finished the season with 64 catches 837 yards and 7 TDs. To put it in a blunt manner, THAT'S TERRIBLE! a starting receiver on a top five rushing squad should break 1,000 yards easy because it opens so much up. Now Fitzgerald on the other hand to deal with Boldin leaving for Baltimore, Kurt Warner retiring and both his starting running backs and the number 2 and 3 receivers getting hurt which means all the coverage went his way. Oh and 4 QB changes during the season and all he did was catch 90 passes for 1,137 yards and 6 TDs and make another pro bowl. I think it's safe to say that Fitzgerald is nice and safe among the top 3-5 Receivers in football.
17. Frank Gore
Frank Gore is a talent every coach looks for. Running, receiving, blocking he can do it all. Racking up numbers rivaled by some of the best in the business, Gore has proven that he is more than ready to carry that team to a winning season. If there's any knock on a back that has rushed for 6,414 yards and 35 TDs in 6 seasons it must be a big one and the knock on Gore is really big. He's always hurt, he has one full season in under his belt and has play only one full season dating back the last 9 years including the time he spent in the university of Miami. I call it the Brian Westbrook syndrome. When you're hurt you leave so many yards on the field that can be the difference between 12-4 and 5-11. Gore is in a situation where he can't afford to he get hurt because his team counts so much on his production in order for them to be successful. But when he is on the field he is probably the most dangerous player on it no matter who the Niners maybe playing. Again one full season but in that season he ran for 1,695 yards and 8 TDs, not to mention catching 61 passes.
16. Patrick Willis
Patrick Willis has seperated himself from the rest of the league's middle linebacker group. A group that is very good and very talented but Willis is clearly the best middle linebacker in football, since arriving in 2007 Willis stays among the league's leaders in tackles with an amazing 174 in his rookie season leading the league in the category and taking the Rookie of the Year title. Willis since has been asked to do alot more in the 49ers 3-4 scheme but he has shown in doing so that he's not only good, but great! His pass defenses are steady having 10 at the MLB spot in 2008. Showing that he can not only stop the run but also go out into pass coverage if asked to do so. Willis has made the Pro Bowl every year since being in the league and the scary thing is that most players say that Willis isn't even half as good as he could be. Look out for when he realizes how good he really is.
15. Chris Johnson
CJ2K, any man that rushes for 2,000 yards in this league has to make a list like this. Of course it was really ridiculous for him to say he would rush for 2,500 this year but we'll give him a pass being as though it really wasn't his fault the Titans were as bad as they were. Johnson rushed for 1,364 yards and 11 TDs, with 8 in the box in almost every game he played in. The good thing about CJ so far in his career unlike most backs his size, he's really durable he stays healthy and is always on the field. In 3 seasons he's rushed for more yards than every other running back in football and not to mention he is in the record books for have the single season yards from scrimmage mark. Extremely impressive I would just keep that 2,500 talk down some.
14. Nnamdi Asomugha
Nnamdi entered the NFL in 2003 and in that time he's been in football he's only pulled in 11 total career interceptions. Why is that worth being so high on this list and even on it period you may ask? Because there is a simple explanation to why such low numbers in the interception stat, no one throw to his side. Asomugha has been the least targeted corner in football since Deion Sanders, actually only getting targeted 10 times total in 2009. This speaks to his greatness because in that year Nnamdi went up against big names like Andre Johnson, DeSean Jackson, Miles Austin, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall, Dwayne Bowe, Steve Smith(Giants), Braylon Edwards, Chad Ocho Cinco and Santonio Holmes. Now take this into account he only gave up two big plays all season to D. Jackson and Austin and he had 4 passes defended and he was only thrown to 10 times in a 16 game season.
13. Dwight Freeney
The Master of the spin. Freeney has shown his importance to the Colts on numerous occasions, compiling 94 sacks in his career. His speed and size is what gives him the advantage over most offensive linemen and that deadly spin move has become a problem for everyone who has tried to block him. Freeney's impact is what has him so high on the list for example Super Bowl 44, Freeney is healthy for the first half and is completely disruptive to what Drew Brees and that offense wanted to do. The second half comes and Freeney's leg injury prevents him from being that force of the first half and it allows Brees to get comfortable. Freeney is a 6x Pro Bowler and a 3x all pro selection and has led the NFL in sacks with 16 in 2004.
12. Ben Roethlisberger
Off the field issues aside, if we started a draft and Peyton Manning and Tom Brady were off the Board, it would be really hard to pass up on Big Ben. No, he's not for the fantasy football nerds, he may never win the MVP award but he wins championships and looks to be on the verge of winning another. Ben is the youngest QB ever to win a Super Bowl title and given his off the field issues is what prevented him from being able to jump into that elite class yet. Statistically he's not better than guys you wouldn't think to put in the same class as the elite; Romo, Schaub, Ryan but he is a better winner than all of them combined. Ben is the only rookie QB to go undefeated in a season, he is a 2x Super Bowl Champion, and a Pro Bowler. With a win in Super Bowl 45 Ben will be in a class that only 4 other QB's are in (Aikman, Bradshaw, Brady, Montana) a 3 or more time Super Bowl Champion.
11. Ed Reed
The Best Ball Hawk in football, Reed only played 10 games in 2010 and led the league in interceptions with 8. Reed is a 7x Pro Bowler and a 5x All Pro, Ed has led the league in interceptions 3x and is a former Defensive player of the Year. Reed's importance to his team is unmatched as he changes the game plan for the opposing teams. The plan goes from down the field to dink and dunk, and even then you're not safe because you never can account for where he will be on the field. Now the scariest thing about Reed is his ability to turn into an offensive player the second the ball gets into his hands, Reed has 54 career interceptions and 8 returned for TDs.
10. Aaron Rodgers
In 3 seasons Rodgers is surpassing the very large shadow that Brett Favre has left over the city in Green Bay. He has done in only 3 years what it took Favre Ten years to do, He is a Pro Bowl QB and has the rare talent of being able to make every throw. Some have called Rodgers the best in the business, I wouldn't go that far just yet but Aaron is doing things with his arm and his legs that most QB can't do. He was third in the league this year in rushing for QBs and First last season. The thing that makes Rodgers so good is his confidence that he can make any play and always put his team in position to win. Rodgers has made all of us really forget about Favre for now, and if he wins a championship now he would have to be placed in the elite class.
9. Andre Johnson
Andre has moved on to be the best Receiver in football, and he has made it look easy doing it. A 5x Pro Bowl selection, 3x All Pro selection and a 2x league leader in Receiving. Andre has piled up numbers that are simply amazing 673 catches and 9,164 yards and 50 TDs, and remember that David Carr was his QB for the beginning of his career. Dre is going to continue to get better which is scary because he already has the ability to beat you in any way on the field, he can beat you going across the middle with the strength to absorb the big hit and if you decide to try and jam him, here's some advice. DON'T MISS because Dre has the speed to beat you deep as well. So pick your poison.
8. Philip Rivers
After starting Chargers quarterback Drew Brees went to the New Orleans Saints in 2005, Rivers stepped in and hasn't disappointed at all going 14-2 as a starter in his first year. Rivers has been elected to the Pro Bowl 3x and is known for the most gutsiest performance by a Quarterback in recent memory, playing the AFC championship game days after having surgery to repair a torn ACL. Rivers is known for putting up big numbers and is always among the top in passing even leading the league in passing in 2008.
7. DeMarcus Ware
The self proclaimed Batman was claimed to not be able to be blocked by most starting offensive lineman. DeMarcus has compiled the most sacks in the NFL since coming into the league in 2005 with 80. And is without a doubt the best LB in football. There is nothing that he can't do, play the run, rusher the passer and drop into coverage. All of this is what has made DeMarcus a Pro Bowler every year since 2006 and a 3x first team All Pro selection and the 2008 NFC Defensive Player of the Year. Ware is the dominating factor that drives the Cowboys team even more so than Tony Romo given that Ware has only missed one game in his career so far.
6. Adrian Peterson
Following his stellar first pro season in which he set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296), Peterson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Peterson was then awarded the MVP award for his performance in the Pro Bowl and became only the fifth player in NFL history to have more than 3,000 yards through his first two seasons. On October 17, 2010, Peterson became the fifth fastest player to run for 5,000 yards, doing so in his 51st game. Peterson has the third highest average yards per game total in NFL history (min. 50 games) with an average of 95.5, 9 yards behind Jim Brown (104.3) and Barry Sanders (99.8).
5. Darrelle Revis
Darrelle has proven his worth since being drafted by The Jets in 2007, since then he has gone up head to head with the best Receivers in the game and has shut them out. The thing that separates him and Nnamdi is that because of his stature he continues to get challenged more but Darrelle has proven that you should challenge him at your Darrelle Revis hasn't allowed a 100 yard receiver since 2007 against Terrell Owens. He's the most important piece to the Jets high powered defense because without him that high powered blitz doesn't work.
4. Drew Brees
Brees has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times in his career – with the Chargers in 2004 and the Saints in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010. He was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year in 2004, the Offensive Player of the Year in 2008, and the MVP of Super Bowl XLIV. Brees has shown that he is in that rare 3 man elite class with a career TD-INT stat of 235-132, 35,266 yards and a career QB rating of 91.7 one of the leagues best in history.
3. Troy Polamalu
6x Pro Bowl, 3x first team all pro selection, 2x Super Bowl champion and this years NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Troy Polamalu is the rare case where a player other than QB dictates how his entire teams plays. When Troy is on the field the Steelers are almost impossible to beat, he may not be the most athletic player in the league but he is the guy that will always make a play when it needs to be made. The Steelers record says it, with him on the field The Steelers are 14-4 and without him they are 5-7 over the last 2 seasons. It’s amazing that a safety can have an impact that powerful over an entire franchise.
2. Tom Brady
He has played in four Super Bowls, winning three of them (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX). He has also won two Super Bowl MVP awards (XXXVI and XXXVIII), has been selected to six Pro Bowls (and invited to seven, although he declined the 2006 invitation), and holds the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a single regular season. His career postseason record is 14-5. He also helped set the record for the longest consecutive win streak in NFL history with 21 straight wins over two seasons (2003–04),[1] and in 2007 he led the Patriots to the first undefeated regular season since the institution of the 16-game season. Brady has the fifth-highest career passer rating of all time (95.2) among quarterbacks with at least 1,500 career passing attempts.
Brady holds numerous regular season and postseason records, including most touchdown passes in a regular season (50); highest touchdown-to-interception ratio in a single season (9:1); highest single-game completion percentage, regular season or postseason (26/28, 92.9%); most consecutive pass attempts without an interception (339); most completions in one Super Bowl (32); most career completions in Super Bowl history (100); most consecutive regular season home wins (28); the highest winning percentage of any quarterback ever during his first 100 starts (76 wins); and the longest streak of games with 3 or more touchdown passes (10 games). Brady is the fourth-fastest player to reach 200 career passing touchdowns (116 games). He is the first quarterback in NFL history to have reached said mark with under 100 career interceptions (he had 88 interceptions).
1. Peyton Manning
Manning holds NFL records for consecutive seasons with over 4,000 yards passing and the most total seasons with 4,000 or more yards passing in a career. Manning holds the sixth highest career passer rating (94.9) in NFL history and the highest single-season passer rating (121.1 in 2004). He is the all-time Colts franchise leader in career wins, career passing yards, pass attempts, pass completions, and passing touchdowns.[5]
In 2009, he was listed by The Sporting News as the No. 1 player in the NFL today.[6] Also in 2009, Fox Sports named him player of the decade.
Since the Colts drafted Manning in 1998, the team has the highest conversion rate on 3rd down (44.6%) and 4th down (61.1%) plays in the NFL. While leading the Colts to their Super Bowl XLI victory in 2007, Manning helped the team to an NFL record by converting 56.1% of its 3rd downs. Manning's pre-snap routine has become one of the most recognizable scenes in the NFL. Prior to each play in a football game, the offensive team generally huddles; however, Manning and the Colts almost always skip the huddle, instead using a hurry-up offense with numerous audibles at the line of scrimmage. In 2010, he was named the eighth best player in NFL history, according to the NFL's top 100 show, and is the only active player in the top 10 category. Manning was placed 8th in the NFL's top 100 and is already arguably the Greatest QB of all time.
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