Playmakin' safeties: No one is better than Fast Eddie Reed

Ed Reed's razor-sharp wit defense last night effectively ripped Washington right out of the playoff picture. I blasted Jim Zorn at the beginning of the season, and my opinion remains unchanged after last night. Jim Zorn is terrible. Maybe your team will have better luck next year, Billy. It is always nice to crush a team's playoff hopes. Is it extra special beating neighborly Washington? Not really. There is no rivalry. Washington has beaten Baltimore exactly once, in 2000. Baltimore responded to that loss by winning the Super Bowl. So there. Has there ever been an NFL safety who makes more plays than Ed Reed? Before you start throwing out Troy Polamalu's name, consider that Reed has more than twice as many career picks (39 to 17). In all fairness, Fast Eddie Reed has played an extra season, so who knows, maybe Polamalu picks up an extra 22 interceptions next year, evening the score. In the meantime, let's compare apples to apples. The stats below aren't career numbers for any of the guys, just years 2003-present. Also, the touchdown numbers for Fast Eddie don't even include touchdowns stemming from fumble recoveries, blocked kicks, punt returns, et cetera. Just picks. SINCE 2003 * Fast Eddie Reed: 34 interceptions, 904 return yards, 5 touchdowns * Troy Polamalu: 17 interceptions, 210 yards, 1 touchdown * Ray Lewis: 14 interceptions, 204 yards, 2 touchdowns PS: Big ups to my boy Ben, who last night celebrated his 31st birthday in style. Ben is a recovering Redskins fan who grew up in Baltimore and eventually saw the light. Go Ravens.