http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/2505 Recent articles about Patrick Kerney en-us I loved Prisco's top 50, but there were definite faults in it.  Even though he did a great job tackling the Brady v. Manning topic, some of his picks were, how do you say, questionable.  Here is my attempt at naming the top 50 players in the NFL.  With 1696 players on the active roster, cutting it down to 50 is tough, but here I go. 1. Tom Brady/QB/New England Patriots (Prisco Ranking-1): Ugh.  I hate this.  I hate putting Brady at number one.  50 touchdown passes does qualify him for this spot though.  This doesn't feel right.  Do I have to put Patriots players on my list? 2. Peyton Manning/QB/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-2): Ah, this feels better.  Manning in his downyear through for more than 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, got his team a first-round bye while missing his top wide receiver for most of the year.  Scary to think of what he can do with the whole team in his "great" years. 3. Randy Moss/WR/New England Patriots (Prisco-4): When he's not bumping traffic cops, he's pushing off of cornerbacks and safeties to break the receiving touchdowns in a season record (although that title is complete bogus).  He should do well again this year, but not 20+ touchdowns. 4. LaDanian Tomlinson/RB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-3): LDT is a Hall of Fame running back, but there are other backs in the league that are catching up to him.  Tomlinson can do it all: run, catch, and even pass.  He's the definition of an all-around back. 5. Bob Sanders/S/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-7): Sanders is definitely the best defender in the league.  No other defensive player changes a game in the way that Sanders does.  We've all seen what the Colts did on defense in 2007 as opposed to the Sanders-less 2006. 6. Jared Allen/DE/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-12): Legal matters aside, Allen has moved into the category of a healthy Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney as the game's premier pass rushers.  He got 15.5 sacks in 14 games last year.  It is crazy to put him out of the top 10. 7. Antonio Cromartie/CB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-NR): I have no idea how Antonio Cromartie was not ranked by Prisco.  Cromartie led the league in interceptions, returned a missed field goal for a touchdown, and he recovered 2 fumbles.  He was definitely the best corner in the league last year. 8. Adrian Peterson/RB/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-15): Peterson exploded onto the scene last season, running for over 1300 yards, leading the league in rushing yards per game, and taking home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. 9. DeMarcus Ware/OLB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-9): Last season, Ware had the best season of his career.  He had career-highs in sacks and tackles, and he is only going to improve. 10. Walter Jones/OT/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-16): Even though the Seahawks have no offensive weapons, the Seahawks have a top 10 offense.  How is it possible?  This man is the reason why. 11. Nnamdi Asomugha/CB/Oakland Raiders (Prisco-29) 12. Brian Westbrook/RB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-20) 13. Reggie Wayne/WR/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-22) 14. Steve Hutchinson/OG/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-19) 15. Albert Haynesworth/DT/Tennessee Titans (Prisco-14) 16. Terrell Owens/WR/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-13) 17. Jeff Saturday/C/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-NR) 18. Champ Bailey/CB/Denver Broncos (Prisco-5) 19. Shawne Merriman/OLB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-11) 20. Kevin Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-10) 21. Dwight Freeney/DE/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-25) 22. Ed Reed/S/Baltimore Ravens (Prisco-23) 23. Jason Peters/OT/Buffalo Bills (Prisco-27) 24. Richard Seymour/DE/New England Patriots (Prisco-30) 25. Braylon Edwards/WR/Cleveland Browns (Prisco-34) 26. Devin Hester/RS/Chicago Bears (Prisco-50) 27. Andre Johnson/WR/Houston Texans (Prisco-26) 28. Chad Johnson/WR/Cincinnati Bengals (Prisco-28) 29. Asante Samuel/CB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-37) 30. Patrick Willis/MLB/San Francisco 49ers (Prisco-43) 31. Antonio Gates/TE/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-24) 32. Osi Umenyiora/DE/New York Giants (Prisco-42) 33. Tony Romo/QB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-NR) 34. Tony Gonzalez/TE/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-46) 35. Steven Jackson/RB/St. Louis Rams (Prisco-33) 36. Patrick Kerney/DE/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-NR) 37. Mario Williams/DE/Houston Texans (Prisco-6) 38. Ernie Sims/OLB/Detroit Lions (Prisco-39) 39. Larry Fitzgerald/WR/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-31) 40. Ben Roethlisberger/QB/Pittsburgh Steelers (Prisco-17) 41. Lofa Tatupa/MLB/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-40) 42. Adrian Wilson/S/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-NR) 43. Shawn Andrews/OG/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-38) 44. Tommie Harris/DT/Chicago Bears (Prisco-36) 45. Pat Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-NR) 46. Aaron Kampman/DE/Green Bay Packers (Prisco-45) 47. Drew Brees/QB/New Orleans Saints (Prisco-35) 48. Brian Urlacher/MLB/Chicago Bears (Prisco-32) 49. Larry Johnson/RB/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-NR) 50. Plaxico Burress/WR/New York Giants (Prisco-NR) Unranked Players On My List That Are On Prisco's List: Carson Palmer (8) Charles Woodson (18) Steve Smith (21) Vince Wilfork (41) Kellen Winslow (44) Marcus Trufant (47) Wes Welker (48) Fred Taylor (49) Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:49:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284878 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284878 Defensive end is one of the most important positions on your defense. Look at the New York Giants and how they won the Superbowl. Pressure, pressure, and more pressure. Something Tom Brady is not used to seeing much of. So with that being said, here are the teams who benefit most from having a scary tandem at defensive end. 10. Kyle Vanden Bosch & Jevon Kearse: The unpredictable outcome of Jevon Kearse's return to Tennessee after a horrific showing in Philadelphia for the past 4 seasons pushes the Titan's tandem to ten. 9. Elvis Dumervil & John Engelberger: The Denver Broncos have a young star emerging on the line in Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil had a breakout season last year recording 12.5 sacks, 4 fumbles forced, and 1 interception. The problem is, the Broncos will have a position battle for the left defensive end spot. John Engelberger started last year but Jarvis Moss will be fighting for playing time and so will Tim Crowder, two young guys waiting to jump in and shine. Until they have an established left end, I cannot move them up the list. 8. Adewale Ogunleye & Mark Anderson: The two Chicago ends helped anchor a defense that pushed this team to a Superbowl appearance just two seasons ago. The defense took a step back last year and did not have the type of season that we are used to seeing from a Bear's defense. Ogunleye and Anderson each had an alright season, but not to potential. 7. Will Smith & Charles Grant: The New Orleans Saints are not especially known for their defense, but Smith and Grant want to make us believe otherwise. With the help of a revamped front 7 (additions of Jonathan Vilma and Sedrick Ellis) this tandem should be expected to do big things in 2008. 6. Mario Williams & Anthony Weaver: The first overall pick was a mistake right? Reggie Bush was the obvious pick right? Wrong. Dead wrong. Super Mario collected 14 sacks this past season and showed everyone that Houston made the right choice. But because of the lopsided sack count, as Weaver had 0 sacks, they must be placed 6th. Not to be disappointed, they'll get better with experience. 5. Patrick Kerney & Darryl Tapp: The Seahawks pass rush brings two different skill sets to the line. Strength and speed. Patrick Kerney's brute strength gets him to the quarterback. He recorded 14.5 sacks this past season, 2nd in the NFL. Darryl Tapp brings speed and versatility to the line in Seattle. At age 23, he tallied 7 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. Don't expect rest from these two, they bring it every single down. 4. Aaron Kampman & Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila: These two Green Bay stars are a bit overlooked by the football world. All the hype is on Brett Favre, but with his recent departure, it'll be up to the defense to get it done. Just check the stats, Kampman and KGB are the real deal. 3. Trent Cole & Chris Clemons: The Philadelphia Eagles are known for their offensive and defensive line play in the Andy Reid era. After Derrick Burgess departed to Oakland and Jevon Kearse did not pan out, Trent Cole has stepped in and been a force. His breakout numbers last season( 12.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles) showed he is among the elite pass rushers in the NFL. Clemons played for Oakland but his numbers don't lie. This 24 year old decided to breakout the same year as Cole with 8 sacks 2. Osi Umenyiora & Justin Tuck: With Michael Strahan's recent retirement, the Giants have a new look to their defensive line. Expect Osi to take a lot of double teams, but expect Tuck to explode. Tuck recorded 10 sacks last year and is good enough to step in and make an impact. Do not expect him to fill Strahan's shoes, but expect him to play very well in New York. 1. Jared Allen & Kenechi Udeze: Jared Allen is arguably the best defensive end in the NFL today. He lead the NFL in sacks last season and will be added to the Vikings stacked defensive line. With the Williams' brothers in the middle and Allen on the end, expect Udeze to have a big impact as a lot of focus will be off of him. These two hold the number one spot for the best defensive end tandem in the NFL for the 2008 season. Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:06:40 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278076 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278076 Who do you think the best pass rushers for the 2007 season are and how do they compare to the great pass rushers of the 1990's? Contemporary pass-rushing specialists such as Seattle's Patrick Kerney, the Giants' Michael Strahan and Kansas City's Jared Allen (39 combined sacks in 2007) have the ability to thrive in almost any era. This article also explains the different moves and techniques of pass rushing. Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:13:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/203447 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/203447 Is former Atlanta Falcons tight end, Alge Crumpler close to a deal with the Seattle Seahawks? All depends which newspaper report you want to believe. Lets first start with the facts. Crumpler was with his agent, James Williams, in Seattle today. Crumpler did take a physical. The two sides did discuss money and what it would be like for Crumpler to play for the Seahawks. Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:12:45 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/174691 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/174691 Here's my "all star" team for this year not including O-Line and strictly by stats; Offense: QB Tom Brady HB Adrian Peterson, Brian Westbrook WR Randy Moss, Braylon Edwards, Terrell Owens, FB Tony Richardson TE Jason Witten,Antonio Gates Defense: DE Patrick Kerney, Jared Allen, Osi Umenyiora DT Darnell Docket, Shaun Rogers, Jovan Haye OLB Ernie Sims, Angelo Crowell, David Thornton, Derrick Brooks MLB Patrick Willis, Jon Beason, Nick Barnett CB Antonio Cromartie, Marcus Trufant, Nate Clements S Bob Sanders, Ed Reed P.S. sorry eagles fans i had to take TO Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:04:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/73332 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/73332 FIO co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter previews this weekend's Divisional match-ups. Included, you can find: Weather Forecasts; '07 Regular Season Meetings; Team Summaries; Game Outlooks (including picks); and Key Injuries. Your comprehensive guide to this weekend's games! Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:55:12 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/68420 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/68420 Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks -Was X-Factor: Todd Collins - Will need to keep playing well and not make mistakes -Sea X-Factor: Patrick Kerney - Will need to get pressure on Collins to help force big defensive plays and turnovers -Pick: Washington Redskins Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars -Pit X-Factor: Najeh Davenport - Will need to do big things to help an offense without Willie Parker -Jax X-Factor: David Garrard - Will need to keep being smart with the football and make big plays -Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers -NYG X-Factor: Brandon Jacobs - Will need to carry load if Eli doesn't start off well and stabilize the offense -TB X-Factor: Joey Galloway - Will need to make important catches and make his usual big play -Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers -Ten X-Factor: Justin Gage - Will need to step up and make catches due to a depleted receiver corps -SD X-Factor: Antonio Gates - Will need to make plays to keep the pressure off both Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson -Pick: San Diego Chargers Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:00:01 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/59480 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/59480 In a follow-up to the offensive-minded 2007 All-Fantasy Offensive Team article, FIO co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter takes an objective look at the IDP fantasy football stars of 2007. Included is a roster of the best defensive performers from the year, with some Honorable Mentions and side notes on those not included. Check out this comprehensive list of the '07 fantasy top IDP performers. Sat, 29 Dec 2007 21:46:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/55675 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/55675 If the Rams are anything, they're constant. Constantly going into the half with a lead or the game close, only to lose in the end falls within the parameters of constant, and so here we are. St Louis started the first quarter ferociously; registering 3 sacks, recording a safety, breaking off a 53 yard run (Steven Jackson) for a score and jumping out to an early lead. Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:32:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/38617 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/38617 Friday's FIO weekly fantasy football columns deals with those leagues that implement Individual Defensive Players (IDP) - co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter discusses some of the key defensive players to keep an eye on in Week 12. Check this article each and every week on Fridays. Fri, 23 Nov 2007 14:26:14 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/38307 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/38307 Friday's FIO weekly fantasy football columns deals with those leagues that implement Individual Defensive Players (IDP) - co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter discusses some of the key defensive players to keep an eye on in Week 2. Check this article each and every week on Fridays. Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:05:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/27172 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/27172 America loves a good nightmare image. Scott Petersons appear on magazine covers, grayed-out images of ghost-like horror or the opposite: HD color so stark 3-D glasses are not needed to feel his hands push us down on the killing floor. Michael Vick is now one of those faces: the face of America's latest dark alley - dog fighting. His image, dark skin - no need of a blackening a la Time Magazine and O.J. - and cornrows, the post-New jack thug hair style, represent everything left to fear in the ancient image of the animalistic, hated colored man; the barbarous negro running wild in a stadium too-near to you. My gawd! Did he just flip off that New Orleans Saints fan?! My gawd, did he contract a venereal disease?! My gawwwwd, he-it-the football player tried to go through an airport with a water bottle full of "negro-go-crazy" juice- marijuana; aphrodisiac of the 50-Cent Mile High Club. Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:53:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/16059 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/16059 A pretty solid list, but as the writer puts it, this group is "thinner than Nicole Ritchie." Scarcity leads to average guys getting big contracts. Who will be the NFL's Gil Meche? Sat, 03 Mar 2007 21:36:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/10729 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/10729