http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/3906 Recent articles about Mario Williams en-us After we finished up our, shall we say, controversial series of NFL Division predictions, thoughts of post-season awards started to pop into our minds. According to our projections, we'll have some fresh faces giving speeches and walking off with trophies this year. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:06:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285522 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285522 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 Pete Prisco off of Sportsline.com recently listed his Top 50 NFL players, something he does anually during the offseason. I think it is a great idea, so I figured I'd make a list of my own.  My list only has 20 players but I will add more if you guys want to see it, but [...] Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:30:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283740 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283740 Don't you hate it when the media doesn't set themselves up for being ridiculed?  That's a pet peeve of mine.  Bloggers are always there to correct the media, but Pete Prisco has made his top 50 list near-perfect.  I'm sure you know who the top 2 players are. Prisco dives into the very dangerous waters of Brady v. Manning.  I hate comparing these two, but Prisco does a great job.  Prisco has had Peyton as his number one player for a few years now, but that has changed after Brady's MVP season.  However, he doesn't say the idiotic "Peyton's on the downside of his career" crap I've heard since the San Diego game. Manning had an off year, by number standards, in 2007. All he did was go over 4,000 yards passing for the eighth time in his career, throw 31 touchdowns and complete 65.5 percent of his passes, much of that without receiver Marvin Harrison on the field. Most quarterbacks would kill for those numbers. The great thing is we expect Manning and Brady to do it again in 2008. Why not? Brady has his entire offense back, a coach who lets him throw it around at will, and another year's experience on his résumé. Manning expects to have Harrison back, and third receiver Anthony Gonzalez isn't a rookie anymore. The first man to 40 touchdown passes wins. I agree completely.  Although I despise the New England Patriots and anything associated with them, I agree that Brady deserves the top spot.  For now.  The first one to 40 TDs wins.  I could see this be a Sosa-McGwire type fight for the TD pass record.  Both of them have enough weapons to get the job done. Prisco has a total of four Colts on his top 50 list.  Here is his take on the Colts players: 2. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts: Even Manning's down seasons are sensational. If Marvin Harrison is back this year, watch out. And Marvin will be back. 7. Bob Sanders, S, Indianapolis Colts: The only thing holding him back is the injury issues. When he's on the field, the Colts have a different defense. His injury issue didn't come into play last year, and *knock on wood* hopefully it doesn't come into play this year.  Sanders is the best defensive player in the league.  No team has found a way to stop him. 22. Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis Colts: When Marvin Harrison was out last season, Wayne emerged as the team's go-to receiver. The guess here is that is that it stays that way. He's a true star now. I don't like Prisco having Wayne ranked lower than Steve Smith, but at least he recognizes his star power. 25. Dwight Freeney, DE, Indianapolis Colts: He's coming off a serious foot injury, which is a concern. It's why his ranking is down. When he's truly healthy, he's a top 15 player. Unlike others, Prisco doesn't think Freeney's foot was amputated and he'll never be the same again.  It's good to see logic in the mainstream media. His top 10 was Brady, Manning, LaDanian Tomlinson, Randy Moss, Champ Bailey, Mario Williams, The Eraser, Carson Palmer, DeMarcus Ware, and Kevin Williams.  5 defensive players and five offensive players.  Palmer is ranked a little high, though. My biggest beef in this article is the lack of Jeff Saturday.  I guess the multiple All-Pro appearances doesn't make him a top 50 player in this league.  Not even an honorable mention.  I guess no one is perfect, not even one of my favorite writers. Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:11:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283647 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283647 Pete Prisco of CBS Sportsline really likes the Vikings.  He placed four members of the Purple in his rankings of the Top 50 players in the NFL.  Actually, the four all placed in the top 20.  You can probably guess the names.  Here's the complete top 20 with the Vikes in bold: Tom Brady Peyton Manning LaDainian Tomlinson (I'm assuming this is regular season only) Randy Moss Champ Bailey Mario Williams (yeah, picking him over Reggie Bush was a real mistake) Bob Sanders Carson Palmer DeMarcus Ware Kevin Williams Shawne Merriman (still has whiplash from AD running by him) Jared Allen Terrell Owens Albert Haynesworth Adrian Peterson Walter Jones Ben Roethlisberger Charles Woodson Steve Hutchinson Brian Westbrook So we know where we're good - defensive line and running game.  Pete Prisco and Dr. Z are official Friends of the Purple. Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:54:37 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283591 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283591 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 Another new blog joins the FSB family…Toro Times. No, it has nothing to do with lawn mowers…it's a blog about the Houston Texans. Houston has an exciting, up-and-coming team with stars like Mario Williams and Andre Johnson. John Harden, Toro Times' lead blogger, should have a blast covering them this year. Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:19:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277975 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277975 The last of our AFC division previews, the Colts are still the dominant force but the Jags figure to be in the playoff hunt again. We simulated every game and provide you with team analysis, projected scores and fantasy sleepers. Here's the Colts analysis, and click the link for game projections and the other teams. Indianapolis Colts (11-5) It may feel like it because they are always winning, but this is not the same team that the Colts keep running out there to win the division. Each season has some defections and each season the Colts find talent within their own limited player pool to step up and fill the void. 2008 is no different. This year, some of Peyton Manning's weapons from the past few seasons are gone or banged-up and a lot of the depth on defense moved on, yet there are several great talents ready to step up. The Colts average 29.1 points per game (#3 in the NFL) and allow 20.5 points (#8) against a schedule featuring nine games against 2007 playoff teams. Absolute Record: 15-1 Most Significant Newcomer: Mike Pollak, OL - This is probably the most difficult team to pick of any in the league. The Colts build their teams from the draft up and typically develop a player for a couple years before they try to count on him. For 2008, this is amplified by the fact that the Colts had no first round draft choice and no glaring needs or major free agent acquisitions. From the nine players drafted, Pollak, a second-round pick out of Arizona State looks like the most valuable to the team right now. He may be asked to start at guard immediately and eventually replace Jeff Saturday at center. Biggest Strength: Peyton Manning - The answer here is probably the same as with New England. The "system" or the brain trust between Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy runs this team and keeps everything running smoothly. Most Exploitable Weakness: Running game - Joseph Addai is a great talent and a fantastic fantasy performer, but the Colts were a slightly below average running team last year and Addai cannot be the only guy. The team brought back Dominic Rhodes and drafted Mike Hart, but neither projects to improve the team rushing average. Possible Fantasy Sleeper: Anthony Gonzalez, WR - Last year's first round pick had a promising rookie season. With Marvin Harrison aging, hurting and potentially in legal trouble, Gonzalez will get plenty of opportunities in 2008. Even if Harrison plays well all year, Gonzalez is a rich man's Brandon Stokely. The simulated season has him at 53 catches for 885 yards and six touchdowns. Closest Game: New England (Week 9) - We mentioned in the New England Patriots preview that this should be another classic. As it stands, it is the Colts only projected loss. Interestingly, with such a tough schedule, they are only heavily favored against a couple of teams. This leads to a much lower expected record than absolute record. Fantasy Notables (fantasy rank at position in parentheses): Peyton Manning (2) 4,260 yards, 32 TDs, 12 INTs; Joseph Addai (5) 1,718 total yards, 16 TDs; Reggie Wayne (4) 81 receptions, 1,307 yards, 9 TDs; Anthony Gonzalez (29) 53 receptions, 885 yards, 6 TDs; Marvin Harrison (42) 54 receptions, 737 yards, 5 TDs: Dallas Clark (8) 39 receptions, 560 yards, 5 TDs; Adam Vinatieri (3) 51/51 XPs, 29/33 FGs Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:30:47 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277956 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277956 There is a new addition to the Fan-sided network, a Houston Texans blog- Toro Times. The blogger over there is John R. Harden, a seventeen year-old season ticket holder. Lets just hope Fan-sided didn't pull a Mario Williams over Reggie Bush on this one (I miss the times when that joke was good). Anyways, good luck to [...] Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:52:54 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277830 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277830 There are many kinds of value: intrinsic, extrinsic, monetary, market to name a few. In the NFL, however, a player's true value is what someone else will trade you for said player. Here are the 40 players that we think have the highest trade value in the NFL. The following things had to be taken into consideration: production, age, contract, and position. For example, would you rather have Jason Taylor for a year or Jared Allen for seven? Thanks to the Sports Guy for the idea for this article. Notable Omissions: Jason Taylor, Larry Johnson, Ray Lewis, Terrell Owens Maybe Next Year: Darren McFadden, Jake Long, Brady Quinn, Cedric Benson's Lawyer 40. Reggie Bush While there are many better players out there, due to marketing and PR issues the Saints just couldn't trade this guy unless it was an absolute gimme offer - like Mario Williams or some other defensive gamechanger. Cue Alanis Morrisette. 39. David Garrard A year ago he wasn't even sniffing this list while sitting behind Byron Leftwich. Thanks to Jack Del Rio's decision, Garrard is firmly placed in the second tier of quarterbacks in the NFL, and should be part of the Jaguar's plans for the foreseeable future, and at a reasonable price. 38. Ed Reed While Ray Lewis gets the majority of the accolades, Ed Reed and Haloti Ngata deserve the praise. Reed makes some mistakes when he gambles, but few people instill the fear in offensive coordinators as much as Ed Reed. Playing Safety, Reed is also a pretty good value. 37. DJ Williams One of the triumvirate of young tackling machines (Beason, Willis), DJ was 2nd in the league last year in tackles, and excels at stopping runners behind the line, accounting for 13 "stuffs" during the 2007 season. 36. Jon Beason Beason gets the nod over Williams due to his youth, but they are very similar talent-wise. Beason has taken over for Dan Morgan as the Panthers resident tackling machine. 35. Logan Mankins The first O-Linemen on the list, Mankins is an absolute beast for the Patriots, with a great contract to boot. Mankins has a mean streak and just seems to enjoy hitting people. Doesn't get the press, but might be better than Hutch. 34. Joseph Addai He is the best RB in the league for the Colts offense. His friendly cap numbers help keep Peyton's people together, while his unique skill-set is the glue that holds the offense together. Any team would enjoy having a great 3-down back on their team. 33. Antonio Gates Gates hasn't put up the incredible numbers that were once expected of him, but he is still a great TE. This spot could have been Jason Witten very easily, due to his better blocking and more consistent route-running. Tony Gonzalez may still be better than both, but he is just too old. 32. Osi Umenyiora Ask Tom Brady and the Patriots O-Line how good this guy is. He has Strahan's talent without his age and poor work ethic. Justin Tuck and Osi will be presenting problems to opposing offenses for years. 31. Wes Welker While he was only worth a 2nd and a 7th round draft pick to the Dolphins, I'd assume that the Patriots would ask for much more today. His 100+ catches can't quantify the disruptive effect that his underneath routes on opposing defenses. 30. LaDainian Tomlinson You might ask why LT is so low on this list, my answer is that if he rehabbed with as much effort as he spent staying classy, he would have manned up and played the AFC Championship game like Philip Rivers. He also is about 2 years from getting the Shaun Alexander memorial fork in the back. 29. Steven Jackson Put Steven here in the AFC Championship game last year and things would have been much closer. He is a 3-down force that when healthy is in the top three in the game. Still young with a friendly contract, the Las Vegas native is straight money. 28. Larry Fitzgerald A sublime talent with an enormous contract, Fitzgerald would be tough to trade on both accounts. Give him a consistent QB and watch him blossom like a desert rose. 27. Shawne Merriman He has a lot in common with Jason Taylor: he just knows how to get to the quarterback, and with his little post-play gyration, he should be on the blooper reel of "So You Think You Can Dance?" 26. Jason Peters The undrafted former TE made his first Pro-Bowl in 2007 and should continue to perform at that high level in the future. Jason uses all 340 of his pounds well. Should be in wait for a huge contract upgrade though. 25. Asante Samuel Think Ben Wallace. He went from underpaid and underrated to the exact opposite in two years. Asante is a great cornerback, but on other teams he will not have the same pass rush that he got while on the Patriots. Eagles fans beware. 24. Kevin Williams Due to some Draft issues, the Vikings had to wait to pick Williams, but boy was he worth the wait. Kevin has a reasonable contract and any team wishing to bolster its run support would love to trade for him. 23. Vince Wilfork This is one big guy. He eats blockers and keeps his linebackers nice and clean so they can run around making plays. His value doesn't show up in the box score, but ask Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau if they'd like him to be traded. 22. Antonio Cromartie Young and perhaps underpaid, Cromartie burst onto the scene in 2007. His gambling, play-making style has made him a fan favorite. He isn't proven yet, but don't bet on the Chargers selling high with Antonio. 21. Reggie Wayne Wayne has emerged as a top-notch receiver. On any other team he would be the clear-cut first option, but with the Colts, he barely gets noticed. Peyton knows the true value of this Miami burner. 20. Champ Bailey Cornerbacks are key in the NFL and Champ is a proven commodity. He got beat more than he cares to admit in 2007, but Bailey still has the talent that once landed the Redskins Clinton Portis. 19. Terrence Newman The fact that you don't hear too much about Newman says a lot about his talent. He has turned Jacque Reeves into the human target the last few years, as QB's are just plain afraid to throw in his direction. Should command a HUGE salary next year. 18. Braylon Edwards This is Braylon. Whoever is throwing him the ball, just know that you need to throw it a longggg way. Edwards might be the most complete WR in the league, and he is still very young. 17. Jared Allen He brought quite a haul for the Chiefs, and they now might be able to rebuild. The Vikings got the pass-rusher they needed as well. Allen's enormous contract would be imposing, but many teams would love to suit up Allen in their own colors. 16. Joe Thomas Anyone want a cornerstone for your O-line for the next 12 years? The Browns do too. Sorry. 15. Tony Romo He's not young, and he doesn't have a good playoff history, but Romo is the man in Big D. Jerry Jones loves stars and very few shine as bright as the Big Chicken of the Sea's golden boy. 14. Steve Hutchinson His neck is bigger than some players' helmet. The man behind the curtain for AP, Hutch would be a hot commodity if he were on the block. 13. Patrick Willis Every team in the NFL would line up to sign Willis, he is that good of player. A good contract and a large passion bucket make him even more attractive. 12. Philip Rivers I can't stand this guy but he is a freaking warrior. Torn ACL? He didn't even have one! Twice as tough as his teammate LT, Rivers has galvanized his once weak in the knees Chargers team. 11. Ben Roethlisberger Not many QB's around with rings that aren't named Manning or Brady. Big Ben captured the town and his teammates on their magical run and the Steelers brass won't let him get away. 10. Randy Moss If he was five years younger, he'd be number three on this list. The Patriots knew what they were doing when they got him for another year or two. 9. Dwight Freeney When healthy, Freeney commands a double-team on almost every passing play. While he doesn't get to the QB all that much anymore, he paves the way for Mathis and his friends to do the job. 8. Nnamdi Asomougha I know it's shocking to see a Raider this high, but wow, this guy can really play. In our opinion, he is the best corner in the league and is still improving. If he had a d-line that could rush the passer, his interception total should rise. 7. DeMarcus Ware Strong, fast, young, and talented, Ware brings the whole package to the Cowboys. As much as Bobby Carpenter has disappointed, Ware has amazed. The Troy graduate is unblockable at times. 6. Eli Manning It was either Eli Manning or David Tyree's helmet. Sorry. 5. Bob Sanders When Bob played at Iowa, we used to call him "Nightrain". He runs through people for fun, and if he could stay healthy, he makes the Colts a much tougher defense against the run. 4. Mario Williams While Reggie Bush barely made this list, Mario Williams is the top defensive player on it. He's young, disruptive, and improving -- those are impressive things for the Texans DE. Amobi Okoye and Mario should be terrorizing the AFC South for the next decade. 3. Adrian Peterson He really isn't that much better than Steven Jackson, or even Chester Taylor for that matter, but what he brings are his "ilities": Marketability, Likability, and Ability. After "Boatgate", the Vikes need all of those. 1b. Peyton Manning 1a. Tom Brady Manning is a tad longer in the tooth than Brady, so Manning gets the "1b" treatment. Brady also has a few more rings and records than Manning has. Any team in the league would trade for one of these two, and the Colts and Patriots wouldn't even pick up the phone. Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:33:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276387 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276387 It's takes a lot to get a pro-bowl nomination these days many players get over looked every year while others that clearly didnt work as hard get the nod, but that's the nature of the beast and not everyone wins the popularity contest, that's what the pro-bowl is to me. Some players are lucky to get a bid as a fill-in. With that said here's a list compiled by sportingnews.com of players that will make a good case for themselves to take their first trip to Hawaii. Mon, 19 May 2008 07:23:32 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268465 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268465 The 2008 edition of the NFL's all-star game signaled a significant shift, as 41 players made their first career Pro Bowl appearances. So the door is open for more newcomers to make it in '09. Here are the 10 players most likely to make their Honolulu debuts at the end of this season: uh ya, u gotta click it to see who ;0 !! interesting list he put together!!! Mon, 19 May 2008 04:33:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268441 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268441 Over the past twenty years, the NFL has seen more than a few number one overall picks go "bust." But there have also been some great players who lived up to the hype of being drafted first. Check out the full list with comments on each player. Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:27:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/236394 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/236394 This Reggie Bush business keeps getting darker and stranger by the day and we're not talking about him being a bust compared to Mario Williams or dating a tranny. New Era Sports co-founder Lloyd Lake was scheduled to be deposed yesterday in regards to his lawsuit against Reggie Bush alleging non-payment for money and gifts given to Bush starting in high school and continuing through his entire college tenure. If the allegations are proved to be true, they could cause Bush to lose his Heisman and USC to lose the wins and national title earned while Bush was on the team. Bush denies the allegations and claims that Lake shouldn't be believed because he's a convicted felon. If that's the case, why would someone show up unannounced to Lake's deposition with a gun? Wed, 13 Feb 2008 02:12:29 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/140458 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/140458 Here are my picks for the best performers of the year, and the best breakout players. Dont worry the biggest dissapointments will be following soon. MVP- Brady. This one isn't really debatable. He broke so many records that it really wasn't a question of who we were giving it to, but when we were giving it to Brady. I almost gave it to Favre. He seemed like the most valuable player, he turned GB around…again. The only thing aside from Brady owning so many records was the Dallas GB game. Favre didn't do necessarily bad in the game, but Aaron Rogers did well in that game proving to me that the Packers could succeed with him under the center and that invalidated any hope for Favre being so important. ROY- Adrian Peterson. Well this one is pretty obvious too. He is an outstanding player but I do have one concern, he shined so bright in his rookie season, and if he fails to do as good next year everyone will notice. But hey, if anyone can mimic his greatness, it'll be him. Best Performers. QB-Brady. Duh… RB-Peterson-Missed a couple games and still almost ran for more yards than LT WR- Moss. Anyone who brings in more TD's than Rice has to be good. TE-Witten. He's becoming another Dallas Clark, a secret weapon who won't stay hidden for too long. DL-Jared Allen. I saw one Chiefs game this year, and it seemed like every play Allen was in the backfield disrupting the play. LB-Patrick Willis. He led the league in total tackles and had four sacks; it's hard to go in any other direction with this one. DB- Antonio Cromartie. Anyone who picks off Peyton three times in a game deserves this one. K-Bironas. Made 8 field goals, enough said. Breakout Players QB- D. Anderson. If you would have told me that Derek Anderson would lead the Browns to a winning record and near playoff birth I would have called you a liar. RB- Peterson. By the end of the season he was among the best in the league, makes you wonder why he went 7th. WR-Brandon Marshal. The Broncos WR who I feel will become the new Randy Moss, is quickly becoming Cutlers favorite target. TE-Boss. He really didn't breakout until Shockey was out for the season. Will Jeremy be fighting for his job next year? DL-M. Williams. He is finally turning into the player they thought he would be, I still would have taken about thirty other people over him in that draft though. LB- P. Willis. Willis is following the same path as Merriman, without the juice. DB- Cromartie. Any Colts fans, or even Peyton haters have to agree with me on this one. K-M. Crosby. I don't know much about him, but the Packers are doing well and he is there rookie kicker so I give it to him. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:12:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/76760 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/76760