Decision 2010: Your Pro Bowl cheat sheet
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Two pieces of good news; all the teams have now played an identical number of games and we at least have the majority of the schedule analyzed.
It’s not enough to make the best decision but it’s getting better as the voting officially stops after week 15 concludes anyway.
With NFL.com putting players like Mark Sanchez and Jerod Mayo in their Pro Bowl graphics this week, it’s all the more important to get out some good information. With 9 of a possible 14 games in the database who are the top players so far this year?
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AFC
(* indicates starter)
Wide Receivers
Brandon Lloyd (Den)*, Andre Johnson (Hou)* and Anquan Boldin (Bal)
Brandon Marshall’s shocker on Thursday Night Football could technically be ignored as I’m really considering up to W10, but I can’t and you may not be able to either.
Worthy of consideration
Three substandard games in a row for Reggie Wayne (Ind) but he’ll still be in with a shout come week 15. Davone Bess (Mia) needs more snaps and Derrick Mason (Bal) needs more targets.
Tackles
LT — Jake Long (Mia)*, RT — Damien Woody (NYJ)* and D‘Brickashaw Ferguson (NYJ)
Long had his first poor game vs. Chicago, but playing with that amount of strapping made me think more rather than less of him.
Worthy of consideration
Marshall Yanda (Bal) & Eric Winston (Hou)
Guards
LG – Kris Dielman (SD)*, RG – Bobbie Williams (Cin)* and Wade Smith (Hou)
Dielman takes the starters spot from Smith after an excellent game against the Titans. Stephen Neal drops out with injuries catching up to him and is replaced by Williams.
Worthy of consideration
Brandon Moore (NYJ) only just lost out to Williams, who is a better run blocker than Moore (if nowhere near the pass protector) and that’s ostensibly what we want from our RG.
Centers
Matt Birk (Bal)* and Brad Meester (Jac)
Two poor games the last two weeks see Chris Myers (Hou) fall away while Meester, unlike his team, is a model of consistency.
Worthy of consideration
Nick Mangold (NYJ) is getting back into form and will not give up his crown easily.
Tight Ends
Zach Miller (Oak)*, Anthony Fasano (Mia) and Antonio Gates (SD)
Miller hasn’t played since we last did this article, but still has enough in the bank to hang on.
Worthy of consideration
Any normal person would value Marcedes Lewis’s (Jac) receiving skills over Fasano’s blocking ability, but I’m old school. On a similar tack, Tony Moeaki (KC) was making up ground on the leading pack but struggled a bit as a run blocker against the Broncos.
Quarterbacks
Philip Rivers (SD)*, Peyton Manning (Ind) and Matt Schaub (Hou)
Rivers to No. 1 as Manning has a couple of poor games on the bounce. The Texans may be struggling, but that’s really not down to Schaub as his supporting cast continues to let him down.
Worthy of consideration
Kyle Orton (Den) may have dropped out but that’s more down to Schaub than anything negative on his part – he’s still doing a fine job for the Broncos.
Halfbacks
Peyton Hillis (Cle)*, Jamaal Charles (KC) and Arian Foster (Hou)
Charles may be the better pure runner but Hillis does everything well. Foster has the yards both rushing and receiving but needs to sort out his pass protection.
Worthy of consideration
These three are pulling away at the top.
Fullbacks
Vonta Leach (Hou)* and Greg Jones (Jac)
Well take the same guys again.
Worthy of consideration
When we close the voting I suspect both Le’Ron McClain (Bal) and Marcel Reece (Oak) will be close.
Defensive Ends
Terrell Suggs (Bal)*, Jason Babin (Ten)* and Shaun Ellis (NYJ)
Our Editor in Chief asks for Ellis to be included and at the same time Dwight Freeney (Ind) meets Jason Peters. Don’t think this will happen every time you complain, Jonathan.
Worthy of consideration
Freeney is still the best pass rusher in the AFC. Mario Williams (Hou) is always a worthy candidate.
Defensive Tackles
Kyle Williams (Buf)*, Jason Jones (Ten)* and Richard Seymour (Oak)
Richard Seymour has come alive with the Raiders improvement, pushing media favorite Haloti Ngata off the plane (now that’s no mean feat). Don’t expect to see the big guy miss out though … he’s the Ndamukong Suh of the AFC in terms of hype, even if he does play the run a significant amount more effectively.
Worthy of consideration
Antonio Garay (SD) is probably playing NT better than anyone at the moment.
Outside Linebackers
Tamba Hali (KC)*, Cameron Wake (Mia)* and James Harrison (Pit)
I really wanted to see Matt Roth (Cle) on the team but this isn’t about playing favorites; the last three games he visibly looks like he’s running out of gas.
Worthy of consideration
Lamarr Woodley (Pit), and of the 4-3 ‘backers Kamerion Wimbley (Oak) looks like a different player since his move West.
Inside Linebackers
Lawrence Timmons (Pit)*, Bart Scott (NYJ)* and Derrick Johnson (KC)
Two poor games in succession are enough to fall a long way in a competition this strong, and that’s what happened to Ray Lewis (Bal).
Worthy of consideration
Anyone doubting who has the best set of linebackers around should note that every single Steeler starter has at least a mention with James Farrior also playing great.
Cornerbacks
Brandon Flowers (KC)*, Champ Bailey (Den)* and Nnamdi Asomugha (Oak)
I’ve decided I’m probably being a little harsh on Asomugha because of his 4 penalties and the fact he only plays RCB. Only 8 receptions for 107 yards is too difficult to ignore.
Worthy of consideration
Youngster Alterraun Verner (Ten) has struggled a little the last two weeks but is still looking like a find.
Safeties
SS – Yeremiah Bell (Mia)*, FS- Eric Weddle (SD)* and Michael Huff (Oak)
If I were picking the positions myself I would play Weddle and Huff together. Weddle looks better the closer you get him to the action and is our best graded safety in run support while Huff is our top rated AFC cover guy.
Worthy of consideration
Renaldo Hill (Den) rarely does anything remarkable, but he’s incredibly consistent and the epitome of the word safety.
Special Teams
K – Rob Bironas (Ten), P- Shane Lechler (Oak), KR – Marc Mariani (Ten) and ST- T.J. Ward (Cle)
NFC
(* indicates starter)
Wide Receivers
Hakeem Nicks (NYG)*, Roddy White (Atl)*, and Percy Harvin
Nicks is really coming on strong and takes top billing while Calvin Johnson’s uneven year sees Harvin’s superlative performance in beating the Cardinals get him on the bus.
Worthy of consideration
Mike Williams (Sea) was brilliant against the Cardinals and Dez Bryant’s (Dal) last two weeks have been as good as anyone’s.
Tackles
LT — Jason Peters (Phi)*, RT — Kareem McKenzie (NYG)* and Tyson Clabo (Atl)
Since his return from injury, no one has done better than Peters. Indicative of his play was giving up zero pressure to Dwight Freeney (or anyone else) against the Colts in Week 9.
Worthy of consideration
Jeff Backus (Det) is a great pass blocker but struggles to get movement in the running game.
Guards
LG — Carl Nicks (NO)*, RG — Josh Sitton (GB)* and Harvey Dahl (Atl)
All very boring as the 3 best Guards in the NFL are all in the NFC.
Worthy of consideration
Chilo Rachel (SF) is a dominating run blocker and while not close overall to Sitton worth a mention.
Centers
Todd McClure (Atl)* and Andre Gurode (Dal)
Despite not being at his best for 3 weeks, McClure clings on due to some very poor center play in the NFC. Gurode (Dal) is not the reason the Cowboys have been losing but his performance against the Giants certainly contributed to the win.
Worthy of consideration
Ryan Kalil (Car) had his worst game for nearly two years against the Saints but he’s a quality player and will bounce back. Scott Wells (GB) and Mike McGlynn (Phi) are there or thereabout.
Tight Ends
Jason Witten (Dal)*, Vernon Davis (SF) and Kevin Boss (NYG)
Davis’s ankle injury may well be causing him problems as a blocker, because he really struggled in that regard against the Rams. Another such game will see him drop out.
Worthy of consideration
Martellus Bennett (Dal) is the best all-round blocking TE around, but even I can’t overlook a mere 154 receiving yards.
Quarterbacks
Matt Ryan (Atl)*, Aaron Rodgers (GB) and Michael Vick (Phi)
Two fabulous games see Ryan off the bench and the Monday Night Massacre gets Vick at least on the team. If he keeps on playing like that, both the Falcons QB and Rodgers will find him difficult to hold off.
Worthy of consideration
The Giants may have lost to Dallas, but Eli Manning maybe coming into another one of his hot steaks — and you know the outcome the last time that happened!
Halfbacks
Adrian Peterson (Min)*, Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) and LeSean McCoy (Phi)
Unchanged from two weeks ago.
Worthy of consideration
Frank Gore (SF) is a special back and should never be counted out.
Fullbacks
Korey Hall (GB)* and Bear Pascoe (NYG)
Ovie Mughelli’s last two games haven’t been his best, and the name Pascoe keeps coming up. The truth of the matter is he looks a far better FB than TE.
Worthy of consideration
I’m sure I’ve said it before but this is a very poor year for lead blockers.
Defensive Ends
Trent Cole (Phi)*, Chris Clemons (Sea)* and Julius Peppers (Chi)
No change at the top but there is a lot of people bubbling just under including …
Worthy of consideration
Justin Smith (SF) who has been nothing short of brilliant since Week 6, Chris Long (Stl) and John Abraham (Atl) as pure rushers, Ray Edwards who better getting after the QB but still decent in run defense, and finally Charles Johnson (Car) who is more of a hybrid.
Defensive Tackles
Fred Robbins (Stl)*, Kevin Williams (Min)* and Barry Cofield (NYG)
It’s tough at the top, and one substandard performance (as Cofield had against the Cowboys) sees him demoted.
Worthy of consideration
Teammate Chris Canty (NYG), Mike Patterson (Phi) and Aubrayo Franklin (SF) are all waiting if Cofield slips up again.
Outside Linebackers
Clay Matthews (GB)*, DeMarcus Ware (Dal)* and James Anderson (Car)
It’s so close for the third place I decided to go with an unchanged line-up.
Worthy of consideration
With previously no one close, now Chad Greenway (Min), Geno Hayes (TB) and Manny Lawson (SF) have pulled into serious contention.
Inside Linebackers
Patrick Willis (SF)*, James Laurinaitis (Stl)* & Desmond Bishop (GB)
Willis started the season slow and we started to question if he was the same player. The last two weeks have answered those questions emphatically as he looks, if anything, better than ever.
Worthy of consideration
These three have solidified their places recently.
Cornerbacks
Tramon Williams (GB)*, Antoine Winfield (Min)* & Jabari Greer (NO)
The bane of my life, the NFC cornerbacks, may be resolved thanks to Jabari Greer’s successful return from injury — and no I’m still not picking Asante Samuel (Phi) who is as good as anyone with the ball in the air and makes Deion Sanders look like Ray Lewis with the ball in an offensive player’s hands.
Worthy of consideration
I’m not sure how much longer I can ignore the claim of Tim Jennings (Chi), who doesn’t seem to be falling off as I expected.
Safeties
SS – Quintin Mikell (Phi)*, FS – Danieal Manning (Chi)* and Roman Harper (NO)
The Bears have now got some freakish deal going of rotating all three of their safeties. By all means rotate Chris Harris and Major Wright if you must, but leave Manning on the field please.
Worthy of consideration
Louis Delmas (Det) is always close and a pretty consistent performer to boot.
Special Teams
K – Matt Bryant (Atl), P- Thomas Morstead (NO), KR – Devin Hester (Chi) and ST- John Wendling (Det)
