Secret Superstar

The only fair place to start with the Colts is with mention of the laundry list of players that spent more time on the sideline than in pads. Key contributors on both sides of the ball were shelved for extended periods and to say they were playing with a handicap would be an understatement.

After losing three consecutive late-season games for the first time since Jim Mora’s infamous “PLAYOFFS?!” speech in 2001, it was conceivable the Colts might actually miss the playoffs. They dropped a nail-biter to the Patriots, were embarrassed at home by the Chargers, and then fell to the Cowboys in that three-game stretch where “The Machine” (also known as Peyton Manning) threw 11 interceptions. The writing seemed to be on the wall.

Desperate to salvage their season, the Colts got on their horse and ran the table on their final four games. Not only did they earn a playoff spot, but they managed to notch double-digit wins for the 11th time in Peyton Manning’s 13 years with the Colts.

Amidst the injuries, a surprising player found himself at the forefront of the Colts turnaround. An even bigger surprise was that he only became a Colt days before the season began. Enter stage left: Justin Tryon, the Indianapolis Colts’ Secret Superstar. Read the rest of this entry »

There were numerous questions surrounding DT Antonio Dixon when he came out of college. The Miami product had serious concerns about his weight as well as some personal life issues stemming from a horrid childhood. His father served 17 years for drug trafficking, his mother’s addiction lead to him entering foster care, and he spent time living in a homeless shelter as well. On top of that, Dixon has a speech impediment and finds it difficult to talk to the media.

All of this factored into him going undrafted in 2009. He was initially signed by the Redskins and later claimed off waivers by their rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.

It is testament to the belief Eagles’ coaches have had in Dixon that he has became the premier player in a defensive tackle group that boasts three players drafted in rounds one and two (Bunkley, Mike Patterson and Trevor Laws.) It’s also easy to see why Antonio Dixon is the Eagles’ Secret Superstar. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the surprise teams of the 2010 season was the Kansas City Chiefs. They managed to follow their 4-12 2009 with a 10-6 record, a division title, and a playoff appearance this year. That’s what being able to run the ball and play some defense will do for you.

Their biggest playmaker was without a doubt Tamba Hali, who is slowly getting to be better known around the league. We’ve been telling anyone who will listen how good Hali has been all season, so he hardly counts as a secret anymore.

The second best pass rusher on the Kansas City defense, however, is a little less well known. Wallace Gilberry is the Chiefs’ Secret Superstar. Read the rest of this entry »

When you think of linebackers that have played for the Buccaneers, the first name that should come to mind is Derrick Brooks. He was one of the best of all time, and left big shoes to fill when the team cut him years ago.

Tampa Bay’s next star linebacker might be Quincy Black. He was selected in the third round of the 2007 draft, and inserted into the starting lineup in 2009 as the strong side linebacker. After a rough start to that season, he picked up his play and then advanced it even further in 2010.

The Buccaneers played surprisingly well in 2010, despite their inexperience and a roster full of unprovens. Part of that success was due to a few key players stepping up on defense, but none were as well-rounded in their performance as their Secret Superstar, Quincy Black. Read the rest of this entry »

In desperate need of a turnaround, the 2010 Oakland Raiders found the strength to halt their fall and begin the climb back to respectability.

The impetus behind this shift was improved play from select position groups, most notably, the defensive backs, running backs, and defensive line, with the latter providing the backbone for all else to hang on.

The D-line itself was an interesting story that featured all of the parts that a hip team-of-heroes flick might … the super-talented leader that has seen it all (Richard Seymour,) the underachiever that finally got his mind right (Tommy Kelly,) the brash and unpredictable kid (Lamarr Houston,) and the unassuming, overlooked stud (Matt Shaughnessy.)

It’s time now to shine light on that least-known piece of a line that has quickly become one of the NFL’s best. Matt Shaughnessy is the Secret Superstar for the Oakland Raiders. Read the rest of this entry »

New York has long been known to draft for the trenches and 2010 was no different. Despite the suggestion from some prognosticators that the Giants had a strong interest in linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (who eventually became a Falcon,) they took defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

Considering the vacancy left by the release of Antonio Pierce prior to the draft, that selection appeared a risky strategy. Little did anyone know the Giants had a Secret Superstar on their roster in the form of 2008’s 5th round pick, Jonathan Goff.

Goff is the prototypical old school middle linebacker – punishing running backs and offensive lineman is his trademark. While he may not be ideal in coverage, that’s not to downplay his importance to a defense that ranked eighth best against the run in 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m not ashamed to say that last year I had Miami pegged as a dark horse for the Super Bowl. I felt their defense was more than capable, their offensive line would manhandle the opposition and, with the addition of Brandon Marshall, they had the receivers to make Chad Henne’s life easy.

Well, I was wrong. The defense more than did it’s bit with the emergence of Paul Soliai and Cameron Wake being particular highlights, but the offensive line didn’t impose itself the way it was supposed to with injuries to Vernon Carey and Jake Long either taking them out of the lineup or limiting them severely. The biggest problem was at the quarterback spot, where Henne just couldn’t get the job done on a consistent basis.

Fundamentally, these offensive issues were what kept Miami from the playoffs, but it wasn’t all bad on that side of the ball. Despite bringing in Jeremy Shockey for a visit when he was cut, the Dolphins actually have one of the best tight ends in the league on their roster.

Our Miami Dolphins Secret Superstar? Why it’s none other than Anthony Fasano. Read the rest of this entry »

Coming into the season, the Rams were considered by many to be a 4-win team at best. Even Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch had his parade meter set at five; meaning if the Rams won five games the city should throw a parade in their honor.

It took all hands on deck to transform a 1-15 football team into a potential playoff contender. General manager, Billy Devaney, can be thanked for building through the draft and sticking to his guns by selecting high character players. Most notably, James Laurinaitis and Sam Bradford who became instant leaders and stand outs on their respective sides of the ball.

Observers have been quick to point to Sam Bradford when discussing the team’s improvement, but we have a guy who equally deserves credit.

He goes by Fred “Big Dog” Robbins (as many of his teammates call him) and, at 34 years young, few have ever considered him a superstar. Turn on the tape, however, and it’s easy to see why he has been one of the most productive defensive tackles year in and year out. Read the rest of this entry »

In the past decade, the Jaguars have seen Fred Taylor go through his prime and Maurice Jones-Drew reach his. There was one constant throughout that time, center Brad Meester.

Picked in the 2nd round of the 2000 draft, Meester has been a starter for Jacksonville for the past 11 seasons, and in that span, he has only missed 15 games. It’s no secret that Jacksonville has been a highly successful team in terms of run offense, yet somehow, Meester has remained a secret.

During Meester’s time in the league, we’ve seen Kevin Mawae, Tom Nalen, Jeff Saturday and Nick Mangold dominate the AFC’s center position in the Pro Bowl, which has left Meester out of the spotlight.

It’s time to give him some of the respect he deserves. After all these years, he remains in the Jaguars’ starting lineup, and, at the age of 34, he’ll continue to anchor the Jaguars’ line in 2011. Read the rest of this entry »

You’d be forgiven for forgetting about what happened in 2010 if you’re a Minnesota Vikings fan. When you weren’t hearing about Brett Favre and his member, you were dealing with uncertainty regarding the Head Coach. Then, to top it all off, the stadium roof collapsed.

To say things didn’t go to plan for one of the favorites for the Super Bowl would be an understatement.

Things on the field weren’t much better than they were off it. They badly missed Sidney Rice in the passing game, and Jared Allen looked a shell of himself for large portions of the season. It was such a bad season that we even debated doing one of these articles for Minnesota. But, we racked our brains and found a logical candidate who may not be a superstar in the eyes of anyone but us.

It doesn’t change the fact that Jim Kleinsasser is one heck of a blocker and that’s enough to make him our secret superstar. Read the rest of this entry »