Category: Stories of the Season
Stories of the Season: Taking Center Stage
For the last three seasons, two players have dominated the top of our rankings for the center position. Nick Mangold and Matt Birk have been a class apart so far as centers go in the NFL since 2008, with Mangold ranking first overall every season except for last year when he was a close second to [...]
Stories of the Season: The Revis 10
We’re eight weeks into the season and Darelle Revis is doing something pretty special. The level of play he’s returned to after a 2010 season slowed by early injury is causing people to draw legitimate comparisons to Deion Sanders in his prime. To this point, Revis has been thrown at 33 times. He has allowed [...]
Stories of the Season: Michael Vick, Pro Bowler?
Take a casual glance at the numbers, pretty much any of them, and you’d be inclined to think Vick isn’t playing at the same level as he did in 2010. His team, despite all the preseason hype, is 2-4 and seemingly playing a must-win game every week. He’s already thrown more regular season interceptions (eight) [...]
Leigh Bodden: What, and where, is the deal?
You figured that after sticking by him after he missed the entire 2010 season, the Patriots would make full use out of Leigh Bodden. The talented cornerback was a star for the Patriots in 2009, being the only dependable cornerback on a roster that included Shawn Springs, Jonathan Wilhite and Darius Butler. Well now Bodden [...]
Stories of the Season: 49ers Defense – Most Valuable Unit
Early on in 2011 I was thinking the 49ers would be favorites to win the NFC West. A kind of default scenario given the state of play in the NFC West as I lacked faith in the Rams, Seahawks and Cardinals. Then I watched as Aubrayo Franklin, Takeo Spikes, Manny Lawson, Travis LaBoy and Nate [...]
Stories of the Season: McCourty’s Sophomore Slump
The New England Patriots selected cornerback Devin McCourty with the 27th pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. The pick raised some eyebrows (a common occurrence with Bill Belichick involved) as McCourty was viewed only as a special teams ace with a chance to contribute as a nickel CB in his rookie season. Almost immediately, Belichick began [...]
Stories of the Season – Clay Matthews: Improving on 2010?
Last year, it took outside linebacker Clay Matthews just one game to accumulate three sacks. We are six weeks into the 2011 season, and Matthews is just sitting at two. While some have been quick to defend one of the most well-known players on the Super Bowl defense, others have already decided he isn’t the [...]
Undercover MVPs: The Packers’ pass-protecting backs
Aaron Rodgers is on fire, we know that by now. Josh Sitton is playing like an All-Pro guard, we’ve told you guys that enough already. But as the Packers stand a game away from a return to the Super Bowl, it’s time some credit was given to a group of Green Bay players whose excellence [...]
Undercover MVPs: New York Jets, Mike DeVito
The Jets are brash, bold and loud on defense, in the image of their coach. Rex Ryan isn’t the traditional, quiet head man, always saying the politically correct thing, making sure not to stir up controversy, and paying respect to opponent and media alike. Ryan is outspoken, and he doesn’t care. The Jets on defense [...]
Undercover MVPs: Pittsburgh Steelers, Brett Keisel
Start with the fact that the man’s face is so far undercover even his mother might not recognize him. But Brett Keisel was recognized with a replacement Pro Bowl nod in the AFC, not bad for an undecorated veteran that only played 10 full games — and put up the kind of numbers that make [...]
