Chris Simms' All-22 Team for NFL Week 15

Chris SimmsDec 21, 2016

For all I knew, Josh McDaniels wrote his Broncos playbook in Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Certain numbers correlated to specific formations. Each protection (and there were a lot of them) had its own name. It was everything I'd learned in Jon Gruden's and Jeff Fisher's West Coast offenses flipped upside down and stacked 500 laminated pages high. I had to know it all.

Brock Osweiler's time in Houston has been that confusion personified. You could tell Bill O'Brien's playbook—with schemes similar to the kind I had to cram in Denver—never took hold. Osweiler was late with the majority of his downfield throws and needed to see his receivers to feel confident releasing. That's why he always locked on to his big tight ends over the middle; they were right in front of his face. I’ve been that guy before.

But it's not all on Osweiler. Houston thrust a guy with all of seven career starts into an offense that took me six months to fully comprehend. And the Texans paid him $72 million thinking he'd turn into O'Brien's next great pupil. They'll pay for that both literally and figuratively.

QB: Tom Savage, Houston Texans

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Look at the receiving column of the Jaguars-Texans box score. It’ll tell you everything about why Bill O’Brien finally kick-started the Tom Savage era down in Houston.

Savage involved more than just Brock Osweiler’s trusted list of tight ends and backs. He got receivers involved; DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller looked like the scary tandem they were supposed to be heading into 2016.

But keep scrolling. Because Houston’s new quarterback made sure guys such as Keith Mumphery, Stephen Anderson and Wendall Williams caught balls. That list is about twice as long as usual, and the Texans are a better team for it.

RB: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

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Most teams run the ball to open big passing opportunities downfield.

It’s the other way around in Big D. Dak Prescott lulls defenses to sleep with simple out routes and checkdowns. Ezekiel Elliott is the vertical threat.

It’s down to Elliott and David Johnson as the best two ball-carriers in football. But Zeke picked up the best traits from another star runner in Week 15: Le’Veon Bell. Elliott showcased a Bell-like patience, bursting through Tampa Bay’s defense when opportunities presented themselves.

Few guys are as quick and as daunting through the hole as No. 21.

RB: Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons

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Devonta Freeman doesn’t get a free pass just because he tore up the league’s worst run defense. But he earned a spot on this list for bouncing back from his only mistake—a fumble he coughed up at San Francisco’s goal line.

Some ball-carriers would sulk. Freeman responded by stiff-arming Aaron Lynch, truck-sticking Jaquiski Tartt and beasting through a Rashard Robinson facemask—all on one second-quarter carry.

It was the first of Freeman’s three end-zone trips. It showed me a lot about Atlanta’s top dog behind Matt Ryan.

RB: Ty Montgomery, Green Bay Packers

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No. 88

Ty Montgomery better start picking out a number in the 20s, 30s or 40s.

Because he’s officially Green Bay’s starting running back. The Stanford product earned his place with a 162-yard slice-and-dice of the Chicago Bears. It was much-needed; Aaron Rodgers couldn’t run around on an injured calf.

Montgomery is a scout’s dream: a solid receiver with a running back mindset. That means he A) can play multiple spots in Green Bay’s offense, and B) brings a lower-your-shoulder mentality to both roles.

Mike McCarthy only needs him at one spot for now, though. Green Bay is a different team with an actual ball- carrying threat beside No. 12.

WR: Golden Tate, Detroit Lions

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Golden Tate is to the Motor City what Odell Beckham Jr. is to the Big Apple.

Detroit's top receiver is asked to play a Beckham-like role every week. Never was that more evident than in Week 15, when both Tate and OBJ suited up on the same field.

Like the Giants, coordinator Jim Bob Cooter does whatever it takes to get his star the ball. If that means running a jet sweep, fine. If that means keeping tight ends and running backs in to block so he has time to run long-developing routes, so be it.

That strategy was sound. Tate was the only Lions receiver who could earn separation and take oncoming big hits from Landon Collins. He’s that tough.

WR: Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints

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Brandin Cooks won’t be complaining about his touches ever again.

Drew Brees looked his way on back-to-back deep throws in the second quarter. The result: 110 combined receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Cooks’ second touchdown was his most impressive yet. Brees found him on a simple shallow cross against Tyrann Mathieu; Honey Badger closed in for a four- or five-yard gain. It didn’t happen. Cooks turned on the afterburners and left a world-class athlete in his dust.

WR: Cameron Meredith, Chicago Bears

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Once the NFL smacked Alshon Jeffery with a suspension, I called it quits on Chicago’s receiving corps.

That was premature. Because Cameron Meredith has evolved into a speedier version of Jeffery—one who is better suited to coordinator Dowell Loggains’ quick-throw, screen-heavy offense. He’s a run-after-catch machine.

He’s also as polished a route-runner as any guy in the NFC North. I saw Meredith totally fool Quinten Rollins on a little out-and-up in the second half. He’s Terrell Owens-esque in his ability to snap the head fake and go somewhere else.

TE: Dion Sims, Miami Dolphins

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No. 80

Dion Sims can handle the heavy lifting, and not just as an in-line blocker.

The big-bodied Michigan State product found the end zone on two Matt Moore throws last Saturday night. Both showcased his ability to run routes and find space. And both installed Sims as Moore’s trusted tall target when DeVante Parker was covered.

Sims worked hard to earn his new billing. He looks like a poor man’s Martellus Bennett on film—big-bodied, but in shape to the point where his team won’t see another offensive lineman at the end of the formation.

OL: Marcus Cannon, New England Patriots

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Hello, Von Miller?

Has anybody seen Von Miller?

Denver’s all-generation pass-rusher went missing last Sunday afternoon. Blame New England’s big right tackle.

Now strictly entrenched as a right tackle, Marcus Cannon is flourishing. He’s slimmed down since his guard days and displays quicker feet. Yet he still had enough power to win against Miller on 10 or so one-on-one opportunities. Tom Brady must be thankful.

OL: Trai Turner, Carolina Panthers

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Your average football fan thinks a right guard can slide one spot down and play tackle.

That’s not true. Such a switch is only possible with eye-popping athletes such as Trai Turner; guys who can work as well in space as they can in a confined area.

Carolina’s Pro Bowl guard looked great in his move outside. Considering he faced a rotation of Ryan Kerrigan, Trent Murphy and Preston Smith, that’s impressive.

It’s also impressive what Turner did when Carolina needed to close things out. He collapsed his side of the Redskins’ front and sealed all those skilled pass-rushers off. Jonathan Stewart broke loose on a 34-yarder that sealed the game.

OL: Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens

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Laremy Tunsil’s gas-mask fiasco was the best thing to ever happen to the Baltimore Ravens offense.

I told Jim Harbaugh as much the last time I saw him. Now I’m telling you: Ronnie Stanley is an All-Pro-level tackle who might enter Jonathan Ogden territory one day.

From my film review, Stanley didn’t allow a single pressure against the likes of Brandon Graham last week. And remember: Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is a Wide 9 fan. The rookie had to be on top of his footwork, and he was.

He really stood out in the run game. Kenneth Dixon's 16-yard touchdown run doesn’t happen without the Notre Dame product sealing Nigel Bradham off at the second level.

DL: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams

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Debate rages on about whether the Rams' coaching job is a top-tier opening.

Aaron Donald should end any and all arguments. His presence on L.A.’s defense makes his less-than-superior team within spitting distance of the Super Bowl-caliber Seahawks. He proved that last Thursday night.

The squatty All-Pro got up to bat a Russell Wilson pass. He hit Wilson twice, blew up almost any run between the tackles and did his part to stop outside runs. Any coach would be lucky to inherit his talents in 2017.

DL: Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks

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Michael Bennett wears small shoulder pads because he doesn’t want to be held back on any play.

It’s what exists above the shoulder pads, though, that opens up all possibilities for No. 72. Seattle’s top defender is a film-watching junkie, and he committed all L.A.’s running plays to memory before last Thursday night.

So if it looked like Bennett knew what was coming his way against the Rams, he probably did. And he’s always willing to destroy lead blockers and offensive guards when the Seahawks shift him inside to tackle.

DL: Trey Flowers, New England Patriots

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He’s the best player in New England’s front seven, and you may not have heard of him.

If relative anonymity isn’t Belichickian enough, Trey Flowers is incredibly versatile. He’s the Patriots’ Swiss Army pass-rusher: quick enough to shoot a gap on the edge and strong enough to play 3- or even 5-technique.

That last fact is so damn impressive. Against the Broncos—a team that wants to pound the football and make no apologies for it—Flowers played a spot normally manned by 300- to 350-pounders. He’s 265 pounds.

DL: David Irving, Dallas Cowboys

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No. 95

Who had the single-most dominant pass-rushing day of 2016?

You’re looking at him. David Irving, an unknown commodity before the season began, has evolved into a force to be reckoned with on the edge of Dallas’ defense. Just ask Jameis Winston how scary he can be.

After all, it was Irving who broke through Tampa Bay’s line twice and dragged Winston down. In the fourth quarter, he also knocked Winston’s throwing arm to force an easy interception.

Here’s the kicker: With Randy Gregory coming back, teams might not be able to double-team Irving. That spells trouble this postseason and beyond.

LB: Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans

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No. 90

Jadeveon Clowney draws more tight ends in single blocks than any other pass-rusher.

I’m serious. Established NFL coaches approach a chalkboard in preparation for the Texans, see that blocking assignment and move on to the next thing.

Jacksonville took that ignorance a step further by not blocking Clowney at all. Blake Bortles tested No. 90 on a read-option play to his side. As expected, the former No. 1 overall pick shut that (expletive) down.

He also was a pure terror on stunts. Clowney is so fast that offensive linemen don’t have time to react when he loops around a blocker. That’s Von Miller/Khalil Mack stuff right there.

LB: Todd Davis, Denver Broncos

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No. 51

He’s not the league’s biggest inside linebacker. Or the league’s strongest.

But Todd Davis might be the quickest in coverage—specifically zone coverage. Within the confines of Denver’s defense, he takes away the short dump-off-to-the-middle throws. In this day and age, what’s more valuable than that?

As Julian Edelman would attest, not much. New England’s top slot machine tried and tried again to find the holes in Davis’ zone. Davis was smart enough to stick with Edelman on crossing routes and not let him sit down in space.

LB: Alec Ogletree, Los Angeles Rams

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Russell Wilson has a habit of breaking contain, then breaking big, game-changing runs.

Except if Alec Ogletree is on him. L.A.’s athletic-as-all-get-out linebacker proved to be the perfect Wilson spy on a night Seattle couldn’t run the football.

Ogletree is athletic and long enough to make quarterbacks think twice about between-the-hash throws. So he’s the perfect antidote for Jimmy Graham too. L.A. might want to keep him around for the next 10 seasons or so.

DB: Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars

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No. 20

Jalen Ramsey, meet NFL stardom.

NFL stardom, this is Jalen Ramsey.

Jacksonville’s top rookie cornerback wasn’t just good. He was Darrelle Revis-esque. Houston tried to test him with end-zone shots to DeAndre Hopkins, and Ramsey swatted them away like Dikembe Mutombo. He also welcomed contact in the run game and hauled in his first career interception.

There's plenty more where that came from. Ramsey is the future, and the future is now.

DB: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Packers

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No. 21

Make no mistake about it: Green Bay’s passing defense was exposed in Week 15.

That makes Ha Ha Clinton-Dix’s big day even more needed. The Alabama product turned in yet another multi-interception game; without those picks, Green Bay might’ve never had a shot to win in the final minute.

His second pick (a ball thrown right to him, but still) proved to be the most impactful. Two plays after the possession change, Christine Michael burst through for a touchdown Green Bay needed to hold on.

DB: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs

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No. 29

I’ve highlighted Eric Berry here for his coverage and return skills in the past.

Not this week. No. 29 was solid in pass defense, but his run support and tackling nailed down an All-22 spot right away.

Remember: Kansas City needed its stars on defense to fill in for the fallen Derrick Johnson. Berry took that mantle from the opening kickoff and ran with it. Scouts would say he "shot his gun"—Berry diagnosed DeMarco Murray’s play, filled a hole before anyone else and wrapped up immediately.

Berry had to add a forced fumble because he's that good.

DB: Aqib Talib, Denver Broncos

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No. 21

Richard Sherman?

Xavier Rhodes?

Malcolm Butler?

They’re all All-Pro cornerbacks in my book. But give me my former Buccaneers teammate, Aqib Talib, over each of them. He’s just so damn good in coverage.

He’s effective wherever coordinator Wade Phillips puts him too. That meant Talib manned the outside, canceling the straight-ahead speed of a Chris Hogan or Malcolm Mitchell. That also meant he shadowed Martellus Bennett when New England split him out.

Denver can do many exotic things with its fronts, and it’s all because of No. 21. Talib mans his spot and never gets burned.