2010 NFL Power Rankings: 13 Most Disappointing Defenders
Defense wins championships. It is tried and it is true. Defense needs to be played as a team, but it starts with the individuals.
The following defenders used to be the kind of players a team could build a championship around.
Now, they all have the following in common: ย underwhelming 2010 performances and teams thatย suffered because of it.
13. Jamal Williams, Denver Broncos
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Denver brought in Jamal Williams to serve as the center piece of a stiff run defense. He's 34 years old and he is trying to come back from a serious injury.
It is foolish to have expectations worthy of disappointment under those circumstances. We all know this, except the Broncos didn't.
The Broncos have been unable to stop the run all year, ranking near the bottomย of the league in all rushing defense categories.
12. Darren Sharper, New Orleans Saints
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Sharperย missed the first six gamesย withย a knee injury andย has failed to make an impact since returning. He has yet to recordย an interception and has only one pass defended.
Atย 35 years old, you can't really blameย Sharper for his eroding skills, but for a guy who originally hoped he would be back for the 2010ย opener, the season has been a disappointment.
11. Brian Dawkins, Denver Broncos
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If you are noticing a trend in the early part of this list, you're alreadyย one step ahead of the Denver Broncos. It's difficult to count on players as they climb into their 30's.
Dawkins has been in and out ofย the lineup all season with injuries. When healthy, he has failed to make the kind of impact most have grown accustomed.
In 2009, Dawkinsย had five interceptions, 11 passes defended and 116 tackles. In 2010, Dawkins has recordedย one interception, five passes defendedย and 59 tackles.ย
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10. Jonathan Joseph, Cincinnati Bengals
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Joseph had a breakout year in 2009 as a key piece of the Bengals' resurgence. Now, he is a factor in the team's 2010ย demise.
Joseph has not been the shut down cornerback he was a year ago. He has only three interceptions and eight passes defended, which are down from the six interceptions and 20 passes defended last season.
9. Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings
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It is hard to call 10.5 sacks in a season a disappointment, but it isย understandableย givenย Allen's level of dominanceย in previous seasons. Allen is coming off a season whereย he forced five fumbles and recovered three. He also rang in with 14.5 sacks.
In 2010, Allen has forced onlyย one fumble and has yet to recover one. On top of that, teams have found success running right at Allen, who often times seems too preoccupied on getting to the quarterback.
7. Lofa Tatupu, Seattle Seahawks
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Tatupu is coming off of an injury-plagued 2009 campaign. He hasย remained healthy in 2010, so in that respect, the season has been successful.
Tatupu thoughย has failed to make the kind of impact that made him a Pro Bowler earlier in his career. He has 82 tackles on the seasonย with only one forced fumble and one interception.
6. Jarius Byrd, Buffalo Bills
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Byrd has failed to replicate his impressive rookie season, and the Bills defense has struggled as a result.
The instincts that constantly found him near the ball seemed to have disappeared.ย In 2009, Byrd accumulated nine interceptions and 11 passes defended. Byrd has yet to get an interception this seasonย and has only broken up one pass.
5. Shawne Merriman, Buffalo Bills
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Merriman was one of the NFL's most elite sack-masters.ย After a suspension forย a positive steroids testย and a knee injury, his membership to club sack has been revoked.
In 2009, Merriman played in 14 games and tallied only four sacks. His 2010 has been even moreย dismal, playingย in just three games with six tackles and zero sacks recorded. ย
4. Andre Carter, Washington Redskins
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Carter teamed up with Brian Orakpo to give the Redskins a feared outside pass rush in 2009. When the dust settled, Carter had 11 sacks.
He has failed to come close toย that number inย 2010, and the Redskins' pass defense has been abused without him.ย Heading into Week 17, Carter has just 2.5 sacks this season.
3. Chris Hope, Tennessee Titans
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Hope was a pro bowler in 2008, but his performance started to slip in 2009. The Titans defense needed him to have aย rebound year, but Hope was not able to give it to them.
Even with 97 tackles, Hope is not making enough of an impact on pass defense. The Titans have given up the 28th-most passing yards in the league, and Hope has contributed greatly to that ranking; he hasย only one interception and four passes defended in 2010.
2. Brian Cushing, Houston Texans
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Cushing had a stellar rookie campaign in 2009, but he discovered the sophomore-slump.
Cushing's season got off to a rocky start. He missed the first four games serving a suspension for a positive performance-enhancing drug test. Since his return, he has been a shell of his former self.
In 2009, Cushing had five sacks, two forced fumbles and four interceptions. Going into Week 17 of the 2010 season, Cushing has just 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and zero interceptions.
1. Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins
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To say Haynesworth's season got off to an auspicious start would be an understatement. He clashed with his coach, refused to switch to nose tackle, failed to pass a fitness test and then failed to produce.
Haynesworth was eventually made inactive, not long after he essentially got tired of running after Michael Vick and decided to lay down on the field.
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