Kalimba Edwards was brought over from Detroit in the off-season to be a situational pass-rusher.
He was expected to be the third DE on the roster behind Derrick Burgess and Jay Richardson, but that all changed when Burgess went down in week four with a strained triceps muscle.
Edwards is now starting, and leads the team in sacks with 5.0 on the season.
He’s one of very few good players on that side of the ball in Oakland.
Philadelphia Eagles: Stewart Bradley, MLB
Stats: 64 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 pass defended
I was one of the many people skeptical of Stewart Bradley going into this season, and I will be the first to admit that I was dead wrong.
I thought it was absurd to let a guy who started one game last year lead your defense going into this season.
Well, through week ten, Bradley leads his team in tackles, and has been one of the most reliable middle linebackers in the league to date.
Bradley is the perfect guy for Philadelphia to build around on defense, and teamed with Chris Gocong and Omar Gaither, that linebacking core looks very solid.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Mewelde Moore, RB
Stats: 93 carries, 377 yards, 5 TDs. 22 receptions, 171 yards, TD
Mewelde Moore…where do I begin?
With Willie Parker coming off a Pro-Bowl season and Rashard Mendenhall being drafted in the first round, Moore looked like little more (no pun intended) than an afterthought and a potential return man.
Well, Parker went down with a sprained knee in week three, then again with a torn labrum in his shoulder after week nine, and Mendenhall went on IR with a fractured shoulder, and the Mewelde Moore era began.
So far? He has not disappointed. He currently leads his team in carries, yards, and rushing TDs, averaging a surprising 4.1 yards-per-carry.
Unfortunately it looks like Moore’s saga (for this year at least) is going to end this week when Parker returns from his injury, but what Moore has done should not be overlooked.
San Diego Chargers: Eric Weddle, FS
Stats: 67 tackles, 1.0 sack, 3 passes defended, INT
With the fifth pick in the second round, the San Diego Chargers select… Eric Weddle?
The Chargers could have drafted David Harris (drafted fifteenth in the second round) as their heir-apparent to Donnie Edwards in 2007, but instead chose a versatile safety from Utah to help shore up their secondary. Now we know why.
Through week ten, Weddle leads his team in tackles, and is third among AFC defensive backs in that category.
Weddle’s versatility has carried over from his college days, as he has recorded not only tackles, but a sack and an INT as well, showing he can make plays from any spot on the field.
Weddle is one of the best-looking young safeties in this league, and should continue to get better and be a cornerstone of this frighteningly good Chargers secondary that already consists of Antonio Cromartie, Quentin Jammer, Antoine Cason, and Clinton Hart.
San Francisco 49ers: Isaac Bruce, WR
Stats: 24 receptions, 411 yards, 4 TDs
Isaac Bruce is a 35-year-old over-the-hill receiver who will never again be a relevant player in this league.
Was anyone else thinking that when Bruce signed his two-year, $5.5 million contract this off-season? I was saying it. I admit it.
But I was wrong.
This year, Bruce is leading the 49ers in receiving yards and touchdowns, and has been brought back to life by old friend Mike Martz in San Francisco.
By the way, tonight was Bruce’s birthday. Way to get him a win San Francisco. He notched only a single reception for a measly 12 yards.
Happy birthday, Ike.
Seattle Seahawks: T.J. Duckett, RB
Stats: 39 carries, 108 yards, 4 TDs
Ok, so Duckett’s stats don’t look all that great to the untrained eye, but you have to look past just the numbers.
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