Jim Harbaugh and the NFL's Top 11 Difference-Makers in 2011

Jim Harbaugh has brought a revival to the San Francisco 49ers, and he has been the NFL's top difference-maker in 2011. What Harbaugh has accomplished in such a short time with the 49ers is one of the biggest stories in football this year.

Consider that Harbaugh is leading the same general group of men that had previously failed to produce even a winning season last year. Some turnaround, isn't it? At 12-3, the 49ers control their own destiny and would seal a first-round bye and a home playoff game with another win in Week 17 against the St. Louis Rams. 

Alex Smith is one of the favorites to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, and much of the credit for that turnaround centers around Harbaugh's ability to get the most out of the much-maligned former first-overall pick.

Even the most devout fans didn't believe Harbaugh would be able to turn things around so quickly. After all, it took Bill Walsh a couple of years to get the team playing well, didn't it?

So, who else made such a drastic impact on their team? Who are the top difference-makers of 2011?

11. Torrey Smith

Rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith has made a huge difference for the Baltimore Ravens offense this year, and his ability to stretch the field is a big reason why Ray Rice has been so successful this year.

Joe Flacco has one of the strongest arms in the NFL, and he throws the deep ball beautifully. All he was missing was a speedster to go out and get them.

Enter Torrey Smith. 

Smith was responsible for catching the game-winning touchdown in Week 9's thrilling victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Ravens were able to sweep the Steelers, forcing them to fall to the fifth seed in the AFC Playoff picture.

Needless to say, Smith has been a major addition to a team that needed his services, and he'll continue to be a difference-maker in the postseason.

10. Matt Hasselbeck

Where would the Tennessee Titans be in 2011 if not for Matt Hasselbeck? They certainly wouldn't be in the running for the final AFC wild card spot, that's for sure. 

Hasselbeck has been a stalwart contributor for the Titans this year, and it is a good thing, too, because if Jim Harbaugh has been the biggest difference-maker in 2011, then Chris Johnson has been the biggest disappointment. 

Yet the Titans are still within reach of the playoffs. 

Hasselbeck's veteran leadership and abilities on the football field have been the glue that has kept this team going in the right direction this year despite Johnson's pathetic season. 

I wonder if Pete Carroll still believes he made the right decision going away from Hasselbeck? 

9. Carlos Rogers

Carlos Rogers was not considered to be one of the big-named free agents in 2011 when the San Francisco 49ers signed him to a one-year deal to bolster their ailing secondary. He should have been.

Rogers has helped to turn around a 49ers defense that was terrible against the pass in years past into a respectable unit. Not only is the 49ers defensive secondary respectable, but they have turned into the best units in the NFL at creating turnovers.

Rogers was known in the past for having "hands of stone" due to the fact that he got his hands on a lot of footballs while never making the crucial interception that turns the tide of a football game. This year, however, Rogers has made the most of his opportunities, and his six interceptions are tied for fourth in the NFL.

8. Darren Sproles

For the New Orleans Saints offense, adding Darren Sproles was like giving a race car a jet engine. He has been one of the reasons for the insane success of the Drew Brees-led offense that just broke the NFL passing record on Monday Night Football.

Not only is Sproles a good tailback, leading the Saints with 563 rushing yards, but he is also a tremendous threat to catch the ball out of the backfield. His 81 receptions are second on the team only to Jimmy Graham's 91 catches (third in the NFL).

When you factor in Sproles' abilities in special teams as a return man, you have one of the most valuable players in the NFL. He has totalled over 2,500 all-purpose yards for the Saints this year, by far the most of any player in the league.

7. Von Miller

Von Miller has been one of the biggest difference-makers in the NFL this year, and his strong play for the Broncos has allowed them to develop into one of the impressive young defenses in the league.

Miller's ability to get to the quarterback as an outside linebacker in a 4-3 is unparalleled in the NFL right now. There isn't another 4-3 linebacker that can do what he's doing for the Broncos this year. 

It's a real shame that he broke his right hand a few weeks ago, or he might have been more impressive down the stretch. As it stands, he is in the running to win the NFL defensive Player of the Year award for his rookie campaign, and the Broncos control their own destiny to get into the playoffs.

6. Victor Cruz

Where would the New York Giants be without Victor Cruz? In my estimation, the Giants would have lost at least three games if not for Cruz's insane big-play abilities. 

Cruz is in his second year, but he may as well be a rookie. He didn't catch a single pass in his rookie campaign, and his emergence as a home-run threat this year is one of the biggest developments in the NFL. 

Cruz broke the Giants' franchise receiving record in Week 16, breaking Amani Toomers' old record with one game left to play. 

I expect him to have another big game in Week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys and help the Giants get to the 2011 playoffs.

5. Healthy Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford only played in three games for the Detroit Lions in 2010, and the Lions endured yet another disappointing season without a playoff berth. Stafford has managed to stay healthy this year, though, and the Lions are in the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

Is this a coincidence? I think not.

The Lions are one of the most explosive offensive teams in the NFL with Stafford leading the way. His gun-slinging mentality combined with the rare abilities Calvin Johnson possess makes the duo one of the best in the business.

The Lions are an average team without Stafford, but they are a contender to win it all with him. 

4. Wade Phillips

Wade Phillips is one of the biggest difference makers of the 2011 NFL season. His addition to the Houston Texans might be the biggest reason for their inclusion into this year's playoffs.

Phillips turned the Texans from one of the worst defenses in the NFL into one of the best in one season while converting the team from a 4-3 base formation to a 3-4 base formation...without the benefit of any offseason preparation or training.

He also did all of this without one of the best defenders in the NFL, Mario Williams. 

Phillips may not be a particularly good head coach, but the man knows how to run an NFL defense, and the Texans are lucky to have him on their side. 

3. Tim Tebow

All you really need to know about what kind of difference-maker Tim Tebow is for the Denver Broncos is this: The Broncos were 1-4 without him, and they are 7-3 with him.

Tebow has helped to change the culture in Denver, and even veterans like Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey are rallying behind this unconventional leader.

Tebow will be unconventional for his entire career, but he will also always be a difference-maker.

2. Cam Newton

Cam Newton is a difference-maker. I don't think I'll get any arguments making that statement. 

Newton has made every Carolina Panthers game worth watching, and that in and of itself makes him worthy of this list. 

There isn't any ceiling in sight for Newton, and his abilities will only become more refined and developed as time goes by. He will revolutionize the game of NFL football for years to come (provided he can stay healthy), and the Panthers will compete for the NFC south in no time flat.

1. Andy Dalton

Andy Dalton has made every Cincinnati Bengals fan forget the name of Carson Palmer. The rookie quarterback has led his team to within one game of making the 2011 playoffs, a feat nobody predicted at the beginning of the season.

Dalton has shown amazing poise and leadership in his freshman campaign, and his willingness to allow his receivers to fight for balls when the pressure is on shows why players are so eager to follow the young red-head. 

I have predicted that the Bengals will win in Week 17 against the Baltimore Ravens, and if they do, Andy Dalton deserves to win the NFL offensive Rookie of the Year award over Cam Newton.