The NFL's All-Clutch Team

The word "clutch" is probably the most overused term in the sports dictionary outside of "elite." What defines a clutch play? What circumstances surround it? These are questions that I tend to ask myself a great deal when listening to commentators during NFL games.

Was David Tyree clutch? Or just lucky? What about Alex Smith on his touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints? It's a subjective statement to make.

For the purposes of this article I will work under the assumption that clutch can be defined as "making a play when the game or season is on the line." First-quarter touchdown passes in the second game of the season cannot be defined as clutch, even if it was on 3rd-and-9. Clutch has to be used when the outcome of something important is on the line.

Today I am going to give you my NFL All-Clutch team. I have reviewed the top players at each position and come to a subjective conclusion about what players deserve to be on this list and what players don't.

A home run in the bottom of the ninth inning can be defined as clutch. As could Jeremy Lin's amazing last-second buzzer-beater against the Toronto Raptors earlier this week. This is the assumption I am going to work on in coming to a conclusion for this article. 

This should cause some interesting debate.

Eli Manning, Quarterback, New York Giants

I contemplated putting Tony Romo here then realized that I don't want to lose my job writing for Bleacher Report. Some would also argue that Tom Brady deserves to be here instead of Eli Manning. That is a strong argument considering that the New England Patriots quarterback has made five Super Bowl appearances.

It's just incredibly hard to pass up on Manning here, especially after the 2011 season that he had.

This is a quarterback that threw 18 touchdowns compared to six interceptions in the fourth quarter last season as he compiled a quarterback rating of 111.0 in that stanza. Not only that, Manning surpassed 1,200 yards and threw nine touchdowns compared to just one interception in the New York Giants improbable Super Bowl run.

His clutch ability through out the second half of the 2011 regular season was something that books are made of. If it weren't for Manning, the Giants wouldn't have even made the playoffs let alone won the Super Bowl.

Manning has done it throughout his entire career in the postseason, winning 73 percent of his games. He has led the Giants to four postseason wins in two different seasons, throwing for 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions in those games.

You just cannot pass up on Manning when talking about clutch, it really is that simple.

Ray Rice, Running Back, Baltimore Ravens

I understand that the Baltimore Ravens have not won a Super Bowl during Ray Rice's career there. That has more to do with the lackluster play of Joe Flacco in the playoffs than anything else. A running back can only do so much.

What I will say is that Rice is as clutch as they come at this position in the NFL.

Rice has averaged over 100 yards in each of the Ravens postseason wins over the course of the last three seasons. His ability to make plays in the passing game has also helped the Ravens out a great deal, acquiring 29 receptions in seven career postseason games. 

Despite not being utilized in the best manner by Cam Cameron's offense, Rice has excelled in the second half. He has nearly as many rushing yards after halftime as he does before and seems to get stronger as the game goes on.

One of the most telling statistics in regards to Rice is the fact that the Ravens are 18-3 in his career when the running back carries the ball at least 20 times, winning their last 12 regular-season games when that occurs.

In short, give Rice the ball and you will win. It doesn't get more clutch than that. Now can someone tell Cameron that.

Rob Gronkowski, Tight End, New England Patriots

Sure, Vernon Davis could be on this list as he did record four touchdowns during the 2011 postseason, including an electrifying game winner against the New Orleans Saints.

In fact, I wouldn't argue his inclusion.

Rob Gronkowski, who destroyed multiple receiving records for tight ends during the 2011 season. was one of the biggest surprises during the year. You have to be awe-struck by the following stat line: 90 receptions, 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Eighty-four percent of Gronkowski's catches came when the game was within one score, He also had 15 touchdowns on just 21 receptions in the red zone as Tom Brady consistently looked in his direction when it counted the most during the 2011 season.

It's hard to imagine what would have been in the Super Bowl if the star tight end was able to go at full speed, but you can make an argument that the Patriots would have come out on top.

Victor Cruz, Wide Receiver, New York Giants

Much like Rob Gronkowski, this receiver came out of nowhere during the 2011 season and hasn't sustained major success over multiple seasons. With that said, Victor Cruz is a no-brainer pick for this team.

There is no player that stepped up more when it counted the most during 2011. Victor Cruz immediately became Eli Manning's favorite target during crunch time and came through aces a large majority of the time.

You are talking about a receiver that acquired 735 receiving yards in the fourth quarter alone, 483 of them when the difference in the game was within seven points.

Seven hundred of his yards came when the Giants were either tied or down by single digits, over half of these in the second half. He continually made big plays in traffic with the game on the line.

Adding to Cruz's resume is the fact that he came up big time against some of the best corners in the entire league. He accumulated over 230 receiving yards in two games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Nnamdi Asomugha. He also had a huge game in the regular season against Charles Woodson, going for 120 yards in the defeat.

One of the most spell bounding performances of the the 2011 postseason was when Cruz absolutely dominated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. He went for eight receptions and over 100 yards against Pro Bowl performer Carlos Rogers, making the elite corner look lost at times.

Calvin Johnson, Wide Receiver, Detroit Lions

Calvin Johnson dominated opposing defenses throughout the 2011 season, it wasn't just in crunch time. However, what he did when it counted the most makes him a shoe-in for this team.

He had over 1,000 receiving yards when the Detroit Lions were either tied or down by single digits and put up 450 yards in the fourth quarter alone. More than 62 percent of his receiving yards came in the second half as well.

This doesn't begin to tell the story when it comes to Johnson's clutch performances in 2011. He defeated three Dallas Cowboys defenders early in the season in a game-winning fourth-quarter touchdown that mesmerized the football world.

Johnson was so clutch that he put up 744 yards in the Lions final four games, including a 211-yard, two-touchdown performance against the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs.

These statistics just add credence to the idea that Megatron is the most talented wide receiver to come down the pike in generations. More than that, it supports my reasoning for putting him on this list.

Ryan Clady, Offensive Tackle, Denver Broncos

Tim Tebow could not have staged those dramatic fourth-quarter comebacks last season if it weren't for stellar play from other individuals on the Denver Broncos roster. Among those players was Ryan Clady, who might be the most underrated offensive tackle in the entire NFL.

Tebow's sack rate dropped from one per 7.9 pass attempts in the first three quarters to about one sack per 10 pass attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Considering that Tebow averaged 13.0 pass attempts in the fourth quarter, compared to 16.1 attempts in the first three quarters combined, this is a pretty eye-opening statistic. Defenses were focusing a great deal on the passing game in the final stanza, which usually leads to more sacks.

Ryan Clady, as the Broncos best pass protecting offensive tackle, is a primary reason for this.

Chris Myers, Center, Houston Texans

Chris Myers was a primary reason that both Arian Foster and Ben Tate had amazing success running between the hashes during the 2011 season. He continually opened up holes for the running back, dominating the trenches.

This was magnified in the postseason when Foster ran for nearly 300 yards in two games, scoring three touchdowns.

More than that, Myers worked really well with rookie T.J. Yates after Matt Schaub went down to injury. He was a calming influence when the young quarterback needed it the most in the huddle and at the line. That aspect of the game might be lost in the grand scheme of things, but cannot be overstated enough.

Carl Nicks, Guard, New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints might have a hard time retaining Carl Nicks this season and if they aren't able to it is going to have a dramatic impact on the success of their offense.

Lost in the record-breaking season for Drew Brees was the fact that their running game was one of the best in the entire NFL, ranking a surprising sixth. Additionally, over 26 percent of the Saints running plays went for first downs. This type of balance enabled their offense to put up these record-setting first numbers.

Nicks was a primary reason for this success as the Saints best offensive lineman.

Justin Smith, Defensive Line, San Francisco 49ers

Statistics do not mean everything in the NFL, just take a look at Justin Smith. He has never acquired a double-digit sack season and finished a mediocre 33rd in the NFL in that category in 2011.

This doesn't mean that he hasn't had a major impact over the course of his career, last season more specifically. Smith forced a Jeremy Maclin fumble late in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles, wrapping up a huge comeback win that set in motion an eight-game winning streak.

Later on in the season, Smith batted down an Eli Manning pass to wrap up another huge 49ers victory and ending a Giants comeback attempt.

He was at it in full force against the New Orleans Saint in the playoffs, dominating one of the best offensive lines in the league and making Drew Brees extremely uncomfortable in the pocket. This was one of the primary reasons that San Francisco won the game.

He leads all 4-3 defensive ends in quarterback pressures over the course of the last two seasons and shows up most when the game is one the line. 

Smith recorded over half of his sacks in the fourth quarter and overtime, came up big on the road when a young 49ers' team needed the veteran influence, which led to an amazing 6-2 record on the road.

Vince Wilfork, Defensive Line, New England Patriots

There is nothing small about Vince Wilfork's game. He is a massive dude that comes up that way in the biggest of situations. We rarely notice performances from interior defensive lineman, even when they dominate the trenches.

This was magnified in Wilfork's performances against the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens in the 2011 postseason, If it wasn't for his presence and domination between the hashes, I doubt very much that New England would have gone to the Super Bowl as the AFC representative.

Patrick Willis, Inside Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers

Patrick Willis, another key cog in the best defense in the NFL, comes to play each and every Sunday with a passion that most players could only dream of having. He consistently dominates offenses between the hashes and closes off the edge against even the fastest of running backs.

What makes Willis clutch is the fact that he brings this performance to the next level when the game and season is on the line.

Despite losing to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game, Willis did a standup job against the likes of Jake Ballard and Mario Manningham up the middle, even shutting down the wide receiver multiple times in man coverage. The fact that he can stay with a talented receiver like Manningham proves a lot about his ability on the football field. The fact that he can do it in the biggest stage the franchise has seen in a decade, proves his worth on this list.

Willis didn't accumulate 100 tackles for the first time in his career, but that was meant to happen because of the 49ers complex defense. Instead, he was asked to drop back into coverage more than most inside backers in the game.

What No. 52 did in that category during crunch time was amazing. He recorded over half of his passes defended in the fourth quarter with the game within one score either way. Quarterbacks continually went in his direction with no success when it counted the most.

Ray Lewis, Inside Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

Did you not expect the original No. 52 to be on this list? Despite all the success that Patrick Willis has had in his first five seasons, he will continually be working to match the performance of Ray Lewis.

Just think about what Lewis has done in his career in the postseason.

Seventeen games, 163 tackles, two sacks, six forced fumbles, one touchdown and 14 passes defended.

He spearheaded one of the best defenses in NFL history during the Ravens Super Bowl run in 2000. Age might have caught up with Lewis a little bit in his 16h NFL season, but he is still going strong despite father time continuing to create obstacle after obstacle.

The 2011 postseason was no different. Lewis tallied 20 tackles in two games, while showing everyone that he still had a lot in the tank. It is hard to imagine a player that has been this successful for such a long time on a good team. He is one of the primary reasons that Baltimore has won double-digit games seven times in his career.

The second pick in the history of the Ravens franchise has proven himself to be the best decision that they have ever made.

Clay Matthews, Outside Linebacker, Green Bay Packers

There is a reason that Clay Matthews has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons in the league, he is one hell of a linebacker. This is magnified when the Green Bay Packers rely on the talented young player the most.

Despite the fact that Green Bay's defense struggled a great deal in 2011, Matthews succeeded in playing a different role than he was asked to play in the previous couple of seasons. He didn't go blitz as much as before, instead dropping back into coverage a lot.

This is a hard thing for a pass rushing outside linebacker to learn, but Matthews ran with it. He recorded nine passes defended and three forced fumbles playing away from the box a large majority of the time.

When it came down to it, though, Matthews makes his money going after the quarterback.

Matthews didn't record a sack in the Packers postseason loss to the New York Giants last season, but he was a major reason why they won the Super Bowl the previous season. The former USC standout recorded 4.5 sacks in three postseason games in 2010, dominating opposing offensive lines and consistently reeking havoc against quarterbacks in the backfield.

Over 72 percent of Matthews career sacks have come when the score was within five points, proving that he can and does make plays when his team relies on him the most. Just think, he is still only 25.

Von Miller, Outside Linebacker, Denver Broncos

Von Miller deserved to win Defensive Rookie of the Year because of the dramatic impact that he had on the Denver Broncos defense in 2011. Seriously, this is a unit that took tremendous strides last season without adding much more than the rookie outside linebacker.

His performance in fourth quarters last season is a prime example of someone that is ready to perform at an extremely high level when he is asked to the most.

A whopping 9.5 of Miller's 11.5 sacks came in the second half of games this season. He recorded nine sacks when the game was within seven points, a third of them when the game was on the line in the final stanza. These are statistics that are usually reserved for individuals that have been playing at a high level for a long time.

Compare these statistics to DeMarcus Ware, a marker for great NFL outside linebackers, and you will be amazed. The Cowboys All-Pro recorded 36 percent of his sacks in the fourth quarter, compared to 41 percent for Miller. That in and of itself should lead you to believe that I am justified in putting Miller on this list.

Johnathan Joseph, Cornerback, Houston Texans

You can talk about Wade Phillips and the Houston Texans new 3-4 scheme being a major reason why they became a dominating defense in 2011, you wouldn't be wrong.

With that said, personnel needs to step up in order for this success to take place. Johnathan Joseph recorded 18 passes defended in his first season with the Texans, completely shutting down opposing No. 1 receivers.

He held the likes of Mike Wallace, A.J. Green and Anquan Boldin to a total of 13 receptions in three games during the regular season before stepping it up big time in the postseason. Boldin and Green combined for just seven receptions in two postseason games, catching less than 50 percent of the passes thrown in their direction.

If this isn't clutch, I have no idea what is.

Charles Woodson, Cornerback, Green Bay Packers

Charles Woodson has been making huge plays in big games games since his days at Michigan. This isn't surprising considering that he is one of the best cornerbacks to ever suit up on Sundays.

He has gone up against the likes of Victor Cruz, DeSean Jackson, Roddy White and Larry Fitzgerald in the postseason over the course of the last three games and come up aces, holding them to a combined 17 receptions in four games.

It's hard to discount exactly what Woodson has meant for the defense that he has been on over the course of his Hall of Fame career, but his importance in crunch time is by now well documented.

Ed Reed, Safety, Baltimore Ravens

Much like his partner-in-crime, Ray Lewis, this veteran safety continues to defy father time and prove to us all that he is among the best safeties to ever play the game.

Ed Reed, who has contemplated retirement in each of the last two offseasons, is pretty much the heart and soul of a revamped Ravens secondary.

The future Hall of Fame safety has eight interceptions in 11 career postseason games, continually making plays on the biggest stage that the NFL has to offer.

There isn't much more than I can say about that.