Chris Simms' All-22 Team for NFL Week 10

My dad might’ve thrown the first back-shoulder fade in NFL history. 

Some backstory here: Last week, I checked out some of Phil’s old game tape from December 1988. My dad had tons of tight end talent back then—Mark Bavaro, of course, but also Brad Beckman and Zeke Mowatt. Each guy knew just the right amount of push to apply on a linebacker or safety to get space.

So pops threw Beckman a ball down the field that was deliberately underthrown. The announcers were dumbfounded; "I think Phil Simms did that on purpose, guys!" I had to call the old man to confirm.

He didn’t recall that specific throw, but he did remember planning it. Phil said coach Bill Parcells noticed he could throw a receiver open by leading him back to the football rather than in stride. Other quarterbacks didn’t think that way back then, apparently.

Phil might’ve flabbergasted the broadcast team, but he was onto something. We know now what a dangerous, indefensible weapon a back-shoulder throw can be. Just ask the two quarterbacks on my latest All-22 team. They were both asked to throw pass-catchers open in Week 10 and did so with flying colors.

QB: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

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Drew Brees outdueled the best pass defense in football in Week 10. That’s a fact.

Here’s another: Brees is the best quarterback in football at my dad’s old invention, the back-shoulder fade. He times it up with Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead on the outside. He throws them to Coby Fleener at the tight end position. Hell, he even hit Tim Hightower with a perfectly placed one out of the backfield. It’s indefensible.

This arching fourth-quarter throw from Brees to Cooks was also impossible to cover. That should’ve been the game-winner, not a blocked PAT the other way.

QB: Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks

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Only a quarterback as skilled as Russell Wilson can turn Bill Belichick into a desperate coach.

Consider New England changed its entire coverage scheme not once, not twice but three or four times to find something—anything—to slow Wilson down. He beat man defense with two touchdowns to Doug Baldwin. He beat zone defense with Baldwin’s third.

By the time the game was closing out, Belichick’s defense rushed two and dropped nine. That didn’t work, either. Wilson’s play lifted Seattle up to the level where it could beat New England at home, and that’s saying something.

RB: DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans

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DeMarco Murray just turned in a performance the likes of which the NFL hasn’t seen since LaDainian Tomlinson.

What other running back could both A) outrun an entire defense for 75 yards on his first carry and B) throw a touchdown pass out of the backfield as well as Marcus Mariota could have? It’s a short list, and Murray is on it.

Murray even shined as a receiver. His 35-yard catch in the second quarter wasn’t just a one-handed beauty. It was a game-icer that helped Tennessee keep its lead to three scores.

RB: C.J. Prosise, Seattle Seahawks

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C.J. was Prosisely what this Seahawks offense needed.

Bad puns aside, it’s true. The rookie out of Notre Dame is a physical specimen who confounded New England’s coverage all night.

He did so by putting his old receiving skills to the test. Like LeSean McCoy or Le’Veon Bell, Prosise was smart about leading a defender one way and cutting his route back another. A slant-and-comeback combination in the first quarter was impossible to defend, for instance.

So was his fade route later in the game. In Prosise, Russell Wilson has a running back capable of lining up in the backfield and taking a linebacker downtown. Poor Elandon Roberts never had a chance in coverage.

RB: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

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He’s a more physically gifted Emmitt Smith.

And Ezekiel Elliott is only getting better. After my film review, I saw a running back who can take advantage of the Texas-sized holes his line opens up. But he also pushes offensive production further than his blockers ever could.

Here’s what I mean: Elliott was gang-tackled by two or three Steelers on a first-down run in the second quarter. The rookie refused to get stood up, falling forward through the pile-up for four yards instead. He always does this, and accordingly Dallas often faces manageable second and third downs.

Are the holes huge? Most of the time. But Big ‘Zeke does more with that space than any other running back in football could.

WR: DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins

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I scouted DeVante Parker hard when he came out of the draft in 2015.

He’s finally looking like the player I saw on film. That guy turns slant routes into 20-plus-yard gains or shallow crosses into first downs. That guy is Plaxico Burress with more speed.

Casey Hayward knows all about Parker’s afterburners. The Louisville product took him deep for a 56-yard catch that stayed out of the end zone on a shoestring tackle. I love the way this kid can take over one side of the field.

WR: Tyrell Williams, San Diego Chargers

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Tyrell Williams was a budding receiver when he first appeared on this list.

Times have changed in San Diego. Williams is the wideout for San Diego—and he will be if/when Keenan Allen returns. He’s one of the more gifted receivers I’ve seen this season.

Only Melvin Gordon brings as much big-play ability after the catch as Williams does for San Diego. Case in point: a middle-of-the-field throw with four minutes to play that the Western Oregon product whipped upfield for six. Only an in-his-prime Vincent Jackson has made catches like that as Philip Rivers’ receiver.

This kid has size and speed. We’re watching him put it all together.

TE: Martellus Bennett, New England Patriots

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Oh, Rob Gronkowski is hurt and isn’t as effective?

That’s OK. New England has a spare it can tie on the end of its line of scrimmage. Martellus Bennett is an invaluable piece to this Patriots attack, both in production and emotion. He’s another Gronkowski at Tom Brady’s disposal.

And he’s even more fearless. On one third-quarter throw, he ran through both Kam Chancellor and K.J. Wright. Then, he threw a stiff-arm Earl Thomas’ way for good measure. What a devastating force.

TE: Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans

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Two things happen when Delanie Walker goes up to catch a football.

The first thing is he catches it. Walker's hands are softer than 99 percent of his tight end-playing peers. He's Marcus Mariota's security blanket for a reason.

Secondly, Walker runs with the football. His ability to pick up yards after the catch and after contact are top-notch. Take a first-quarter throw from Mariota on 3rd-and-7. No. 82 is the only player on Tennessee who's capable of running a four-yard route and picking up 14 yards.

OL: Duane Brown, Houston Texans

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Don't pin Brock Osweiler's struggles on the blocking in front of him.

Duane Brown won't stand for it. He provided his quarterback with a sparkling clean pocket in Week 10 and kept players such as Dante Fowler Jr. out of range to do harm.

He also bulldozed those defenders into submission in the running game. One example: Houston's 3rd-and-16 draw play to Akeem Hunt. Brown immediately worked to the second level to seal Telvin Smith away and pick up a crucial first down—Houston's biggest play of the game.

OL: Weston Richburg, New York Giants

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Cincinnati's defensive line probably woke up Tuesday and wondered what the hell happened.

Weston Richburg happened. The future All-Pro turned in his most dominating game of the year, keeping Cincy's big beasts at bay for four quarters.

It was a must that Richburg perform in Week 10. Big Blue was without its starting guard in Justin Pugh. It also was facing a season-long rushing drought.

Richburg's play helped fix both problems, especially at the end of the game. That's when he bulldozed the Bengals line and sprung Rashad Jennings for a few game-sealing runs.

DL: Preston Smith, Washington Redskins

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The Redskins settled for space-cloggers in their defensive front for years.

Settle no more, Washington. Preston Smith can eat space and collapse pockets. If Week 10 is any indication, he can intercept passes too.

Smith showed tremendous concentration to haul in a fourth-quarter Sam Bradford throw—with one hand, no less. He also sealed a big Redskins win by sacking Bradford in the waning minute. This kid can be a defensive cornerstone for years to come.

DL: Bennie Logan, Philadelphia Eagles

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You hardly heard his name.

He didn't register a single sack.

But what Bennie Logan does won't show up in a stat sheet. He's the big anchor in the middle of Philadelphia's defense that affords Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox the room they need to raise hell. Plus, he shuts down the run.

Both roles were pivotal in taking down the Falcons. Matt Ryan thrives in second-and-manageables, especially when Devonta Freeman churns up first-down yardage and legitimizes the threat of play action. Neither guy did that going into Week 10, and I credit Logan for it.

DL: Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins

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Cameron Wake defied his age (34) in Week 10.

He also defied his repaired Achilles tendon. When I turned on the tape, I could hardly tell Wake underwent surgery last offseason. He still had that signature burst and power against the Chargers.

He also had some important sacks. Wake drove Philip Rivers and Co. out of scoring range with one sack. Another led to a big Dolphins stop. A third showcased Wake’s incredible bull-rush move—he blew right by right tackle Joe Barksdale—but it was negated by a penalty. It prevented Rivers from finding a wide-open receiver at the end of the third quarter.

DL: Trey Flowers, New England Patriots

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There’s a reason why Bill Belichick dealt both Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins in one season.

His name is Trey Flowers, and he’s already the best pass-rusher left in New England.

Flowers’ game is straight power, but he can use it in so many spots. He beat Seahawks guards inside as a passing-downs tackle. He also lined up on the outside to turn up some heat on Russell Wilson at end.

He made his money in the run game, though. When C.J. Prosise took his carries, Flowers pushed and shoved his way to set a few nice edges. Collins and Jones never did that with consistency.

LB: Dee Ford, Kansas City Chiefs

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Dee Ford’s play is officially in the appointment-television category. He’s a can’t-miss linebacker.

I’m as excited to see him as I am seeing Von Miller or Khalil Mack turn an edge. And I’ll admit after those two guys, there’s no one I’d rather have chasing ball-carriers right now than Kansas City’s No. 55.

Ford did his best Miller impression with a bend-and-burst sack on Cam Newton. Later, he blew up a read-option run orchestrated by the MVP and solidified his spot on this list. Ford crashed on Newton, realized the ball had been handed off, tossed Newton aside and tackled the running back all in the span of about three seconds.

LB: Leonard Floyd, Chicago Bears

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Vic Fangio used to coach in San Francisco before heading to the Windy City, and now he has his next Aldon Smith.

The Bears’ defensive coordinator uses Leonard Floyd just like his former 49ers star. In fact, the former Georgia Bulldog is a hair more athletic than Smith ever was. I don’t make that comparison lightly.

Fangio’s defense dominated the first quarter-and-a-half behind Floyd’s play. He ran like a free safety in coverage over the middle, dominated the screen game and tallied one-and-a-half sacks.

Did I mention he’s just a rookie? The arrow is only pointing up from this breakout first season.

LB: Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens

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Who lent Terrell Suggs the time machine back to 2011?

He was T-Sizzle for one glorious Thursday evening. Suggs’ night was a dominant one. He forced a strip-fumble and another dead duck Josh McCown throw that floated to Jerraud Powers for an interception.

All that would’ve been plenty impressive for a 34-year-old with a surgically repaired ACL and Achilles. But Suggs is also playing with a torn left biceps and had to generate all that chaos one-handed.

Am I forgetting anything? Just the fact that the guy on the other side of the line was Joe Thomas. Suggs got the better of him all night, one arm and all.

DB: Bradley Roby, Denver Broncos

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Darian Stewart is getting all the love for his two-interception outing.

That was an impressive stat line, but it wouldn’t have been possible without Bradley Roby’s stellar play.

Remember: Roby was directly involved in both of Stewart’s picks. The Ohio State cornerback took Travaris Cadet deep on the first, letting his teammate undercut a Drew Brees throw in the first quarter. Then, he tipped a ball heading for Michael Thomas right to Stewart on the next defensive series.

Roby wasn’t through, either. He punched a ball out of Thomas’ grasp when the Saints were marching to pad their fourth-quarter lead. Without that play, New Orleans had a first down on the Denver 42-yard line.

DB: Kareem Jackson, Houston Texans

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He might not be totally healthy.

He might’ve been beaten a few times by Jaguars wideouts.

But Kareem Jackson has to make my All-22 team this week for one reason. He scored the touchdown Brock Osweiler couldn’t, effectively upping Houston’s winning chances on the sixth play of the game. When points are at a premium, someone has to produce.

So many other things spawned from Jackson’s pick-six. It let Jadeveon Clowney and Co. play with a lead, something they love to pin their ears back and do. It also let Osweiler hand the ball off; Lamar Miller and others pounded the rock with confidence thanks to the early lead.

DB: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs

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Kansas City’s offense put the whole team in danger of surrendering the AFC West lead.

Eric Berry came to the rescue. He read Cam Newton’s eyes on a 3rd-and-6 in the fourth quarter. Newton lobbed up a pass in the face of a blitz, and No. 29 was all over it. Two spin moves and a field reversal later, the Chiefs’ deficit was cut to just three points after the two-point conversion.

We’ll remember that play for weeks. We won’t remember Berry’s other standout moments, such as his coverage on Greg Olsen or a read-option wrap-up on Newton.

DB: Kam Chancellor, Seattle Seahawks

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Let’s list the way Kam Chancellor impacted Sunday night’s Seahawks-Patriots game:

1. He covered Rob Gronkowski for most of the night, including a ball up the seam that turned him around. He recovered, tipped the pass away and let fellow safety Earl Thomas clean up the back end with a hit.
2. On the previous play, he knifed in to undercut LeGarrette Blount’s leaping touchdown try. Other Seahawks were able to halt Blount’s progress because Chancellor got there first.
3. He forced a huge—and I mean huge—Julian Edelman fumble. Seattle clung to its one-point lead thanks to that play.
4. He manned up Gronkowski on the final fade route and caused the ball to flutter incomplete.

Oh, and this was his first game back from a groin injury since Oct. 2. My goodness.

Full All-22 Team for Week 10

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QB: Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks

QB: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

RB: DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans

RB: C.J. Prosise, Seattle Seahawks

RB: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

WR: DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins

WR: Tyrell Williams, San Diego Chargers

TE: Martellus Bennett, New England Patriots

TE: Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans

OL: Duane Brown, Houston Texans

OL: Weston Richburg, New York Giants

DL: Preston Smith, Washington Redskins

DL: Bennie Logan, Philadelphia Eagles

DL: Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins

DL: Trey Flowers, New England Patriots

LB: Dee Ford, Kansas City Chiefs

LB: Leonard Floyd, Chicago Bears

LB: Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens

DB: Bradley Roby, Denver Broncos

DB: Kareem Jackson, Houston Texans

DB: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs

DB: Kam Chancellor, Seattle Seahawks