Doug Baker’s 2010 Midseason NFL All Pro Team: Defense
We are halfway through the 2010 NFL football season so it’s time to make my midseason NFL All pro selection. In this edition, we have the defense. This year I found it particularly difficult to choose a team because there are so many deserving players. There are bound to be a great deal of arguments over my selections, but look no further for the definitive team.
As always, some players on this list might not make it on the team at the end of the season due to injury or backsliding performance.
One other thing to note is while statistics are important the number of sacks and tackles isn’t the only thing to consider with a defensive player. A great defensive player disrupts the offense and might have few statistics to show for it, kind of like offensive linemen.
The top players on the list are the starters, and the second players are backups.
And by the way, what is up with all the bizarre names in the NFL? Can’t people just have regular names?
DE: John Abraham, Atlanta Falcons
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The Atlanta Falcons have a very stout defense, and mainstay defensive end John Abraham is a key component of that defense. He is good both rushing the passer and playing the run, which is not always the case with defensive ends who consider themselves “sack specialists” like Dwight Freeney of the Indianapolis Colts. Abraham is third in the league with eight sacks this season.
DE: Trent Cole, Philadelphia Eagles
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While the Philadelphia Eagles defense has been rather inconsistent this year, defensive end Trent Cole has not been. He has been performing at a very high level both rushing the passer and stopping the run. He currently has seven sacks, not far of the pace of league leaders.
DE: Jason Babin, Tennessee Titans
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Every time I have seen the Tennessee Titans play this year, Jason Babin has been wreaking havoc on the opposing offense and seems to always be around the ball. He also has seven sacks on the season.
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DE: Justin Tuck, New York Giants
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While Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora may have all the sacks with eight, it is Justin Tuck that is difficult to block, often drawing double teams so his compatriot can get the spotlight. That is no knock at all on Osi, but Tuck is the man on that line of scrimmage.
DT: Haloti Ngata, Baltimore Ravens
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While frankly I think Haloti Ngata is a little overrated, he is the best defensive tackle in the league today. He excels in space where he can grab the runner and slam him unceremoniously to the turf and usually has a good push up the middle for quarterback pressures. I have seen him pushed off the ball in head to head blocking schemes before, which is partially why the Ravens have given up more yardage on the ground this year. But he often draws double teams and moves extremely well for his size.
DT: Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions (Rookie)
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N. Suh was worth the high draft choice the Lions spent on him. He is just as big and good, and probably even be a little better, than Haloti Ngata. This guy is just a beast in the interior of the line and was made to be a defensive tackle in 4-3 defense. I am not too keen on some of his borderline hits on quarterbacks, but beware, this guy might turn out the a real superstar.
DT: Richard Seymour, Oakland Raiders
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I miss Richard Seymour. When healthy Seymour is simply one of the best defensive tackles in the league and has really made a difference on the Raiders defense both in terms of his play on the field and from what I’ve read, his leadership.
DT: Casey Hampton, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Pittsburgh not only has one of the top defensive teams in the league but it has a rock at nose tackle. Hampton doesn’t have a lot of statistics to show for his play, but that’s not his job. He takes on blockers in the middle of the line of scrimmage and allows the beasts at linebacker to wreak havoc at will on opposing offenses.
LB: Clay Matthews, Jr., Green Bay Packers
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For linebackers, I pick a starting unit of four and a back up unit of four, regardless of whether they play inside or outside.
It was extremely difficult to pick linebackers this year but it was not difficult at all to choose the top dog, and that is Clay Matthews, Jr. of the Green Bay Packers. He has been a one-man wrecking crew for offenses the entire season. He currently leads the league with 10.5 sacks.
LB: James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Let me say this right off the bat. I think James Harrison is a dirty player and a headhunter. I watch of lot of Steelers games and he simply is a headhunter. I don’t like him. But he is one of the best in the league at getting to the ball and smashing the runner to smithereens. He is one scary, nasty dude.
LB: Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens
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Ray Lewis simply defies father time and continues to be one of the very best linebackers in the league. He might have lost a step but he still brings a load and has a nose for the ball and keen sense of the game.
LB: Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh Steelers
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There is a reason the Steelers have one of the best defensive teams in football, they have the best defensive players. Yes, their Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau puts them in the right scheme, but they are just super talented. Lawrence Timmons has really come into his own in his fourth year and makes the Steelers defense that much scarier with Harrison on the outside and Timmons on the inside in the 3-4 scheme.
LB: Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins
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Cameron Wake, a second year player for the Miami Dolphins could have easily cracked the starting lineup and maybe should have. I am sure he will feel slighted he didn’t make the first team, but when he sees the players, he will surely understand.
I love the motor on this kid. He rushes the passer as hard on the last play of the game as he did on the first. He is extremely difficult to block one-on-one and has been giving left tackles fits all year long. The only thing he needs to improve on a little is run support. He currently has 8.5 sacks behind only Clay Matthews, Jr. in that department.
LB: James Laurinaitis, St. Louis Rams
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James Laurinaitis is the classic middle linebacker I the 4-3 alignment. He has a great nose for the ball and seems to be around it all the time. This second year player from Ohio State has the potential to be a great one.
LB: Chad Greenway, Minnesota Vikings
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Chad Greenway is second in the league in tackles, but I frankly found it really hard to put him on my all pro team because I think E.J. Henderson probably is having a better year and is making a bigger difference for the Vikings defense. When E.J. Henderson broke his femur in a gruesome injury last year, I never thought I’d see him play football again. Not only is he back but is playing the best football of his career for the Minnesota Vikings.
While Jared Allen seems to have fallen on hard times, being easily blocked one-on-one by lousy tackles like Jermond Bushrod of the New Orleans Saints, and the Vikings secondary is in shambles, Henderson (and Greenway) has been the bright spot for the Vikings defense. Now I knew there would be a hue and cry if I didn’t choose his Viking teammate Chad Greenway for this spot, especially since he is second in the league in tackles. But frankly, every time I have seen the Vikings play E.J. Henderson is the one disrupting the offense.
LB: Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots
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Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots is not the one getting pushed around and being soft on defense. He really stopped the hardest runner in the league, Adrian Peterson, twice on goal line stands in the Patriots’ victory over the Vikings – the refs just happened to blow a call on one of them and award the Vikings a touchdown.
There are tons of great linebackers in the league. Brian Orakpo of the Redskins was considered but I really question his run support, as was his always solid teammate in the middle, London Fletcher. Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears, DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys, Stephen Tulloch of the Tennessee Titans, and Curtis Lofton of the Atlanta Falcons are all worthy of consideration. And of course my sentimental favorite, E.J. Henderson of the Vikings.
SS: LaRon Landry, Washington Redskins
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With all due respect to Troy Polamalu, who is one of my favorite non-New England Patriot players in the league, LaRon Landry is having an unbelievable year. Landry is all over the field, always around the ball, and from his strong safety position is sixth in the league in tackles. He, along with Clay Matthews, Jr. of the Green Bay Packers, are the best defensive players in the league this year, hands down.
SS: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Troy Polamalu is the also a great, great strong safety. He is just phenomenal in both his intelligence, nose of for the ball, ability to create turnovers and tackling.
FS: Nick Collins, Green Bay Packers
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Nick Collins of the Packers has had a superb year at free safety for the Green Bay Packers and is one of the hardest hitting ones in the league.
FS: Oshiomogho Atogwe, St. Louis Rams
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Oshiomogho Atogwe may not be the turnover machine he was last year, but he has been rather overlooked as one of the best defensive players in the league because he is on a losing team. While a little nicked up this year, Atogwe, like last year, ranks right up there with the best of the league’s free safeties.
CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland Raiders
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You know why you don’t hear that much about Nnamdi Asomugha? Because he is so hard to throw the ball against.
CB: Brandon Flowers, Kansas City Chiefs
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Brandon Flowers is the type of cornerback I love. He is an excellent cover corner but is physical enough in the hand fighting and tight coverage to make plays. He also isn’t afraid to tackle, like weak willed “cover corners” such as Asante Samuel of the Philadelphia Eagles.
CB: Antonio Cromartie, New York Jets
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No Darrelle Revis, no problem. We’ve got Antonio Cromarite. Cromartie is having just a fabulous year at the cornerback position taking on other teams’ best receivers. The Jets have one of the best defensive backfields in the league.
CB: DeAngelo Hall, Washington Redskins
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DeAngelo Hall is mouthy, disrespectful and often a malcontent. I can’t stand him myself, but he gets the last spot if for nothing else his four-interception game with one returned 90-plus yards for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears. He single handedly, almost, won that game for the Redskins since their offense couldn’t do anything. He is having an excellent season overall.
P: Shane Lechler, Oakland Raiders
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This is an easy one. Lechler has been the best all around punter in the league for distance and dropping balls inside the 20 for a few years.
Special Teamer: Lorenzo Alexander, Washington Redskins
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Lorenzo Alexander of the Washington Redskins is the most consistent special teams performer I have seen this year.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Clay Matthews, Jr., LB, Green Bay Packers
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Clay Matthews, Jr. is simply wreaking havoc on opposing offenses game after game after game. He is a great pass rusher, tackler and has a real nose for the ball.
LaRon Landry, SS, Washington Redskins was the only other serious contender for this honor.
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit Lions
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There was no other serious contender for this high honor. I cannot recall a rookie defensive interior lineman that has had this much impact on their team. Suh is the real deal.
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