Dez Bryant and the Top 25 Game Breakers in the NFL Right Now
We are more than halfway through this year's NFL season and, as always, there are teams that surprise us and teams that disappoint us.
Beyond that, there are players who have been pleasant surprises as well, becoming the difference makers when it matters.
Many come on the offensive side, such as Dez Bryant or Michael Vick, but some have come from the defense or special teams as well.
The following list is of the top 25 game breakers right now.
Those who have been struggling this year, such as Larry Fitzgerald, and those who haven't put up numbers like in years past so far, such as Frank Gore, aren't on the list.
Those who have been great, especially the past few weeks, are.
25. Michael Turner
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After a decent 2009, Falcons fans are starting to see the Michael Turner of old again.
In the past two games he's averaged nearly five yards a carry, and he is already near the 1,000 rushing-yards mark.
He can open up a game with his speed quickly and having Matt Ryan as a quarterback keeps defenses looking out for passes too.
24. Dez Bryant
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Bryant has been struggling badly without Tony Romo. As a result, he may not be the best play-making receiver on his own team.
He had three 80-plus-yard receiving games before this, however, and he can make things happen, so I would not discount him just yet. All rookies have rough patches.
23. Devin Hester
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Here is another player who isn't quite what we remember him as nowadays, but Hester still knows how to make plays.
He is having an off year as a wide receiver, but as a punt returner, he has shown he still has it, thanks to two returns for touchdowns this season.
He once got a 100 speed rating in Madden for a reason.
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22. Peyton Hillis
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There's a reason the Browns are singing the praises of Hillis, even more so than Josh Cribbs.
Any time that they need a big game from Hillis, he gives it to them.
Last week he had 131 yards and three touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers, single-handedly winning that game for the team.
His 184 rushing yards against the Patriots was nice as well.
21. Cameron Wake
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Who?
Cameron Wake, who wasn't even on an NFL team two years ago, has been a beast for the Miami Dolphins.
If they need someone sacked, he's their guy.
His 10.5 sacks are among the league leaders and his two forced fumbles have been big as well.
20. Ray Lewis
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Ray Lewis may be the defender he was in his prime and he can still make plays when he needs to.
He intercepts passes and makes sacks at the right times. He'll easily get another 100-tackle season, and he has a great awareness for the football, which separates the good defenders from the greats.
19. Peyton Manning
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His recent two games have caused him to fall down the charts big time.
Seven interceptions in two games does not help your team.
Nonetheless, when the pressure is on, Manning is able to find a way to win, and he can break open a game when his back is against the wall.
18. DeAngelo Hall
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Against Chicago a few weeks back, Hall had four interceptions for 92 yards and a touchdown in a 17-14 win.
Need I say more?
17. LaRod Stephens-Howling
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Few people probably know who LaRod Stephens-Howling is outside of Arizona.
That's a shame, because he's become the bright spot on the Cardinals this past year.
He is among the league leaders in kick-return yards and he has two touchdowns as well.
He's a guy to watch on Monday Night Football against the 49ers.
16. Terrell Owens
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The Bengals are playing poorly this year, but you can't blame T.O. for that.
In a 27-21 loss to division rival Pittsburgh, Owens had 10 catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns and he had over 200 yards in another division contest against Cleveland.
He's at least able to get them to the game-winning point. If others falter then it's not on him.
15. Chris Johnson
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He's not quite the game breaker he was last year.
Then again, could anyone be?
Chris Johnson has, nonetheless, continued his role as a wrecking ball in the Titans offense, running for nearly 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns.
His performance against Houston, while both bad and concerning, so far seems to be an anomaly.
14. Rashard Mendenhall
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The Steelers may be known for their defense, but a team has to score in order to win.
Rashard Mendenhall has been the guy to do that.
He ran for 151 yards last week to get the win over Buffalo and, while his yards per carry average may not be flashy, he'll get the touchdown when Pittsburgh needs it.
13. Jamaal Charles
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Charles is 60 percent of the reason that the Chiefs have the best rushing attack in the league, and he's the one that will break out into a huge gain at any time.
Any running back who averages 6.3 yards per carry is a game breaker, no question about that.
Also, the Chiefs are undefeated when he gets 20 carries or more.
12. Tom Brady
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Tom Brady's career has been symbolized by making something out of nothing.
He was winning Super Bowls when the best passing targets he had were David Patten, Deion Branch, and Reche Caldwell.
That, combined with the fact that he has just four interceptions this season—on pace for the lowest total of his career—and he can make things happen.
It helps that Wes Welker and Branch are two of the better receivers he's had in his career.
11. DeMarcus Ware
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One of the best linebackers in football, DeMarcus Ware has made a career out of making huge plays on the opposing quarterback.
His 9.5 sacks and one forced fumble is, if anything, just an OK year for him, which shows just how dominant he can get.
10. Darrelle Revis
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Darrelle Revis has no picks this year and only 18 tackles.
Is it because he's an average cornerback, or because he's good to the point that nobody even throws to him anymore?
So good that it tricks the stats?
That's a game breaker right there.
9. Adrian Peterson
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If Adrian Peterson never fumbled and was always healthy, he'd be the play-maker in the National Football League.
Even despite those flaws, he's one of the main game breakers, and he certainly makes Leslie Frazier's job easier.
He doesn't have any fumbles this year, so everything can be focused on his 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns.
8. Asante Samuel
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While Michael Vick is making headlines on the offensive end of the ball for the Eagles, Samuel is holding down the fort on the defensive end.
His two picks were key in a 27-17 win against the Giants, and his seven picks lead the league.
Had he been able to play against the Bears this past Sunday, the outcome could have been very different.
7. Philip Rivers
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While many were ready to write off the Chargers after a 2-5 start, they have gone on to win four straight thanks to Rivers.
He has thrown 10 touchdowns and three picks in the past four games, and he has been as good a quarterback as any in the league.
He's done this without LT or Vincent Jackson in the lineup as well, on top of everything.
6. Arian Foster
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Foster has seemingly come out of nowhere to be the best rusher in the league this year.
He has 1,147 yards, 12 touchdowns, and he has not slowed down since almost single-handedly winning the opener against Indianapolis.
While Andre Johnson's brawl made the headlines this past week, Foster quietly had 143 rushing yards in another great outing.
Yes, he can break open games without others even knowing it.
5. Dwayne Bowe
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In the past three games, Bowe has 465 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
His 14 touchdowns have already set the Chiefs franchise record, and there's still several games to go until season's end.
That's a game breaker in a nutshell.
4. Roddy White
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Does Matt Ryan make Roddy White good, or is it the other way around?
You can put both in this spot. Either way, you can't discount how great Roddy White has been.
He brought the Falcons to a win over the Ravens with a 138-yard, two-touchdown performance, and he got over 200 yards in a win against Cincinnati.
3. James Harrison
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Perhaps the one person on this list who takes the term 'game breaker' literally, Harrison is, no question, someone who can single-handedly change the course of the game.
Whether you believe that he's a dirty headhunter or he's a great, tough player, we can be in agreement that his sacks and his quarterback rushes can shift the direction of a game instantly.
2. Clay Matthews
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Clay Matthews may have slowed down in recent weeks, but even though his sack numbers have plateaued, he still leads the league, and his dominance does force the quarterback to shift how he plays.
Had he been able to play in Miami, that could have easily been a Packers victory.
1. Michael Vick
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Let's face it, Michael Vick is the top game breaker this year, and it's not even close.
He can make plays with his feet and arm, he has single-handedly made the Eagles a very good team, and, perhaps more importantly, he's not making erratic throws.
Opposing defenses have to play differently when Vick's the quarterback, and even when he has an off day, he can make things happen.
That's the mark of a top play-maker.
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