NFL: The Top 100 Players in the NFL for 2011, a Quick Response

NFL Network has finally finished releasing the list of Top 100 players in the NFL for 2011, as voted on by the players.

The Internet has been set ablaze with people complaining about the list.  Why are so many people furious with the list?  Well, because it's terrible.

First off, it was never made clear what the list was actually ranking.  It says Top 100 NFL Players for 2011, but some players are on the list who just had one breakout season last year.  Some aren't very good anymore but have had good careers, and that got them on the list.  

It's a double standard.

This list has made it evident that most NFL Players don't actually watch much tape or follow football that closely and just vote for the popular names they hear in the media.

Well I have my own opinions on this list.  

Biggest Snubs

Lawrence Timmons (MLB, Steelers)

Timmons is one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL.  He has incredible athleticism and uses it to chase down ball carriers.  He was actually probably the best defensive player on the Steelers last year. He led the team with 135 tackles.  

He should not just be in the top 100, but the top 30.

Brandon Flowers (CB, Chiefs)

 Flowers was under-drafted and that has led to him being an under the radar type of guy.  But he's a dominant corner and one of the key reasons the Chiefs played so well last year.  

He's better than most of the CB's on this list.

Justin Smith (DE/DT, 49ers)

 Smith has been a solid player but never lived up to his high draft pick until he went to the Niners.  But he's one of the best run-stuffers in the league and added a career high 8.5 sacks last year.

Andrew Whitworth (LT, Bengals)

 He's on the Bengals, so everyone assumes he's terrible, but Whitworth is arguably the Bengals best player and has emerged as one of the best pass blockers in the NFL.  

His play alone kept the the Bengals offense moving at times last year.

Leon Hall (CB, Bengals)

 Hall may be a top five CB in the league and if not, he's in the top six or seven, for sure.  With 71 passes defended and 18 picks in his first four years, Hall has emerged as a lockdown corner.  He's fast enough to run with the best and strong enough to out-muscle the best.

Tramon Williams (CB, Packers)

 We all love Charles Woodson, but he wasn't the best CB on the Packers last year.  Williams had another great year and when Woodson went down in the Super Bowl, Williams stepped up and made huge plays.  

Remember when he knocked the ball out of Mike Wallace's hands on fourth-and-five to clinch the win?

Jay Cutler (QB, Bears)

 Broncos fans hate him because he isn't John Elway, and Bears fans hate him because he isn't Aaron Rodgers.  But for all the negative attention Cutler gets, he's one of the NFL's best QB's.  

He carried the Bears to the NFC Championship game last year.  If they still had Kyle Orton they would have gone 8-8 at best last year.  

If Cutler said he couldn't play in that game, I believe him.

100-96

100: Donovan McNabb (QB, Redskins)

The first name on this list may be the most ridiculous. McNabb is terrible.  

He lost his starting job to Rex freakin' Grossman.  McNabb isn't even a top 30 QB in the NFL, so how did he make the list over guys like Eli, Cutler and Schuab?  Actually, how did he make it over any starting QB in the league?  

Did the NFL players confuse 2011 for 2004?  

Notice in the picture how he's on the sideline with a headset and baseball cap?  He's probably not even listening to the plays.  I bet he's listening to "Glory Days" by Springsteen.

99: Chad Clifton (OT, Packers)

Not much to say here.  Clifton is one of the best tackles in the game, and I would have put him somewhere in the 80's, but it's no big deal.  He's not really a household name.

98: Darren McFadden (RB, Raiders)

 As much as I want to say Run-DMC should be higher, I can't, because he only has one good year under his belt.  He'll move up this list, though.  He's an incredible talent and proved that in Oakland last year.  He averaged 5.2 yards per carry and also caught almost 50 balls.

97: Shaun Phillips (DE/OLB, Chargers)

 Phillips has been a good pass rusher for a long time, and his 11 sacks last year prove that.  He's been very good for five years now.  He's about in the right spot on this list.

96: Nick Collins (S, Packers)

 After Troy Polamalu, Collins is the NFL's best safety (sorry, Ed Reed).  He's a great all-around player. It's pretty clear that all the players that didn't make the playoffs didn't bother watching them either, otherwise they would have seen this guy dominate and put him the 30's.

95-91

95: Jon Beason (MLB, Panthers)

Poor Jon Beason, he's a good player on a terrible team.  If he was on a defense where he wasn't the only guy who could tackle and had an opportunity to make more big plays, I'm sure he'd have more respect and be somewhere in the 70's.

94: Frank Gore (RB, 49ers)

 Gore is better than at least four of the RB's ranked ahead of him; you'll see them later. He was effective when healthy last year and has been carrying the Niners offense for five years.

93: Eric Berry (S, Chiefs)

 WOW!!!  Berry has talent, and I can't deny that. But he was voted here based on his draft stock, and not by his play.  

He led the NFL in TD's given up and was fourth in missed tackles out of DB's.  For every spectacular athletic play he made, he made three plays detrimental to his team.  

Top 100?  Not yet.

92: Lance Briggs (OLB, Bears)

 Briggs should be in the top 40; it's that simple.

He's one of the best all around LB's in football and has been for some time.  Unfortunately, he's not a pass rusher and is overshadowed by Urlacher, so he doesn't get the credit he deserves.

91: Terrell Owens (WR, Bengals)

 T.O. got off to a fast start last year and looked like his old self, but then he played like crap in the second half and gave up on the struggling Bengals.  This torn ACL thing isn't good news either.  

He's a for sure hall of famer (and I think the second best WR ever), but by no means is he a top 100 player right now—not even close.

90-86

90: Joe Flacco (QB, Ravens) 

I have no problem with Flacco being in the top 100 as long as Eli Manning, Jay Cutler, Matt Schaub, Matthew Stafford, and Sam Bradford are ahead of him.  

All of them missed the list, so this ranking is garbage.

89: Adrian Wilson (S, Cardinals)

Wilson is very talented and athletic but not a polished player.  I probably would have him just missing the cut, but it's no big deal compared to the other mistakes on this list.

88: Vernon Davis (TE, Niners)

No problem here.  One of the best TE's in the NFL. I actually expected the players to overrate him based on his stats last year (56 receptions, 915 Yards, 7 TD).

87: Jordan Gross (OT, Panthers)

The best player on the Panthers should probably be higher on this list, but he's on a crappy team so he won't get much publicity.  

86: Josh Freeman (QB, Bucs)

I'm pleasantly surprised to see Freeman on this list considering he's not a big name (like some of the deserving QB's who missed the list).  He deserves the ranking, though, and will only move up in the years to come.

85-81

85: Jason Babin (DE, Titans)

Surprised to see Babin here considering he's only had one good season (12.5 sacks last year) but pass rushers are valuable and he's a great pass rusher.

84: Josh Cribbs (KR, Browns)

The Browns have tried to get Cribbs involved in the offense, but they can't; he just doesn't have the football skills.  He's an incredible return man, but I can't put a guy who's only going to touch the ball at most 6-7 times a game in the top 100.  

And with these new kickoff rules, it won't even be that many.

83: Mike Williams (WR, Bucs) 

He's way too high considering he's only played a year and didn't even surpass 1,000 yards.  He's very talented and I have no doubt he'll emerge as one of the NFL's best, but it's too early to rank him ahead of proven guys.

82: LaMarr Woodley (DE/OLB, Steelers)

What does getting double digit sacks three straight years on the NFL's best defense get you?  Being grossly under-appreciated if this list is any indication.

Woodley is a top 50 player, no question. Without him, James Harrison isn't as effective and vice versa.

81: B.J. Raji (NT, Packers)

Raji (or Vince Wilfork 2.0) is already one of the best NT's on the league.  He's the rock of the Packers defense.  He's going to break out soon, and people won't be able to keep him out of the top 50.

80-76

80: Jared Allen (DE, Vikings)

He has 83 sacks in his seven-year career.  He had 11 last year and people considered it a down year. The fact is, Allen has been—and still is—one of the best players in the NFL, and it's laughable that he isn't at least 20 spots higher.

79: D'Brickashaw Ferguson (OT, Jets)

No comment here.  He's a good player and people know it.

78: Dallas Clark (TE, Colts)

I personally think Vernon Davis is better, but I guess that Clark is more proven. And he has Manning throwing to him, so you know if he's healthy the numbers are going to be there.

77: Chris Snee (G, Giants)

One of the best run blockers in a long time.  I have a lot of respect for Snee; I always get him on my Madden team and run behind him.  

Try it, it works.

76: Santonio Holmes (WR, Jets)

 Holmes came back big after his suspension and proved he really is one of the NFL's best weapons.  Now that he's had more time to adjust to his new team, I expect a huge year out of him.

75-71

75: Jay Ratliff (NT, Cowboys)

Ratliff is a great NT, but there's no way he's better than B.J. Raji.  I guess he's been around longer, so more people know who he is.

74: Greg Jennings (WR, Packers)

He's better than six or seven WR's ranked ahead of him (depending on what you think of Reggie Wayne).  What does the guy need to do to get respect?  

He has three straight 1,000 seasons, a Super Bowl ring, and he's responsible for the greatest play in the history of Madden.

73: Trent Cole (DE, Eagles)

Cole has put together five straight very productive seasons as a pass rusher, and I feel he should be 10-20 spots higher in this list.  

He's the model of consistency that is so rare in today's NFL.

72: Tony Romo (QB, Cowboys)

Some people probably don't think he should even be on the list, but I'm a huge fan of Romo and think this is the right spot for him.  

He played well when healthy last year.

71: Mario Williams (DE, Texans)

Pretty much everything I wrote about Trent Cole applies to Williams.  He's a little less consistent but much more physically gifted.  

Belongs in the 50's.

70-66

70: Miles Austin (WR, Cowboys)

He's not better than Jennings by any means, but I won't hold that against him.  Miles Austin is a very good player and deserves this ranking.

69: John Abraham (DE, Falcons)

I'll admit it, going into last year I thought Abraham had lost it and his great career was over.  He proved me wrong with 13 sacks.  

I don't know how much longer he can play at a high level. But for now, he's still a great player.

68: Antrel Rolle (S, Giants)

Antrel Rolle joins Eric Berry in the "I'm really athletic so I make some plays that get on Sportscenter, but I don't understand my job is to be the last line of the defense, and instead of preventing big plays that change the game, I cost my team multiple big plays a game and single-handedly am responsible for at least one loss a year" club.  

If the players promise never to vote Rolle onto any list ever again I'll make "IRASIMSPTGOSCBIDUMJITBTLLOTDAIOPBPTCTGICMTMBPAGASHARFAL1LAY" club T-Shirts.

67: Brian Waters (G, Chiefs)

A great career that is still going strong. No complaints here.

66: Richard Seymour (DE/DT, Raiders)

The perfect mold of what a 3-4 DE should be had kind of a comeback year last year.  He can still play at an extremely high level.  

Good spot for him.

65-61

65: Vonta Leach (FB, Texans)

 Considering FB is becoming a moot position in most NFL offenses, I don't think any FB should be in the top 100 but as far as FB's go, Leach is as good as anyone the NFL has ever seen.  

How do you think Arian Foster racked up all those yards last year?

64: Tamba Hali (DE/OLB, Chiefs)

 He had a breakout year last year. If he can prove it wasn't a fluke, he belongs in the top 50.

63: Cameron Wake (DE/OLB, Dolphins)

 See above.

62: Jerod Mayo (MLB, Patriots)

 After a sophomore slump, Mayo came back huge last year and was the leader of the Patriots defense. He's got a long, productive career ahead of him.  This guy is a tackling machine.  

Good spot for him.

61: Brandon Marshall (WR, Dolphins)

Marshall has physical talent rivaled by only Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, and Larry Fitzgerald, but until he stops dropping a ton of passes and gets a QB who can get him the ball, it's hard to say he should even be this high.  

He's a top 30 talent with a bottom 30's mindset and situation.

60-56

60: Justin Tuck (DE, Giants)

He's been carrying the Giants defense/team since Strahan retired.  He should be top 40 for sure.  

He had another great year with 11.5 sacks.

59: Jeff Saturday (C, Colts)

He's getting old and this is too high for him, but you have to respect his legacy.

Undoubtedly a hall of famer.

58: Brandon Lloyd (WR, Broncos)

Like some other guys on this list, he had a great year but needs to do it again before he can be ranked ahead of great proven players (like Greg Jennings).

57: Andre Gurode (C, Cowboys)

One of the NFL's best, he's deserving of the spot even though most fans have probably never heard of him. He's had a great career.

56: Ray Rice (RB, Ravens)

One of the most talented RB's in the league, no question.  He can pound the middle, bust it to the outside, pick up a blitzing LB, and run routes and catch like a receiver.  He's already got two great years under his belt, and more will come.  

Should be higher by around 10 spots.

55-51

55: Carl Nicks (G, Saints)

In my opinion, the best G in the NFL.  

Should be 10 spots higher.

54: Asante Samuel (CB, Eagles)

It's sad he's on this list over all the great CB's that were snubbed.  He's a ballhawk and is good for a lot of picks, but he can't cover anyone.  He gets burned for big plays multiple times a game.  

The best corners only get burned for one or two big plays a season.

53: Marques Colston (WR, Saints)

Colston has been one of the NFL's best for five years.  He deserves this spot.  I hate to sound like a broken record, but Jennings is better.

52: Matt Ryan (QB, Falcons)

Matty Ice will continue to rise on this list.  This is a good spot for him, but he does have flaws.  

He's not Tom Brady....yet.

51: Ndamukong Suh (DT, Lions)

I'm glad the players didn't overrate him like everyone else and put him in the top 20.  

Don't get me wrong, he's a beast, but he needs to prove himself on a regular basis before he's mentioned in the Top 20.

50-46

50: Wes Welker (WR, Patriots)

He's a reception machine and also the most consistent and trustworthy target Tom Brady has ever had. He runs sharp routes, has solid hands, and has a great rapport with Brady.

49: Brian Urlacher (MLB, Bears)

Urlacher is a legend and one of the best players of all time.  But at this point in his career, he's really slowed down and is in no way a top 50 player.

48: Champ Bailey (CB, Broncos)

Just like Urlacher, Bailey has had a great career but is at the end of the line.  He's lost almost all his quickness and can't cover No. 1 WR's anymore.  

Unlike Urlacher, Bailey doesn't even belong in the top 100.

47: Nick Mangold (C, Jets)

The best C in the NFL should be top 30. This guy holds down the Jets line.

46: Tony Gonzalez (TE, Falcons)

Hahahahaha. This is actually hilarious. Gonzalez, possibly the best TE ever, is terrible now and might get cut by the Falcons for salary reasons.  

After McNabb, Gonzo is the most overrated player so far.

45-41

45: Dwayne Bowe (WR, Chiefs)

Bowe belongs in the top 100—he's very talented.  But he drops way too many passes to be even in the top 75.  

Are you telling me you'd rather have Bowe than Jennings, Marshall, or Austin?

44: Robert Mathis (DE, Colts)

Mathis is good but slightly overrated.  People forget he's never been double-teamed because he's had Dwight Freeney opposite him forever.  He's not as good as Mario, Trent Cole, Justin Tuck or Richard Seymour.

43: Joe Thomas (OT, Browns)

WHY IS HE NOT IN THE TOP 10?  He's the best LT in the NFL by a long shot.  

This must be a joke.  

42: Michael Turner (RB, Falcons)

Turner is good, but the beating he has taken over the last three years has already taken quite a toll on him. He's not better than Ray Rice or Frank Gore.  He is literally nothing in the passing game.  He can't block, and he can't catch.

41: Ben Roethlisberger (QB, Steelers)

He should be MUCH higher.  There's two QB's who are ahead of him who don't deserve to be.

40-36

40: Terrell Suggs (DE/OLB, Ravens)

He's a beast to sum it up and deserves this ranking.  Arguably the best player on Baltimore's D.

39: Logan Mankins (G, Patriots)

He proved his value to the Patriots last year.  At least the players got this one right.

38: Steven Jackson (RB, Rams)

Steven Jackson is an absolutely incredible RB.  Can you imagine his numbers if he had Sam Bradford five years earlier and didn't have to carry the Rams?

37: Jonathan Vilma (MLB, Saints)

He had a down year and in now way should he be in the top 50, but he's a good player who'll rebound, and he belongs somewhere on this list.

36: Jason Witten (TE, Cowboys)

He's the best all-around TE in football and has been such a great asset to the Cowboys.  He blocks like a tackle and catches like a receiver.  

He's what teams look for when drafting TE's.

35-31

35: Vince Wilfork (NT, Patriots)

He's still the best NT in the NFL, and a perfect player for the 3-4.  He's been the anchor of the Patriots defense for a long time.  

Good spot for him.

34: Jahri Evans (G, Saints)

No comment, good ranking.

33: Jamaal Charles (RB, Chiefs)

I'm not denying his explosiveness, but how can a player who's nothing more than a really good change of pace back (sorry but it's true, he's too small and runs sideline to sideline) be in the top 50?  Much less ahead of guys like Frank Gore, Ray Rice, and Steven Jackson?

32: Devin Hester (KR, Bears)

Like I said with Cribbs, I don't think return men belong on the list because of the new rules, but Hester is as good as they come.  

He adds more than Cribbs on offense, but not much.

31: Reggie Wayne (WR, Colts)

Remember when we thought he was only good because he had Marvin Harrison to take double teams? Wayne has been one of the most consistent WR's the NFL has ever seen.  

Good ranking for him.

30-26

30: Maurie Jones-Drew (RB, Jaguars)

A great, hard-nosed football player.  I have no problem with him being this high.

29: DeSean Jackson (WR, Eagles)

Jackson is good, but he's nothing more than a speedy deep threat.  He does not belong ahead of some of the receivers behind him.  It wouldn't surprise me if teammate Jeremy Maclin outplayed him this year.

If it's any consolation, at least he's good for a funny radio interview.

28: Jake Long (OT, Dolphins)

He's Miami's best player and the second best LT in the NFL.  

Very deserving of this ranking.

27: Calvin Johnson (WR, Lions)

I feel he's better than one of the WR's ahead of him and should be in the top 20, but it's not a big deal.

26: Phillip Rivers (QB, Chargers)

I'd put Rivers in the 40's.  He's not a proven winner yet, and I'd rather have Big Ben.

25-21

25: Arian Foster (RB, Texans)

Foster had an amazing year but needs to do it again before he can be a top 25 player.

24: Roddy White (WR, Falcons)

White is not as good as Calvin Johnson.  White only got good when he had Matt Ryan, and Calvin has been putting up big numbers with crappy QB plays thanks to Stafford's injuries.  

I'm not saying White isn't a top 25 guy, but if he is, than Calvin is.

23: Patrick Willis (MLB, Niners)

He's the best MLB in football by a long shot.  He has the speed to chase down RB's, always takes great paths to the ball carrier, and is just an incredible physical talent.  A little undersized, but it doesn't matter.  

He's maybe a top 10 guy.

22: Antonio Gates (TE, Chargers)

A game-changing TE.  Maybe a little too high, but no TE impacts the game more than Gates.

21: James Harrison (DE/OLB, Steelers)

He's a beast.  Nothing further needs to be said.

20-16

20: Michael Vick (QB, Eagles)

I loved his comeback as much as anyone but let's be real, he still can't read a defense and doesn't understand progressions.  That was clear at the end of last year.

He's a dynamic talent but hasn't won anything significant and doesn't belong this high, especially if Big Ben isn't.

19: Clay Matthews (DE/OLB, Packers)

He's an incredible athlete whether it's chasing down RB's or coming on the blitz.  There's really no way of stopping a guy this talented.  

Good ranking.

18: Nnamdi Asomugha (CB, Raiders)

Nnamdi is the best CB in the NFL, and he's way better than Revis.  He allows less than two catches a game going against the No. 1 receiver every play (unlike Revis, he switches around with Cromartie) and doesn't let guys beat him, ever.  

Should be top 10.

17: Haloti Ngata (NT, Ravens)

He should be in the top 10 and if not, at 11 or 12.

16: Charles Woodson (CB, Packers)

Great career, but overrated at the moment. He's not even the best CB on his own team.  

He should be in the 50's or so.

15-11

15: Dwight Freeney (DE, Colts)

His spin move is still deadly, but he has lost a step.  He belongs in the late 20's.

14: Larry Fitzgerald (WR, Cardinals)

The best hands in the NFL, hands down.  Fitzgerald is just a spectacular athlete—just look at his highlight reel.  

Just look at this.

13: Chris Johnson (RB, Titans)

I was one of many who predicted a down year for CJ2K last year.  

He shouldn't be this high.

12: DeMarcus Ware (OLB, Cowboys)

The best pass rusher in the league belongs in the top 10.

11: Aaron Rodgers (QB, Packers)

Better than one of the QB's in the Top 10.  He won a Super Bowl, and he didn't need three teams to choke in order to do so.

10-6

10: Julius Pepper (DE, Bears):

He's a beast who can stuff the run, rush the passer, chase down people, and even cover once in a while.  No defensive player has the wide range of talent that Peppers possesses.  

No problem with him in the top 10.

9: Drew Brees (QB, Saints)

 I like Rodgers more, but Brees has put up prolific numbers since coming to New Orleans, so I really can't complain.  

He's not top 10, though.

8: Darrelle Revis (CB, Jets) 

I would have Revis around nine or 10 and have Nnamdi here, but at least the players gave at least one CB top 10 respect.

7: Andre Johnson (WR, Texans)

He's the best WR in the NFL and deserving of this spot.

This is beautiful.

6: Troy Polamalu (S, Steelers)

He's the best safety and maybe the best defensive player in the NFL.  

He should be the No. 3 player on this list.

5-1

5: Ed Reed (S, Ravens) 

He's the third best safety in the league and doesn't belong in the top 10.  He's still dynamic but isn't as rangy as he once was.  

Not a top 10 player.

4: Ray Lewis (MLB, Ravens)

Is Ray Lewis the best MLB in NFL history?  I think so.  But he's barely a top 100 player at this point. Suggs, Ngata and Reed are all better players who actually hide Lewis' declining talents with their elite play.  

C'mon NFL players, did you seriously just vote Ray Lewis as the best defender in the NFL?

3: Adrian Peterson (RB, Vikings)

He's the best RB, but he shouldn't be No. 3 ahead of dynamic defenders like Ware, Pepper, Ngata, Revis, Nnamdi or Polamalu.  Joe Thomas is better too.

2: Peyton Manning (QB, Colts)

 At least they got this right and said Brady was better.

1: Tom Brady (QB, Patriots):

 G.O.A.T?