NFL Power Rankings: The Top 20 Linebackers Through Week 2

With two weeks in the books in the 2011 NFL season, teams and players are finally working out the jitters, especially after a shortened preseason and extended time off due to the protracted lockout.

Familiar faces are emerging atop the rankings after the first two weeks, and many established veterans are continuing to provide their teams with expected production. However, new faces are also emerging and making their marks early as well.

Linebackers especially have made their marks. As their roles increasingly expand in order to combat newer style offenses, many older, veteran LBs have adapted their style to accommodate the changes.

In football, much more than any other sport, it’s much more about “what have you done for me lately” that determines playing time, and as a newer crop of linebackers emerges, it becomes even more important for veterans to adapt quickly in order to continue impacting their teams and saving their jobs.

So, just who are the linebackers that are currently impacting their teams the most? We will take a look at the top 20 linebackers in the game today, based on what we’ve seen thus far in the 2011 season.

20. Ryan Kerrigan: Washington Redskins

When Ryan Kerrigan finished his college career with the Purdue Boilermakers, he was a celebrated defensive end who set the all-time Big Ten record for forced fumbles with 14, and he was rewarded with the 16th overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.

However, the Redskins had other plans for Kerrigan. They valued him more as a linebacker than a lineman. So, Kerrigan went to work in learning a whole new position, along with learning an entirely new defensive scheme.

The results thus far have been nothing but positive. Kerrigan has registered eight tackles, one sack, three passes defended and an interception returned for a touchdown in Week 1 against the rival New York Giants.

Kerrigan’s presence on the left side also takes pressure off Brian Orakpo on the right, who previously had to fight through two or three defenders on the pass rush. With Kerrigan’s presence, blockers must now be much more wary of both sides equally.

19. Navorro Bowman: San Francisco 49ers

Second-year inside linebacker Navorro Bowman had some very large shoes to fill when he was tabbed to take over for the departed Takeo Spikes. However, the 49ers have to be happy with what they’ve seen from Bowman thus far.

Bowman registered 16 solo tackles and one assist with one pass defended in his first two weeks. Together with Patrick Willis combined, they shut down the Dallas Cowboys’ running game, limiting them to just 45 yards on the ground.

Bowman, who sat behind Willis and Spikes last season watching and learning, has clearly picked up on what he observed, and together with Willis should help form a great inside corps for the 49ers for several years.

18. Takeo Spikes: San Diego Chargers

It didn’t take long for 14-year veteran linebacker Takeo Spikes to take charge of the defense for the San Diego Chargers. Spikes, who spent the last three years with the San Francisco 49ers, was signed as a free agent by the Chargers in late July, and he has already emerged as a leader.

Despite the loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, the Chargers feature some grizzled veterans on the defensive side of the ball, headed by Spikes, cornerback Quentin Jammer and safety Bob Sanders, who joined Spikes as a first-year Charger after spending the first seven years of his career with the Indianapolis Colts.

Spikes is calling the defensive signals for the Chargers, and his 18 tackles in the first two games already lead the team. While Spikes may not be the same player that was named to two consecutive All-Pro teams in 2003 and 2004, he is still a formidable presence in the middle.

17. Pat Angerer: Indianapolis Colts

In the absence of quarterback Peyton Manning, and with what appears to be a pretty anemic offense, the Indianapolis Colts will be calling upon their defense quite a bit this season, and thus far, linebacker Pat Angerer has answered that call.

In his two seasons with the Colts, Angerer has started eight games on the strong side, four in the middle and played on the weak side in nickel situations. On Sunday, with Gary Brackett out with a shoulder injury, Angerer started in the middle, registering eight tackles and forcing a fumble. This comes on the heels of his Week 1 performance, registering 13 tackles in the loss to the Houston Texans.

Angerer’s versatility will be on display throughout most of the season for the Colts, and while the results of his work may not show up in the win column, Angerer will continue to develop as one of the NFL’s emerging linebackers.

16. Nick Barnett: Buffalo Bills

Inside linebacker Nick Barnett, who spent the first eight years of his career with the Green Bay Packers, has already made a difference in his new home with the Buffalo Bills.

In Buffalo’s come-from-behind win over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, Barnett made 14 tackles—seven solo—and forced a fumble as well. Thus far, Barnett has helped the 2-0 Bills immensely, and together with other newcomers Shawne Merriman and rookie Marcell Dareus, has already improved the Bills’ run defense from its league-worst 32nd a year ago to 21st thus far this season.

15. Brian Cushing: Houston Texans

The 2010 season was pretty much a lost year for Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing. In his rookie season, Cushing recorded 134 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions, and was the easy winner of the 2009 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award winner.

However, the 2010 season started with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing substances policy. When he returned, Cushing was forced to play out of position due to the injury suffered by DeMeco Ryans.

This year, Cushing has seemingly returned to form, registering 17 tackles in his first two games, and much more comfortable back in a 3-4 defensive alignment. If Cushing fully returns to his 2009 form, and all indications are there, he will be a force for the Texans.

14. Curtis Lofton: Atlanta Falcons

Middle linebacker Curtis Lofton was drafted in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons in 2008, and has started every game since his rookie season. Learning quickly on the job, Lofton has not only become a tackling machine, registering at least 90 tackles in each of his first three seasons, but he has also become the anchor of the defense, calling plays and making adjustments.

Much like Matt Ryan on the offensive side of the ball, Lofton is looked upon by the defense as its go-to guy, and Lofton thus far has met the challenge, making 18 tackles to lead the team, and batting away a pass in the end zone intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Steve Smith with just 1:41 left to play in the Falcons’ 35-31 victory.

13. James Laurinaitis: St. Louis Rams

When St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo took over in 2009, he envisioned a defense that was blitz heavy and loaded with cornerbacks and safeties with speed who could pressure the quarterback in his various blitz packages.

However, in order to do that, Spagnuolo needed an intelligent middle linebacker who could be the mainstay in the defense and drop back in coverage over the middle to offset the blitz schemes. Spagnuolo has found his man in James Laurinitis.

Laurinaitis, in his third year with the Rams, has developed into the exact type of linebacker that Spanuolo expected. While the 0-2 Rams still lack the speed and aggressiveness they need from their defensive secondary, Laurinaitis is well on his way to an outstanding career as the Rams’ anchor on defense.

12. Mason Foster: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In just two NFL games thus far, middle linebacker Mason Foster is quickly showing why head coach Raheem Morris had no issues naming Foster as a starter in his rookie season.

In Sunday’s 24-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings, Foster registered 10 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble, earning a nomination as the NFL Rookie of the Week and earning the praise of his head coach.

"That Adrian Peterson guy is different [from running backs Foster faced in college] now,” Morris told 1010 AM CBS Sports Radio. “He’s a different guy, I think you all know that. But to have 10 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and to play with the energy that he played with time in and time out, of course he had a couple of mistakes, no doubt about it, that’s just like my whole football team.

“They’re going to have mistakes, but [it's] the understanding of those mistakes and his ability to come off and correct those things. He’s really showing growth and his development. It’s well beyond his years. It’s awesome.”

That maturity that Foster is showing is already paying dividends.

11. Lance Briggs: Chicago Bears

Say what you want about Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs and his demands for a raise heading into the season—when it came time to play, Briggs strapped it on.

After a quiet three-tackle effort against the Atlanta Falcons, Briggs followed up with an 11-tackle effort against the New Orleans Saints in the 30-13 loss by the Bears. Honestly, the Bears defense could be given a pass, considering that the team was grieving along with stalwart linebacker Brian Urlacher for sudden loss of his mother.

Briggs appears well on his way to another 100-tackle season, which would be his eight straight season in the NFL with 100-plus tackles. You simply don’t reach that mark by being passive.

10. Bart Scott: New York Jets

When New York Jets inside linebacker Bart Scott was with the Baltimore Ravens, he became a full-time one after spending three years as a backup and special teams specialist. Then-defensive coordinator Rex Ryan saw something he liked in Scott, and Scott responded, taking over for an injured Ray Lewis in 2005 and registered 119 tackles and 14 sacks.

Scott hasn’t slowed down since, and now, again with Rex Ryan, Scott is leading the defense for the New York Jets.

The Jets were third best defense in the NFL last season, giving up less than 300 total yards per season. In the first two games of 2011, they once again are giving up less than 300 total yards per game, and with hard-working linebackers like Scott leading the way by example, the Jets will continue to dominate defensively.

9. Lawrence Timmons: Pittsburgh Steelers

The average age of the front seven of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ front seven is 31.8 years of age, and they only feature one starter under the age of 26—inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons.

That age clearly showed in the Steelers’ embarrassing Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. This past Sunday in the shutout of the Seattle Seahawks, the Steelers came back to life, holding the Seahawks to just 31 yards rushing and 164 total yards.

Timmons was a big part of the defensive surge in Week 2, dominating in the middle and collecting eight tackles. He continues to emerge as the future leader of the Steelers defense, and while James Harrison and Troy Polamalu get all the press in the Steel City, Timmons continues to quietly get the job done.

8. Jerod Mayo: New England Patriots

After outside linebacker Jerod Mayo’s two huge plays on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, fans may start calling him Jerod “Big Play” Mayo.

On the first play, with the Chargers knocking on the door at the one-yard line, Mayo came up with a huge tackle, stopping Chargers’ running Mike Tolbert on fourth-and-goal, preventing the Chargers from taking the lead. The Patriots then drove the ball 99 yards to make the score 17-7.

And then again, this time in the fourth quarter with the Chargers again driving, Tolbert started backing up when a hole closed up, and there was Mayo to tackle him and strip him of the ball. The Patriots recovered, and four plays later, Brady hit Rob Gronkowski with a touchdown pass to put the game out of reach.

This is the type of play that Patriots fans have come to expect from Mayo, who was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2008 and an All-Pro selection last season.

And now, Mayo is the clear leader on a defense that features Albert Haynesworth, Vince Wilfork and Shaun Ellis.

7. Desmond Bishop: Green Bay Packers

While much of the credit for last year’s Green Bay Packers defense went to A.J. Hawk and Clay Matthews, the play of Desmond Bishop cannot be understated, and he’s picking up right where he left off last year.

Serving as a backup linebacker and special teams player in his first three seasons with the Packers, Bishop got his shot last year when Nick Barnett went down with a season-ending injury. Bishop made the most of his opportunity, starting the remaining 12 regular seasons games and finishing with 103 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception return for a touchdown.

Bishop shined in the postseason as well, recovering a fumble in Super Bowl XLV after fellow linebacker Matthews knocked the ball from Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall.

This season, Bishop thus far has 22 tackles and one sack, and he appears to have found a home alongside Hawk in the middle of the Packers defense.

6. Sean Lee: Dallas Cowboys

While much of the press is devoted to outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and the porous defensive secondary, one star has risen thus far in the 2011 season—middle linebacker Sean Lee.

Lee currently leads the NFL in tackles with 23, and his understanding of the Bob Ryan defense has been a key factor in his development.

Lee was slowed last year by injuries in preseason, and never fully got established under former head coach Wade Phillips. Now, with Ryan running the defense, Lee is showing his stuff, and his stuff has been pretty darn good so far.

5. Brian Urlacher: Chicago Bears

This past Sunday, the Chicago Bears lost to the New Orleans Saints 30-13, and the Bears defense to a degree could be excused for the loss.

Their on-field leader, linebacker Brian Urlacher, had to bury his mother the day before in Lovington, NM, who had suddenly passing away last Monday. A large contingent of Urlacher’s teammates and coaches accompanied him to the funeral, flying back to New Orleans the night before the game.

It’s a testament to the love and respect that Urlacher has among his teammates, and rightfully so. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection is still the leader of the Bears defense, and despite Sunday’s hiccup against the Saints, Urlacher will continue to lead one of the best defenses in the NFC.

4. D’Qwell Jackson: Cleveland Browns

To say that Cleveland Browns middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is happy to be back on the football field again would be a vast understatement.

Chest muscle injuries robbed Jackson of his last year and a half, and he is looking to make up for that time fast. Thus far, the results are certainly positive.

Jackson, who was one of the Browns’ leaders on defense when he originally went down with the chest injury in October 2009, is now playing in the middle of a brand new 4-3 defense installed by new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron, and he is thriving. In his first two games, Jackson has 19 tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble.

Not too shabby for a guy who was out of football entirely for 18 months.

3. Terrell Suggs: Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has garnered just about every accolade imaginable in his nine-year career. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Rookie Defensive Player of the Year and now the Ravens’ all-time leader in sacks, there is one trophy that Suggs is still after—the Super Bowl trophy.

So far this season, Suggs is playing like he would kill to get it. With eight tackles, three sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles, Suggs is once again showing everyone why he is considered one of the best linebackers in the NFL over the past 20 years.

2. DeMarcus Ware: Dallas Cowboys

Is there really anyone who is a better outside linebacker than DeMarcus Ware?

Like the player before him on this list, Terrell Suggs, Ware is playing for one particular trophy—the Lombardi Trophy.

Ware is certainly doing his part, registering four sacks in his first two games. For a man who averaged 14 sacks a season in his first six seasons, he is certainly playing like a man possessed, and a man looking for one thing and one thing only—a championship.

1. Ray Lewis: Baltimore Ravens

He may be 36 years old, and has probably lost a step or two, but Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has still got it.

The two-time Defensive Player of the Year winner and 12-time Pro Bowler is once again anchoring a staunch Ravens defense, and together with Terrell Suggs will continue to push the Ravens, hopefully all the way back to the Super Bowl.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.