Under Pressure
by Matt Miller
The postseason for the NFL is nearly over, and Dave Gardner has picked out his All Postseason team.
By Dave Gardner
The tunnel is crowded full of men in their armor. The roar of the crowd outside is deafening. Your name is called and, suddenly, everything is slow. You can see each camera flashing, and each hand that passes yours is palpable. Your eyes are limpid, your mind is meditative, and your heart is pulsating. This is the beginning of the three hours that you have to transcend time… your chance to be remembered. Do you wonder who wants it more when you watch the playoffs? You don’t have to. Imagine being that player in the tunnel, and then look at the men who are on the field; you’ll see it. You’ll see it because it’s transparent. Certain players have “it” and certain ones never will. When you see those players in the tunnel, you could be looking at the next Joe Montana or Terrell Davis, who raise their play to the an other-worldy level, or maybe only Trent Dilfer and Roger Craig, who were just along for the ride.
The average NFL player is only in the league for three and a half seasons, which means that very few players will ever get to play on the game’s greatest stage. But in between the laughs from the commercials, along the sidelines and on the field, men are living their dreams. Take Ahmad Bradshaw, for example. A rookie picked in the seventh round, his chances of being with the team after training camp were slim. Last weekend, he was suiting up to play a legend in a modern-day coliseum. After the game, he was asked about playing in the sub-zero weather and he said “Cold weather lasts for three hours, this championship lasts for a lifetime.”
The time for reflection before the big game has begun; clearly, the Giants and the Patriots have wanted it the most, and they have deserved it the most. Some players have been the beneficiaries of and outstanding system filled with outstanding players and coaches, but some have managed to play beyond their team’s collective talent level. This is the All-Pro Postseason Team:
Offense
Quarterback: Eli Manning (Giants). The most widely criticized player coming into the postseason, Manning has been stellar when it has counted. He not only hasn’t committed a turnover, he has thrown for nearly 600 yards, 4 TDs, and has had a 99.1 passer rating.
Running Back: Laurence Maroney (Patriots). In the playoffs, he’s had 47 rushes, 247 yards (5.3 ypc), and a pair of touchdowns. When the great Tom Brady was struggling in the first half of the AFC Championship Game, Belichick wisely switched to a power offense, and Maroney took the game over.
Fullback: Korey Hall (Packers). He may not have lit up the stat sheet this postseason, but when Green Bay was in their Full-house formation (with two fullbacks wide and a running back deep behind them), he was a blocker to be reckoned with.
Tackles: Matt Light (Patriots) and Mark Tauscher (Packers). They both anchored lines that gave up only one sack during the postseason. The lone sack on Tom Brady was on the Patriots first snap of the postseason, and it didn’t happen again. The lone sack on Brett Favre was after he ran into his own lineman.
Guards: Davin Joseph (Buccaneers) and Kris Dielman (Chargers). In his first playoff performance, Joseph was really exceptional. The Bucs offensive line only gave up one sack to the fierce Giants pass rush, and opened up a good running game, that was unfortunately abandoned by Jon Gruden. Dielman was his normal fantastic self, paving the way for backup Michael Turner to hit it big in free agency after the season.
Tight End: Dallas Clark (Colts). Most of the teams who really utilize tight ends made early exits in the playoffs or were injured (i.e., Antonio Gates). Dallas Clark did everything that was asked of him and more in the Colts’ loss to the Chargers. He caught 6 balls for 95 yards, and a touchdown. More importantly, every pass he caught went for a first down (a TD is counted as a first down).
Wide Receivers: Vincent Jackson (Chargers) and Plaxico Burress (Giants). Vincent Jackson absolutely exploded this postseason. Partially thanks to double coverage on Chris Chambers, he had 300 yards yards, 2 touchdowns, and 15 first downs. Burress also came on stronger during the postseason (even though he had a fabulous regular season as well). Playing with a torn ligament in his ankle, he amassed 194 yards and 11 first downs, while opening up the outsides for the other receivers, which has been a huge part of Eli Manning’s success.
Defense
Defensive Ends: Luis Castillo (Chargers) and Michael Strahan (Giants). Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips have long overshadowed Luis Castillo, but he is their best all-around defensive end; in addition to his two sacks, he also had 12 tackles. Michael Strahan may not wow anyone with his stats (1 sack, 18 tackles), but he had been pivotal in the Giants’ game plans. He pressured Tony Romo throughout the entire fourth quarter against Dallas and neutralized the running game against the Packers.
Defensive Tackles: John Henderson (Jaguars) and Corey Williams (Green Bay). John Henderson, despite playing with injuries, was a disruptive force against the run and the pass in both playoff games, recording a sack in each game and lining up 8 tackles along the way. Corey Williams has definitely earned a bonus for his play this season, in the postseason he only had 11 tackles, but he’s kind of like Vince Wilfork in that way: he may not get a lot of sacks/tackles, but teams had to account for him with a double team in every game.
Inside Linebacker: Stephen Cooper (Chargers). In his first year as a starter, Cooper really blossomed in the middle of the San Diego defensive front. He led the playoffs in tackles with 30 and recorded half a sack as well.
Outside Linebackers: Leroy Hill (Seahawks) and Shaun Phillips (Chargers). Talk about another guy who is overshadowed by his teammates. Julian Peterson and Lofa Tatupu tend to get all the credit as the Seahawk’s best linebacker, but Leroy Hlill really stole the show in the playoffs, recording 24 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble. Shaun Phillips was huge in the Charger’s ability to stop the run, with 20 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Cornerbacks: R.W. McQuarters (Giants) and Antonio Cromartie (Chargers). The real surprise here is McQuarters, who wasn’t even a starter coming into the playoffs. After injuries to both starting corners forced him into a lineup, he took full advantage of the opportunity: intercepting three passes, including the game-sealing pick in the NFC Championship Game in overtime. He also was a dangerous punt returner, setting up the Giants game-winning drive against the Cowboys. Cromartie has just been a ball-hawk this season; he intercepted two passes in the postseason and returned one for a touchdown that was called back on a questionable holding call. His forced fumble of Marvin Harrison was huge in the Chargers’ win over the Colts.
Safeties: Atari Bigby (Packers) and Laron Landry (Redskins). Atari Bigby’s big hits were some of the best highlights of this postseason. His physical play helped to both neutralize runners and intimidate receivers. Laron Landry, in defeat, really grew up a lot. He intercepted two Matt Hasselbeck passes beautifully, and got his hands on four other passes.
Next Week: The Big Game will finally arrive, and I’ll make my pick… dynasty or destiny?