Who's the Best? Some NFL Top Ten Lists

I've been getting a lot of emails lately from my Morning Rush and Extra Point listeners about end of the year lists. What's the best sports story of 2007? Who's the best NFL coach this year? How many of those early season predictions of mine actually came true? I'll do the yearly tradition thing and give you my top ten sports stories of the year in just a couple weeks, and there's plenty of time yet to see if any of those predictions will actually come true! (I wouldn't hold my breath about the Saints though. Yuck.) Here are a few of my year-end Top 10 lists for you NFL diehards: Top 10 NFL Quarterbacks of 2007 1- Tom Brady, New England. 41 TDs and a 70% completion percentage. Ridiculous. 2- Tony Romo, Dallas. Mobile, with a great deep ball. A tremendous breakthrough season. 3- Brett Favre, Green Bay. Interceptions way down. Where'd he find the fountain of youth? 4- Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh. Let's just pretend that motorcycle thing never happened. 5- Peyton Manning, Indianapolis. A great year considering Harrison's missed most of it. 6- Derek Anderson, Cleveland. He's played so well, Brady Quinn may be traded. 7- Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle. Quiet and steady, bound for the playoffs again. 8- David Garrard, Jacksonville. Another huge success story. Byron who? 9- Philip Rivers, San Diego. Up and down at times, but still hugely talented. 10- Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay. Another ageless wonder. Top 5 NFL Wide Receivers of 2007 1- Randy Moss, New England. The freak is nasty again, just more athletic than everyone else. 2- Terrell Owens, Dallas. Phillips has calmed him down. Near impossible to cover 1-on-1. 3- Steve Smith, Carolina. Best pound for pound wideout in the league. If only he had a QB. 4- Braylon Edwards, Cleveland. Huge bounceback from injury, monster year. 5- Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis. Showing he can be the #1 we all thought he was. 6- Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona. Another physical freak, has done it with rotating QBs. 7- Antonio Gates, San Diego. Listed at TE, really just a spectacular over-the-middle WR. 8- Plaxico Burress, NY Giants. Slowing down, great numbers without practicing all year. 9- Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh. This is what Steelers thought they were getting last year. 10- Wes Welker, New England. Best possesion receiver in the game right now. Top 10 NFL Running Backs of 2007 1- Adrian Peterson, Minnesota. Despite knee injury, career is off to a rocket start. 2- Joseph Addai, Indianapolis. Phenomenal progress from year one to year two. 3- Bryan Westbrook, Philadelphia. Has carried a huge load with McNabb's troubles. 4- LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego. Statistical fall-off from last year no surprise. 5- Willie Parker, Pittsburgh. Great speed around the edges, still maturing. 6- Marshawn Lynch, Buffalo. Any other season, he's the rookie of the year. 7- Reggie Bush, New Orleans. Now featured back is a tremendous pass catcher. 8- Clinton Portis, Washington. Smaller chunks of yardage than in the past, still strong. 9- Jamaal Lewis, Cleveland. When he runs well, the Browns' offense is unstoppable. 10- Edgerrin James, Arizona. Another veteran who's bounced back with solid numbers.

-JAB