Greatest Player of All-Time Tournament: Elite 8 Match-ups

It's about time we eliminate eight more participants in the "Greatest Player of All-Time" March Madness tournament, considering it is now April 6 and the NCAA college basketball tournament will wrap up on Monday evening.

It's been a tough road, as some guys were sent home a little earlier than expected last round. We likely wont have that same issue this time around, though. In fact, all four match-ups are between the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the tournament. But that's to be expected, and that should just say something about how the seedings were set up. Perhaps we actually did do a good job at ranking the top eight players of all-time.

Prior to revealing the Elite 8 match-ups, I'll remind you all once again how to cast your votes:

1. Leave your picks in the comments section below this article (you can do so anonymously if you would like).

2. Leave your picks on our Facebook or Tumblr page.

3. Tweet us your picks @AllOutBlitz1

4. Email us your picks at benheck77@yahoo.com

5. Or you may even send us a text message at 443-988-8597.

Here are the next round's match-ups:

Region 1 Championship

1 Jerry Rice vs. 2 Walter Payton

Rice: By far the greatest wide receiver this game has ever seen. His numbers are incomparable to the rest of the wideouts both current and past. With 22,895 career yards, Rice is nearly 7,000 ahead of the second-place Terrell Owens. Going to 13 Pro Bowls and named to 10 First-Team All Pro squads over his 21 seasons, there's no doubt Rice's records will stand for years to come. Have I mentioned that the Hall of Famer has 208 total touchdowns and won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers.

Payton: "Sweetness" is arguably the greatest running back of all-time. Though his all-time rushing record (16,726 rushing yards) was surpassed by Emmitt Smith, there's still no doubt that Payton is one of the smoothest rushers we've ever seen. There are two other guys (Brown, Sanders) in this debate, but you could argue that they weren't as smooth with their feet as Payton. Walter was as graceful as they come, and he was the guy to make the jump-over-the-pile-into-the-end-zone wildly popular for running backs. Not to mention he did it the best. Mention the name Walter Payton, and it's likely that even non-football fans––especially in Chicago––would recognize the name.

Region 2 Championship

1 Lawrence Taylor vs. 2 Reggie White

Taylor: Despite what LT does with his personal time, he's certainly the best linebacker of all-time, arguably even overall defender. He talked the talk and walked the walk during his prime with the New York Giants in the 1980s. With seven seasons of double-digit sack totals (132.5 throughout his 13-year career), the 10-time Pro Bowler was a feared man on the field. Chasing down ball carriers from behind and knocking off quarterback's heads, Taylor surely wreaked havoc all over the football field. Perhaps he is best-remembered for ending Washington quarterback Joe Theismann's career after he suffered a broken leg. FYI: if you're the least bit squeamish, I don't advise looking up the footage of the LT/Theismann play on Youtube. It's ugly.

White: The Reggie White story is a sad one, as his life was cut short and he passed away at the age of 43 in 2004, just four short years after his career with Philadelphia, Green Bay and Carolina had ended. White, known as the "Minister of Defense," a reference to his faith and domination on the football field, was said to be one of the most gentle people off the field. But, on the field, White destroyed opposing offensive tackles coming off the edge, sacking 198.0 quarterbacks throughout his 15-year career. He is just two sacks shy of Bruce Smith for most all-time.

Region 3 Championship

1 Jim Brown vs. 2 Johnny Unitas

Brown: The bruising 6'2"/232 pound fullback was unstoppable, especially when you consider most defensive ends and tackles were about Jim's size back in his day. There were no 260-270 pound defensive ends to put him in his place. This led to an unstoppable force in what we call today "Jim Brown." He played just nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns, but he was selected to a Pro Bowl each of those seasons and broke 1,000 yards in all but two of those seasons, for a grand total of 12,323 yards and 106 TDs in a career that lasted less than a decade. His 5.2 yards per carry is eye-popping. It's clear that Jim Brown was football in the 1950s and '60s. The only season of his career that he did not lead the league in rushing yardage was when he ran for 996 and 13 TDs in 1962. The three-time MVP won a championship in 1964 and his nine-year reign will forever go down as one of the most dominating runs this league has seen.

Unitas: Johnny U is another player that you can't really look at the stat sheet and expect to pull results from it. I, unfortunately, never got to actually see him play, but his former teammates say he was one of the best leaders they've been around. He's been voted by numerous polls as the one quarterback that would be best to have for one game-winning drive, beating out the likes of Montana in the process. In a game completely different than today's game, Unitas was one of the most effective passers the league had seen, and he led the Colts to two NFL championships in addition to a Super Bowl V victory. Unitas stuck around until he was 40 years old and was selected to 10 career Pro Bowls.

Region 4 Championship

1 Joe Montana vs. 2 Barry Sanders

Montana: Tough to argue one of the winningest signal callers in league history, and possibly the best pure pocket passer. His numbers are there, especially in terms of postseason and Super Bowl wins, and he had total control of Bill Walsh's West Coast Offense. It didn't hurt that he had Jerry Rice and John Taylor to throw passes to, but there's no doubting the long list of accomplishments that "Joe Cool" has in his back pocket. Four Super Bowl victories, including 3 SB MVPs, eight Pro Bowls, two AP MVP awards, 16 postseason wins and a career 95.6 QB rating in the postseason.

Sanders: In our humble opinion, we'd say Sanders is the greatest running back of all-time. Though historians would likely argue against that statement and say it's between Payton and Brown and stat geeks would say it's Emmitt Smith (solely based on his all-time yards and TD numbers). But, looking at the bigger picture: Is there really anyone who can compare? Barry has the best highlight reel-worthy runs, played behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league at the time, meaning he had little talent around him. Not to mention he's likely run for the most negative yardage in NFL history, but still managed 15,000+ yards for his career. You add together that he played just 10 seasons and walked away from the game completely healthy, and you have the recipe for greatest production ever, right? Sanders made the Pro Bowl all 10 of his seasons and ran for under 1,300 yards just once. With a YPC average of 5.0 for his career, you give him two or three more seasons and he probably could have come close to 20,000 yards...which shatters Smith's record. Rant over.

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Cast your vote and tell your friends to do the same ASAP! Voting will likely only be open for about a day.

Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

NFL History 101: All-time Top 12 Defensive Tackles Weighing 300+ lbs

Here at All-Out Blitz we've decided to come out with a series I like to call "NFL History 101." This is a series that will feature a different subject/topic each time and will focus on anything that has to do with NFL history, ranging from past to current players, season recaps of certain teams, records being broken, playoff/Super Bowl flashbacks and more.

The first installment of the series is a closer look at some of the game's most dominant 300+ pound defensive tackles, both past and present. In no particular order, I've picked out 12 of the league's most fan-friendly, popular and dominant defensive tackles weighing over 300 pounds and have included images of course.

The list includes four active players, five Super Bowl champions, one Hall of Famer and one soon-to-be Hall of Famer.

Tony Siragusa 330 lbs––12 seasons with Colts, Ravens

Tony A.K.A. "The Goose" spent just over a decade clogging up the middle of the defensive line and punishing quarterbacks. Siragusa anchored the defensive line of arguably one of the best defenses of all-time, helping the Ravens' snag a Super Bowl championship in 2000. He may be best-known for knocking Oakland Raider quarterback Rich Gannon out of the AFC Championship game that season, falling on top of his shoulder with his 330 pound frame.

Vince Wilfork 325 lbs––9 seasons with Patriots (active)

For a 325-pounder, Mr. Wilfork sure does move fast. And, lets face it, it's a lot of fun watching a 300-pound man running down the field. The Goose never picked off a single pass or scored a touchdown, but Wilfork has two career interceptions and has a defensive TD to his name. All three of these occurrences happened last season, which ended with his fourth Pro Bowl appearance. One of the most exciting and dynamic d-tackles in the game today.

Casey Hampton 320 lbs––12 seasons with Steelers (active)

Hampton, 35, has started all 13 games for Pittsburgh this season, and is just as effective at stopping the run as he has been over the last dozen seasons. He's not the most exciting 300+ guy on this list, but he's no slouch when it comes to stopping running back in their tracks. Not a good idea to run up the middle when Hampton's on the field.

Cortez Kennedy 305 lbs––11 seasons with Seahawks

The lone Hall of Famer on the list, the 8-time Pro Bowler had a freakish combination of power and speed, and was a physically-imposing threat at the defensive tackle position. Kennedy, due to the fact he was never on a championship team, seemed to fly under the radar for a majority of his career, but he was no doubt the biggest threat on the Seahawk defense during his time.

Warren Sapp 303 lbs––13 seasons with Buccaneers, Raiders

Sapp is the guy on this list that is a soon-to-be Hall of Famer, as this year is his first year of eligibility (he's one of 27 semi-finalists). With 13 seasons as not only a dominating force up the middle, but one of the most eccentric personalities of his time, I strongly believe Sapp will be enshrined into Canton within the next two years. With four seasons of double-digit sack totals and nearly 100 for his career (96.5 to be exact), Sapp struck fear into every quarterback he went up against.

Haloti Ngata 335 lbs––7 seasons with Ravens (active)

At 6'4"/335 pounds, the 28-year old has certainly established himself as the best d-tackle Baltimore has seen since the Siragusa days. With 45 combined tackles and 4.0 sacks in 12 starts this season, he's looking to capture his fourth consecutive, and career, Pro Bowl appearance this season. Ngata is the second-heaviest player on our list of 12, and is arguably the most dominant of the four active players.

Tim Bowens 325 lbs––11 seasons with Dolphins

Bowens spent his Dolphin career as more of a role player than anything else, but the two-time Pro Bowler managed to squeeze out a spot on the list mainly because of his productivity and his consistency. Bowens missed just four starts in his first nine seasons in the league and accumulated 22.0 sacks over his career. He was reliable, though never as flashy or electric as the likes of Sapp, Siragusa or Wilfork.

Gilbert Brown 340 lbs––10 seasons with Packers

Brown was not all that productive over his decade-long career in Green Bay. Nope, Brown simply made this list because of his size. Now 41, the 6'2"/340 pounder was always interesting to watch move around the field. By far the largest man on the list in terms of weight, I had to give him and Bowens a spot simply because there were not too many other big men to choose from. Some of the most dominant defensive tackles in NFL history ranged from 275-290 pounds, not 300-plus.

Brentson Buckner 305 lbs––12 seasons with Steelers, Bengals, 49ers and Panthers

Buckner began his career with the Steelers, being a part of the great 1995 Steeler defense that represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. As a second-year player that season, Buckner started all 16 games at D-tackle while raking in 49 combined tackles and 3.0 sacks. It wasn't until he began his final stint, with Carolina, in 2001 that he became a household name, however. Buckner made 146 tackles and 14.5 sacks in five seasons with the Panthers to end his career.

Roger Brown 300 lbs––10 seasons with Lions and Rams

Brown was actually the league's first 300-pound lineman in history, interestingly enough. Playing with Detroit from 1960-66 and Los Angeles Rams from 1967-69, Brown went to 6 Pro Bowls, was named to 2 First Team All Pro rosters and was much faster than you'd expect from a 300-pound defensive lineman. Lets just say Brown paved the way for 300-pounders. Roger says you're welcome, everybody.

William Perry 325 lbs––10 seasons with Bears and Eagles

I don't think there are any NFL fans that are not well-aware of William "The Refrigerator" Perry's antics, whether you were living in the '80s or not. Perhaps the owner of the best NFL nickname of all-time, Perry wasn't just a threat on the defensive side of things (524 combined tackles, 29.5 sacks). Perry is best-known for playing fullback in goal-line situations for the Bears, most notably in 1985, when Chicago's "Monsters of the Midway" defense led Chicago to a 46-10 Super Bowl victory. Perry has four career offensive TDs (3 rushing, 1 receiving), one of which came in the Super Bowl victory.

Ndamukong Suh 307 lbs––3 seasons with Lions (active)

Too soon to add the 25-year old Suh? No way. Ndamukong has already established himself as one of the league's "dirtiest" and "most-hated" players and he has yet to even complete his third season in the league. There's no questioning his toughness and physicality, but there is plenty of questions swirling around his intent on the field. Whether or not he plays hungry, or just plays flat-out angry football, there's no questioning the fact that he's one of the most feared defensive tackles in the game right now.

The Next BIG Thing: Dontari Poe

The 22-year old Kansas City Chiefs rookie nose tackle has just 28 combined tackles and no sacks in his first 13 career NFL starts, but the 6'3"/346 pound NT has the size and ability to be the next big star. Literally. He certainly turned heads at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last February, running a 4.87 40-yard dash in front of dozens of scouts. Pretty scary for a man pushing 350, huh? Give him some time in KC and he could develop into a huge threat up the middle.

Writer's note: Now, clearly the 300-pound defensive lineman is a relatively new concept. There's just two guys on the list that are pre-1990 (Perry, whose rookie season was 1985 and Roger Brown, who played from 1960-69). The rest played either in the '90s or 2000s, and four of which are still active.

If this article were to read "most dominant defensive tackles in NFL history" this list would look completely different. In fact, it would likely be guys such as "Mean" Joe Greene, Bob Lilly, Randy White, John Randle, Merlin Olsen, Alan Page, etc. etc.

But once again, if there are any you believe I may have miss or simply overlooked, feel free to enlighten us in the comments section.

I'll just leave you with one last piece of evidence, a Youtube video of Vince Wilfork's top 5 moments in his career. A couple of the plays will have you double-taking:

We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Classic Uniforms: Which Throwback Unis are the Best of the Best?

Over the last couple of years we've seen more and more teams turn back the clock by bringing some of the franchise's classic uniforms back out on to the field. So that begs the question: whose classic unis are the best of the best?

I've limited this uni search to as late as 1960, nothing before then. I've noticed lately that most of the classics from prior to 1960 have been a bit too much––note the Steelers' 1930s "bumblebee" throwbacks (below) that are being used in tomorrow's game against the Redskins.

A little too much(^), wouldn't you agree?

Here's a short list of the best post-60s NFL uniforms:

Denver Broncos "D" logo--orange jerseys: 1968-1996

Before Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning, it was Hall of Famer John Elway who quarterbacked these Broncos. And before the current uniforms donned by Denver, it was the classic "D" logo uniforms that Elway made so famous. The "D" logo with a Bronco in the middle is the epitome of old school logos. The light blue helmets with the orange jerseys are more Bronco-esque than the current dark blue/orange jerseys. It's unfortunate that we only see these when the Broncos play on Thanksgiving.

New England Patriots "hiking Patriot" logo: 1961-1996

Luckily for us, the Patriots sport these throwbacks quite often, not just on Thanksgiving. Why wouldn't they? The logo is another very simple concept, not to mention it's on a white helmet. Why do more teams not have white helmets? As of right now, only five teams have primarily white helmets (Dolphins, Jets, Colts, Titans, Cardinals), but I happen to think white helmets look the best. Perhaps that's a personal preference in style but either way the simpler the logo, the better the overall uni turns out. At least that's what history has pointed out to me.

Houston/Tennessee Oilers baby blues: 1981-1998

Baby blue jerseys are always the way to go, as history has taught us, and the red outlining on the Oilers' uniforms of the '80s and '90s was enough to crack the list. Especially those red facemasks. The overall concept of the oil rig hadn't changed from the 1960s through the late '90s, but it did however receive numerous tweaks over the years before the franchise finally settled on a final product in '81.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers "Creamsicle": 1976-1996

A lot of people would probably disagree with this selection and call me crazy, but you gotta love these tacky throwbacks. As an expansion team in '76, the Bucs wore these creamy orange-colored unis with an un-intimidating Buccaneer logo nicknamed "Buccaneer Bruce." After reading the description, you're probably thinking 'why on earth would you like a logo that isn't intimidating?' especially for football. But in this case, it just works. It's classic Buccaneer football. You know, the Bucs that went 0-14 in the franchise's first-ever season? We've already gotten to see a glimpse of the uniforms once or twice this season. They're just fun to look at.

San Diego Chargers powder blues: 1960s-80s

It's tough to put exact dates on San Diego's powder blues, because they were tweaked and changed so often, but the general concept stayed relatively the same. One thing is certain, however. It'd be tough to find a football fan out there that would argue against San Diego's powder blues being the NFL's best uniforms of all-time. They worked so well, especially with the white helmets––you all knew that one was coming. The Chargers clearly cherish these unis because they've brought them back so many times and, in fact, still wear them quite regularly to this day.

Additional noteworthy unis:

Most of the unis pictured above have in fact been "brought back" in recent seasons by their respective teams as sort of a tribute from teams in the past. It's a great thing that teams are doing in honoring the franchise's history.

Any classic unis from the 1960s-90s that you believe we missed? Feel free to let us know in the comments section.

Note: We do not own any of the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

The Great Debate: Joe Montana vs. Tom Brady

No matter what happens come February 5, 2012, I think it's safe to say that just by suiting up for the Super Bowl future Hall of Famer Tom Brady is further cement his legacy in the National Football League.

Anyone and everyone outside of the New England area seems to be a Tom Brady hater. I hear fans say it's because the league treats him very well, but I think it's simply because they wish they were him. That's usually why people hate another person: jealousy.

Brady has what every man in the United States is dying to have: good looks, hot wife, perfect life as the league's best quarterback, money. What more could you want? Now he is one win away from surpassing Joe Montana as the most decorated postseason quarterback in NFL history.

This will be his fifth appearance in the Super Bowl, which ties Denver's John Elway with most by a quarterback in the history of the league. With his 23-20 win over Baltimore on Sunday, despite his two almost-costly interceptions, Brady tied the legendary Montana with most-ever postseason victories at 16. Only difference between Brady and Elway, and Brady and Montana? Brady has more rings than Elway and Brady has a better winning percentage (regular season and postseason) than Montana.

I'm not a Patriots fan or a Brady lover, but you have to respect what he's done over the last 12 seasons. Elway played 16 years and captured two rings in his final two years in the league, and Montana played 15 years, won four Super Bowls and three SB MVPs spread throughout his career. In just 12 seasons in the league, Brady has won three Super Bowls and earned two Super Bowl MVP awards.

And you have to take in to consideration that he has only played nine complete seasons (didn't start in his rookie season, 14 starts in first SB season in 2001 and suffered season-ending injury in Week 1 game of 2008 season). His list of accomplishments seems endless:

• Two-time AP NFL MVP ('07, '10)
• Seven-time Pro Bowler
• Two-time First team All Pro, one-time Second team All Pro
• Three-time Super Bowl champion
• Two-time Super Bowl MVP
• Five-time AFC Champion
• SI Sportsman of the Year (2005)
• NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2009)

Some of his records include most passing touchdowns in a single-season (50), most consecutive passing attempts without an interception (358), most consecutive postseason wins (10), most TDs in one half in a postseason game (5) and fewest starts to achieve 100 career wins (131 starts).

He also became the only quarterback in history to win three Super Bowls before the age of 28. Of course he received help from his supporting cast, because there's no way one guy has the ability to make that much of an impact in a team sport such as football. But the idea that Brady managed to help keep the Pats as contenders each and every year since his second season is quite a feat in itself.

Now, it's time for the Brady/Montana comparisons (career in regular season):

Montana (164 starts in 15 seasons): 117-47 record, 63.2%, 40,551 yards, 273 TDs, 139 INT, 92.3 QBR, 26 fourth quarter comebacks, 28 game-winning drives

Brady (159 starts in 12 seasons): 124-35 record, 63.8%, 39,979 yards, 300 TDs, 115 INT, 96.4 QBR, 24 fourth quarter comebacks, 34 game-winning drives

If Brady's superior record, TD total and overall rating weren't enough to prove that Brady has accomplished more with less, then perhaps his postseason numbers will suffice:

Montana (23 starts): 16-7 record, 62.7%, 5,772 yards, 45 TDs, 21 INT, 95.6 QBR

Brady (21 starts): 16-5 record, 62.8%, 5,009 yards, 36 TDs, 19 INT, 87.6 QBR

The only number that truly matters, I believe, when comparing the two is number of rings. Montana currently sits atop with Pittsburgh's Terry Bradshaw with four Super Bowls.

However, if Brady is able to knock off Eli Manning and the Giants I think it's safe to say we have a new King of the Postseason. And he doesn't go by the name of Joe Montana.

Photo credit

Montana: found on makefive.com

Brady: found on nflpassers.com

Brees Continues Quest Towards Immortality

The New Orleans Saints (12-3) clinched the NFC South division title with its 45-16 victory over the playoff-bound Atlanta Falcons on Monday night. The victory wrapped up Week 16's slate of games, and also put signal caller Drew Brees one step closer to Hall of Fame immortality.

Prior to the game, Brees was a mere 305 yards away from breaking Dan Marino's 27 year old single-season passing yards record. At approximately 10:35 PM ET Brees, his team already up by a score of 38-16 with under three minutes to play, threw a nine-yard strike to running back Darren Sproles for a touchdown, extending the large lead.

The pass put Brees at 5,087 yards on the year, eclipsing Marino's total (5,084) by three yards. The most miraculous part of this feat? Well, actually there are two points that I would like to bring up: 1) Brees still has one game remaining in the season to extend the new total and 2) Brees is now the only quarterback in NFL history to put up two 5,000 yard passing seasons in a single career (5,069 in 2008).

Now, the record seems to be tarnished a bit–by experts and fans alike–because of the rule changes involving receivers and defensive backs, and the pass-happy offenses in the game today. But personally, I don't think that takes away from his accomplishment at all.

Yes, it's true that New England's Tom Brady will likely exceed 5,000 this year as well, making him the third different quarterback in history to do so. But you still don't see too many other quarterbacks in pass-heavy offenses pulling this feat off in today's game, do you? Hall of Fame-bound quarterback Peyton Manning has exceeded 500 passes in his career on 11 different occasions (600 once) and has yet to reach 5,000.

The likes of Brees, Brady and Manning have revolutionized the way the football is thrown in modern offenses, and I truly don't think it's fair to penalize him for his era. Brees, Brady, Manning and Brett Favre are in a class of their own, and there wont be too many other quarterbacks out there like Brees, who has accomplished so much despite his stout 6'0'' frame.

Brees, who was named to his sixth career Pro Bowl 11th career season on Tuesday night, has three All Pro selections (2006, '08, '09), two NFC MVP awards (2008, 2009), an AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award (2008), AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award (2004), Sportsman of the Year award (2010) a Lombardi trophy (XLIV) and a Super Bowl MVP–all to his name.

His spot at No. 9 on the all-time passing touchdowns list (276) and No. 12 on the all-time passing yards list (40,353) shows me that he has already proven he belongs in a class with the elite, and he very well could improve on that by the end of the playoffs if he's able to make a run at another Lombardi trophy for his city.

You judge a quarterback on his ability under the spotlight, and that's another aspect that Brees has continued to excel in: the playoffs.

In seven career postseason games (including one with San Diego in 2004, and Super Bowl XLIV w/ New Orleans), Brees has posted a near perfect stat-line, with a quarterback rating over 100.

Brees in the playoffs: 4-3 record; 189/285, 66.3%, 2,052 yards, 15 TD, 2 INT, 102.0 QBR

His win-loss record isn't anything spectacular, but his worst game of the seven was a game in which his Saints gave up 39 points to Chicago and he had to face the top defense in snowy Soldier Field. He threw for 354 yards and two touchdowns, his one interception came at a price but lets face it, he didn't get much help in that one.

Brees steps his game up when his team needs him the most and I think the only thing that would stop him from getting into Canton (if he was to retire right this second) is a lack of sufficient evidence. And by that, I mean it's not quite enough stats and individual wins for him to be inducted ahead of others.

Give him another solid year or two and he will undoubtedly be a shoo-in for first ballot. He's something special, and I think his two seasons of 5,000 yards passing, despite his pass-happy playing era, should be more than enough for immortality.

Congratulations, Mr. Brees. Although I'm not so sure his record is quite as untouchable as Marino's was, lasting nearly 30 seasons.

Photo credit

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Houston Makes History, Poised for Playoff Run

The Houston Texans made franchise history this past Sunday in a couple of different categories.

Not only did rookie quarterback T.J. Yates–in his second career professional start–lead Houston on a last-minute, game-winning scoring drive to come from behind and defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-19, but he also happened to lead the 10-3 Texans to its first-ever playoff appearance.

The victory, and Tennessee's 22-17 loss to New Orleans shortly afterwards, allowed Yates' Texans to clinch the AFC South division for the first time since entering the league as an expansion team in 2002.

After what seemed to be a long 13 weeks, constantly battling numerous injuries to key players, the 2011 Texans have finally reached a milestone the previous nine Texans teams failed to do. And the scary part about it may in fact be that they could make a deep run in the postseason.

Without All Pro outside linebacker Mario Williams, Houston's leading sacker over the last four seasons, who has been out of the lineup since being placed on the injured reserve on October 10 (pectoral), the Texans' defense has yet to lose a step.

As a defensive unit, Houston is currently ranked No. 1 in total yardage allowed (3,574), fourth in scoring (16.0 PPG), third in passing yards (2,385), t-third in passing TDs (13), fourth in rushing yards (1,189), t-third in rushing TDs (6) and t-fifth in turnovers forced (25).

That's top six in each of the eight statistical categories that I believe are most vital in having a successful defensive unit. One that would be durable enough, with overall talent across the board, to make a run at a championship. We've seen teams with great defenses win championships without a very strong quarterback before, and I think this squad is capable of repeating history.

Just think: '85 Bears, '00 Ravens, '07 Giants. They all had quarterbacks that played average football–at best–all season, but thanks to strong support from the running game and history-making defenses (Da Bears and Ravens) were able to hoist the Lombardi trophy at the end of the season.

'85 McMahon: 56.9%, 2,392 yards, 15 TD, 11 INT, 82.6 QBR in 11 starts

'00 Dilfer: 59.3%, 1,502 yards, 12 TD, 11 INT, 76.6 QBR in eight starts

'07 Manning: 56.1%, 3,336 yards, 23 TD, 20 INT, 73.9 QBR in 16 starts

The difference between these teams and other teams, not just the Super Bowl championship, was the fact that they relied more heavily on the running game than the arm of their passer. Not to mention, of course, a great defense that helped pull off some improbable wins in some cases (*cough, cough* Giants over Pats in 2007 Super Bowl *cough, cough*).

What has impressed me so far in Yates' first two starts is not that he has thrown spectacular passes in tight coverage, because he hasn't really had to do much of that quite yet. Rather, it's that he's been protecting the football and limited the turnovers to a minimal. Other than his two lost fumbles and one interception over the last two weeks, Yates has shown he has the leadership to rally the team around him.

Just three turnovers in two games for a guy that was practically thrown overboard in to a pond of sharks, being a rookie quarterback with minimal experience and all, is pretty impressive I'd say.

If Yates can continue to protect the ball and simply manage the game we could be seeing more record-breaking performances from this team in the coming weeks. I have yet to even mention that he threw 44 passes in this past weekend's victory–Houston's franchise-record seventh straight.

Arian Foster, Ben Tate and Derrick Ward lead one of the NFL's most potent rushing attacks. Foster's 957 yards and eight TDs leaves him on the verge of his second consecutive 1,000-yard, double-digit TD season–he led the league in both categories last season as a second-year pro.

Speaking of second-year pro, backup Ben Tate, playing his first complete season after missing all of last year due to injury, has added 820 yards and three TDs on the ground. Tate, carrying the ball 146 times this season, has put up a yards per carry average of 5.6, which is the best in the league.

So even without Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Schaub (2,479 yards, 15 TD, 6 INT, 96.8 QBR in 10 starts), backup quarterback Matt Leinart (57 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT on 13 pass attempts), All Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson (31 Rec., 471 yards, 2 TD in six starts) on offense, this team has the ability to drive down the field and put points up on the board via the run game.

And on defense? Well, it looks like they have been doing just fine without Williams' 192 tackles, 53 sacks and 11 forced fumbles since his '06 rookie season. Linebackers Connor Barwin (career-high 9.5 sacks) and rookie Brooks Reed (6.0 sacks) have stepped it up in replace of Williams. With 36, Houston currently has the sixth-most QB sacks in the league and continue to turn the ball over often.

Houston has the right formula, and is easily the team to beat in the AFC right now. It will be a joy for any football follower to finally get to witness the Texans in the playoffs this year.

Photo credit

T.J. Yates: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Brooks Reed: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Kerry Collins Hangs up Cleats after 16 Seasons

Throughout his NFL career, Collins, 38, the long-time journeyman quarterback, battled both injury and controversy.

His career isn't what one would call consistent, either. One season he may post an 83.1 QB rating and lead his team to the Super Bowl (in 2000 while quarterbacking the New York Giants), and the next he could lead the league in interceptions (21) and put up a 3-10 record as the team's starter (2004 while in Oakland).

The fifth overall selection of the Carolina Panthers in the 1995 draft, Collins so-called "quit" the team as then-head coach Dom Capers put it. After starting 0-4 as Carolina's starter in 1998, Collins asked the team to be traded, but was instead placed on waivers. New Orleans picked him up during the season, but was gone by the end after going 2-5 as the starter.

His most impressive tenure, perhaps, was with the Giants. In five seasons, Collins put up a 35-33 record and led the G-Men to two playoff appearances, included a remarkable Super Bowl run that ended in an embarrassing 34-7 defeat to perhaps the stingiest defense in league history.

Two unsuccessful seasons with the Oakland Raiders in 2004 and 2005 led to Collins being cut for the second time in his career. He managed to revive his rocky career in Tennessee, however, signing a one-year contract in August of 2006.

Collins was brought in primarily as a mentor for the rookie Vince Young as the Titans went 1-3 in Collins' four starts in '06 and '07.

A Young injury early in the 2008 campaign led to Collins' rebirth as a starting quarterback, leading Tennessee to a 13-3 record and a playoff berth. Thanks to a strong ground attack and stingy No. 2 overall defense, Tennessee captured a first-round bye, but faltered in a round two matchup with Baltimore.

That season Collins, in what was his fourth-most productive season in terms of QB Rating (80.2), made his second and final trip to Honolulu, Hawaii for the Pro Bowl.

In regards to the 2011 season, what sort of impact does Collins retirement have on the Tennessee Titans organization? Well, that one's easy. It opens up an opportunity for rookie Jake Locker to take over the reins.

The idea of Locker starting for Tennessee come week one is a pretty scary thought, especially considering he wasn't the most accurate quarterback in his glory college days at Washington. Personally, I don't agree with the Titans selecting Locker with the No. 8 overall pick, especially when Blaine Gabbert was still on the board.

It's risky enough as it is starting a rookie quarterback right off the bat, let alone a questionable talent such as Locker (at best).

But, with a Vince Young release highly likely once the lockout is lifted, it's appearing more and more as though Locker will be Tennessee's guy in 2011. Nevertheless, this is a good time to pay tribute to Collins' career.

His 40,000 career passing yards (11th-most in league history) unfortunately will not be enough for him to get a call from Canton, but he will surely be remembered by New York fans as the guy who almost got them a Championship.

Photo credit

1. profootballhof.com

2. nydailynews.com

NFL History: Best Return Men the League has ever seen

In the world of the National Football League, fans focus so much on explosive offenses and stingy defenses that it seems as though a versatile special teams unit gets overlooked.

Field position is a very important aspect in the game of football, and what better way to win ball games with a little help from a flashy return man who can score without the offense's help?

We have seen some very talented athletes make a name for themselves as a dangerous return man over the last decade or so. Just to name a few: Darren Sproles, Dante Hall, Brian Mitchell, Leon Washington, Allen Rossum, Devin Hester, Deion Sanders, Josh Cribbs, etc. etc. etc.

But who's the best of the best?

That's what I'm here to tell you. Here is a list of my top 10 kick/punt returners in the long history of the league. Well, technically I will mainly be listing guys who played during the Super Bowl era. In no particular order, here are 10 players who I would have loved to have returning balls for my team in their prime.

Dante Hall, Kansas City/St. Louis

Career numbers: 6 kick return TDs, 6 punt return TDs, two Pro Bowls and one First-team All Pro selection in nine seasons with Chiefs and Rams

In the early 2000s, Dante "X-factor" Hall was the talk of the town in Kansas City. Not only was his athletic ability incredible, but he knew how to make guys miss and then could simple turn on the jets to make his way across the goal line.

The former Chief and Ram has been out of the league since 2008, but from 2002-2007 there was no one better at returning kicks than this two-time Pro Bowler out of Texas A&M. Finishing his career with six kick returns and six punt returns for touchdowns, Hall was the most dangerous returner during his tenure, and was a pleasure to watch.

Deion Sanders, Atlanta/San Francisco/Dallas/Washington/Baltimore

Career numbers: 3 kick return TDs, 6 punt return TDs, eight Pro Bowls, six First-team All Pro selections in 13 seasons with five different teams

Sanders made his mark as a defensive back, recording nearly 500 tackles and picking off 53 passes in his career. So not only was he an effective return man, but he also ran interceptions back for touchdowns (nine in his career). The fact he had a knack for the end zone may have been what helped him get on this list.

Sanders was a natural athlete and return man, because he knew how to make guys miss and, of course, he was one of the fastest guys in the league at the time. Sanders spent 13 seasons in the league, so his nine return touchdowns (six punt, three kick; plus nine additional INT TDs) may not seem quite as impressive over a longer period of time. But either way Sanders was a threat every time he got his hands on the ball, and could make defenders look silly trying to bring him to the ground.

Gale Sayers, Chicago

Career numbers: 6 kick return TDs, 2 punt return TDs, four Pro Bowls, five First-team All Pro selections in seven seasons with Chicago

In just seven career professional seasons, Sayers was said to be one of the most dangerous players when he had the ball in his hands. An injury-shortened career shattered any hope of Sayers earning the Return King title, but his six kick returns for touchdowns puts him at No. 3 on the all-time list (tied with four others).

Sayers put up an astonishing stat of 30.6 yards per kick return throughout his career (highest in league history) and was a threat as a punt returner as well, racking up a 14.5 yds/return and two touchdowns with Chicago. Had he played a full career, there's no doubt Sayers could have ended with more return touchdowns than anyone else.

Brian Mitchell, Washington/Philadelphia/New York

Career numbers: 4 kick return TDs, 9 punt return TDs, 4,999 career punt return yards (most all-time), one Pro Bowl, one First-team All Pro selection in 14 seasons with three teams

Mitchell was primarily a threat as a punt returner, returning nine career punts for touchdowns. He is third all-time on that list (Hester and Eric Metcalf both have 10). The one-time Pro Bowler was around for well over a decade (14 years), so it isn't much of a surprise to see him sit comfortably atop the career list for punt return yards (4,999).

Mitchell led the league in punt return TDs on three separate occasions (1991, '94, '95) and, before Hester came around, was known as one of the best to play the position. The little guy had heart.

Devin Hester, Chicago

Career numbers: 4 kick return TDs, 10 punt return TDs and three Pro Bowls, three First-team All Pro selections in five seasons with Chicago

Ok, so it's possible that Sayers may not have racked up more return touchdowns than this guy if he had played a longer career. But that's only because the 28-year old Hester is a freak of nature.

One thing you want in a return man is intimidation factor, which would eventually force opposing teams to kick out of bounds to avoid said player, therefore potentially giving your offense great field position.

Well, that's exactly what the Bears have gotten from Hester throughout his five-year career. Not to mention the 10 punt return touchdowns, four kick return touchdowns and countless broken ankles for opposing defenders. In five seasons, Hester has done more than most return men will ever do in their careers. By far the best in the game today, if not in the history of the league.

Josh Cribbs, Cleveland

Career numbers: 8 kick return TDs (most all-time), 2 punt return TDs, two Pro Bowls, one First-team All Pro selection with Cleveland

This past season was Cribbs' sixth professional season with the Browns, and it marked the only season he did not return a single punt or kick for a touchdown. In his previous five season Cribbs racked up eight career kick return TDs and two punt return TDs.

To be ranked No. 1 on the career kick return touchdowns list at age 28 is pretty miraculous. Cribbs' body build (6'1''/192 lbs.) allows him to not only put a finesse move on the opposition, but he also has the ability to run through defenders on his way to the end zone.

Cribbs isn't quite as flashy and electrifying as Chicago's Hester, but his style gets the job done just as well. If he can keep up his pace, Cribbs could go down as a top three returner by career's end.

Leon Washington, New York/Seattle

Career numbers: 7 kick return TDs, 4,447 KR yards, one Pro Bowl, one First-team All Pro selection in five seasons with Jets and Seahawks

As a reserve running back, Washington didn't see much of the field in his stint with the New York Jets. That is, until he made his mark as a returner for the Jets in his second season (2007) in the league. That year he led the league with three kickoffs returned for touchdowns. He finished his four-year tenure in New York with a total of four, and went on to add three more this past season with the Seattle Seahawks.

Behind only Hester, Washington's seven KO TDs is good enough for second-most all-time. Washington, despite playing one less season than Cleveland's Cribbs, is just one KO TD shy of tying him for most all-time.

Eric Metcalf, Cleveland/Atlanta/San Diego/Arizona/Carolina/Washington/Green Bay

Career numbers: 2 kick return TDs, 10 punt return TDs, three Pro Bowls and two First-team All Pro selections in 13 seasons with seven different teams

One thing I have noticed in a couple of the previously listed returners is that they have played for several different teams throughout their careers. With the exception of Hall, Hester and Sayers, these players have played for at least two different teams with Sanders and Metcalf playing for at least five teams.

Returners are seemingly disposable in the game of football, but there are only so many great ones. Metcalf, though he played for seven teams, was one of those great ones, returning a league-best 10 punts for touchdowns. As most of the great return specialists go, Metcalf never quite made the cut as a halfback, so he was thrown around the league each year as a coveted return man.

Dave Meggett, New York (Giants)/New England/New York (Jets)

Career numbers: 1 kick return TD, 3,708 punt return yards, 7 punt return TDs, 2 Pro Bowls in 10 seasons with three different teams

Most return-men are streaky when it comes to producing touchdowns, but Meggett? He put up consistent numbers throughout his 10 seasons. Coming in to the league as a rookie for the Giants in 1989, Meggett earned a Pro Bowl trip after leading the league in punt return yards (582) and touchdowns with one.

He never ran back any more than two punts for touchdowns in any one season, but returned eight total from 1989 to 1996. His second of two Pro Bowls came in the '96 season, his second of three seasons with New England.

Desmond Howard, Washington/Jacksonville/Green Bay/Oakland/Detroit

Career numbers: 7,959 kick return yards, 1 kick return TD, 8 punt return TDs, 1 Pro Bowl, Super Bowl MVP in 11 seasons with five different teams

Another long-time journeyman, so to speak, Howard made this list solely based on his outlandish 1996 season with the Packers, in which he won a Super Bowl ring.

Yes, Howard was a productive punt returner outside of that season, returning six punts for TDs while leading the league (with two) in 1998. But it was '96 that he broke out on to the scene as a returner. After four mediocre seasons as both a wideout and returner, Howard joined Green Bay and made an immediate impact.

Leading the league with 58 returns in the punt game, Howard returned three punts for touchdowns (league-high) over 875 yards (league-high), including a 92-yard return--also, a league-high. In the Super Bowl, Howard returned a 99-yard kickoff for a touchdown, earning the game's MVP award.

Also drawing consideration:

Jermaine Lewis
Mel Gray

Who's next??

Jacoby Ford, Oakland Raiders

Brad Smith, New York Jets

DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles

Darren Sproles, San Diego Chargers

Stefan Logan, Pittsburgh Steelers/Detroit Lions

Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints


Photo credit
Dante Hall: usatoday.com
Brian Mitchell: otrsportsonline.com
Leon Washington: sportsillustrated.cnn.com
Desmond Howard: detroitmansroom.com