NFL All Decade Team: Offense

Who is the quarterback of the decade, Brady or Manning?

Training camps have opened and the final NFL season of the decade is stet to begin.  It has been quite the decade in football with countless superstars that broke tons of records.  The single season passing and rushing touchdown records were broken along with the single season reception record just to name a few.

With only one season left in the decade I feel there is sufficient evidence to put together an all decade team.

QB: Tom Brady

This is a two-man battle between Manning and Brady and Brady emerges victorious like he has so many times against Manning.

Manning has the slight edge in statistics and accolades earning five more Pro Bowl selections, two more All Pro selections, and two more MVP’s.  But where Brady has the advantage is winning and that’s all that counts in the NFL.

Brady is a three time Super Bowl champion compared to Manning’s one and was MVP twice.  Not too shabby for a sixth round pick.

Runner Up: Peyton Manning

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson

Tomlinson runs away with the honors.  He has been absolutely dominant this decade and will go down as one of the best ever.

He has proven to be durable, missing only one game in his career, which is one of the hardest things to find in a running back.

In addition, L.T. scored 28 touchdowns in 2006 setting and NFL single season record.  L.T. started to slow down a bit last year but there’s no doubting he’s  this decades best back.

Runner Ups: Shaun Alexander, Clinton Portis, Tiki Barber, Priest Holmes, Marshall Faulk

FB: Lorenzo Neal

Fullback is becoming a position of the past but Neal has helped keep it alive.  One of the best pure blocking fullbacks ever to play the game Neal is a sixth offensive lineman on the field.

Neal has played for five teams this decade and has blocked for a 1,000 yard rusher in eight consecutive season, a truly amazing stat.

With the traditional fullback being fazed out of NFL offenses we may never see a fullback like Neal again.

Runner Ups: Mike Alstott, Tony Richardson

WR: Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens

This was probably the hardest position to choose with four outstanding candidates in Harrison, Moss, T.O., and Holt.

Harrison set an NFL record in 2002 catching 143 passes which won’t be broken any time soon.  He is tied with Holt for most Pro Bowl appearances and is the only one of the bunch to win a Super Bowl.

Owens gets the slight nod over Holt for the second receiver slot.  Owens might not have been the teammate but his numbers speak for themselves.  He has eight 1,000 yard season and would have had nine if not for the fiasco in Philly.  He has also scored nine or more tds in eight of the nine seasons.

Runner Ups: Randy Moss, Torry Holt, Chad Ocho Cinco

Only Marvin made the All Decade Team but as Randy and Chad were runner ups.

TE: Tony Gonzalez

The greatest receiving tight end of all time and perhaps greatest overall easily makes the list.

He has made the Pro Bowl every year this decade and had what might have been his best season last year at the tender age of 32.  He has had four 1,000 yard seasons and caught over 90 passes four times as well.

There is no question about it Tony G is the best.

Runner Up: Antonio Gates

Ogden is the definition of a franchise left tackle.

OT: Jonathan Ogden, Walter Jones

Offensive linemen are the hardest to judge because there are no statistics to judge them on.

But when it comes to tackle two stands above the rest.  Ogden and Jones were staples at left tackle for their respective teams.

They were two of the first true franchise left tackles and their play made left tackles one of the most valuable positions in football.

Ogden made eight Pro Bowls this decade before retiring before this past season and Jones has made the Pro Bowl eight years in a row.

Runner Up: Orlando Pace, Willie Oaf

OG: Alan Faneca, Steve Hutchinson

Guard was another tough position to call with a few very qualified candidates but in the end I have to give it to Faneca and Hutchinson.

Faneca has made eight consecutive Pro Bowls and was a key cog on the Steelers offensive line for years before leaving for the Jets last year where he helped turn around the Jets running game.

Hutchinson claimed the other spot but just barely over Will Shields and Larry Allen.  He has made six Pro Bowls and has paved the way for Shaun Alexander and Adrian Peterson to run wild.

Runner Ups: Will Shields, Larry Allen, Brian Waters

C: Kevin Mawae

This is again another tough position to call with Mawae, Kreutz, and Birk  all deserving of the honors.

They have all been to six Prow Bowls this decade and Brik and Mawae have two All Pro appearances to Kreutz’s one.

I give the edge to Mawae for a few reasons.  He has been extremely durable including a 177 game streak and has been the unquestioned leader of the offensive line of both the Jets and Titans.  He makes others around him better.  He is also the current NFLPA President.

Check out the All Decade Defense here.