Taylor is one of two defensive ends to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year this decade.

As we continue in Part 2 of this series we will detail the All Decade Defense after dealing with the offense in Part 1 which you can check out here.  And further ado here is the All Decade Defense.

DE: Jason Taylor, Michael Strahan

Defensive end has several worthy candidates but Strahan and Taylor stood out among the rest.

Taylor has been to six Por Bowls and recorded over ten sacks six times this decade including 18.5 sacks in 2002.  He is also one of two defensive ends to win Defensive Player of the Year this decade, which he did in 2006.

Strahan had a record 2001 season in which he set the single season sack record recording 22.5 sacks.  Although the record breaking one against Favre is questionable there is no doubting Strahan’s ability.  He took home Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2001 and helped lead the Giants to an unlikely Super Bowl victory in 2007.

Runner Ups: Julius Peppers, Richard Seymour, Dwight Freeney, Simeon Rice

DT: Warren Sapp, La’Roi Glover

Defensive tackle was one of the hardest positions to pick because of no player has truly dominated this decade.  In the end I give the honors to both Sapp and Glover with Kevin Williams a close third but if Williams has a dominant 2009 season he may bump one of the guys off.

Sapp, a member of the 1990’s All Decade Team, was the most feared defensive tackle in the game when he played.  He was selected to four Pro Bowls and had 54.5 sacks this decade.  He also helped transform the Buccaneers from basement crawler into Super Bowl champion.

Glover did his damage in the first half of the decade earing six strait Pro Bowl appearances from 2000-2005.  He complied 58 sacks this decade including and astounding 17 in 2000 while with the Saints.

Runner Ups: Kevin Williams, Casey Hampton, Kris Jenkins, Jamal Williams

OLB: Derrick Brooks, Joey Porter

Brooks has been the most dominant outside linebacker this decade and Porter has been great as well but beyond them no one has really stood out.

Brooks was one the leaders of the Bucs defense has been with the team his whole career until his untimely release this off-season.  He has been to every Pro Bowl this decade and took home Defensive Player of the Year in 2002.  Brooks has also not missed a game this decade and helped Tampa Bay win a title.

The 3-4 defense saw a meteoric rise this decade and no one played the pass rushing outside linebacker spot better than Joey Porter.  Wrecking havoc at that spot Porter notched 81 sacks this decade and went to four Pro Bowls.  He wont a Super Bowl with Pittsburgh and showed no signs of slowing down last year recording a career best 17.5 sacks at age 31.

Runner Ups: Julian Peterson, DeMarcus Ware, Mike Vrabel

Nobody wants to see Lewis on the opposite line of scrimmage.

MLB: Ray Lewis

One of the greatest linebackers of all time easily takes the honor for the All Decade team.

Lewis has been striking fear into his opponents ever since he took the field.  He has been the imitating force of so many great Raven defenses this decade.

He has been to seven Pro Bowls and has won Defensive Player of the Year twice, making him only the sixth man to accomplish that feat.  He led the Ravens to the Super Bowl in 2000 and was named Super Bowl MVP.

Runner Ups: Brian Urlacher, Zach Thomas

CB: Champ Bailey, Ronde Barber

A shutdown corner is extremely rare to find these days especially after the NFL instructed officials strictly enforce illegal contact, pass interference, and defensive holding.  If you can find one they are the most important part of a defense because they can shit down an entire half of a field.  The two closest people to one this decade were Champ Bailey and Ronde Barber.

Bailey was the best corner this decade hands down.  He was so good offenses rarely tested him and when they did it often resulted in an interception.  Bailey has made eight Pro Bowls this decade and intercepted 38 passes.  In 2006 he had ten interceptions and did not allow a touchdown all season.

Barber was another staple in the Tampa Bay defense this decade.  He made five Pro Bowls and intercepted 33 passes.  He is also the only cornerback in history to be in the 20 sack 20 interception club and the ninth overall.  Barber was also just as good in run support as he was in pass defense, a rare trait for a corner.

Runner Ups: Ty Law, Nnamdi Asomugha, Troy Vincent, Chris McAlister,

Ed Reed is the ultimate play-maker in the secondary.

FS: Ed Reed

Although Brain Dawkins is a phenomenal player Ed Reed is just slightly better.

Reed is a five-time Pro Bowl selection and was NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004.  He is the definition of a ball hawk, intercepting 43 passes in only seven NFL seasons.

He has led the league in interceptions in both 2004 and 2008 and holds the NFL record for longest interception return at 108 yards.   He has added five interceptions in five career playoff games and has cored 11 touchdowns in his career—3 blocked punts, 1 punt return, 2 fumble returns and 5 interception returns.

Runner Up: Brian Dawkins, Darren Sharper

SS: John Lynch

This was a close one to call with John Lynch barely getting the honor over Troy Polamalu and if Polamalu has a great season this year he might bump Lynch off the list.

Lynch is the fourth defender on this list that played on the Buccaneers defense joining Sapp, Brooks, and Barber showing just how good that defense was.

Lynch was a seven time Pro Bowler this decade and won a Super Bowl with the aforementioned Bucs.  He was a great leader and great in run support acting as the eighth man in the box.  He was not afraid to lay the lumber o somebody and renowned as a feared tackler.

Runner Ups: Troy Polamalu, Rodney Harrison

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.