Tag Archives: nfl all decade team

NFL All Decade Team: Special Teams

Vinatieri is famous for his clutch kicks like in the snow against Oakland in the 2001 Playoffs.

You can check out the All Decade Offense here and All Decade Defense here. Now time for what coaches describe as one third of the game yet they don’t play their stars in fear of an injury: Special Teams.

Kicker: Adam Vinatieri

Could you pick someone else?  Vinatieri has become the most famous kicker is recent history and is perhaps the greatest clutch kicker we’ve ever seen.

Vinatieri hit game winning field goals in the final minute in Super Bowls 36 and 38 and also hit an overtime winner in the snow against the Raiders in the so called “Tuck Rule” game in the 2001 playoffs.

He has won four Super Bowls this decade and earned two Pro Bowl appearances.  Vinatieri is likely  headed to Canton and if so would become only the second kicker enshrined.

Runner Ups: Jeff Wilkins, Ryan Longwell, David Akers

Punter: Shane Lechler

NFL All Deade Team: Defense

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

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