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AFC West's top 40 players -Bill Williamson
2. Philip Rivers, quarterback, San Diego: I don't think Rivers would argue with losing his place atop the division.
Three Years of Tackling Efficiency: Interior Rushers - Sam Monson
Not everybody was as reliable a tackler as you would expect for defensive interior linemen. Though two guys failed to miss a single tackle, seven players managed to miss ten or more over the same span. Leading the way in misses was the Patriots mammoth DT, Vince Wilfork with 15. Wilfork is one of the more prolific tacklers, so his ratio is not amongst the worst, but it’s still a mark he will be disappointed with and see as plays that got away from him.
Three Years of Tackling Efficiency: Edge Rushers Sam Monson
No edge rusher has made more tackles over the past three years than the Cowboys’ Anthony Spencer. The Dallas defender gets criticized for failing to deliver big sack numbers opposite DeMarcus Ware, but a closer look reveals Spencer does bring pressure, and is an extremely active and effective player against the run. Over the past three seasons he has notched 162 solo tackles and 23 assists and earned a +35.2 PFF grade for his work in the run game. Spencer may never be the player Dallas fans want him to be, but it would be a mistake to write him off as inadequate; he is a solid performer in all areas of the game.
Mailbag: Why Berry over Weddle - Bill Williamson
I think Berry is a top-end player -- who will come back and make an immediate presence. Ranking Weddle the No. 3 defensive back in the division is no knock. It’s a compliment. He’s a very good player, but I think Berry has a chance to be one of the best defensive players in the NFL very soon.
You wake up and you are inside cyberspace! You roll your eyes at the word "cyberspace"!
10 young stars to build around - KC Joyner (ESPN Insider)
I'm going to take a slightly different perspective, evaluating my top 10 cornerstone players under the age of 25 by weaving some statistical analysis into the mix. A question such as this one never yields a clear-cut answer, so I've included the pros and cons for each player.
Walkthrough: Tsk-Tsk - Mike Tanier
Aldon Smith committed the worst possible NFL crime on Saturday: he was involved in a violent incident during a slow news period.