NFL Draft Dog All Decade Team 00’s ( 2000-20009 ) Offense

By James McMurtry

With the Hall of Fame Game coming up in 3 weeks and only 2 years left of the decade, I thought it would be fun to look at possible candidates for the all decade team of the 2000’s.  I have a assembled a list of players that are possible selections for first and second teamers, as well as players on the bubble that have an argument to be on the team.  The Hall of Fame decided team consists of the following:

2 QBs

4 RBs

4 WRs

2 TEs

I only did the offensive skill positions because as great as centers and left tackles are nobody cares about them.  As to who is the first team I think we should wait until the end of the century to be able to sort it out. 

Here is the list:

Arguments:

The things I looked for were accomplishments and consistency.  Things such as MVPs, Pro Bowls, Rushing, Passing, and Receiving titles weighted the heaviest.  Super Bowls are really linked to QBs.  The other three positions not so much.

Quarterbacks

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are the clear cut winners here.  The only question is who goes first team.  Brady and his Super Bowls or Manning and his unbelievable stat track. Brady only had one year 2007 that was as high on the stat meter like Manning’s last 8 seasons.  Both QBs won the big one, but Brady has led his team to 4 SBs to Manning’s 1 appearance.  Though, I would argue that 3 of those Super Bowls were more attributed to defense and special teams than the passing prowess of Tom Brady.  The other two QBs in Kurt Warner and Brett Favre are just on the list for conversation.  Warner is closer than Favre.  Favre won his MVPs and Super Bowls in the 90’s.  He has been remarkably consistent as a leader of the Packers though, and had a great 2007 season.  Warner has passing titles, a super bowl win, and League MVP.  Unless he leads the Cardinals back to the SB for a win and an undefeated season, I would have a hard time putting him in front of Manning or Brady.   Those 2 guys are in the conversation of greatest QBs ever.

Running Backs

This is a difficult list to whittle down.  After the no brainer in Tomlinson you have several backs that were great in their own way.  Marshall Faulk was a difficult one because he only had 2 seasons from 2000 on over 1,000 yards rushing in 00 and 01.  His better stats are late 90’s than the 2000’s. After 2001 he had 3 years of steady decline that really count against him more than for him.  Curtis Martin and Edgerrin James have been the epitome of consistency out of the 4 nominated for the team with several pro bowls and 1,000 plus yard seasons and rushing titles (James 2000, Martin 2004). 

The Bubble RBs - have a claim on the list as well.  Jamal Lewis became only the 6^th player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards.  Priest Holmes was awesome for 3 years winning rushing title and had set the single season record for rushing touchdowns in 2001 until it was broken in 2005 by Shaun “why are you unemployed” Alexander.  Jerome Bettis was the model power back in an era of more multi- purpose backs who truly was a short yardage workhorse for the Steelers helping run all the way to a Super Bowl in 2005.  He unfortunately was another player whose career straddled two decades so all of his accomplishments can’t count for this all decade team.  Clinton Portis, since being a rookie in 2002 has only had one season under 1,262 yards and 273 carries.  That was only because of an injury.  He is the next best workhorse back of the decade behind Tomlinson.  Any of these running backs could make the cut. I just haven’t been able to nail down the final vote except for Tomlinson who is on his way to the best of all time status.

Wide Receivers

Some of the most dynamic receivers of all time will be on the list.  The big three are Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss, and Terrell Owens.  Moss and Harrison own single season records for receptions (143) and TDs (23).  Moss is the tall speed receiver that out leaps defenders and Harrison just catches everything.  Owens has always been the big receiver that dominates the smaller DB.  These are the guys that were scary all the time and made catches that made you go wow!  Torry Holt isn’t as physically dominant as the other WRs, but he has been perhaps more consistent than the big three.  He has had at least 1,100 yards and 81 receptions every single season of the decade.  He is truly the bench mark for the decade of which you can measure how receivers rank.  These four rank on the all time receptions list as follows

The Bubble WRs – any other WRs cracking that list is a difficult task.  So I threw in an old guy who was a warrior and lead the league in receptions, and some other WRs who dominated in a few seasons this decade.  Rod Smith is probably a WR that you may scratch your head at but he was the main offense for what was a top tier team in the Denver Broncos early in the decade and held the receptions title in 2001. He was also very consistent in having had 5 seasons with at least 1,000 yards and 79 receptions.  He also ranks 12^th all time on in receptions and 19^th in receiving yards, and was a free agent walk on.  There are a few other old WRs that could be here as well in Isaac Bruce and Jimmy Smith, Keenan Macardell, Keyshawn Johnson, and Joey Gallaway, but Rod is my favorite.  The other 3 on the list are more in the conversation with a let’s wait and see what they can do in the next 2 years. 

Chad Johnson is a really good receiver and has been consistent, but never had led the league in receptions.  He did lead the league in receiving yards in 2006.  Also he has never reached the 100 catch season which I think in the modern era should be a prerequisite for beating out the 4^th guy on the list in Holt.  He is right there and with a superstar season could break the list.   The next two are WRs that I think have a shot at being on the list because of their tremendous talent to succeed in the next two years.  Steve Smith has been very good and even dominating from 2003 to 2007.  He is that kind of guy that is the little engine that could…… blow right threw a mountain.  He did have a very big season in 2004 with 103 rec and 1563 yards.  Larry Fitzgerald has the ability to rewrite history books with two 100 catch 1400 yard seasons in his first 4 years.

Tight Ends

Well there are really 2 tight ends that dominated in the 00’s.  They are Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates.  Gonzo will have every single career receiving record for the position by the end of next season eclipsing Shannon Sharpe in the categories of receiving yard, TDs and total receptions.  Gates really didn’t get started until his second season in 2004, but is the clear dominant TE in the league and should be able to finish strongly over the next two years to finish out the decade. 

The other TEs that have a chance to crack the line are Todd Heap, Kellen Winslow Jr, and Jason Witten.  Heap has had injury problems and he seems to be slowing down.  K2 and Witten are in offenses with young QBs that take them to the next level in 08 and 09.

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