ESPN.com: NFL All-Decade Team

[Hitman21ST]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4875531

Of course, you're going to have Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, but what I found interesting is that there are no current Redskins on there. The only pseudo Redskins references are Champ Bailey, Jason Taylor, and Shaun Alexander.

I'm mainly surprised that London didn't get named. The other linebackers are Ray Lewis, Derrick Brooks, Joey Porter, Zach Thomas, Brian Urlacher, and DeMarcus Ware. I'd like to hear how they talked themselves into Porter, Thomas, and Ware over Fletch. The secondary had Champ, Ronde Barber, Ty Law, Charles Woodson, Brian Dawkins, Troy Polamalu, Darren Sharper, and Ed Reed. I guess Taylor wasn't around long enough to be a candidate.

[RedskinsTime]

Ware at LB? Seriously?

The dude has never had a 100 tackle season. Technically he's a LB in the scheme Dallas runs, but it's his ridiculous sack numbers that put him on this list. He should be listed at DE.

[HailinginSeattle]

How long has Ware even been in the league? All decade? I don't think so.

[terpskins10]

I have no problems with Zach Thomas over Fletcher. And Ware and Porter are OLBs.

That being said, Ware doesn't have much a place on this team but are there really any other dominant OLBs of the decade besides Brooks? Maybe Bulluck but he's fallen off in recent years.

[benskins26]

I think an argument can be made for portis and samuels too. And let's not forget the best long snapper of the decade!

[benskins26]

And while we're at it, even though it's not redskins related, why isn't alstott on that team? That dude was beast

[Hitman21ST]

I think an argument can be made for portis and samuels too. And let's not forget the best long snapper of the decade!

Samuels, yes. Ethan Albright, possibly, since he has been the best long snapper in the NFL over the past years. Portis? I'm not too sure about him. He's paid as an all-decade player, but there have been better backs. JMHO

[MattFancy]

Maybe a little early to put Ware as an All-Decade guy. He's good, but not All-Decade good yet.

I could make an arguement for Portis over Edgerrin James.

Portis' stats:

8 seasons

9,696yds

73 TDs

4.5ypc

1,212 avg rushing yards per season

James' stats:

11 seasons

12,246yds

80 TDs

4.0ypc

1,113 yards per season

[Perky72]

Maybe a little early to put Ware as an All-Decade guy. He's good, but not All-Decade good yet.

Agreed, it's an odd selection. As for Fletcher, he's in the same tier as Urlacher and Thomas, but they do have more awards and bigger names. It's a toss-up.

I could make an arguement for Portis over Edgerrin James.

Portis' stats:

8 seasons

9,696yds

73 TDs

4.5ypc

1,212 avg rushing yards per season

James' stats:

11 seasons

12,246yds

80 TDs

4.0ypc

1,113 yards per season

I think Edge deserves the spot much more than Portis. Both as a runner, but also pass-catcher:

Edge:

433 receptions

3364 yards

11 TD

3 seasons with 60+ catches

Portis:

242 receptions

1963 yards

5 TD

no season with over 50 catches

[MattFancy]

Agreed, it's an odd selection. As for Fletcher, he's in the same tier as Urlacher and Thomas, but they do have more awards and bigger names. It's a toss-up.

I think Edge deserves the spot much more than Portis. Both as a runner, but also pass-catcher:

Edge:

433 receptions

3364 yards

11 TD

3 seasons with 60+ catches

Portis:

242 receptions

1963 yards

5 TD

no season with over 50 catches

Yeah Edge has the edge in receiving, but rushing number wise they are pretty much equal. And Portis has played 3 less seasons. I'm not saying Portis should be on the All-Decade team, but he is at least comparable numbers to James.

[scruffylookin]

Not sure Willie Roaf belongs on that list ahead of Chris Samuels.

The only other Redskin who should most certainly be on that list is Clinton Portis.

Clinton in 8 seasons has 9676 yards and 73 tds

Jamal Lewis has 10607 yards and 58 touchdowns in 10 seasons. Yes I know he had that 2000 yard season but this is a decade list, not best single season but rather best decade. Sorry Clinton has been better for longer.

Lewis has barely been a 1000 yard back since the 2004 season.

Clinton has been a 1300 to 1500 yard back 6 of his 8 seasons.

Shaun Alexander also is questionable. He has less yards 9453 in 9 seasons. But he does have the magic 100 touchdowns so I guess that gets him over.

I guess what kills Clinton is that his teams both in Denver and here have not been very good but Shaun Alexander has been to a Super Bowl and Lewis won one.

But either way only Chris and Clinton deserve to be even mentioned for this list. What an awful decade it was.

[Spartacus87]

Ware's been in the NFL since 2005, but he has just over 60 sacks in that time span. He's been one of the most dominant pass rushers in the league since his rookie year.

Sometimes I get the feeling the only reason a lot of people around here care so much about Fletcher is because he's on the Redskins.

Samuels, as great as he's been for us, hasn't been as good as the 4 OTs on the list.

I'd take Portis over Lewis though. Lewis had the 2,000 yard season and two decent years besides that, otherwise he didn't really do much.

[MattFancy]

Ware's been in the NFL since 2005, but he has just over 60 sacks in that time span. He's been one of the most dominant pass rushers in the league since his rookie year.

Sometimes I get the feeling the only reason a lot of people around here care so much about Fletcher is because he's on the Redskins.

Samuels, as great as he's been for us, hasn't been as good as the 4 OTs on the list.

I'd take Portis over Lewis though. Lewis had the 2,000 yard season and two decent years besides that, otherwise he didn't really do much.

I agree with the Lewis thought. I mean besides his 2,000yd season, what else has he done? CP burst onto the seen his rookie year and has been very consistent since. Even with 2 season of 8 games a piece, he still is averaging over 1200yds for his career. That's pretty good.

[Perky72]

Yeah Edge has the edge in receiving, but rushing number wise they are pretty much equal. And Portis has played 3 less seasons. I'm not saying Portis should be on the All-Decade team, but he is at least comparable numbers to James.

True, Edge isn't "much" more deserving.

I do think he and Tomlinson are pretty easy choices for the top two spots though. If I were to kick an RB out to replace with CP it would be Shaun Alexander.

Moving on, the safety position sure has some crazy talent--Reed, Polamalu, Sharper, Dawkins. WR is very strong too.

[stoney26]

Ware being on that list just goes to show how much ESPN loves promoting the pukes. Just more puke propaganda from the puke propaganda machine ESPN. Entertainment sports puke network.

[terpskins10]

Sometimes I get the feeling the only reason a lot of people around here care so much about Fletcher is because he's on the Redskins.

I just said that in another thread! I love Fletcher and what he brings to this team, but there are definite arguments against him that are stronger than the fact that he has the most tackles over a certain time period.

If he was still on the Bills, or the Chiefs, or the Jaguars or something, he'd just be another sad story like Fred Taylor but there wouldn't be this type of outrage.

[MartinC]

I just said that in another thread! I love Fletcher and what he brings to this team, but there are definite arguments against him that are stronger than the fact that he has the most tackles over a certain time period.

If he was still on the Bills, or the Chiefs, or the Jaguars or something, he'd just be another sad story like Fred Taylor but there wouldn't be this type of outrage.

Well this a Redskins fan board. Of course we are going to be more interested in Redskins players and perceived slights than for those of non Redskins players.

For me by the way Samuels has a much stronger case than Fletcher. I'd have him on that list ahead of Wille Roaf.

[Spartacus87]

Ware being on that list just goes to show how much ESPN loves promoting the pukes. Just more puke propaganda from the puke propaganda machine ESPN. Entertainment sports puke network.

64.5 sacks and 23 forced fumbles in his first five years in the league.

He's dominant.

[stoney26]

64.5 sacks and 23 forced fumbles in his first five years in the league.

He's dominant.

Great player? Without a doubt. Dominant? Meh, I guess. The guy is a monster on the field no doubt. But all decade team? Not so sure he would have made that list if he didnt play for the cowboys. Just my opinion.

[Forehead]

Got to be honest, I have no real problems with that list, including the lack of current Skins. It's not like we deserve much recognition for the past decade anyway.

For those arguing Samuels over Roaf, let's point out the following stats. Roaf was an 11 time pro-bowler, but that aside, he was 1st team All-Pro 6 times, and 2nd Team All-Pro 3 times. All Pro is far more important in my mind than pro-bowler. He was also extremely durable.

Chris Samuels has been a 6 time Pro-Bowler, and has been 2nd Team All-Pro exactly 1 time. 0 times 1st team all-pro. He has been about as durable as Roaf was.

Sorry guys, it doesn't add up. Roaf was much more accomplished than Samuels has been. The only argument you can make against Roaf was that his career was part 90's, part 00's, but even then, he still had more all-pro selections in the 00's than Samuels, including multiple times 1st team.

As for Portis, he's been good most of the time, but had some crappy seasons as well. And Broncos fans will point out that he had his best yardage/TD seasons the two years he was with them, so it's not like we have complete claim to the guy. He has also never been an All-Pro, not even with Denver, while Edgerrin James has claimed that honor three times (2 times first team). James also has more pro bowl selections.

So yeah, if you look at this honestly and objectively, the Skins didn't get slighted at all. Not Portis, not Samuels, no one.

P.S....screw DeMarcus Ware, just on principle.

[Forehead]

For me by the way Samuels has a much stronger case than Fletcher. I'd have him on that list ahead of Wille Roaf.

Please see above. Roaf trumps Samuels at pretty much everything.

[Ghost of]

Samuels, as great as he's been for us, hasn't been as good as the 4 OTs on the list.

That's actually not true. Samuels was at least as good (better) than Pace this entire time and in spite of some recent injuries, Pace has been injured and ineffective for quite some time now. I still remember his three sack allowance for Bruce Smith in 2000 and that was back in his "prime."

I would concur on Walter Jones at his best (though Walter didn't start off as good as Samuels, remember that) and Ogden.

Champ Bailey is as much ours as anyone else's, considering he was here for 3 of those 00s and part of the 90s as well.

[dwbiggs]

how could Fletcher not be on the team? He's only missed, what, one game in his career and has more tackles than anyone in the last 10 years? What does a linebacker have to do?

[SkinsMaster88]

Ware does deserve to be on the list, as much as I hate to see any Dallas players there. He's been a beast and one of the best defensive players in the NFL since he joined.

If Portis didn't get injured in 2006 and 2009, I think he'd have a good shot to have made the team. James had a bigger name because he was on a consistent winner. Plus, James was always more of a 2-way threat than Portis. I personally don't think Portis' career as a good RB is over, even if it's not with us. Portis will end his career better than James IMO.

Samuels over Roaf is something I would debate. Willie Roaf was drafted back in 1993. He started 2000 at age 30. Most of his Pro Bowls were in the 90s. He was on the great Chiefs line for just 4 years, and only had 4 full seasons in the 2000s decade. Roaf is a HOF'er, but simply because of the year breakdown, I'd say that Samuels deserves the spot on the All-Decade team more.

Overall though, it's a good list. You can see the case for each player that was selected.

Edit: I would've liked to see Portis over Lewis, and Fletcher on the team. But, in Fletcher's case the lack of Pro Bowl, and especially All-Pro selections hurts him.

[Forehead]

how could Fletcher not be on the team? He's only missed, what, one game in his career and has more tackles than anyone in the last 10 years? What does a linebacker have to do?

I'm sure being All-Pro and a pro bowler helps. Until recently, Fletcher had neither, and still has never made All-Pro. I'm sure that's part of what's keeping everyone back that the board is complaining about.