I sat down with my buddy Jason Ashworth (JA) to come up with the 25 best NFL players of this decade.  At first it seemed like a good idea.  Then the debates started.  And the slamming of doors.  And the name calling. 
This was not easy.¬† We wanted to come up with the best 25 NFL players from this decade, meaning you had to do a lot in these 10 years.¬† For this reason, a guy like Marshall Faulk just couldn’t qualify.¬† We realize that these types of lists are made to be argued with and we certainly will catch heat for some of our selections or non-selections.¬† We know we will hear from those that want Favre on here.¬† Urlacher didn’t make it either, and we can understand those that think he should be on here.¬† We had no idea how difficult this list would be.¬† When you put down all the names for consideration and then realize the caliber of player that doesn’t make it, well, it’s a little shocking.¬†
So here is our list, in no particular order.  These are our Top 25 NFL Players of this Decade:
Peyton Manning:  Three-time MVP, Four Pro Bowls, Super Bowl title…do we really need to explain this one?
Tom Brady: …Or this one?  Four Pro Bowls, four Super Bowl’s, three SB titles, two-time Super Bowl MVP
Ladainian Tomlinson: Eight 1,000-yard seasons, 138 TD’s.
Ray Lewis:  Heart of a defense that was the reason the Ravens were able to win the Super Bowl.  Named Super Bowl MVP.  Hurts people.
Tony Gonzalez:  Tops on pretty much every TE record.
Randy Moss: Avg 77 rec / 1164 yards / 12 TD per season!
Jonathan Ogden: The knock on him is that he didn’t make the Pro Bowl this year or last year.  That’s because he’d been out of football.  Check the Pro Bowl roster for every single other season of the decade.
Steve Hutchinson:  Six-time Pro Bowler and five-time All Pro.  Think he belongs on this list?
Walter Jones: Eight Pro Bowls and six-time All Pro this decade. And five of those years were played next to Steve Hutchinson.  No wonder we had a tough time finding room for Shaun Alexander on here.
Brian Dawkins: Six Pro Bowls (one was in 1999 and we are only counting this decade), Five NFC Championship games… Emotional leader that could inspire Obama to do great things!  Are we being homers with this pick?  We don’t think so.
Ed Reed: Just don’t throw it near him.  Do yourself a huge favor and think of something else to do.
Troy Polamalu: Two Super Bowl wins and five Pro Bowls in six years!
Marvin Harrison: Lots of Pro Bowls and the NFL record for most catches in a season (143 in 2002).  He’s caught more than 1,100 passes for his career and the bulk of that is in this decade.  Plus, he owns a bar in Philadelphia so he’s ok by us.
Michael Strahan:  Set the single-season sack record despite the last one being a fraud.  So what, he’s still the best all-around defensive end of this decade.
Antonio Gates:  One of the best pure receiving tight ends we’ve ever seen.
Adam Vinatieri:¬† Welcome to the the A-1 biggest argument we had in creating this list.¬† JA says he‚Äôs a kicker and there is no way he gets on this list.¬† He says he made big kicks for sure, but he’s still not good enough as a player.¬† I say that if he misses some of those kicks, we aren‚Äôt talking about Tom Brady and Bill Belichick like football gods.¬† Those two could find themselves lumped in with Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb as guys who can‚Äôt get it done.¬† The kick in the snow in Oakland?¬† All three Super Bowls for the Pats were won by three points?¬† Another Super Bowl with Indy?¬† If you want to argue that kickers have too much of an impact on NFL games, that‚Äôs fine.¬† But the way it is now, they decide games.¬† And Vinatieri is the #1 game decider of the decade.¬†
Champ Bailey:  His meager INT numbers tell the story.  Other than 2005 and 2006 when he combined for 18 picks, he rarely collected many INT’s.  Why?  You just don’t throw it his way.  Bad idea.  He’s no longer the top corner in the NFL (I’ll take Revis and Asomugha), but he’s still playing at a high level and has done so the entire decade.
Donovan McNabb: Five NFC championship games, one Super Bowl, three Pro Bowls, one of the top QB’s in NFL history when it comes to taking care of the football.  Oh, and Na Brown, Torrance Small, Charles Johnson, James Thrash, Todd Pinkston, Billy McMullen, Freddie Mitchell.  Need we go on?
Kurt Warner:  This is the second biggest argument we had on this list.  JA says he gets on.  JA points to two Super Bowl appearances (Before you go posting nasty comments, 1999 isn’t in this decade regardless of when the actual game was played) with two different teams, owns the three (two, 1999 doesn’t count, JA) highest passing totals in Super Bowl history, holds the record for the most 300+ yard passing games.
I, however, point out that he’s always succeeded with stud WR’s.  Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, and Larry Fitz and Anquan Boldin.  I also point out that he had a nasty lull in the middle of the decade where he was bad and a backup.  Lost his job to Marc Bulger and then to Matt Leinart for a period of time.  Great player, but top 25 player this decade?
He makes it on the list because I got tired of pointing out to JA how wrong he is.
Darren Sharper: 58 INT’s this decade with nine going for TD’s.  This guy should be re-named Pick 6.  This one will get debated, but we’re big Sharper fans.
Torry Holt:  Seven-time Pro Bowler…named 1st team all decade (ahead of Moss!).  Holt has just been a stud for the entire decade (ok, not the last year or so).
Orlando Pace:  In 1997, he was just the second offensive lineman (John Hannah) to be taken with the first-overall pick in the draft.  Proved he was worth it.
Drew Brees:  We were on the fence with this one, because we didn’t believe he really became a super stud until recently.  Then we looked up some numbers, realized we are a lot older than we thought and that he’s been good for a very long time now.  30,000+ yards passing in the decade gets you in.  Shame on us for not realizing that sooner.
Jason Taylor:  113 sacks this decade.  Six times he had double-digit totals.  Has slowed the last couple years, but let’s not forget what a monster he was for so long.
Alan Faneca:  Eight Pro Bowls and a five-time All Pro.  Yeah…he gets on this list.
So what do you think?¬† Who made it that shouldn’t have?¬† Who did we leave off?¬† Shaun Alexander?¬† Larry Fitzgerald?¬† Derrick Brooks?¬† John Lynch?¬† Terrell Owens (he belongs on the list)?
