Tag: NFL 100

Texans DE J.J. Watt named a finalist for NFL 100 All-Time Team

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt was named a finalist among the defensive line selections for the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

The NFL released its finalists list for the defensive line for the NFL 100 All-Time Team Monday, and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt made the list.

The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year was among 33 defensive linemen and edge defenders who were listed as finalists. Watt is the only defensive lineman who is still playing in the NFL.

Watt’s career has been historic since he joined the Texans as a first-round pick in 2011. His three defensive player of the year honors tie Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor for the most in league history. His 96.0 sacks rank 41st all-time, and he has posted 20.5 sacks in two separate seasons, 2012 and 2014. Among the 2011 draft class, only the Denver Broncos’ Von Miller has more sacks than Watt with 104.

To decide the 14 defensive linemen who will ultimately make the team, a 26-person blue-ribbon voting panel has been charged with selecting seven players at both defensive end and defensive tackle.

The NFL 100 All-Time Team airs each Friday at 7:00 p.m. CT on NFL Network through Week 17 with selections by position revealed each week.

PODCAST: Can Bills carry consistency vs. Broncos into Cowboys meeting?

Buffalo Bills podcast following Week 12 in over Denver Broncos, ahead of Thanksgiving meetings vs. Cowboys.

The Buffalo Bills won their second straight game to improve to 8-3 on the season for the first time since 1996. It was a remarkable game, with the team displaying proficiency in all three phases of football that put up points and yardage on a top defense, halting a strong run offense, and did it’s job on special teams.

Denver had played much better than it’s record until this point, and they hit an absolute brick wall at New Era Field. The Bills defense only allowed 167 yards of total offense in Week 12. Buffalo downed talented running backs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman. In fact, it seemed that Broncos play calling didn’t aim to target Buffalo’s sketchy run defense in the second half, as they became very pass happy and one-dimensional.

In the Broncos closest venture towards the end zone, they could not get the job done as Tre’Davious White was essentially handed an interception and a broken route intended for Courtland Sutton, who was held for one catch in the outing.

The offense did well, aside from a bad Josh Allen interception that gave Denver some of the best field positioning that they had all day. 244 yards on the ground, again dominated by Devin Singletary.

However, the big news was that, Frank Gore, the journeyman running back, passed Barry Sanders to become third all-time in rushing yards. A tremendous accomplishment, and extra satisfying that it happened with him wearing a Bills jersey.

Buffalo prepares for Dallas on a short week for this Thursday, as the Bills play their first Thanksgiving game in several years. The quick turnaround has affected many teams this year, not being allowed to play to their full potential. Everyone is already hard at work at One Bills Drive to ensure the Bills are prepared for their latest National Spotlight opportunity.

Podcast Hosts Matt and Jeremy examine the win over Denver, and the road to Dallas:

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Twitter reacts to LaDainian Tomlinson being left off all-time team

It’s mind-boggling that a former Chargers great was left off this list.

The NFL unveiled the 100th anniversary running back all-time team Friday.

Among the crop who was a finalist, but did not make the final team was former Chargers great running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

Other notable finalists that did not make the cut other than Tomlinson include Adrian Peterson, Tony Dorsett, Marshall Faulk, Marcus Allen, Jerome Bettis and Franco Harris.

When you read the list of players, it’s all running backs that you’d think would make the list, but they were all drafted after 1990. Everyone that made it was drafted before that year.

“I’m surprised that there are no 21st century running backs on that list,” said Tomlinson, who started his career in 2001. Emmitt Smith was the (most recent) guy drafted that’s on the list. So that’s a bit surprising,” Tomlinson said.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Tomlinson being snubbed from the list.

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Jim Brown is 1st player named to NFL’s All-Time Team

The NFL 100 campaign got this one right, Jim Brown is the GOAT

As if there would be any doubt who belongs as the inaugural member of the NFL’s All-Time team. Of course, it’s Browns legend Jim Brown!

NFL Network will reveal the running back class for the All-Time Team on Friday night, but they whetted fans’ appetite by releasing one of the player choices early.

NFL.com opined on why it had to be No. 32 in orange, brown and white:

When he retired after nine seasons, Brown owned the single-season and career rushing records, and he was the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (106), total touchdowns (126) and all-purpose yards (15,549). Ninety-nine other players will join Brown on the all-time team, but none of them may loom as large in NFL history as Brown does.

He has epitomized greatness for over 60 years. Congrats to Brown on being the worthy first legend of the game honored as a member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

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Jim Brown, Marion Motley finalists for RBs on NFL’s All-Time Team

12 RBs will be chosen among 24 finalists, and Jim Brown is an obvious choice

Jim Brown and Marion Motley are two of the finalists to earn running back spots on the NFL’s All-Time Team. The Browns legends and Pro Football Hall of Famers are prominent among the group chosen as part of the NFL’s 100th-season celebration.

There are 24 finalists nominated for the 12 spots on the final team. The running back choices will be revealed on Friday night on the NFL Network as part of the NFL 100 campaign.

Brown seems a no-brainer for inclusion. The NFL’s rushing leader when he retired in 1965, he remains the leader in rushing yards per game with 104.5. He won eight rushing titles in nine seasons.

Motley is an interesting candidate. He won two league rushing titles for the Browns, one in the All-America Football Conference and also the NFL rushing title in the team’s first season in the NFL (1950). He was honored on the All-Decade Team of the 1940s.

Earl Campbell named as a finalist for the NFL 100 All-Time Team

Longhorn Legend Earl Campbell has been named as a running back finalist to make the NFL 100 All-Time Team

In celebration of the NFL’s 100th season, they are releasing what the league considers to be the 100 greatest players and 10 greatest coaches in league history. Longhorn Legend Earl Campbell has been named as a running back finalist to make the team.

Campbell was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991 after a career totaling 9,407 rushing yards, 74 touchdowns, 806 receiving yards. The only thing more legendary than Earl Campbell’s NFL career was his career as a Texas Longhorn. Campbell won the Heisman Trophy in 1977 and was a two-time All-American. In his four-year career at Texas, Campbell ran for 4,443 yards and 40 touchdowns – including his monster 1977 Heisman season, when he ran the ball 267 times for 1,744 yards and 18 touchdowns.

There are 24 RB finalists listed, and 12 will make the final cut. Campbell is listed alongside great backs such as Marcus Allen, Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, LaDainian Tomlinson, and more.

The Lions land just one season in the NFL 100’s greatest teams

The 1953 Lions went 10-2 and featured several future Hall of Famers

As part of the celebration honoring the 100th season of the NFL, the league is running all sorts of commemorative lists and rankings. That includes rating the top 100 teams in NFL history.

The Detroit Lions landed just one team on the NFL 100 top teams of all time. And only fans of a certain age will remember seeing them play.

The 1953 Lions check in at No. 55 on the list. Coach Buddy Parker guided his team to a second straight NFL Championship with a 10-2 record. Led by Pro Bowl QB Bobby Layne and featuring RB Doak Walker at his All-Pro prime, the Lions also had two Hall of Famers at safety in Jack Christiansen and Yale Lary.

Where do 1985 Bears rank among NFL’s greatest teams?

NFL Network continued its countdown of the greatest teams in league history, and the 1985 Bears landed just outside the top spot.

NFL Network continued its countdown of the 100 greatest teams in NFL history. The Chicago Bears had nine teams that made the list from Nos. 31-100.

When discussing the greatest teams of all time, you can’t leave out the 1985 Bears, who 34 years later are still revered for their sheer dominance.

The ’85 Bears were a team of destiny. They had the most dominant defense in NFL history, as well as arguably the best running back of all time, Walter Payton.

The Bears were near perfect (minus a loss to the Miami Dolphins) and continued that show of dominance in the postseason with back-to-back shutouts of the New York Giants (21-0) and Los Angeles Rams (24-0) before destroying the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX.

Many consider them to be the greatest NFL team of all time. But not NFL Network, which ranked the ’85 Bears as the second-greatest team in league history.

The only team that ranked ahead of them on the list? The 1972 Miami Dolphins, who remain the only undefeated team in NFL history.

But when discussing the greatest teams in history, it’s not just about the stats. It’s about the impact.

And you can’t deny the impact of the ’85 Bears.

Who knows what could’ve been if Buddy Ryan had stayed as defensive coordinator in Chicago? Or if Jim McMahon had stayed healthy? Who knows what this group of guys could have accomplished in another one, two, three seasons? What if?

But that’s what made this team so special. For one moment, they shone brighter than any star in the galaxy. And then that light was gone. But that team’s impact has never faded.

For the ’85 Bears, it’s not about what could’ve been, it’s about what was accomplished. And boy, did they leave their mark.

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