NFL All-Time Team

Offense

QB: Tom Brady

The Super Bowl wins, the career passing records, the longevity and so much more make Brady the undisputed GOAT.

RB: Barry Sanders

This was a tough decision but if you watch Barry Sanders highlights it’s clear why he’s the best running back ever. He was so shifty and made NFL players look like JV players.

WR: Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson

Rice is the undisputed GOAT WR and put up mind boggling stats for two decades, maybe none more impressive than having a 1,200 yard season and being an All-Pro at age 40. “Moss” is literally a verb we use to describe an incredible catch by a WR. That tells you everything you need to know about how good Randy was. Johnson is perfectly nicknamed Megatron as he was not human. 6’5” 240 lbs, ran a 4.3 40, could out leap anyone, and dominated despite being on an awful team his whole career.

TE: Rob Gronkowski

He may not have the longevity of other TEs, but when he played, he absolutely dominated. He was unguardable in the passing game, but what really sets his place as the best TE is his willingness and ability to block. Many older TE could block but weren’t great catchers and many modern TEs are just bigger WRs, but Gronk could do it all.

LT: Anthony Muñoz

The 11x All-Pro and Hall of Famer is the epitome of a perfect left tackle.

LG: Randall McDaniel

McDaniel is not super well-known but was a stalwart at left guard for 14 years.

C: Mike Webster

A star for the Steel Curtain Steelers Dynasty, Webster was part of two All-Decade Teams.

RG: Bruce Matthews

The 10x All-Pro was extremely versatile and could play all over the offensive line.

RT: Joe Thomas

He was a left tackle, but the extremely durable 8x All-Pro played 10,363 snaps in a row and excelled for bad Cleveland teams his whole career.

Defense

Interior DLine: Aaron Donald, JJ Watt

Donald is still active in the league but is still already in the conversation as the greatest defensive player of all time. He has won three DPOY awards and has been wreaking havoc his whole career. Injuries may have cut his prime short, but Watt could make plays from any position on the D-Line and also won three DPOY awards.

Edge Rushers: Lawrence Taylor, Bruce Smith

Lawrence Taylor still lays claim to being the defensive GOAT and is the last defensive player to win MVP. Bruce Smith dominated for two decades and holds the record for most sacks in a career.

Linebackers: Ray Lewis, Mike Singletary, Jack Lambert

As much as I don’t like Lewis, he is the epitome of what a MLB should be and was the heart of a physical Ravens defense his whole career. Mike Singletary was the man in the middle for the greatest defense in NFL history and won two DPOY awards. Jack Lambert was one of the stars of the Steel Curtain Defense that won four Super Bowls in the 70s.

CB: Rod Woodson, Deion Sanders

With 7th All-Pros and 11 Pro Bowls, Rod Woodson is one of the greatest defensive players ever. Prime Time was as flashy as he was dominant and this team wouldn’t be complete without his swagger and skill.

Safeties: Ronnie Lott, Ed Reed

The heart of the defense for those great 1980s 49ers teams could make plays all over the field. Ed Reed was the ultimate centerfielder and was always a threat to produce a takeaway and take one back to the house.

Special Teams

Kicker: Justin Tucker

With more First Team All-Pro selections than any other kicker and the highest field goal percentage of all time, Tucker is a clear choice.

Returner: Devin Hester

The Windy City Flyer had more return touchdowns than any player in NFL history and could take a kick or punt back to the end zone at any point.

Top 10 QBs of All Time

1 Tom Brady

Numbers. Awards. Super Bowls. He has done it all and done it better than anyone else we’ve ever seen. The one and only GOAT.

2 Joe Montana

A guy who played his best during the biggest moments. His Super Bowl stats: 4-0, 3 Super Bowl MVPs, 11 TDs-0 INTs, and a QB rating of 127.8. Oh yeah and he wasn’t too bad in the regular season, winning 2 MVPs and being a 5 time All-Pro.

3 Peyton Manning

A super likable guy off the field, but a killer on it. A ten time All-Pro, 5 time MVP, and he won 2 Super Bowls.

4 Aaron Rodgers

He probably throws the greatest ball in NFL history and doesn’t even look like he’s trying. It’s no surprise he’s won 4 MVPs and put up a ridiculous TD-Int ratio of 475-105. He can still build on his insane resume.

5 Patrick Mahomes

Probably the most talented QB to ever play. At only 28, he still has a lot of his legacy left to write and could make a run for the top spot on this list.

6 Brett Favre

The ultimate gunslinger. Favre would improvise like no one else and was never afraid to make any throw, which led to many interceptions, but also 3 MVPs and a Super Bowl.

7 John Elway

One of the most hyped QBs coming out of college and he delivered with 2 Super Bowls and an MVP.

8 Johnny Unitas

Unitas was putting up big numbers in the passing game well before most QBs were. His 3 MVPs and 7 All-Pro selections show how dominant he was.

9 Dan Marino

He was dominant and put up modern day numbers in the 80s. The fact he’s on this list despite not winning the big one shows how good he was.

10 Drew Brees

He put up huge numbers year after year and brought NOLA a much needed Super Bowl.

Edge Rusher and Defensive Lineman Rankings

Having a star edge rusher or interior defensive lineman who can wreak havoc is one of the most sought after weapons teams look for. Thankfully, there has never been more talent at these positions than there is now. Below is my ranking of these players:

1. TJ Watt EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers

2. Myles Garret EDGE, Cleveland Browns

3. Micah Parsons EDGE, Dallas Cowboys

4. Aaron Donald, IDL, Los Angeles Rams

5. Nick Bosa EDGE, San Francisco 49ers

6. Chris Jones, IDL, Kansas City Chiefs

7. Maxx Crosby, EDGE, Las Vegas Raiders

8. Khalil Mack, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers

9. Trey Hendrickson EDGE, Cincinnati Bengals

10. Aidan Hutchinson EDGE, Detroit Lions

End of Season Top 10 QBs

Below are my top 10 QBs in the NFL. I am not solely basing it off this year, but instead the last couple of years plus how I think they’ll perform moving forward.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Do I even have to explain?

2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Burrow had a tough year, first dealing with a nagging calf injury that hampered him the first 4 games, then going on IR after the 10th game of the year. During the 5.5 games he was healthy, he threw for 13 TDs and showed how good he is.

3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Allen is the modern day Brett Favre. He is an absurd athlete who routinely makes jaw dropping plays. He will also go rouge every now and then and make you ask yourself what the hell he is doing. His 173 total TDs the past 4 years make up for those mistakes.

4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Lamar balled out and won his 2nd league MVP this year. He is one of the most athletic players we’ve ever seen and can do things at QB that no one else in the league can. He needs to play better in the playoffs though.

5. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Herbert is insanely talented, but has struggled to win. The lack of coaching and injuries around him in the past is reasonable enough to blame. However, with Jim Harbaugh now his coach, there are no more excuses. He needs to start winning games and making runs in the postseason.

6. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Hurts is a special QB and a great duel threat. He had some up and down moments this year, but the season ended on a bad note. He will need to shake it off next year.

7. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets

This season did not go as he wanted it to, however, I am still a believer that this all-time great will come back with a splash next year.

8. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Dak played great at times this year, but does not always bring it during big games.

9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Lawrence struggled this year, especially when his team needed him down the stretch. He’ll need to work out some kinks this offseason to return to the player he was last year.

10. Brock Purdy, San Franciso 49ers

He is definitely aided by his coach and playmakers around him, but he still gets them the ball and plays great. My only concern is that he struggles to bring his team back if they get too far behind.

On the Bubble:

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

He’s a solid starting QB, but is limited.

CJ Stroud, Houston Texans

Stroud established himself as one of the best young QBs in the league this year. Should he continue to develop, he could easily enter the top 10 next year.

Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

Kirk’s absence shows the Vikings and the world how good he really is. He just doesn’t get it done in the playoffs.

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

He’s a very similar QB to Brock Purdy. I give Purdy the slight edge, because I trust him more in big games.

Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos

I still am a Russ believer. He played well this year despite the fact that he did not have that much talent around him. I think Sean Payton scapegoating him for all of Denver’s woes is laughable. He may not be at his peak anymore, but is still a good starting quarterback.

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

He rebounded well this year and led a young team to the playoffs. I still think he’s slightly overrated.

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

Kyler has all the talent in the world and he played well in limited action this season. I’m excited to see him back to full strength next year for an entire season.

Greatest NFL Dynasties of All Time

What makes an NFL team a dynasty in the Super Bowl Era? You often hear dynasty talk when it comes to the NBA but not as much with the NFL. To me, there are five clear-cut dynasties (in order from best to worst): 1. 2001-2018 New England Patriots 2. 1981-1994 San Fransisco 49ers 3. 2019-Present Kansas City Chiefs 4. 1974-1979 Pittsburgh Steelers 5. 1992-1995 Dallas Cowboys.

My loose criteria for a dynasty is at least 3 Super Bowls in a 6-year span, but as long as there is at least some common factor a dynasty can continue past that six-year span. For example, given that Brady and Belichick were at the helm for all six Super Bowls and that the fact that the Patriots consistently were contenders and made Super Bowls, I consider them a dynasty. In the case of the 49ers they had two different quarterbacks and coaches, but George Seifert took over and won while Montana was still the quarterback and players like Jerry Rice played and won with both coaches and quarterbacks so there’s enough similarity to include that 5th championship in the dynasty. The Chiefs, Steelers, and Cowboys make the list because they fit in my original criteria for a dynasty.

After those five, the case can be made for some other teams based off one’s personal criteria.

The 1960-1967 Packers won 5 championships in 8 years and made another in that span. However, only the last two were Super Bowls and the other 3 were NFL championships in the pre-Super Bowl era, so I didn’t include them.

Some might say the 1971-1973 Dolphins are a dynasty as they won two Super Bowls and made three in a 3-year span, but once again they don’t have my three Super Bowl requirement. Winning two Super Bowls in a short period of time makes you a great team, but not a dynasty.

The team that comes the closest to a dynasty, but is just short is the 1976-1983 Oakland Raiders who won three Super Bowls in eight years. Had they kept the same coach and/or quarterback throughout all of their titles I would be inclined to put them at number 6 on my list. However, there is too little similarity from their first title to their third title for me to include them.

The last team I definitely considered putting on the list was the 1982-1991 Washington Redskins. They won 3 titles and made another in that 10-year span. They have decent similarities with the same coach and few of the same players on all three teams such as Hall of Fame WR Art Monk. However, the fact that all three were so spread out (5 years between the 1st and 2nd title and 4 years between 2nd and 3rd title), they weren’t dominant throughout the entire run (three straight years finishing third in their division), and that there was a different quarterback on all three title-winning teams is what keeps them off of my list.

Overall, the definition of a dynasty varies from person to person. Regardless of whether or not the teams above are considered dynasties, they were great teams that will go down in history as some of the best ever.

Thank You

This was my first year covering the NFL and I want to say thank you to all who followed. It was a great year of football with many ups and downs (especially as a Patriots fan!) I really enjoyed writing about the NFL this season and will continue to write an article at least once a week during the offseason, so be sure to check back each Monday.

Super Bowl Reaction

Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers

Wow. We can officially anoint the Chiefs as a dynasty. Mahomes is already a Top 5 QB all time and Andy Reid a Top 5 coach. The fact they won during a year many people wrote them off and were “worried” about them shows their dominance. They have a great all around organization from the front office to the coaches to the players. They will be a problem for the foreseeable future.

The 49ers once again come so close without winning. They had a more talented team and honestly outplayed the Chiefs. But the Chiefs won, and that’s all that matters in the Super Bowl. With an older team, you have to wonder if they’ll be able to get back here again soon.

Once again, the football season sadly comes to an end. It was a great and unique season and reminds us why the NFL is the best sports league in the world.

Game/Betting Picks Results

Game: 0-1 (42-18 Overall)

Spread: 0-1 (42-17-1)

O/U: 0-1 (31-28-1)

Super Bowl Preview

Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers

The most perfect matchup for the game we’ve been waiting for all year. A potential dynasty is on the line for the Chiefs. While the 49ers have come so close the past 5 years and are hungry to win one. It’s worth noting that the Chiefs potential dynasty started with a win vs the 49ers. It can now be cemented or prevented against the Niners. I think the 49ers win, cover (-2), and the over (47.5) hits.

Evaluating my Beginning of the Year Predictions

This was a wild year with many ups and downs in the NFL and CFB. At the beginning of the year, I made numerous predictions on what would happen this season and below are some of the best predictions I made:

I correctly picked the winner of 71% (42/59) of the games I covered this season.
I hit on 72% (42/58) of the spreads I picked this year.
I hit on 53% (31/58) of the over/unders I picked this year.
All told, I hit on 63% (73/116) of the betting picks I made this year.
Michigan won the CFP Championship.
Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers won their divisions.
Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys made the playoffs.
San Francisco 49ers made the Super Bowl
Kansas City Chiefs made the AFC Championship Game
Josh McDaniels got fired as the Raiders coach.
Ron Rivera was fired as the Commanders coach.
Bill Belichick and the Pats parted ways at the end of the year.
Jared Goff threw 30 TDs this year.
Kenny Pickett showed very few signs of looking like a quality starting QB.
Shane Steichen and the Colts surprised people.

Championship Week Reaction

Detroit Lions (3) @ San Franciso 49ers (1)

The 49ers are the most talented team in the league and have lived up to the massive expectations they had set for them. It was an amazing comeback and now they have a chance for redemption in a rematch vs the Chiefs. What a Super Bowl it’s going to be.

You have to feel for the Lions as their amazing year ends with a crushing blown lead. They are so young and talented, you have to believe they’ll back even better next year.

Kansas City Chiefs (3) @ Baltimore Ravens (1)

Wow. I picked the Chiefs to win and cover but it still shocks me a little. Baltimore was the better, more talented team this year. But the Chiefs are the Chiefs. They have the best QB and coach in the NFL and they know how to win. They remind me so much of the Pats dynasty, it’s crazy. They underwhelmed all year, but here they are back in the Super Bowl.

Now we just need Brock Purdy to be what Eli Manning was to the Pats.

Game/Betting Picks Results

Game: 2-0 (42-17 Overall)

Spread: 2-0 (42-16-1)

O/U: 0-2 (31-27-1)