Sometime in early January the Associated Press will pick the top players of the 2014 NFL season.
But with 11 weeks in the books, The Roar is prepared to do it now. These are our predictions for the 2014 All-Pro first team. Do you agree? If not, who would you have named instead and why?
QB – Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Rodgers has had a handful of lean games this season, but has broken out in the last two weeks with 656 yards and nine touchdowns. The Packers are red hot heading into the back end of the regular season and it’s been down to Rodgers’ ability to consistently find open receivers.
More significant than his 28 touchdowns (good enough for equal second), has been his lack of turnovers. Rodgers has just three interceptions, the best among regular starting quarterbacks.
QB – Andrew Luck (Colts)
Regarded as the league’s best young quarterback, Luck has elevated his game to another level in 2014. He leads the league in passing yards, is equal-second in touchdowns and has guided the Colts to a 6-4 record and the top of the AFC South.
RB – DeMarco Murray (Cowboys)
Murray is a no-brainer for the All-Pro team and could vie for the Offensive Player of the Year award – and MVP. He has been eclipsing records on his way to 1233 yards and seven touchdowns on a whopping 244 carries this season.
To put that workload into context, the next highest number of carries is LeSean McCoy with 196. But Murray has been durable so far and his running game has helped the Cowboys control the clock and start 7-3.
FB – Anthony Sherman (Chiefs)
Sherman is your quintessential run-blocking fullback; short and stocky, with the ability to seal off defenders and create good running lanes. He has blocked for both Jamaal Charles (692 yards) and Knile Davis (421 yards) this season and has forced four fumbles on 10 tackles on special teams. Sherman has been one of the real unsung heroes of the Chiefs’ promising season.
WR – Antonio Brown (Steelers)
Brown had 1500 yards and eight touchdowns in 2013, but the standard of wide receiver was so high across the league he only just scrapped in for a second team All-Pro spot. This season Brown has firmed as Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s favourite target, reeling in 88 catches, 1,161 yards and nine touchdowns.
Brown had played so well up until the loss to the Jets, he was on target to potentially break Calvin Johnson’s regular season record (1,964 yards) set in 2012.
WR – Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
There are a lot of candidates for this second spot, including TY Hilton, Jordy Nelson and Dez Bryant, but Thomas’ consistency over the past seven weeks (964 yards and five touchdowns) and his yards after the catch make him a solid choice for his first All-Pro team.
TE – Julius Thomas (Broncos)
You could argue for Rob Gronkowski in this spot, but the modern day pass-catching tight end is judged on his ability to get into the end zone and Thomas has been a touchdown machine in 2014.
He has 12 scores on 40 catches and has taken over the mantle from Tony Gonzalez’s as the NFL’s most dangerous red zone threat.
T – Joe Thomas (Browns)
The first offensive lineman picked on any team, Thomas has given up only one sack so far this season. He is the key piece of a good Browns offensive line that lost centre Alex Mack for the season to a broken left leg.
T – Jason Peters (Eagles)
The Eagles offensive line has been banged up at times this season, but Philadelphia keep on winning games. Peters has given up 3.5 sacks, but it is in the run game that he is most effective. The monster veteran is surprisingly quick and adept at getting out in front of his running back and setting up blocks.
G – Josh Sitton (Packers)
Sitton is particularly good at pass blocking and is yet to give up a sack on Aaron Rodgers in 2014. He is also capable in the run game and has a knack for moving defensive tackles aside to allow Eddie Lacy and co some space between the tackles.
G – Marshal Yanda (Ravens)
When the Ravens lost Ray Rice indefinitely before the season they were not expected to boast a consistent running game. But Justin Forsett ranks seventh in the NFL with 721 yards on a 5.4 average so far.
At least a chunk of that yardage is a result of talented left guard Marshall Yanda. He has allowed only 1.5 sacks this season, but his strength is run blocking. Yanda is renowned for pushing the lineman in front of him out of the way and getting to the second level.
C – Maurkice Pouncey (Steelers)
Pouncey has bounced back from season-ending ACL and MCL injuries from 2013 to re-establish himself in the middle of the Steelers line. He has been effective in buying time for Roethlisberger and has helped clear room for young superstar back Le’Veon Bell.
DE – JJ Watt (Texans)
Watt has been a one-man wrecking crew this season and is being talked about as possibly pushing for the MVP award. He has four touchdowns, including two offensive scores, and 9.5 sacks on a defensive line that was supposed to have the services of first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney.
DE – Cameron Wake (Dolphins)
Wake’s story is an unusual one. Undrafted out of Penn State, he made his name in the Canadian Football League before signing with the Dolphins. This season he has led a surprisingly good Miami defense with 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
DT – Ndamukong Suh
Suh has been disrupting offensive lines all season as the Lions have put together one of the best defensive units of 2014. The Lions rank first in rushing yards allowed and fifth in pass defense and a lot of that is down to Suh. The 27-year-old out of Nebraska has 4.5 sacks and seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
DT – Marcell Dareus (Bills)
Dareus has more sacks in 2014 than any other defensive tackle and is starting to show he might be worth that third-overall draft pick the Bills gave up for him in 2011. Dareus has 10 sacks in 10 games, the next best DT is Gerald McCoy from Tampa Bay with 6.5.
OLB – Von Miller (Broncos)
Miller has been the second best defensive player in football this season. There was a stretch of three weeks against the Cardinals, Jets and 49ers where he had two sacks in every game. He and DeMarcus Ware are in a rush to become the record setting sack duo.
OLB – Justin Houston (Chiefs)
Houston leads the league in sacks with 12 on a Chiefs team that has been good against the pass and the run. Houston is 25 and still an emerging talent. He had 11 sacks in 11 games in 2013 and this season has managed to stay healthy long enough to wage war on opposing offensive lines.
ILB – Luke Kuechly (Panthers)
Kuechly won the Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 as the leader of a ferocious Panthers defense. The Panthers defense has been poor this year and still Kuechly leads the league in tackles (116).
ILB – CJ Mosley (Ravens)
Mosley should add an All-Pro nod to his title of Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014. He has made the loss of legendary linebacker Ray Lewis all the more easy in Baltimore and so far has 90 tackles (seventh in NFL), seven pass deflections, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
CB – Richard Sherman (Seahawks)
Sherman hasn’t got the interceptions, the tackles or forced fumbles that a lot of the other cornerbacks have, but that is only because no one tosses the ball his way. The outspoken, dreadlocked LOB general continues to use his speed, lanky frame, awareness and anticipation to be the best cover corner in the NFL.
CB – Brent Grimes (Dolphins)
Grimes may be a surprise to some, but he has played exceptionally well this season. He is second in the league with five interceptions, including his unbelievable diving, one-handed pick on what would have certainly been a Calvin Johnson touchdown against the Lions.
Grimes is 1.77m (5’10) and constantly matched up against bigger receivers, but manages to hold his own.
FS – Earl Thomas (Seahawks)
For about a decade the two safety spots on the AFC Pro Bowl team and All-Pro team were reserved for Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed. While Thomas isn’t quite in that conversation yet, he is taking big strides towards that upper echelon of hard-hitting ball-hawking safeties.
SS – Eric Weddle (Chargers)
With Eric Berry, Kam Chancellor and Jarius Byrd missing time with injury and TJ Ward still settling in at Denver, the second safety spots goes to the ever consistent Eric Weddle. The NFL’s answer to James Harden, Weddle is the heart of the San Diego defense and has been voted first or second team All-Pro four straight years.
K – Adam Vinatieri (Colts)
Vinatieri hasn’t missed a field goal or extra point this season and has hit on eight kicks over 40 yards. The Colts have had no trouble getting into scoring position and each time they call on Vinatieri, he has been automatic.
P – Kevin Huber (Bengals)
It’s a thankless job, but Huber should be getting plenty of kudos in Cincinnati this season. He has a 44.2 net average, 19 punts have landed inside the 20 and only three have gone for touchbacks. Meanwhile, his kicks have allowed for only 17 returns with an average of 5.1 yards.
KR/PR – Darren Sproles (Eagles)
Sproles is one of the most electrifying players in the NFL. When he is in space it’s like trying to tackle a speeding Vespa. And yet teams still occasionally kick to him. He has two punt return touchdowns and averages a league-best 16.6 yards per return.
Hey, supercoach? Choose your own ultimate NFL team and compete with other players for cash prizes in daily competitions on any match. If you’re after the best odds on the NFL, PlayUp is your best bet. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
The extraordinary episodes after his life as an American Football hero quite overshadowed the career of O.J. Simpson, who has died at the age…
The Kansas City Chiefs, steered brilliamtly at the end by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, downed the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime to secure…
San Francisco 49ers will make their eighth appearance in the Super Bowl after a stellar season from a team stacked with real talent across the whole line-up.
The Chiefs are no longer strangers to playing matches in February. What was once a multi-generational 50-year drought has become an almost yearly tradition.
Daniel Faalele and Mitch Wishnowsky have kept their Super Bowl dreams alive, with Baltimore and San Francisco winning the divisional round playoff.
Six-time NFL champion Bill Belichick has agreed to part ways as the coach of the New England Patriots, bringing an end to his 24-year…
