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Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (21) doesn't have |
BY STEVE DeSHAZO
The only thing harder than pronouncing Nnamdi Asomugha's name may be noticing him on the football field.
The Oakland Raiders cornerback may be the NFL's least-known elite player, for two reasons. First, he plays for the Raiders, who've been mismanaged for years and irrelevant since losing the Super Bowl after the 2002 season.
Second, because he's so strong in man-to-man coverage, he almost never gets challenged. Since Asomugha intercepted eight passes in 2006, teams rarely throw to his side of the field. He's had only one interception in each of the past three seasons.
Don't expect the Washington Redskins to challenge him this Sunday. Not since Deion Sanders was in his prime has a shutdown cornerback engendered such respect around the NFL.
The Raiders certainly understand Asomugha's value. In February, they gave him a three-year contract that guarantees him $28.5 million and could be worth nearly $20 million in 2011.
Off the field, he's a philanthropist who funds scholarships for promising low-income youth in Oakland. He also joined former President Clinton at the 2009 Meeting of Clinton Global Initiative University hosted by The University of Texas.
Asomugha may be the new Archie Manning--the NFL's poster boy for anonymous excellence in the midst of mediocrity. But there are plenty of other stars that even die-hard fantasy league players may not have noticed because their teams are so poor:
Pity Rams tailback Steven Jackson. Playing for the NFL's lowest-scoring team, he has still managed to run for 1,232 yards (second-highest in the league), but only four touchdowns on 266 carries.
After a heart-to-heart talk with coach Mike Singletary last season, 49ers tight end Vernon Davis has become a force. The former Maryland star caught his 10th touchdown pass of the season against Seattle on Sunday, setting a club single-season record. On the other side of the ball, 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis again leads the NFL in tackles with 123.
Speaking of tackles, few do it better than Tampa Bay's Barrett Ruud. Granted, he's on the field a lot, but he's over 100 stops for the third straight year and was good enough that the Bucs released perennial Pro Bowler Derrick Brooks.
If Asomugha isn't the NFL's best corner, the Jets' Darrelle Revis is. He has five interceptions this year. Don't expect opposing teams to give him many more chances.
Offensive linemen are by definition anonymous, but few have done better under worse conditions than Browns tackle Joe Thomas. The only thing that could keep him from making his third Pro Bowl in three seasons is Cleveland's heinous 1-11 record and impotent offense. Don't blame him, though; yesterday, he was named to USA Football's "All-Fundamentals Team."
Finally, one of the NFL's oldest records could fall, and you'd barely hear about it. Oakland's Shane Lechler is averaging a staggering 51.5 yards per punt, slightly better than the mark of 51.4 set by the Redskins' Sammy Baugh in 1940. Lechler gets plenty of practice with the Raiders, but he's got the best career average (47.3) in league history.
UPSET PICK
Lesson learned: Don't choose against the Colts. Now 5-7 on the season, The Pick will take the resurgent Seahawks (6-point road underdogs) to add to the stumbling Texans' woes.
Steve DeShazo: 540/374-5443
Email: sdeshazo@freelancestar.com
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1. Colts (12-0) Can clinch home field
2. Saints (12-0) Dodged a major bullet
3. Vikings (10-2) |
