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January 27, 2011
Author: Khaled Elsayed
Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers)
It took a Super Bowl run to really remind how good Big Ben had been in the regular season. It was all the more impressive given the substandard protection he faced, and how he didn’t let that pressure affect him (just two regular season INT’s under pressure).
Running Back
Peyton Hillis (Cleveland Browns)
He runs, he catches and he blocks. Oh, and he hurdles like he’s at the Olympic Trials. Hillis is what you want in a running back.
Tight End
Todd Heap (Baltimore Ravens)
He wasn’t as good this year as he was in his 2009 renaissance, with his blocking falling off a cliff, but he still caused plenty of problems catching balls.
Tight End
Ben Watson (Cleveland Browns)
Watson added some versatility to a Browns team that lacked a TE capable of blocking and catching (even if Watson’s blocking wasn’t great all of the time).
Wide Receiver
Mike Wallace (Pittsburgh Steelers)
If you’re a cornerback, is there anything scarier than a guy like Mike Wallace running past you? There shouldn’t be, when he is picking up 21 yards per catch and 1,257 yards. Santonio who?
Wide Receiver
Derrick Mason (Baltimore Ravens)
Mr. Dependable does it again. Even with the veteran receivers brought in, Mason remained the guy the Ravens could rely on to make a play when needed.
Left Tackle
Andrew Whitworth (Cincinnati Bengals)
Led our offensive tackle rankings and only gave up three sacks all year, despite the Bengals throwing an awful lot. One of the truly underappreciated players in the league right now.
Left Guard
Ben Grubbs (Baltimore Ravens)
Grubbs had a legitimate case for a Pro Bowl spot, with some generally solid play. Did he ever dominate? No, but then was he never dominated either. Not many linemen we can say that about this year.
Center
Matt Birk (Baltimore Ravens)
As good a season as there was a by a center and nobody seemed to notice it. Birk has been cheaper than Jason Brown and a much better player these past two years.
Right Guard
Bobbie Williams (Cincinnati Bengals)
We’d have like to have seen Williams do more with his run blocking, where for the first time he looked like age was catching him up. Still gave up less than a pressure per game.
Right Tackle
Marshal Yanda (Baltimore Ravens)
Forced to play RT by circumstance, Yanda responded superbly. An excellent run blocker, the biggest surprise was how comfortable he looked in pass protection.
