Your underappreciated player of 2011.

[sureletsrace]

I'm curious to see who people feel was an underrated, underappreciated player in this abysmal 2010 season we just had. Go ahead and tell everybody who you think was a great player that maybe didn't get the credit they deserved.

I'll go ahead and start with Gerald Sensabaugh. He had a slow start to the season under Wade Phillips with only 1 INT, but under Pasqualoni he thrived. In the second half of the season, he had 4INT and 8PD. That is sick for 8 games.

Just for comparison with the best safeties in the NFL:

Gerald Sensabaugh- 5INT, 8PD, 2SK
Troy Polamalu- 7INT, 11PD, 1SK
Ed Reed- 8INT, 16PD, 0SK
Nick Collins- 4INT, 12PD, 0SK

The man had a really nice year. If you took his average of 0.5 interceptions per game, 1 pass defensed per game, and 0.25 sacks per game across a 16 game season, he'd have an 8INT, 16PD, 4SK year. That is insane.

Let's hope he continues to play lights out.


Who's your guy?

 

[realtick]

Might wanna change your title to 2010, because no one has done anything in 2011 to be underappreciated yet.

:

 

[Tricericon]

Safety is one of those positions where how good you are is determined not just by how many plays you make, but how many you give up. I wouldn't put GS in the conversation with those other guys you listed, although he is better than Ball.

For me, I think that Newman would be my choice. The whole defense was a mess, but at least Newman was simply being beat physically rather than making boneheaded mistakes like Jenkins and Ball. I think that speaks well to his chances of rebounding if we can get him some help at safety, either by upgrading players, upgrading scheme, or Ball getting things figured out.

 

[BIGDen]

I'd probably go with Bradie James. Not a huge James fan, but I think he played pretty well overall. There weren't too many guys on the defense that you could say that about.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Tony Romo.

Yes I'm serious.

 

[JakeCamp12]

Mine would be Doug Free, for all of the talk that he could not play LT, the kid proved he could....

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

John Phillips. His blocking was missed last season.

 

[The Realist]

Spears, Phillips, Kitna.

 

[noshame]

Kitna hands down. Came into a horrible situation and produced far beyond expectations.

 

[Woods]

I'll go with B McCann.

Heck, I don't know if he will even make the roster this coming season.

But in my opinion, the two huge plays he made versus the Giants (int) and versus Detroit (return) helped Garrett secure the HC job. We easily could have lost both games.

I thought for an UDFA with no professional playing experience he really showed some smarts.

Again, I don't know if he'll make the team this season (I hope he does), but we may not have been 5-3 the second half of the season without him and it that were the case, it would have been more difficult for JJ to hand the HC reigns to JG.

 

[SDCowboy]

Tony Romo.

Yes I'm serious.

This. The same guy that's always under appreciated.

 

[tomson75]

Newman, without question.

Honorable mentions: Brooking, James, and Kosier.

....but in general, I've never witnessed fan stupidity on as grand a scale as I have with those that hate on Newman.

 

[theogt]

For the 1000th time, do not judge a safety by interceptions. He had a good season but it has nothing to do with interceptions and when he made them.

 

[RS12]

McBriar.

 

[Venger]

Tony Romo.

QFT...

 

[21Savage]

Anthony Spencer; Josh Brent; Jay Ratliff

 

[theebs]

The underappreciated guy around here is always matt mcbriar, the guy is great.

 

[Future]

Tony Romo.

Yes I'm serious.

He should have the under appreciated title named after him. The guy never, ever, gets close to the credit he deserves.

 

[casmith07]

Marcus Spears.

 

[Future]

Marcus Spears.

Good choice as well. Really saw what he means to this run defense after he went out.