July is finally here, although I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.
There are still four weeks or so until your Texans hit the practice field to start training camp. But, we all can smell it, right?
Well, in the Harris household, I suppose, we smell football 24/7/365 but that's a different story for a different day. I'm a sucker for a list and one of my favorite shows on television is the penultimate list, especially as it pertains to the NFL. Each and every Wednesday night, the NFL Network broadcasts its hour long Top 100 NFL Players countdown.
"AS VOTED ON BY THE PLAYERS."
That, of course, is the huge selling point of the show because anything constructed from your peers means more. Perhaps not, but each year NFL Films/NFL Network has NFL players vote on their top 20 players in the league and from that vote, it compiles a list of the Top 100 players in the NFL. Arian Foster was ranked 80th by the players and was the only other Texan on the list. Again...
"AS VOTED ON BY THE PLAYERS."
Now, if my calculations are correct and I'm pretty sure they are on this one, here is the Players' top 10 of their top 100, in alphabetical order.
Players' Top 100 (In alphabetical order)
• QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
• WR Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
• TE Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
• WR Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
• QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
• RB Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks
• QB Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
• RB Demarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys
• QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
• DE JJ Watt, Houston Texans
The Players' Top 10 reveal will take place on Wednesday July 8th in a two hour show - 10-6 revealed in the first hour and 5-1 in the second hour. Where will JJ end up on that list? Hopefully it's in the second hour as they count down to No. 1.
If Pete Prisco of CBS Sports was in charge of the Top 100, Watt would be the last name revealed at No. 1. He compiled his list of the top 100 players in the league and put Watt at No. 1. His Top 10, in numerical order, is seen below.
Prisco Top 10
1. DE JJ Watt, Houston Texans
2. QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
3. QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
4. DT Ndamukong Suh, Miami Dolphins
5. TE Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
6. QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
7. CB Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks
8. CB Darrelle Revis, New York Jets
9. OLB Von Miller, Denver Broncos
10. OLB Justin Houston, Kansas City Chiefs
Similar names for the most part with the biggest discrepancies being that the Players are higher on Murray and Johnson while Prisco thinks more highly of Suh, Miller and Revis.
Either way, we'll find out on Wednesday if Pete and the Players agree on No. 1.
Watch NFL Network Wednesday and find out.
Defensive end J.J. Watt's 2014 was one to remember. Game-by-game, a Texans' opponent shared his thoughts on the Defensive Player of the Year.
1 sack, 5 QB hits, 2 TFL, 1 FR, 1 blocked extra point "Of course J.J. Watt is going to make some plays. He's going to do that."- Washington OT Trent Williams
1 QB hit that caused an INT, 1 TD reception on offense "We knew we wanted to try to make sure we knew where he was on every play."- Oakland head coach Dennis Allen
7 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFL and 1 batted pass"Every time I got an interview last week it was, 'What's J.J. Watt going to do?' I was overthinking it the first play I went out there, so obviously I wish I could get that back."-New York OT Jordan Pugh
9 QB hits, 1 INT returned 80 yards for a TD"When you see something like that happen, you just have to sit back and tip your hat to a guy like that. They didn't pay him all that money for no reason."- Buffalo RB Fred Jackson
4 tackles"He's the best player in the NFL. I believe that."-Dallas Owner Jerry Jones
2 sacks, 3 TFL, 1 FR for a TD. "He'll go down as one of the best defensive players probably when it is all said and done to play the game."- Colts HC Chuck Pagano:
1 sack, 1 FR, 2 QB hits "He's a good player. You all know that. It's a dog fight in there."- Pittsburgh C Maurkice Pouncey
2 sacks, 1 FF, 1 batted pass "You got 99 over there, you got to get the ball in your hand quick." -Tennessee QB Zac Mettenberger
1.5 sacks, 7 tackles, 5 QB hits "Watt and Mercilus and those guys we talked about earlier in the week, they're the real deal."
1 sack, 3 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 TD catch on offense "He's a great player and he's the type of player that makes the players around him better, too."- Cleveland QB Brian Hoyer
7 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 QB hit "He's a great player. He makes you honest every play, every snap in the first, second, third and fourth quarter."-Cincinnati offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse
2 sacks, 6 QB hits, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 TD catch on offense "He's putting a good case for himself to be MVP this year."- Tennessee QB Zac Mettenberger
3 sacks, 4 TFL, 5 QB hits "Great football player and is one of those guys that have the ability to just to make plays, create turnovers, create havoc."- Jacksonville OT Luke Joeckel
2 sacks, 6 tackles and 1 batted pass "He's a heck of a player. He's going to make plays, we knew that."- Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck
1 sack, 3 TFL, 8 total tackles, 4 QB hits"I respect the heck out of him. He's very savvy and smart."- Baltimore receiver Steve Smith, Sr.
3 sacks (1 for a safety), 4 TFL, 1 FF "He's got what, 20 sacks? He is a very, very dominant player and he is going to get some opportunities."- Jacksonville head coach Gus Bradley
