By Trent Modglin
Jan. 15, 2008

All-NFL picks (L to R) Brian Westbrook, Jared Allen and Devin Hester

The Patriots and Cowboys dominated the NFL’s reg­ular season en route to No. 1 seeds in the playoffs, and not surprisingly, they put a total of nine players on the PFW/PFWA All-NFL team.

With a mixture of old reliables such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Owens and Walter Jones and fresh-faced newcomers Patrick Willis, Logan Mankins and Jason Witten, we feel pretty comfortable putting our team up against any.

When Peyton Manning broke Dan Marino’s thought-to-be-unbreakable record with 49 TD passes in 2004, no one figured the bar would be raised again three years later. But blessed with by far the best receiving corps of his career, Brady put on a serious display of accuracy en route to a perfect 16-0 regular season, completing 69 percent of his passes for 4,806 yards, 50 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. Quite simply, Brady turned passing into an art form in a season for the ages.

OK, so his productivity paled in comparison to his ridiculous 2006 numbers, but this season was still pretty impressive for the incomparable L.T., who won the rushing title for a second consecutive year with 1,474 yards, scored 18 total touchdowns, caught 60 passes and ­didn’t lose a fumble in 375 touches.

RB Brian Westbrook | Eagles

Long considered one of the most underrated weapons in the NFL, Westbrook has made a name for himself of late as the centerpiece of Philadelphia’s offense. Gone are the days of the Eagles splitting his workload in fear of wearing him down. Westbrook set a career high in carries (278), rushing yards (1,333), touchdowns (12), receptions (90) and receiving yards (771) in ’07. Not a bad year’s work in an otherwise down year for the Eagles.

WR Randy Moss | Patriots

Randy was relevant again in 2007, to say the least. After two moody and underachieving seasons in Oakland, Moss returned as a regular fixture on the highlight reels after being traded to New England for a fourth-round draft pick. Teamed with Tom Brady and playing for an organization built around team-first attitudes, Moss kept his focus intact, and he broke Jerry Rice’s record for TD catches in a season with 23. His 98 receptions nearly matched the 102 he totaled in his two seasons with the Raiders.

WR Terrell Owens | Cowboys

Owens left a drama-filled 2006 in the rearview mirror and focused on football this season. The result was another Pro Bowl campaign for No. 81, complete with 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns, his most since ’01, as the Cowboys cruised to a 13-3 record.

TE Jason Witten | Cowboys

Far more than just a safety valve for Tony Romo, Witten staked his claim to be considered among the league’s elite with a monster year, complete with 96 catches for 1,145 yards and seven scores. The reception and yardage totals were second to only Tony Gonzalez among tight ends. Not only was Witten capable of hauling in the big play (12 of his catches went for 20 yards or longer), he was consistent to boot, with 10 games of at least 67 yards.

C Jeff Saturday | Colts

When your No. 1 receiver is out and you’re using a revolving door at left tackle and missing ORT Ryan Diem for a chunk of the season, stability is what the Colts needed from their veterans. And stability is just what the cerebral Saturday provided, making the line calls for Indy’s high-octane offense, which finished fifth in yards and third in points.

OG Steve Hutchinson | Vikings

It can be argued that Hutchinson, with a better second season than his first in Minnesota, is the best guard in the game. The Vikings boasted the league’s No. 1 rushing attack and had the most success going to the left side behind Hutchinson. If you want to know just how valuable he is, ask the Seahawks how much they’ve missed him the last two years.

OG Logan Mankins | Patriots

On a solid, underrated line, Mankins, the only first-round pick of the bunch, is the Patriots’ only  truly physical mauler up front. Powerful and quick to the second level, Mankins is the guy the Pats run behind most often and a key to their record-breaking offense.

OT Matt Light | Patriots

You don’t throw for 50 TD passes and get sacked only 21 times in 607 dropbacks, as Tom Brady did, without a standout tackle protecting your blind side. Light regressed a bit vs. speed rushers in the latter stages of the season, but he has reached elite status among his peers.

OT Walter Jones | Seahawks

True, Jones might be in decline to some extent and isn’t the player he once was, but his athleticism, footwork and ability to play through shoulder problems and a kidney condition keep him among the top-of-the-line players outside.

DE Patrick Kerney | Seahawks

Now this is exactly what the Seahawks had in mind when they signed Kerney to a $39.5 million deal in the offseason. Not only did he generate relentless pressure off the edge with 14½ sacks, but Kerney also earned his keep with some solid play against the run and valuable locker-room leadership to make Seahawks fans forget the Grant Wistrom mistake.

DE Jared Allen | Chiefs

Allen put his nonstop motor to good use in a contract year, all but assuring himself of a sizable multiyear deal or the franchise tag from the Chiefs, with 64 tackles and an NFL-best 15½ sacks. He also added 10 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and the first two TD receptions of his career, all despite missing the first two weeks because of a league-mandated suspension.

DT Kevin Williams | Vikings

Teaming with Pat Williams, Kevin helps form the stingiest DT combination the league has to offer, helping the Vikings easily lead the NFL in run defense by allowing a paltry 3.1 yards per carry. On only four occasions did a Minnesota opponent eclipse the 100-yard mark on the ground. But Williams, at 6-5 and 311 pounds, is hardly a one-trick pony, as he also has the quickness to disrupt the pocket.

DT Albert Haynesworth | Titans

They say to judge a player’s true value, you’re supposed to gauge how the team does with him and then look at the numbers when the club has to go without him. If that’s the case, Haynesworth probably should be the league’s MVP. With his quickness and power available to them in the trenches, the Titans allowed a meager 76 rushing yards per game. But in the three weeks he missed with a tender hamstring — all losses — Tenn­essee gave up an average of 160 yards on the ground. Coincidence? We think not.

OLB Mike Vrabel | Patriots

The old man continues to get it done for Bill Belichick’s crew. Expected to move inside with Adalius Thomas’ arrival, Vrabel, in his 11th season, instead stayed outside and showed off his versatility by recording 77 tackles, 12½ sacks, five forced fumbles and consistently providing great coverage. What he lacks in physical gifts, Vrabel makes up for with instincts and savvy.

OLB DeMarcus Ware | Cowboys

Utilized more as a pass rusher in Wade Phillips’ version of the 3-4, Ware came into his own in his third season. He registered 14 sacks, tying him for third in the league in that department. He also finished third on the Cowboys’ defense in tackles with 84 and forced four fumbles.

MLB Patrick Willis | 49ers

If “impact rookie” was a phrase you could find in the dictionary, Willis’ headshot would surely run alongside it. Many believe he is well on his way to becoming the NFL’s next dominant defender. All he did was lead the league in tackles by a wide margin and also notch four sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. When most first-year players hit the wall, Willis only got better.

CB Antonio Cromartie | Chargers

It’s hard to imagine this guy played really but one year at Florida State. Supplanting Drayton Florence for a starting spot at midseason, the athletic Cromartie, who stands 6-2 and plays the ball in the air like a receiver, led the NFL with 10 interceptions in his second year. He also set a record that is guaranteed never to be broken, returning a missed field goal 109 yards for a score.

CB Asante Samuel | Patriots

Because of a contract holdout, Samuel didn’t have training camp or the preseason to prepare for the real thing, but it was difficult to tell considering how well he played for New England’s sixth-ranked pass defense. Previously believed to be more of a system guy, Samuel changed that perception by becoming a lock-down corner with tremendous instincts and playmaking ability. As a result, the Patriots are now leaning toward paying top dollar to keep the soon-to-be free agent.

S Bob Sanders | Colts

Nicknamed “The Eraser” by head coach Tony Dungy for the way he erases mistakes made by his teammates, Sanders once again has proven his worth as the heart and soul of Indy’s third-ranked defense. The Colts’ defensive fortunes turned around dramatically upon his return to health in the postseason a year ago, and his ability to stay out of the trainer’s room for the most part this season paid huge dividends.

S Ed Reed | Ravens

We didn’t see the game-changing plays from Reed as often this season, but he still managed seven interceptions while trying to cover up for a depleted Ravens secondary for much of the season. He remains the model for ball-hawking safeties in the league.

PK Rob Bironas | Titans

Bironas enjoyed a breakout third year, connecting on 35-of-39 field-goal attempts to finish fourth in the league in scoring. He proved very dependable for a Titans team that needed every one of his points to make the playoffs. He nailed 4-of-5 FGs from 50 yards and beyond and hit an NFL-record eight field goals in a game against Houston.

P Andy Lee | 49ers

Not only did Lee finish second in gross average (47.3 yards) and net average (41.0) in 2007, but he stuck 42 punts inside the 20-yard line, easily leading the league in that category.

KR Josh Cribbs | Browns

Overshadowed by the Bears’ Devin Hester, Cribbs led the NFL with a 30.7-yard average on kickoff returns and took two back for scores. Although he has a knack for choosing the right lane and certainly can run away from defenders, Cribbs is fully capable of breaking tackles, too. He also serves as a good coverage guy on special teams and a standout punt returner, as well.

PR Devin Hester | Bears

To quote Bears play-by-play commentator Jeff Joniak: “Devin Hester, you are ridiculous!” If you’re somehow not sold on Hester’s explosiveness as a returner, you need only visit Soldier Field, where there is a decided buzz every time the second-year Miami (Fla.) product retreats to field a punt or a kickoff. Hester averaged a gaudy 15.5 yards per punt return and took four back for scores, all despite opposing teams having threatened bodily harm to any punter who didn’t send the ball sailing out of bounds.

ST Kassim Osgood | Chargers

At 6-5 and 220 pounds and with the ability to run like the wide receiver he is, Osgood is a tough matchup for opposing special-teams units. He made 14 tackles covering punts and kickoffs, including 12 solos, on his way to a Pro Bowl bid.

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Links to 2007 PFW/PFWA awards