| In the Aug. 22 issue of Pro Football Weekly (Vol. XIV,
Issue 7), currently available on newsstands, I wrote that the void created by the
retirement, injuries and loss of a step to age by many old-school superstars will be ably
filled by the star-studded positions of cornerback and wide receiver. As a result, it is
my belief that the WR-CB matchups that we will see in the coming years will provide a
great deal of excitement for NFL fans. As a follow-up to the column I wrote in the print
edition of PFW, I am now ranking the top 15 WR-CB matchups that will take place during the
upcoming season.
This isn’t necessarily the matchups of the players with the highest cumulative
grades (although that is weighed heavily), but simply the matchups I most want to see.
What I always want to see are super-elite players going up against one another.
In my book there are six super-elite wide receivers and seven super-elite cornerbacks
presently in the NFL. Thus, I only considered those players.
The super-elite wide receivers are: Antonio Freeman (Packers), Randy Moss (Vikings),
Keyshawn Johnson (Jets), Joey Galloway (Seahawks), Eric Moulds (Bills) and Herman Moore
(Lions).
Terrell Owens, Cris Carter, Jimmy Smith and Frank Sanders all come close to super-elite
status, but all just barely missed the cut.
The super-elite cornerbacks are: Deion Sanders (Cowboys), Ty Law (Patriots), Dale
Carter (Broncos), Charles Woodson (Raiders), Aeneas Williams (Cardinals), Shawn Springs
(Seahawks) and Ray Buchanan (Falcons).
Were Jason Sehorn not coming back from such a serious injury, I would have included him
among the super-elite cornerbacks, but until he proves he’s back to where he was
before he hurt his knee, I don’t find him to be a must-see performer for the purposes
of this article on most exciting WR-CB matchups.
While opposing teams’ top cornerback and receiver don’t necessarily go up
against one another every play of the game, it only makes sense that they will go
one-on-one quite a bit. Here then are my top 15 WR-CB matchups for the upcoming season.
1. Randy Moss vs. Deion Sanders (Nov. 8) — I don’t rank Moss
as the No. 1 wide receiver in the league at this moment (that honor goes to Freeman), but
I do rank Moss as the most attention-grabbing receiver in the NFL at this time. It’s
amazing how much he dominated last season despite the fact that he hadn’t yet soaked
in all of the subtle nuances of the position. It’s scary to think how good Moss can
become if he’s willing to become a student of the position. "Scary" is
exactly how good Sanders is when he’s healthy. If Sanders’ toe is OK, this
matchup will be an all-out war between the game’s two biggest game-breakers at their
respective positions.
2. Antonio Freeman vs. Deion Sanders (Nov. 14) — If Sanders’
toe is OK, this matchup will pit the NFL’s No. 1 receiver against its top-ranked
cornerback. I think Sanders is the better player of the two, but Freeman teams with Brett
Favre (the NFL’s top player, regardless of position) to even the playing field in
what should be a magnificent battle of receiver against cornerback.
3. Keyshawn Johnson vs. Deion Sanders (Dec. 19) — Sensing a Deion
Sanders trend here? There’s a reason. Whereas, the super-elite wide receivers are
graded fairly close together, Sanders (when healthy) is head and shoulders ahead of the
next-best cornerback in the NFL. This matchup is thrilling to me because of the supreme
confidence that each player has. Will there be massive trash talking? Or will their
respect for each other’s talent make them zip their lip and just play football?
Either way, it’s more than worth the price of admission.
4. Joey Galloway vs. Charles Woodson (Oct. 3 and Dec. 5) — Hey,
no Deion Sanders. Woodson isn’t the best cornerback in the NFL right now. Heck, he
doesn’t even make the top three. That said, I expect Woodson to improve by such leaps
and bounds that, if Sanders’ toe does not come around, Woodson will become the
NFL’s No. 1 cornerback by season’s end. Galloway is a terrific player who
figures to get even better with Mike Holmgren around to take advantage of the
receiver’s wonderful skills. The Galloway-Woodson matchup will be an AFC West battle
to watch and enjoy for years to come.
5. Randy Moss vs. Charles Woodson (Sept. 19) — I’ve already
explained the scenario in which Woodson could be the best cornerback in the game by the
end of the season. I’ve also already said that Moss still can get much better if he
is willing to learn the intricacies of his position. If Moss does just that, he too could
be the best in the NFL at his position by year’s end. Thus, this game promises to be
a terrific measuring stick between two players who have the potential to absolutely
dominate the game for a long time to come.
6. Antonio Freeman vs. Dale Carter (Oct. 17) — As good as he is,
Carter can lose his focus. As good as Freeman is, he tends to drop too many balls. Thus,
you have a couple of guys who can have fairly large ends of the spectrum in their play.
Yet, Freeman is the No. 1 receiver in the game, and Carter is the No. 2 cornerback. With
two such great players with such large ranges of play, there is a sense that just about
anything can happen in this matchup. Of the two, Freeman seems much less likely to have
the wheels fall off.
7. Antonio Freeman vs. Charles Woodson (Sept. 12) — As good as
Woodson is and figures to become, he’s still very short on NFL experience. It will be
fun to see how he holds up against a more experienced star receiver like Freeman.
8. Eric Moulds vs. Ty Law (Nov. 28 and Dec. 26) — Both of these
players elevated their play significantly last season. It will be fun to see if they can
continue to play at that elite level, as well as see how they fare against another elite
performer in this matchup. Seeing as how they play in the same division, this is a battle
that figures to rage on for years to come.
9. Keyshawn Johnson vs. Charles Woodson (Oct. 24) — I love
matchups between two young, incredibly talented and very self-confident players. I’ve
already said that I expect Woodson to someday be the best cornerback in the NFL, and if
Moss isn’t willing to do what it takes to be the best at his position, I
wouldn’t be shocked to see Johnson grab the crown someday at receiver. This matchup
will give you a look at future NFL greatness. Heck, it’s a look at present NFL
greatness.
10. Keyshawn Johnson vs. Shawn Springs (Jan. 2) — The comment
that I made for Johnson vs. Woodson at No. 9 pretty much applies here. The only difference
is that I think Springs, while even with Woodson at the moment, will ultimately rank just
a smidgen behind the Raider cornerback.
11. Herman Moore vs. Aeneas Williams (Nov. 14) — Whereas a lot of
these matchups have been between either two young stars or a youngster and a
well-established star, this matchup pits two well-established performers. Moore vs.
Williams should be fun to watch for the subtleties that a couple of highly productive,
longtime stars bring to the game.
12. Keyshawn Johnson vs. Ty Law (Sept. 12 and Nov. 15) — Johnson
is a warrior who craves the big-game spotlight. Law is a player who always seems to put
himself in position to make the play and wants the opportunity to take on the game’s
best. These seem like two players who want a piece of a talented opponent in order to
challenge themselves and push themselves to an even higher level.
13. Randy Moss vs. Ray Buchanan (Sept. 12) — I don’t think
that Buchanan gets enough credit. The fact that I only have him in these rankings one time
is not meant to slight him. Instead, it reflects the fact that he doesn’t go up
against any of the other super-elite players on my list. That said, he will face the
49ers’ Terrell Owens, the Jaguars’ Jimmy Smith and the Cardinals’ Frank
Sanders, as well as the Vikings’ Cris Carter when Buchanan is not defending Moss.
Owens, Smith, Sanders and Carter all just miss super-elite status. Moss will be the one
super-elite player Buchanan faces, though, so it will be interesting to see how the Falcon
cornerback fares.
14. Joey Galloway vs. Dale Carter (Nov. 14 and Dec. 19) —
Seattle’s offense figures to be much improved with Holmgren calling the shots,
meaning Galloway should only become more dangerous. The Denver defense, underrated to
begin with, should only get better with the addition of Carter. Thus, not only do you have
two great players on two talented, improving units, but you have this one-on-one battle in
the context of a division rivalry between two teams that are good bets to post
double-digit victory totals and make the playoffs.
15. Herman Moore vs. Shawn Springs (Sept. 12) — This matchup is
intriguing to me because, even though it pits an established veteran against a rising
young star, it is a measuring-stick game for each. In Springs’ case, the measurement
is: How does he stack up against one of the game’s best receivers who knows a lot of
the tricks of the trade that Springs is just becoming accustomed to dealing with? In
Moore’s case, the measurement is: How does he fare against an elite player in spite
of the fact that Barry Sanders is no longer around to take some of the pressure off the
passing game? |
