Following one of the most prolific offensive years in league history this season, already established passers and receivers reinforced their status among the league's elite. A transformation in the NFL has been created in the 2008-09 campaign, as budding young defensive stars are beginning to change the focus of teams and game plans.
The absence of players like injured New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has led to a shift in the focus of many teams, as those atop the standings are the teams putting a strong emphasis on defense. Last season, only five teams allowed fewer than 20 points per game. This year, nine are in that category, and of those nine, six are division leaders, and the other three are tied for second.
What is the cause of this defensive renaissance? Signs seem to point to a sudden influx of young, speedy and "team-first" players coming into the NFL.
The Tennessee Titans, the lone undefeated team in the league, sit atop the AFC North not because of their offensive studs but because of the play of emerging standouts on the opposite side of the ball.
Tennessee ranks second in the NFL in interceptions with 14, and all but two of those have come by players under the age of 28. Chris Hope, Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin -- certainly not household names by any standards -- are doing a more-than-impressive job in the secondary, having given up just five passing touchdowns this season, good enough for second best in the league.
For the Titans, youthful talent abounds on the defensive side. The average age of a Titan defensive player is 28, which hovers right around the age of sack-happy Albert Haynesworth, who has experienced a revamping of sorts and has helped lead the Titans defense to an NFL-leading fewest points per game allowed (13) and the best turnover differential (+10).
But it's not just the blue and white in Nashville that is relying heavily on the play of young and burgeoning defensive stars. With the injury to Brady, the Patriots have turned to their corps of veteran leadership -- Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, et al -- as well as rookie Jerod Mayo for help in picking up the slack.
Mayo, a rookie out of the University of Tennessee, is leading all first-years in tackles with 65 and was named October's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month. Defensive back Brandon Meriweather, 24, is the team's leader in interceptions with three.
New England is normally a team dominated by veterans; of their top seven tacklers in 2007, only one was under 30, compared to four this year. A major reason why the Patriots have been able to catapult themselves to the top of the AFC East is because of young players like Mayo and Meriweather.
Further down the east coast, the New York Giants were able to down the Patriots in last year's Super Bowl because of their stellar defensive effort. This has fully transferred over into the current campaign, as the Giants sit atop the NFC at 8-1, in part attributed to the sixth-best defensive squad in the league.
Like the Titans and Patriots, the Giants have a slew of young superstars in their defensive backfield, who have catalyzed the strong start. Corey Webster, 26, is the team leader in interceptions, while Justin Tuck, the team leader in sacks, is just 25 years old.
Most impressively, however, has been the young players' ability to fill in for injured veterans, players whose leadership was invaluable on last year's championship squad. With Osi Umenyiora out for the season and Michael Strahan retired, Tuck was forced to carry the weight of the defense on his broad shoulders and has responded immediately. Tuck has remained a terror ever since wreaking havoc on Brady in Arizona last February, adding an interception return TD this past Sunday to his statistical arsenal. Tuck is also getting help from tackle Fred Robbins, 31, and end Mathias Kiwanuka, 25, who each have 5.5 sacks.
Across the league, previously unknown defensive players are beginning to cement themselves among the league's elite, rising in the ranks with the offensive stars of prior years. The last defensive player to win MVP was Lawrence Taylor in 1986 but, if these trends continue in the AFC, the trophy might just fall into the hands of someone not named Brady, Manning or Tomlinson.
