[Note by cavortingEagle, 07/01/08 7:13 AM MDT Promoted from the fanposts]
Well, it's still more than three weeks to the start of training camp at Lehigh, it's Monday night, and I'm bored as hell...so let's list the most overrated and underrated NFL players, shall we?  I'll even throw in head coaches for kicks.  Here goes...

QUARTERBACK

OVER- TONY ROMO, DALLAS COWGIRLS

I know that the Cowgirls are resurgent, and they've all but been awarded the NFC trophy for this season already by the media, but their stellar defense is more to thank for that than Romo.  One full season under his belt, and you'd think he was the second coming of Troy Aikman or Roger Staubach.  Yes, his team went 13-3 last season, he is making $11m a season, he has been rated as high as #3 on media lists of the best NFL QBs...yet he has folded like wet cardboard in both of his only 2 playoff appearances (remember the botched snap against Seattle?).  He coughs the ball up way more than should happen (10 times last year, 9 the year before that), and he throws interceptions right when the Cowgirls can least afford them.  And, perhaps worst of all, he has not yet shown that he can play with poise in critical situations in critical games.  I'm not saying he will never be a great quarterback at this rate, I'm just saying he has been given too many accolades too soon.  Plus, he seems to be more interested in getting his mug in the tabloids these days than preparing for football games and earning that hefty paycheck of his.  This will only be his second full season, and he'd better pray to god that T.O. or Jason Witten doesn't go down...or that Jessica stops coming to home games.

UNDER- DAVID GARRARD, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Hold on, I know what you're thinking.  How can someone with less starting experience than Romo be considered for this spot, right?  I'll tell you: 18 TDs to 3 INTs for 2509 yds last season for an overall rating of 102.2, and all this after returning to the game from a debilitating intestinal disease that nearly cost him his life.  In one season, Garrard helped turn a nondescript unit into one of the most quietly dynamic offenses in the league, making the Jags a scary playoff team last year, and positioning them today for a Super Bowl run.  The man doesn't appear to make many mistakes, and he plays with uncanny poise.  He won't put up astronomical stats a la the likes of Brady and Manning, but he plays clean, mistake-free, move-the-chains, possession-retaining, eat-the-clock football, all without a fraction of the attention and adulation...and dough...that Romo receives, and also without a superstar receiver like T.O.  Now he is armed with Jerry Porter, who is looking to resurrect his once-promising career.  If he can stay healthy, Garrard will lead to Jags deep into the playoffs this year...and perhaps the Big Game too.

RUNNING BACK

OVER- ADRIAN PETERSON, MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Again, this is not a question of talent, this is a question of experience.  Yes, Adrian won offensive ROY.  Yes, he set the single-game rushing record at 296 yds.  Yes, last year he lived up to his highly touted hoopla.  But let's not get ahead of ourselves here, folks.  The man has one, count 'em, ONE season done, and nearly every talking head around the league is polishing his Canton bust.  Not even halfway through last season, our own Ron Jaworski called him the best runner in the league.  I'm not saying he won't be a future HOFer, just that we should at least wait one or two more seasons before we can make claims like this.  He is an exceptional talent, and I expect he will be an offensive force in the NFL for years to come, but I will still reserve judgment on his HOF status until after his sophomore season.  Let's not forget, for every big run he breaks off, he gets stacked up at the line quite a bit.  We shouldn't always be slaves to the highlight reel.  To all major sports network analysts: CALM DOWN!

UNDER- BRIAN WESTBROOK, EAGLES

Forget Donovan McNabb, if this guy goes down, the Eagles will be screwed.  He is the offensive catalyst for this team, and deserves much more money than he is making.  If the Eagles brass has the common sense that god gave rocks, they'll sign him to a new, big fat contract, and soon.  His stats speak for themselves, and he just gets better every year.  He may not be a prototypical straight-forward RB, but he is incredibly versatile, especially as a receiver, and no one, I repeat, NO ONE can tackle him in the open field.  While LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson reap the glory, B-West is quietly shouldering his team's offense, doing whatever it takes to move the ball.  He has stepped up since McNabb's injuries started piling up, and he is positively indispensable to the Eagles' success.  He's been giving 110% his entire career, and he he still hasn't been given the recognition or the contract he deserves.  He doesn't complain, though...he flat-out frickin' plays.

FULLBACK

-All these guys are underrated, as far as I'm concerned.  They're workhorses, but get no credit for what they do (which, primarily, is blocking)-

WIDE RECEIVER

OVER- TERRELL OWENS, aka "THE PLAYER", DALLAS COWGIRLS

To start, this man was actually voted by other NFL players as the most overrated player in the entire league back in 2006.  Yes, he has undeniable talent, but he is also blatantly selfish, has mood swings bordering on the bipolar, seems to disappear in the playoffs, and in recent years has come down with a nasty case of the dropsies.  I'm not saying all this out of bitterness or out of hatred for the Cowgirls, I'm saying this because it's fact.  The baggage he brings with him wherever he goes far outweighs his achievements on the field, which is a shame, because if he'd just shut up and let his play speak for him, he'd be called one of the best of all time.  Unfortunately for Terrell "I love me some me" Owens, he will not be remembered for his accomplishments nearly as much as he will for his egomaniacal nonsense.  He has great numbers, and he'll probably end up in the HOF, but this doesn't change the fact that his antics will be more of a representation of him than his stats ever will.

UNDER- DONALD DRIVER, GREEN BAY PACKERS

Think DD isn't underrated?  Brett Favre begs to differ.  Driver hasn't had less than 1000 receiving yds since 2003, and he was hurt that season.  He's had 5 1000-yd seasons in a total of 9 in his career, all with the Packers, yet you never hear about it.  He doesn't have the sexy TD numbers that other receivers have, but he is hands-down one of the best possession receivers in the game, not to mention one of the toughest pass-catchers this side of Hines Ward.  Since 2003 he has not had less than 82 receptions per season.  He has a YPC average of 13.9 for his career, which means he catches passes for first downs more often than not.  He is a master of drawing the pass-interference penalty, and his hands are too good to be ignored; he has a total of only 5 fumbles in his career, and he hasn't lost a fumble since 2004.  Any team would be lucky to have this guy, and why he isn't mentioned with the likes of Ocho Cinco, Larry Fitzgerald, and T.O. I have yet to understand.

TIGHT END

OVER- DALLAS CLARK, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

It's not that I don't think Dallas Clark doesn't have a lot of talent; he does, but before Peyton's main man Marvin Harrison went down last year, he was putting up some pretty middling numbers; he didn't have more than 5 TDs or 500 receiving yds before last season, which is decent, but it's not what I'd call elite.  He's good, but he's simply not in the same class as the ageless Tony Gonzalez or the just-now-recognized Jason Witten, as many ESPN analysts would have you believe.  He's not a game-changer, and believe me, he benefits a whooooole lot from having the ball delivered to him by Peyton Manning.  Guys like Witten and Gonzalez have been thrown to by mediocre, even lousy QBs throughout their careers and have still managed to put up HOF numbers.  It's not that I don't think Clark is or can be as good as these guys, it's just that I'd like to see what would happen if Peyton wasn't there.

UNDER- CHRIS COOLEY, WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Ask any Eagles fan...Chris Cooley can kill a defense, slow and quiet.  In 4 seasons, he has over 2600 receiving yds, 27 TDs, and a career average of 11.3 YPC, which are excellent numbers for so young a player.  He has amazing hands, and is one of the few TEs who can stretch a defense, because his excellent hands paired with surprising speed and tenacity make him a scoring threat on any play.  In the past 4 years, he's become a player that opposing defenses have to account for at all times, because if he's given any elbow room, he'll make you pay.  On top of everything else, he's one of the better clutch receivers in the game; he always seems to make those "how did he do it" catches right when the Skins need it most.  He's a Pro-Bowler now, but it's taken the league a little too long to come around on him.

OFFENSIVE TACKLE

OVER- FLOZELL ADAMS, DALLAS COWGIRLS

Another position, another Cowgirl...are we starting to notice a pattern yet?  Big D would have done well to move up in the draft to snag an OT instead of re-signing this bum.  He's finally in the twilight of a career full of holding penalties, and he very well might be the all-time undisputed heavyweight champ of false-start penalties.  The man is a Pro-Bowler, but he still makes rookie mistakes?  He's atrocious in run-blocking, and he's only okay in pass-blocking.  Guys like Marion Barber and Jason Witten have been making him look better lately, and he went to the Pro Bowl last year by dint of being a Cowboy...'nuff said.

UNDER- MATT LIGHT, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Everyone is so busy singing the praises of Brady and Moss that they forget just how good the Pats' o-line is.  Matt Light has been a stalwart for them at OT since the beginning of their dominant run.  He has excellent discipline, he's very consistent, and he can be a terrific, even crushing blocker.  He's one of the main reasons why Brady doesn't spend a whole lot of time on his ass.  He's not a huge name, and he's not mentioned in the same breath as Ogden, Pace, and Jones, but he's a major reason why the Pats won 3 SBs in 4 years, and why they'll keep contending for them in seasons to come.

GUARD

OVER- ALAN FANECA, NEW YORK JETS

A very good player, but I just don't believe this guy deserves the hype he gets.  Besides, being the best o-lineman on the Steelers isn't really something to brag about.  Big Ben Roethlisberger is a lot more mobile than people give him credit for, and Fast Willie Parker is constantly having to improvise his play because the o-line isn't doing its job.  Plus, Faneca basically bitched and moaned his way out of Pittsburgh, and I felt he turned his back on a very loyal fanbase because he was so enamoured of himself and was convinced he deserved more money.  He benefitted from the play of both Roethlisberger and Parker, not to mention Hines Ward's great blocking downfield, and I think he's gotten a little too big for his britches.

UNDER- CHRIS SNEE, NEW YORK GIANTS

I hates the Giants, but give credit where credit is due...Snee was part of a largely underrated NY o-line that stymied the Patriots' vaunted (and overrated) defensive line during the Super Bowl, and the progression of his play helped Eli stay upright so that he could have more time to read defenses and pick his receivers.  Simply put, if it weren't for him or the rest of the G-Men's o-line, there'd be no SB rings in NY right now.  Snee himself is tough, very physical, and is an excellent inside run-blocker.  He's a good soldier, and definitely isn't afraid to get down in the trenches with big, nasty defensive tackles.

CENTER

OVER- KEVIN MAWAE, TENNESSEE TITANS

Another player that I think is good, but just not quite as good as many would think.  I believe that he was perceived as a top-flight lineman when he was with the Jets due to the talents of Curtis Martin.  In truth, Mawae is relatively slow off the snap, and because of this has had to create advantages for himself; as a result, he has gotten away with more holding penalties than nearly any other o-lineman in the game.  When he goes one-on-one, he is likely to be overpowered by stronger defensive linemen.  The longevity of his career speaks volumes for his toughness, but as for skill, I think he is rated a tad above his talents.

UNDER- JAMAAL JACKSON, EAGLES

When is this man going to get some love from the fans for Pro Bowl consideration?  It's tough to get recognition playing on the same line as Jon Runyan, William Thomas, and Shawn Andrews, but he still has been playing excellent football since he took over the starting spot from Hank Fraley a few years ago.  You never hear his name called for a penalty (that distinction belongs to Todd Herremans), and he has been terrific in both run-blocking and pass-protection.  He has not shown himself to be an injury risk.  He is one of the best-kept secrets among o-lineman in the league, and he is very valuable.  Why else would the Birds sign him to an extension that keeps him in green until 2013?

DEFENSIVE END

OVER- RICHARD SEYMOUR, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

I still don't understand why this guy is even remotely considered a Pro Bowl-caliber player.  Not once in his career has he recorded double-digit sacks (the most he's had is 8, back in 2003), he dogs it often against superior o-linemen, he is not able to chase down quarterbacks like he should, and recently he's been getting stood up at the line.  He is also a perennial injury risk; he's played a full 16 games only twice in a 7-year career.  Some tout his versatility (he once went to the Pro Bowl as a DE/DT) and excuse his low sack totals by pointing out that he plays in a 3-4 defense, but his teammate, Jarvis Green, has managed to record just as many from a backup role.  Furthermore, he is regarded by many o-linemen as a dirty player, often using head slaps, foot stomping, and even the occasional punch to gain the upper hand against his opponent.  All this plus excessive, unwarranted media praise equals OVERRATED.

UNDER- KYLE VANDEN BOSCH, TENNESSEE TITANS

This boy is a machine, pure and simple.  It's a shame that he's been mired in obscurity for most of his career, having played on some pretty lousy Titans teams.  Other DEs like Dwight Freeney and Osi Umenyiora enjoy the spotlight more, but Kyle is a force to be reckoned with.  Last year, he tallied 60 tackles (48 of them solo) and 12 sacks...the year before, 75 tackles, 6.5 sacks...the year before that, 65 tackles, 12.5 sacks.  He's tough as nails, and he hits like a runaway freight train.  I guess his team needs more success before he's listed as one of the top five pass-rushers in football today, which is where he belongs.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

OVER- GLENN DORSEY, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Defensive tackle is a hard position to declare over- or underrated, because in the NFL, you're either good or you're not.  But Glenn Dorsey has not even played a down of professional football yet, and his Madden '09 rating is already 84.  He won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the best defensive player in college football last year, which was a debatable decision.  He had a relatively poor showing at the NFL combine, and as a result, his stock dropped somewhat.  He was still in the top 5 taken, but he was once a leading candidate to go #1 overall.  ONCE AGAIN, I'm not saying he won't have a successful career, but ESPN has struck again in making sports fans' minds up for them.  Let's see him take at least 1 snap of pro ball before we start ranking him as high as he has been.

UNDER- KELLY GREGG, BALTIMORE RAVENS

Kelly has been able to achieve what not many 6-foot DTs before him have: NFL success.  He is considered short for his position (ideal DT heights are 6'2" and above), yet his tackle total of 408 and his sack total of 16.5 for his career are impressive.  For seven years, he has managed to be a dependable force at DT for a series of awesome Ravens defenses...simply making starter in this unit is an achievement...and he does not receive the accolades that the Williams brothers of Minnesota or Albert Haynesworth of Tennessee receive.  He has flown under the radar for most of his career, and he deserves more praise than he gets.

LINEBACKER

OVER- BRIAN URLACHER, CHICAGO BEARS

Some might think this blasphemy, but it's true.  It's not that he isn't one of the better linebackers in the league; he is, but this is a case of the stats not keeping up with the hype.  He needs exceptionally large DTs in front of him in order to get to the QB, like when he had Ted Washington and Keith Traylor as teammates.  Now that Chicago's DTs aren't so big, Urlacher has had to lay off the QB more and more, dropping back into coverage.  He takes himself out of plays too often, as when he attempts to shed big o-linemen, often unsuccessfully, opening up holes for running backs.  Furthermore, unlike Baltimore LB Ray Lewis, he does not make other players on his defense better.  That said, his career stats are HOF-worthy, but he is simply over-hyped.  He is a terrific player, a Pro-Bowl player, but he shouldn't be equated with the likes of Lawrence Taylor, Jack Lambert, and Chuck Bednarik.

UNDER- KEITH BULLUCK, TENNESSEE TITANS

This guy is one of the Iron Men of pro football...he has started and played in a full 16 games every year since 2002.  He is not as feared as Shawne Merriman, nor as hyped as Urlacher, but he has a great football mind, and therefore he is exactly where is supposed to be at all times, and almost never misses a play he is supposed to make.  He has rare speed and agility for his position that allows him to take on some of the best RBs in the league.  A true student of the game, Bulluck's services have not been lauded as they should have.

CORNERBACK

OVER- DeANGELO HALL, OAKLAND RAIDERS

You could fill a Greyhound bus with the NFL's overrated, overpaid cornerbacks, but this chap takes the cake.  He recently signed a seven-year, $70-freakin'-million dollar deal with the woeful Oakland Raiders, with only 17 career interceptions to his credit and a long, sad history of selfishness and losing his cool.  Simply put, when it comes to discipline, Hall is dumber than a second coat of paint.  When agitated, which is often, he will not think twice about throwing a shove or a punch at the offending party (remember the run-in with Carolina WR Steve Smith last year?).  He also has no problem flapping his yap at teammates and coaches, as evidenced by his sideline tirade following his fracas with Smith.  He has the ability to get the pick, but he is burned way way WAY too often for the kind of money he's making.  Pass-interference and unsportsmanlike penalties are always a possibility with him.  In terms of football skills and stats, others may be more overrated than him, but it's his attitude and laughable salary that win him the #1 spot.

UNDER- NNAMDI ASOMUGHA, OAKLAND RAIDERS

Never mind the name, never mind the fact that he has only 9 career interceptions; this guy is a true shutdown corner.  It's just that he's been playing on the Raiders his entire career.  Ever wonder why he only has nine picks?  It's because opposing QBs won't even throw to his side!  They know that every time they put the ball up against him, he has the potential to snag it.  They're not even challenging him anymore.  If this guy had been on a better team, he'd be a perennial Pro-Bowler by now.  Maybe with DeAngelo in town, he'll see more looks at the ball this season.

SAFETY

OVER- ROY "HORSE COLLAR" WILLIAMS, DALLAS COWGIRLS

Here he is, ladies and gents, the most overrated player on this entire list, and damn if he ain't a Cowgirl.  Everyone, EVERYONE, knows this guy ain't worth what he's been given, both in praise and salary.  He makes the Pro Bowl every year, inexplicably, and no one can figure out why.  He SUCKS in man coverage, and when he finally figures out he's been beaten, he'll wrap the play up with an illegal horse-collar tackle, which he still does to this day even after the league made it illegal...BECAUSE OF HIM!!  Sure, he'll lay a big hit on a receiver, but he'll whiff 9 times out of 10 trying to do it.  Yet he'll continue to make Pro Bowls, and announcers will continue to kiss his ass...I just don't get it.

UNDER- ADRIAN WILSON, ARIZONA CARDINALS

This guy has had some injury issues of late, but when he comes back healthy this season, look out.  He's been flying under the radar for quite some time now, mainly because he's on the Cardinals, but he's a defensive threat in every sense of the term.  He has 16 career sacks, with 8 in 2005...that's incredible for a defensive back.  His INT totals are decent, not great, but opposing WRs are always saying that they have to take account of where he is on the field at all times, because he excels in coverage.  He also can play the run just as well as he can play the pass.  I expect big things out of Adrian this season.

KICKER

OVER- ADAM VINATIERI, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Okay, he's kicked two Super-Bowl winning field goals.  Big whoop.  They were from distances of 48 and 41 yards, both on turf, and both makable distances for him.  But calling him the best kicker in HISTORY based on this?  Preposterous.  He is continually called a HOFer by analysts and announcers, but let's not forget that only 1 pure kicker is currently enshrined in Canton (Jan Stenerud).  He's a fine kicker, but let's not make him seem more indispensable than he really is.  He's had the luxury of playing for excellent, Super-Bowl winning teams, and he simply has not been tested that much.  In those Super Bowls, it's not as if he had been kicking field goals all day, singlehandedly winning the game for his team.

UNDER- DAVID AKERS, EAGLES

Some might think this strange, but I do believe he's underrated at this point in his career.  He's been slowed by injuries lately, and his accuracy and distance have suffered.  It seems the league and the media have written him off.  But don't forget, this guy has been one of the most reliable kickers in the league for as long as he's been around, so when he comes back healthy this season, you can bank on him returning to his old form once more.

PUNTER

-Who cares?-

HEAD COACH

OVER- BILL "I SPY" BELICHICK, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Here he is, the 007 of pro football, the KGB of the gridiron, the "genius" of the NFL.  Genius??  Buffalo puckey!  This worm's been overrated for YEARS.  Never mind the Super Bowl titles, and you can forget all about SpyGate for that matter.  He's ridden the coattails of Tom Brady into NFL idolatry.  Before Brady, Belichick couldn't sniff the Super Bowl.  He was fired by the Cleveland Browns after five lousy seasons culminating in a 36-44 record.  In 2001, the Patriots started 0-2 before a vicious knock on Drew Bledsoe forced him out, and, lo and behold, on the next play the Lord said, "Let there be Brady," and Brady did appear, and it was good.  Belichick has achieved legendary status on Brady's merits alone, no other reason.  And he carries himself as if he knew Brady was going to be this great all along.  In truth, he's an arrogant, mean-spirited, self-important knob who'd better retire when Brady does, if he knows what's good for him.

UNDER- JACK DEL RIO, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Some, in fact many, might disagree with me here, but I think Del Rio is a really good coach.  He hasn't had much talent to work with in years past, but he's stuck with his game plan, and it's just now beginning to bear fruit.  He's not one of those overbearing, loudmouth coaches (like Bill Parcells) or an arrogant, self-assured pseudo-genius (like BeliDick).  He's a relatively quiet guy who lets his team do their thing, and he gives all the credit to his players.  It's taken him a while, but now he's ready to take the Jags far this season.  Plus, c'mon, the old-school suit on the sidelines is money.

Well, folks, that's it.  Look it over, give it a think, and let me know your thoughts/opinions/suggestions.