Best vs. Best
Adam Duerson
September 03, 2007
There are always
games within the games in the NFL, and often they're one-on-one matchups. But
only rarely are we treated to a full-fledged confrontation between a premier
offensive player and a premier defensive player, each as good as anybody in the
league at his position and each looking to prove something at the expense of
the other. Football reputations are made in moments like these. The 2007 NFL
calendar provides but a handful of such showdowns. Here are eight that promise
to be great.
WEEK 1 ||| SEPTEMBER 10
WEEK 9 |||
NOVEMBER 4
Vince Young
TENNESSEE TITANS
QUARTERBACK
VS.
Julius
Peppers
CAROLINA
PANTHERS
DEFENSIVE END
Young's most
famous unscripted scrambles last year--a 19-yard fourth-down run against the
Giants and a game-winning 39-yard dash against the Texans--went to the right,
where he can see what's ahead. What he'll see if he does that against the
Panthers is the league's best defensive end. With the wingspan of a 7-footer,
Peppers is the type of player who can snuff out a highlight-reel scramble with
the swipe of one beefy arm. He's never faced Young, but he has played often
against the comparable Michael Vick, so Young might want to break out a tape of
the last Falcons-Panthers meeting, in December. Peppers had two sacks.
WEEK 10 |||
NOVEMBER 11
Marcus
McNeill
SAN DIEGO
CHARGERS
LEFT TACKLE
VS.