| | | | | | | | Wednesday, November 6, 2002
Midseason All-MNF Team
By Mike Diegnan
ABC Sports Online
Maybe the two most memorable plays of the 2002 season so far have been on Monday Night Football: Chris McAlister's NFL record return of Jason Elam's missed field goal and Terrell Owens' signature game-winning play at Seattle.
Indeed, the first nine games have been a series of memorable individual performances, starting on the opening weekend when Tom Brady shredded the Steelers to Brett Favre leading the Packers to victory on one good knee.
So we honor our first half All-MNF team (performances on Monday Night Football only).
QB: Donovan McNabb
McNabb put on a one-man show during the second week with his shredding of the Redskins. Washington couldn't keep up with McNabb as he completed 26-of-38 for 292 yards and two touchdowns in the Eagles' 37-7 rout. He also added 36 yards rushing on five carries and another score. The Giants stopped McNabb's arm in Week Eight, but he instead beat them with his feet, rushing for 111 yards, including a 40-yard scramble that was one of the most exciting plays of the first half.
Also in the running: New England's Tom Brady, Green Bay's Brett Favre
RB: Ahman Green, Duce Staley
Green eclipsed the century mark in the Packers' 34-23 win over Chicago in Week Five, and then posted 143 all-purpose yards and two scores in their 24-10 victory over Miami.
Staley benefited from the Eagles' stellar blocking against the Giants. He finished the night with 126 yards on 24 carries and also caught two passes for another 37 yards against one of the league's best defenses.
WR: Marty Booker, Terrell Owens
It's almost a cliché already because it's been used so many times, but it will be a long time before people forget Owens' signature play. It forced the NFL to add a rule to the uniform code. It also capped off a stellar night in which he caught six passes 84 yards and two touchdowns in the 49ers' 28-21 win.
Booker was Chicago's main target in their loss to Green Bay in Week Five. Booker finished the night with 12 catches for 141 yards and a score.
Also in the running: New England's Deion Branch, Green Bay's Terry Glenn and Donald Driver, Seattle's Bobby Engram
TE: Todd Heap
The Ravens' second-year tight end helped the Ravens run over the Broncos in one of the biggest surprises of the first half. He finished the night with five receptions for 84 yards and two touchdowns.
OT: Mike Flanagan, Wayne Gandy
In one of the best screen passes in recent time, Flanagan was a part of the cavalry that led Ahman Green on a 23-yard touchdown. Gandy was one of the leaders of the Steelers' line that helped them rush for 161 yards against the Colts.
OG: Alan Faneca, John Welbourn
In back-to-back weeks, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia ran over their opponents with strong play from their offensive lines. Faneca helped pave the way for Amos Zereoue in the Steelers' 28-10 win over Indianapolis. The following week, Welbourn helped create huge holes in the Eagles' 17-3 defeat of the Giants.
C: Hank Fraley
Fraley was a monster for the Eagles when they rushed for 299 yards against the Giants. Fraley and Co. opened up the Red Sea for McNabb and Staley.
DE: Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Simeon Rice
Gbaja-Biamila had a pair of dominant games. In Week Five, he finished with two sacks, forced a fumble and returned an interception 72 yards for a score. He didn't score against the Dolphins, but he did finish with 2.5 sacks.
Rice was a part of the wrecking crew that crushed the Rams. He finished with two tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and defended three passes.
Also in the running: Baltimore's Michael McCrary
DT: Gilbert Brown, Warren Sapp
Brown was in Ray Lucas' face all night during the Packers' win over the Dolphins. Sapp only registered two tackles and a sack against the Rams, but he created so much havoc that St. Louis couldn't block everyone.
OLB: Derrick Brooks, Nate Wayne
Brooks still leads Keyshawn Johnson in touchdowns scored this season, and he one-upped him in Week Three when he returned an interception 39 yards for a score that ended St. Louis' chances of rallying in the final minute. He also added six tackles and a sack.
Wayne was a catalyst in Green Bay's crushing of the Dolphins. He finished the night with nine tackles, a forced fumble and picked off Ray Lucas once.
Also in the running: New England's Roman Phifer
MLB: Ray Lewis
After the game, John Madden called his play in the first half the best by a defensive player since Lawrence Taylor: 11 tackles, an interception and a huge block that sent Chris McAlister for a touchdown. He finished with 18 tackles in the Ravens' 34-23 win over the Broncos.
CB: Will Allen, Terrell Buckley
Buckley, who was signed just before the season opener, picked off Kordell Stewart twice as the Patriots routed the Steelers to start off the season. Allen helped the Giants hold Donovan McNabb to just 137 yards passing in Week Eight.
Also in the running: Tampa Bay's Ronde Barber, New England's Ty Law
S: Brent Alexander, Brian Dawkins
Alexander and the Steelers' defense shut down the Colts. Alexander picked off Peyton Manning twice and also blitzed in for a sack. Dawkins did a little of everything in Philadelphia's win over Washington. He had a sack, an interception and made five tackles.
Also in the running: Baltimore's Ed Reed, Green Bay's Darren Sharper
PK Martin Gramatica
Gramatica was perfect in Tampa Bay's 26-14 win over St. Louis, hitting 39- and 47-yard field goals.
P: Matt Allen
The Giants kicker averaged 41.6 yards on five punts against the Eagles. He put two inside the 20, including one on the 1. But even more than anything, his run for 13 yards for a first down on a bad snap kept a drive alive. And he did by taking on the defender rather than going out of bounds.
Returner: Jacquez Green
Green's 90-yard punt return was the lone highlight for the Redskins in their 37-7 loss to the Eagles in Week Two.
Specialist Chris McAlister
The play of the first half on Monday Night Football: McAlister's NFL-record 107-yard return just before halftime against the Broncos. Lewis set him going with his monster block and McAlister went from there down the left sideline.
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OFFENSE
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WR
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Terrell Owens
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San Francisco
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OT
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Mike Flanagan
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Green Bay
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OG
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Alan Fanaca
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Pittsburgh
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C
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Hank Fraley
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Philadelphia
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OG
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John Welbourn
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Philadelphia
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OT
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Wayne Gandy
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Pittsburgh
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TE
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Todd Heap
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Baltimore
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WR
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Marty Booker
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Chicago
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QB
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Donovan McNabb
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Philadelphia
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RB
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Ahman Green
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Green Bay
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RB
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Duce Staley
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Philadelphia
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DEFENSE
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DE
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Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila
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Green Bay
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DT
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Gilbert Brown
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Green Bay
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DT
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Warren Sapp
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Tampa Bay
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DE
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Simeon Rice
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Tampa Bay
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OLB
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Derrick Brooks
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Tampa Bay
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MLB
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Ray Lewis
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Baltimore
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OLB
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Nate Wayne
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Green Bay
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CB
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Will Allen
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New York Giants
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CB
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Terrell Buckley
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New England
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S
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Brent Alexander
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Pittsburgh
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S
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Brian Dawkins
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Philadelphia
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SPECIAL TEAMS
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PK
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Martin Gramatica
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Tampa Bay
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P
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Matt Allen
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New York Giants
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Returner
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Jacquez Green
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Washington
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Specialist
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Chris McAlister
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Baltimore
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Offensive Player of the Year
Donovan McNabb
Defensive Player of the Year
Ray Lewis
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Deion Branch
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Ed Reed
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