DE - Julius Peppers, Carolina
Names are really important in this discussion. I'm sorry, but Mike Vrabel is just not the name of a Boss. Just to make sure that I'm not racist, Willie McGinest isn't a boss name either. Just to make sure that I'm not a total Pats-hater, James Farrior doesn't cut it either. Anyway, Peppers is an absolute beast. He is always labelled as a guy who doesn't care, yet he just dominates game after game. Carolina would be remiss to let him walk.
DT - Haloti Ngata, Baltimore
The Big Samoan. He is easily the most feared Samoan DT in NFL history, if not the most feared DT in the game today. He's 340 lbs and can run. He's gotten 5 career interceptions, and can play at a high level inside and out. He's as important as Ray Lewis for that defense, and again has a beautiful boss-like name. Haloti Nah-TAH (just say it like that). That is a beauty.
DE - Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis
Doesn't seem like the usual boss, but he plays off injuries, he played a week after partially tearing his quad. He is as good a speed rusher as he is a bull-rusher. He is the one defender Tom Brady fears. Also, he made Jonathan Ogden look like the second coming of the entire Texans offensive line (Carr era version).
OLB - LaMarr Woodley, Pittsburgh
He beats teammate James Harrison because of the name. Nothing much to say. He is a demon off the edge. What I will say is that there is an obvious preponderence of Ravens and Steelers, but that is because Boss-ing is mainly a physical thing, and those two teams climax at the thought of smashmouth football.
ILB - Ray Lewis, Baltimore
He's not what he used to be (which would be the boss-master general), but come on. He practically is the ringleader of the new U, and he's easily the most charismatic, feared LB in the last 20 years. He might not be any better than Derrick Brooks was, but he's got the mojo to get the boss nod.
ILB - AJ Hawk, Green Bay
White man with long, long locks. Count me in. By the way, this selection had nothing to do with the fact I had not picked a single caucausian for the defense yet.
OLB - Joey Porter, Miami
OLB - Joey Porter, Miami
The king of trash talk. The king of just hitting QBs all over the place, and creating havoc for any defense. Overall, it is his prodigious trash-talking skills that puts him here. He is the Gary Payton of the NFL Trash-Talking scene. Joey may have entered Football Hell when he pilgrimaged to South Beach, but he still gets the nod here.
CB - Charles Woodson, Green Bay
He's the best ball-hawk corner around, playing physical man coverage: essentially the corner form of gunfighting. He's a true beast, and he's getting better with age, a rare wine-style boss. I wish the Raiders never let him leave, as he looked absolutely baller in the silver and black, but the green and gold suits him just fine.
CB - Charles Woodson, Green Bay
He's the best ball-hawk corner around, playing physical man coverage: essentially the corner form of gunfighting. He's a true beast, and he's getting better with age, a rare wine-style boss. I wish the Raiders never let him leave, as he looked absolutely baller in the silver and black, but the green and gold suits him just fine.
SS - Bob Sanders, Indianapolis
Just because he has the physical tolerance of a tissue, doesn't mean we should all forget just how dominant Demond Sanders is when healthy. Bob is everything a hard-hitting strong safety should be. He single-handidly made the 2006 Colts defense title-worthy, which when coupled with the Dreads and the general beastliness of his physical play, is everything a true boss should be.
SS - Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh
He talks softly, prays on the field, never talks trash and has the voice of a woman. However, on that 100x53 yard there is no person that plays with a bigger heart and a bigger head. He is the premier full-field safety, making bone-crushing tackles and then dropping back and picking off pass after pass. To think that Samoa is so boss-like.
FS - Ed Reed, Baltimore
The ultimate Boss. He is the Dark Night, as the video above tries to show. He can do everything. He won Defensive Player of the Year as a Strong Safety, and is the best Free Safety ever. No discussion. He embodies boss. He plays with a cool confidence, a fiery passion and a intellectual brilliance that rivals QBs. He has dragged along old and then bad CBs to mash up a consitently good pass defense. There is no better Boss in the NFL. Period.
