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It's my duty as your NFC North blogger to administer this urgent alert: The play-in round of the "Madden 13" cover contest is over, and now it's time to get this bracket started.

We'll move through one round a week, culminating with the final matchup during the week of April 21. If you're a fan of an NFC North team, I highly encourage you to vote for your representative's opponent …. er, your representative. There's nothing to the Madden cover jinx. Nothing. Really, I mean it.

Here are the first-round matchups for our players. Seeds are in parentheses:

• Aaron Rodgers (1) vs. Joe Haden (16)
• Calvin Johnson (6) vs. Dwayne Bowe (11)
• Jared Allen (7) vs. DeMarcus Ware (10)
• Matt Forte (6) vs. Patrick Willis (11)

Follow this link to the bracket, where you can vote quickly and anonymously. Nothing less than the future of the free world is at stake.

We spent probably too much time over the second half of the season debating the NFL's MVP award, which Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is expected to win during a televised ceremony Saturday night. But what about arguably the NFL's second-most prestigious annual award? Will Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen win NFL Defensive Player of the Year?

We here in the NFC North are no strangers to the DPOY. Packers cornerback Charles Woodson won in 2009, beating down East Coast support for New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, and Packers linebacker Clay Matthews finished a close second last season to Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

Allen led the NFL with 22 sacks this season, one shy of breaking Michael Strahan's single-season record. He said late in the season that the Vikings' poor season would probably eliminate him from DPOY consideration, but I'm not sure if that will be the case.

This season, at least, I wouldn't say there is an obvious or runaway winner for the award. We discussed maybe a half-dozen credible names Wednesday morning over on Twitter. Below are four of them, for which I've identified some pros and cons.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware
Pros: Wasn't far behind Allen in the sack department with 19.5, a number that would catch anyone's attention.
Cons: Could be viewed as a one-dimensional pass-rusher. Forced two fumbles and defended two passes as an outside linebacker.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs
Pros: Career-high 14 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Took over leadership role of a dominant defense when middle linebacker Ray Lewis was injured.
Cons: Perception, fair or otherwise, that Suggs is a secondary player to Lewis and safety Ed Reed on the Ravens' defense.

San Francisco defensive lineman Justin Smith
Pros: Tremendous production for a 3-4 defensive end with 7.5 sacks, and his intensity set a tone for one of the NFL's best defenses.
Cons: Smith might not be the best defensive player on his own team. Linebacker Patrick Willis is one of the NFL's top overall players, but he missed three games and was limited in others by injury

New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul
Pros: Recorded 16.5 sacks, anchoring one of the NFL's most disruptive defensive lines.
Cons: Is only in his second season, and critics could point out the Giants' defensive line is too talented for offensive lines to double-team Pierre-Paul often.

Yes, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has fallen off the record-breaking pace he set earlier this season. Allen's total has leveled off at 14.5 sacks through 12 games, leaving him 8.5 away from breaking Michael Strahan's single-season record.

But let's not for a moment undersell the extraordinary season Allen has had, both from a production and effort standpoint. I've had a number of people around the league comment on how hard Allen has continued to play despite the Vikings' gloomy outlook. And when you look at his numbers, Allen is nothing if not a strong candidate for the NFL's defensive player of the year award.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware is the only player with more sacks. Allen also has a safety, an interception, four tipped passes, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries this season. His 51 tackles, though unofficial, are the third-most among defensive ends and rank fourth overall among defensive linemen.

His performance isn't getting much attention nationally, as is typical for players on losing teams. Speaking this week with Detroit-area reporters, Allen appeared at peace with his situation.

"If we were having a better [season], probably [would] be in the running for defensive player of the year," Allen said. "But you know what? There's a reason for it. Something good will come out of it, [and] we'll be a better team in the future for it."

Allen is under contract for two more years and will have a $14.2 million cap number in 2012. Some of you have asked if the Vikings should or would consider trading him this offseason to supplement what appears to be a significant rebuilding process. I wouldn't see the wisdom in that.

Allen is a relatively young 29 and is a good bet for double-digit sacks even in a down season for him. Some NFL teams go years without having a single player exceed 10 sacks. And the example Allen has set this season is something the Vikings should build around rather than use as a commodity.

After the Minnesota Vikings’ 22-17 loss Sunday at the Kansas City Chiefs, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertThe Vikings' 0-4 start appears to be confusing and could use a bit of examination.
1. This tweet from @NFL caught my eye: “Did Bernard Berrian really tell a legless war vet to sit down and shut up?” The backstory: Sunday night, Berrian (@B_Twice) re-tweeted a fan’s message that he had been open “at least 5 times” during Sunday’s game and that the Vikings should throw more often to him. Berrian also responded: “Been like that the last 4 yrs.” That drew the ire, or at least the humor, of Minnesota state Rep. John Kriesel, who encouraged his followers to check out Berrian’s “hilarious” Twitter feed. Berrian didn’t take kindly to Kriesel’s suggestion, inviting him to watch film with him or else “sit down n shut up,” and seemed unmoved when informed Kriesel is a state representative who lost his legs in combat in Iraq. So yes, Berrian did tell a legless war vet to sit down and shut up. But Kriesel didn’t appear insulted, and the real issue is that the Vikings have actually targeted Berrian on 15 passes this season. He’s caught two. I’m sure there is blame to go around, but Berrian would be wise not to play the “I’m open and they’re not getting me the ball” card. He hasn't converted many of his chances. *Update: Coach Leslie Frazier said Berrian "called to apologize" for his Twitter comments, presumably referring to Kriesel.
2. I don’t have much more to say about Frazier’s plan to keep quarterback Donovan McNabb as his starter while rookie Christian Ponder remains on the bench. My guess is Frazier doesn’t want to make a move that would signal he is giving up on the season. McNabb isn’t playing poorly enough to justify a benching. So there would be only one way to view Ponder’s ascension: As the beginning of preparations for the 2012 season. That’s the level of angst the Vikings added when they traded for McNabb. Frazier will have to navigate an additional layer before he can accomplish what has been the ultimate goal all along: Getting Ponder onto the field.
3. Defensive end Jared Allen picked up another two sacks to leapfrog Dallas Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Ware in the NFL rankings. But Allen’s 6.5 sacks this season still ranks second in the league after Jason Babin of the Philadelphia Eagles notched three on Sunday, bringing his season total to 7.0. I’m sure Allen was fired up about playing his former team, but one thing the Vikings can be relatively confident of is that Allen will continue to play hard and with aggression no matter what their record is.

And here is one issue I still don’t get:

I’ve seen some bad Vikings teams over the years. Their teams in 2001, 2002 and 2006 were especially inept. The 2011 team doesn’t feel like an undermanned or incompetent team. And yet they’re one of four teams in Vikings history to start 0-4. If they don’t beat the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, the Vikings will be 0-5 for the first time since 1962. (Hat tip to my friend Judd Zulgad for that bit of research.) This doesn’t look or feel like anything close to one of the worst teams in franchise history. I think that’s why we’re getting largely incoherent explanations from coaches and players. All four of their losses have come by one score or less. They’re waiting for those close games to even out. I guess.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 4:

Speed rushers: Two weeks ago, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali put four hits on Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. Last week, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen sacked him three times while fellow defensive end Brian Robison brought him down twice. Hali and Allen are two of the NFL's best pass rushers. Sunday, the Lions will face the best. No NFL player has more sacks this season (5.0) or over the past three seasons (51.5), than the Dallas Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware. Stafford has had success getting the ball downfield despite facing those elite rushers. But the Lions probably don't want to find out how much damage Ware can do. They would be well-advised to devote more attention to him than Hali and Allen saw. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew is one of the NFL's top blockers at his position. The Lions might need to utilize him in that regard Sunday.

"Statement game:" I personally hate that phrase and think it's mostly irrelevant in the world of the NFL. With that said, I think the Lions have their best opportunity yet to demonstrate how far they've come and to set their fan base into a frenzy heading into their Oct. 10 prime-time game against the Chicago Bears. The Cowboys are 2-1 and have designs on the NFC East title. The Lions, meanwhile, have won in Dallas only twice in their history. Last season, the Bears began walking with a little extra pep in their step after winning at Cowboys Stadium. The Lions could do the same. A win would give the Lions their eighth consecutive regular-season victory, dating back to last season. That would be their longest winning streak since taking nine consecutive games from 1953-54.

Faint hopes: The Denver Broncos have never won in the state of Wisconsin. They've lost seven consecutive road games and are one of three teams in the NFL whose pass defense has netted them zero interceptions this season. That's a bad combination for a 1-2 team traveling to Lambeau Field. Want some more? The Broncos have felt compelled to blitz on 41.9 percent of opponents' dropbacks this season, the sixth-highest rate in the NFL. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is completing an NFL-high 74.4 percent of his passes against the blitz. It's unlikely to work Sunday for the Broncos. On his weekly radio show, Rodgers noted that the Packers have seemed an afterthought from national observers. "Let everybody talk about Philly and Dallas and Washington and Detroit and Buffalo and we’ll keep on doing what we’re doing," he said. It's hard to imagine the Packers doing anything other than continuing to plug along Sunday.

Run to daylight: The Carolina Panthers are giving up an average of 117 yards rushing per game, the seventh-worst mark in the NFL. As we've discussed a few times, the Bears haven't paid enough attention to their running game this season. That has to stop Sunday. We can spend all the time we want discussing the return of Panthers coach Ron Rivera and tight end Greg Olsen. I'm sure they’re both pumped for this game. But the Bears can control it if offensive coordinator Mike Martz can find a way to get the running game going. The Panthers should be vulnerable in that area.

Someone will win: The 0-3 Minnesota Vikings play at the 0-3 Kansas City Chiefs. Something has got to give, right? A matchup of two winless teams after at least three weeks is relatively rare; it's happened six times in the past 10 years of NFL play. The Vikings haven't given up on their playoff hopes quite yet. After all, three teams have advanced to the postseason over the past 21 seasons after starting 0-3. But if the Vikings fall to 0-4 on Sunday, the most interesting question remaining in their season will be when rookie quarterback Christian Ponder will get on the field. When they acquired starter Donovan McNabb this summer, I don't think the Vikings believed they would be facing a Ponder Watch so early in the season.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Minnesota Vikings' quest to smooth out quarterback Donovan McNabb's mechanics, as explained by Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, is a warning sign on several levels.

First, McNabb is in his 13th season and will be 35 in November. You don't typically see NFL teams tinkering with the mechanics of a veteran and presumably established quarterback at that point in his career, especially during the season.

Second, the Vikings have reacted to McNabb missing some open receivers and having some accuracy issues. Quite frankly, McNabb is performing at about his career level in that area. He is completing 58.0 percent of his passes this season. His career completion percentage is 58.9. McNabb has been many things during his career, but the NFL's most accurate passer isn't one of them.

When asked if he needed to change anything Wednesday, McNabb said: "No."

I don't blame him. After 13 years in the NFL, usually you're best off going with what got you here.

Obviously, the Vikings have the right to identify flaws and should attempt to coach any player toward a direction that could makes him better. But when it's the accuracy of your veteran quarterback at issue, there won't be any easy fixes.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• At a hearing about a referendum on the Vikings' stadium plans, opponents "overwhelmingly" outnumbered those who want to see the stadium built, according to Rochelle Olson of the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings will induct defensive end Chris Doleman into their Ring of Honor next month, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Chicago Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice won't get involved in play calling, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears special teams coach Dave Toub on the penalty that nullified the Bears' trick play last Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, via Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times: "I'm not sure what he saw, to be honest with you. I think maybe the official thought [Corey Graham] was trying to prevent [Jarrett Bush] from going to Devin [Hester], which is where we wanted him to go. He was just kind of pushing him that way."
• Hester said he needs to get more separation from defenders, according to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
• Sunday's game at the Dallas Cowboys will be a homecoming for Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz on the status of defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot), via Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News: "He's on a good program and he's making improvements and we'll get him back on the field as soon as we can. That's a difficult thing to come back from. I think we're on a good program and we're in a position where we don't have to rush it and put ourselves in a position that's not good for either us or the player."
• The Lions will face Cowboys pass-rusher DeMarcus Ware after consecutive weeks of facing Jared Allen and Tamba Hali, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Packers safety Morgan Burnett is quickly making a name for himself, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Packers center Scott Wells should be in line for a contract extension, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers tailback Ryan Grant on the bruised kidney that could keep him out of Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "I feel fine. That's the problem, I guess -- that I feel fine. I guess that doesn't mean anything."

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Jared Allen will return to Kansas City this weekend with the NFL's second-most sacks on the season. It's been more than three years since the Minnesota Vikings acquired him in one of the most expensive trades in recent NFL history, but it's clear that Allen hasn't fully gotten over the event.

Speaking in a conference call with members of the Kansas City media, Allen hammered former Chiefs president Carl Peterson and team owner Clark Hunt. He said Peterson "lied" to him about plans to offer him a contract extension and criticized Hunt for "choosing Carl over me."

I don't usually get too excited about this kind of cliché story line. Every now and then, it's special. But in the NFL's salary cap era, it's routine for players to change teams. If they continue playing long enough, they're bound to face their former team. Sometimes they perform well. Sometimes they don't.

In this particular case, Allen is already a high-energy player. Do we really think he'll step it up another notch because he's playing the Chiefs? After all, Peterson has long since left the team. Allen is four years removed from donning a Chiefs uniform and almost all of his former teammates have moved on as well.

What this occasion does provide, however, is a chance to recognize the extensive return the Vikings have gotten on their investment.

As you recall, the Vikings sent the Chiefs four draft picks -- including the No. 17 overall pick of the 2008 draft -- in exchange for Allen and a sixth-round pick that became center John Sullivan. Then they signed Allen to a six-year contract that paid him $25 million in 2008 and will be worth a total of $73.26 million if he's with the Vikings through its final season in 2013.

The Chiefs used two of the draft picks to select left tackle Branden Albert and running back Jamaal Charles, but I'm guessing the Vikings would pay the same price again. As the chart shows, only one NFL player -- Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware -- has recorded more sacks than Allen (44.5) since the trade.

Allen didn't speak with Twin Cities reporters Wednesday. What's left to say?

During the unprecedented offseason of 2011, ESPN.com has ranked the top pass-rushers in the NFL. We've ordered linebackers, rated cornerbacks and chosen the league's top 10 safeties as well. Now it's time to start putting it all together.

This week's challenge: Meld those four ballots into a single list of the NFL's 10 best defensive players. The subtle shift in parameters required us to consider not only a player's individual impact, but the overall importance of his position to the game.
Both in the draft and in the free-agent market, NFL teams place premium value on pass-rushers and interior defensive linemen. Other positions, most notably safeties, are relegated to secondary priorities. So in that sense, it's both remarkable and telling that Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was the unanimous top choice of our committee.

"Troy has a skill set that I've never seen from the safety position," said AFC North blogger James Walker, who has covered Polamalu for years. "He has the hands, coverage skills and acceleration of a corner, but the instincts and timing on the blitz and against the run like a linebacker. When I've asked coaches to draw a comparison to another safety, they struggle to come up with a name, because there's really no one like him. [Steelers defensive coordinator] Dick LeBeau also deserves credit for building his defense around Troy, because that's really hard to do for a safety."

To what extent do NFL teams typically value safeties? Consider that in last month's draft, the first safety wasn't selected until midway through the second round (UCLA's Rahim Moore, by the Denver Broncos, at No. 45 overall). And in determining franchise tag numbers for a potential 2011 market before the lockout, the league was set to assign safeties the third-lowest figure among all positions, ahead of only tight ends and kickers.

One other safety made our list: Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens. But for the most part, the list was dominated by players known for getting to the quarterback. Our top pass-rusher, Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware, ranked second. Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers were among our top eight.

NFC East blogger Dan Graziano rated Ware No. 7 overall and is braced for the wrath of his new readership, but I thought it was healthy and important to add a fresh view that didn't participate in our individual position rankings.

"Guys like Harrison and [Ravens defensive tackle Haloti] Ngata made more of an impression on me," Graziano said. "I certainly don't think calling someone the seventh-best defensive player in the league is any kind of insult. But from what I watched the past couple of years, I felt guys like that impacted the games in which they played more completely than did Ware. If I made a mistake, I'm certainly happy to own up to it and listen to the reasons why I was wrong."

In this debate, right and wrong mattered less than philosophy. Graziano, for example, rated New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis No. 2 overall and also included Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha at No. 8. On the other side of the spectrum, I joined NFC West blogger Mike Sando in choosing only one cornerback (Revis) and one safety (Polamalu). Sando, in fact, ranked Revis No. 9.

Neither one of us has any argument with the skills of Asomugha or Reed. But on a ranking of overall defensive players, we found it difficult to include more than two defensive backs.

"I moved down Revis and cornerbacks in general," Sando said, "for the same reason Patrick Peterson went fifth in the draft despite being arguably the best player available. It's just tougher for a cornerback to affect offenses the way a great front-seven player affects them. Quarterbacks can throw away from them."

Along those lines, Sando gave the highest vote for the player who topped our linebacker rankings, Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers, placing him at No. 2. Willis finished No. 4 with votes ranking anywhere from No. 2 to No. 8

"Willis has no weaknesses and there is no avoiding him on the field," Sando said. "I've seen him return an interception 86 yards for a touchdown, knock out wide receivers with crushing hits, punish quarterbacks on blitzes and scrambles, lift a Pro Bowl offensive lineman off the ground in run support and just generally dominate. He was a serious candidate for the No. 1 spot on my ballot."

Matthews also received a wide range of votes, finishing No. 5 despite three ballots that placed him No. 2, including mine. Most of us considered Ware the top pass-rusher a few months ago, but a few believe Matthews is the better all-around player from the 3-4 outside linebacker position.

"Clay Matthews makes as many game-changing plays as any defender in the league," said NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas, who joined the AFC South's Paul Kuharsky and myself on the Matthews bandwagon. "That makes him one of the league's best defenders in my eyes. And it doesn't hurt that his team has the Lombardi trophy at the moment."

Said Kuharsky: "Matthews is so dynamic and energetic it made it very difficult for me not to constantly circle back to him as I consider the highest-impact defenders in the league. That Seifert and Yasinskas also rate him second just goes to prove that what everyone says about those two is dead wrong."

A backhanded compliment from Paul Kuharsky? I can't think of a better line to close on.

From an NFC North perspective, ESPN.com's linebacker Power Rankings were notable mostly for the exclusion of the Chicago Bears' Lance Briggs -- who I would suggest has been the best linebacker in this division for the past three years.

The voting got snagged on a legitimate complication: Separating the statistics and disparate assignments of 4-3 linebackers and those who play in the 3-4, especially on the outside. If he played in Chicago, for example, Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware would probably be a defensive end. Briggs, meanwhile, might be an inside linebacker in Dallas.

Briggs has been named to six consecutive Pro Bowl teams and was an All-Pro as recently as 2009. But I can only assume that his miniscule sack numbers as an outside linebacker -- he's never had as many as three in a season -- did him in for the purposes of this exercise.

Here in the NFC North, we know that the Bears' defense places pass rush priority on the defensive line. From his position, Briggs is asked to be a sideline-to-sideline playmaker. As a result, I was the only one to put him in my top 10, placing him placed him No. 6 -- one spot below Green Bay's Clay Matthews and two above Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Overall, Matthews finished fourth and Urlacher sixth. And before anyone starts with the "What about Chad Greenway?" refrain, I'll just say I couldn't bring myself to include a player who hasn't been to at least one Pro Bowl in his first five seasons. He's a good player, and the Minnesota Vikings have made him their franchise player, but he hasn't been recognized to this point as not one of the top 10 linebackers in the NFL.

For the record, here is the way I voted:

1. Patrick Willis
2. James Harrison
3. Ray Lewis
4. DeMarcus Ware
5. Clay Matthews
6. Lance Briggs
7. LaMarr Woodley
8. Brian Urlacher
9. Jon Beason
10. Jerod Mayo

ESPN.com’s NFL writers rank the top 10 pass-rushers in the league today. Next week: Top 10 tight ends.

ESPN.com's panel of power rankers had no trouble identifying the best pass-rusher in football. The rest of our Top 10 list? It was easily the most difficult to compile so far in what will be a 10-week project.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware received seven of eight first-place votes. AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky ranked him No. 2, putting Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney at the top of his ballot. Overall, a total of 17 players received votes, and the crowd was dense enough to exclude established veterans such as Houston Texans defensive end Mario Williams, New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs and Colts defensive end Robert Mathis.

The category was tough, explained NFC West blogger Mike Sando, because "sack numbers tend to fluctuate from year to year and it's tougher to know which pass-rushers are truly the best. I think the proliferation of 3-4 defenses also made this a tougher call. We weren't evaluating defensive ends exclusively. We were also looking at 3-4 outside linebackers. That deepened the pool while forcing us to compare players at more than one position."

Ware, for one, wasn't a difficult choice -- as long as sacks are the primary statistical representation of pass rushing. Ware led the NFL in sacks last season with 15.5, and he has also had more combined sacks over the past two, three and five seasons combined than any other NFL player. At 28, he would seem to have several ultra-productive seasons remaining in his career.

Beyond Ware, however, the debate was fierce. The Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews received the second-most votes (61), but there wasn't much separating him from Freeney (58) or Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen (52).

Kuharsky's familiarity with Freeney gave him a unique perspective.

"I've had coaches and scouts I trust tell me, repeatedly, that Freeney is the best pure pass-rusher in the league," Kuharsky said. "They say he's the guy they'd want if they could have anyone and the most difficult guy to stop because of the way he plots out his game. That's stuck with me and was a big factor for me as I put together my ballot."

From an NFC North perspective, I think it's interesting that Ware is the only NFL player who has recorded more sacks than Allen over the past five seasons. Allen's total of 11.0 last season was his low-water mark over the last four seasons, however, and the explicit instructions for voters were to base judgments on what we can expect for the 2011 season.

Given a choice between Allen, Matthews or Freeney in building a Super Bowl team for 2011, whom would you choose? With all due respect for Freeney (and Kuharsky, such that he deserves it) Matthews, 24, seems the right answer to me.

Matthews, Allen and Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers gave the NFC North a league-high three members of this exclusive group. Peppers' all-around contributions last season earned him a spot on The Associated Press' All-Pro team, but his total of eight sacks left him ranked eighth on our list.

Illustrating the difficulty of this exercise, two voters left Peppers off their ballots entirely and a third -- AFC North blogger James Walker -- ranked him No. 10. The Atlanta Falcons' John Abraham, The Associated Press' other first-team All-Pro defensive end, ranked a composite No. 7.

NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas, who covers Abraham and until 2010 covered Peppers as well, ranked Peppers No. 5 and said: "I know the sack numbers can rise and fall, but he has the ability to completely take over a game at any time." Meanwhile, a younger Abraham would have ranked higher.

"He had 11 sacks last year but 5.5 the year before," Yasinskas said. "At 32, you have to at least question whether he would sustain 2010 numbers in 2011."

Finally, if you're outraged about the absence of Williams, Tuck, Suggs, Mathis, the Philadelphia Eagles' Trent Cole or even the Denver Broncos' Elvis Dumervil, you probably need to focus your ire at the inclusion of Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake. In his second NFL season, Wake exploded for 14 sacks.

Does one elite season merit inclusion on this list? Opinions varied widely among our voters. Wake was left off three ballots and voted No. 10 on three others. AFC East blogger Tim Graham, who saw more of Wake last season than any other voter, placed him No. 4.

"If we're ranking the best overall defensive ends or outside linebackers, then maybe Cameron Wake doesn't make my list," Graham said. "He's not a run-stuffer and is lacking when it comes to pass coverage. But we're rating pure pass-rushers, and that's the one thing Wake does on an elite level. He's a freakishly gifted athlete who creates havoc in the backfield.

"I also don't view Wake as a one-year wonder because he had a strong season in 2009 despite playing behind Joey Porter and Jason Taylor in most situations and under a different defensive coordinator. He should continue to thrive under Mike Nolan's guidance. I view Wake as a legitimate star who was overlooked on a mediocre team."

Your thoughts? I'm expecting them.

DALLAS -- He had three sacks after one game, six after two and by the end of Week 5, Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews led the NFL with 8.5 sacks. That white-hot start positioned him as the early favorite for defensive player of the year, and we’ll find out later Monday if that momentum was enough to catapult him to the award.

Hamstring and shin injuries contributed to a midseason slowdown, and Matthews finished the season trailing three other players in total sacks. But first impressions are powerful and, in what might be a preview of this year’s voting, The Sporting News last week awarded him its version of the award.

The NFL and Associated Press will announce the official award sometime after 7 p.m. ET on the NFL Network. If The Sporting News voting (right) is any indication, Matthews is competing with two players the Packers will face Sunday in Super Bowl XLV, and if you’re a voting analyst, you might suggest that Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and linebacker James Harrison could take votes away from each other.

Miami Dolphins linebacker Cameron Wake will get some attention, as will Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers and Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware -- who actually led the league with 15.5 sacks. But Matthews played at an elite level for most of the season, helping the Packers' defense rank No. 5 overall in the NFL. And although the voting took place before the playoffs began, Matthews’ most recent tear -- he has 3.5 sacks in the playoffs – validates the suggestion that since-healed injuries played a role in his fall-off during the second half of the season.

I don’t think anyone could protest if Polamalu or even Harrison wins the award, but anecdotal evidence suggests Matthews is the front-runner. It would be the second consecutive year a Packers player has won the award; cornerback Charles Woodson received it in 2009. For those who have asked, a team has produced at least two consecutive DPOY award on three other occasions -- most recently the Baltimore Ravens in 2003 (linebacker Ray Lewis) and 2004 (safety Ed Reed).

We’ll keep you updated.

Earlier: ESPN.com columnist Rick Reilly offers a much more, uh, pleasant profile of Matthews than he did of the last NFC North player he wrote about.

Pass-rushers come in all shapes and sizes. But they are always at a premium.

Although they are difficult to find, there are a few tremendous interior forces when attacking quarterbacks. Those can be true upfield defensive tackles or even ends such as Justin Tuck who are versatile enough to move inside on passing downs.

But most great quarterback killers come off the edge, and this list reflects that. But edge-rushers also come in all shapes and sizes. Some are defensive ends in the 4-3, while others are pass-rushing outside linebackers in the 3-4. Some are tall, linear athletes with great wingspans, while others are shorter and built for leverage. Some pass-rushers rely on power, technique or speed. But every esteemed member of this group is more than just a one-trick pony.

One thing is certain: All can harass quarterbacks extremely well. These are the best of the best.

1. DeMarcus Ware, LB, Cowboys: Ware has it all. He has great quickness, but is also incredibly smooth and fluid with all his movements. Ware has a very long, lean athletic body type that he uses extremely well to keep blockers away from his frame, but also gets low and demonstrates great leverage. He also has a full array of pass-rush moves and a great motor to cap it all off. Ware already has four sacks in three games this year. Oh yeah, he also had 20 sacks in 2008.
2. Dwight Freeney, DE, Colts: If Freeney has lost a step, it is hardly noticeable. His body of work is amazing, but so is what he is doing now. Before his ankle injury last season, Freeney might have been rushing the passer at a higher level than at any point of his career. I also tend to think that the Super Bowl might have ended a little differently if the Colts’ best defensive player had been healthy. Despite that injury, Freeney did notch 13.5 sacks in 2009.
3. Mario Williams, DE, Texans: This ultra-talented young man has come into his own in 2010. Only two players have more sacks this season than Williams (five). And he is one player on this list who is continually double-teamed. Few players look the part like Williams, and his skill set is off the charts. He has power, the body and closing speed. Now he is putting it all together. The league is taking notice.
4. Julius Peppers, DE, Bears: Peppers was great in Carolina, but looks rejuvenated -- and much more dangerous and consistent -- since joining the Bears. Peppers and Williams are the two players on this list who are just a different breed of athlete. Peppers and Williams are bigger and more gifted than the others. Although the Bears invested a small fortune in this great player, they must be happy with their investment to this point.
5. James Harrison, LB, Steelers: One of the functionally strongest players in the league, Harrison is a master at staying low and bullying his opponent. But his flat-out tenacity is what sets him apart. He got to the quarterback 16 times in 2008 and is also one of the very best in the business at dislodging the football when he does reach the quarterback. Harrison arrives with violence. Harrison and teammate LaMarr Woodley (see below) are probably the two best of this top 10 at setting the edge and playing the run.
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Jeff Hanisch/US PresswireClay Matthews leads the NFL with seven sacks.
6. Clay Matthews, LB, Packers: Bred to play the game, Matthews leads the NFL with seven sacks. Despite more or less learning a new position, he notched double-digit sacks as a rookie. He is a terrific blend of athletic ability, which he displays really well bending the edge without losing leverage or speed. But it is his technique -- most noticeably his use of his hands -- and overall tenacity that make Matthews special.
7. Robert Mathis, DE, Colts: Mathis is averaging a sack per game thus far in 2010, and the Colts have not played with their accustomed leads. Mathis benefits from Freeney being on the other side and also plays in the ideal conditions to use his amazing speed, but that should not take away from what he brings off the edge.
8. Jared Allen, DE, Vikings: Allen was second in the league in sacks last year, and from 2007 to 2009, Allen notched a whopping 44.5. Allen has begun this season rather slowly in this department, but the Vikings have played only three games and his track record speaks for itself. Not only is he a tremendous hustle player, but he uses his length extremely well.
9. Tamba Hali, LB, Chiefs: Hali doesn’t get the credit he deserves or the accolades of the others on this list. In fact, Kansas City has really struggled to get after opposing quarterbacks over the last few years. But don’t blame Hali. He has recently blossomed into a great 3-4 outside linebacker after spending time as a defensive end in Herm Edwards’ Cover 2 scheme. The Chiefs are starting to get some recognition. Go out of your way to watch Hali. You will not be disappointed.
10. LaMarr Woodley, LB, Steelers: He has been great this year, but was out-of-this-world the second half of last season. He is one of the few pass-rushers on this list who usually lines up against slower-footed right tackles, but he can win one-on-one with technique, quickness or power. Woodley is just reaching his prime and will only get better.

Honorable Mention: Elvis Dumervil, Cameron Wake, John Abraham, Matt Roth, Ray Edwards, Trent Cole, Brian Orakpo, Terrell Suggs, Anthony Spencer, Justin Tuck.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

After the Chicago Bears' 27-20 victory Sunday at the Dallas Cowboys, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertThe Chicago Bears take their turn in the examination room after beating Dallas.
1. Quarterback Jay Cutler hardly flinched at a sluggish start that suggested he might leave Dallas pelted with bruises. Anthony Spencer sacked him on his first dropback. DeMarcus Ware delivered a post-throw wallop on his second. Left tackle Chris Williams departed with a hamstring injury after the second series, and Cutler was hit seven times in the Bears' first three possessions. But Cutler hung in and produced what must be considered a signature game within the Mike Martz offense. He made big plays, finding tight end Greg Olsen for a 39-yard touchdown. He threw beautiful passes -- most notably a 59-yarder to Johnny Knox and a 9-yard touchdown to Devin Hester -- that only a handful of NFL quarterbacks could throw. Those passes more than compensated for the Bears' ungainly 1-for-15 conversion rate on third down. All in all, Cutler completed 77.8 percent of his passes, didn't commit a turnover and wasn't sacked after that first play. That'll get 'er done.
2. For the second consecutive week, the Bears handled an opposing offense with a limited number of blitzes. According to ESPN's Stats & Information, the Bears blitzed on only nine of Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's 51 attempts. On 42 attempts against the Bears' four-man rush, Romo threw two interceptions and had a 71.7 passer rating. The Bears didn't have a sack, and they gave up 410 yards along with 23 receptions. But they created three turnovers and should be more than satisfied after holding the Cowboys to 20 points. This trend bodes well for the Bears' immediate defensive future. They blitzed 30 percent of the time in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions, and 17.6 percent Sunday. If they can maintain those low numbers over time, allowing them to show a balanced front to opponents, it will give them a huge advantage.
3. As you might recall, I wasn't a big fan of the Bears' chest-beating after their 19-14 victory against the Detroit Lions in Week 1. But from what I can tell, they were much more humble in Sunday's victorious locker room. "It's one game," said middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Center Olin Kreutz said he was worried only about "being 2-0 and playing Green Bay next." As much fun as it can be for the media and fans, the good teams let their play speak for themselves. It appears the Bears made a sensible shift in that direction.

And here is one issue I still don't get:

How in the world did Cutler and the Bears survive with Frank Omiyale (!) playing most of the game at left tackle? Omiyale was a bust as a left guard last season and hasn't exactly proved himself at right tackle this year. But when Williams was injured, the Bears eventually decided their best option was to move Omiyale over and insert Kevin Shaffer at right tackle. Credit goes across the board for making this work, starting with Omiyale and Shaffer. Martz adjusted his play-calling to include shorter dropbacks, and offensive line coach Mike Tice patched it together from there. I guess. I mean, really. If someone had told you last month that Frank Omiyale would play left tackle for the Bears in a victory at Dallas, what would you have said?

We're Black and Blue All Over:

I've tried to say a few nice things about Kyle Vanden Bosch's debut performance with the Detroit Lions last Sunday. Now it's defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham's turn. According to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, Cunningham got choked up talking about Vanden Bosch's 11-tackle effort in a team meeting this week, and Cunningham's eyes watered during a Thursday interview session as well.

Cunningham: "I've coached this game a long time and I've coached some really good players. A few of them are in the Hall of Fame. But Kyle is the best football player I've ever been around in my life. You can talk about stats and sacks, but put on the tape and watch that game. It was the most unbelievable effort I've seen in 30 years of coaching by any position player."

As we did earlier this week, Cunningham specifically noted Vanden Bosch's tackle of Chicago Bears receiver Devin Aromashodu 20 yards downfield on the Bears' opening possession. According to McCosky, Vanden Bosch played on 79 of the Lions' 80 defensive plays. False hustle is worthless. But a defensive end hustling to 10 solo tackles is awesome. Hopefully the Lions' young defensive linemen were watching.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Lions quarterback Shaun Hill traded a chance to start for structure when he joined the Lions and extended his contract, writes Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions defensive end Cliff Avril (sprained knee) isn't likely to play Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com. The Lions haven't given up hope on linebacker DeAndre Levy (groin), who returned to practice Thursday.
• The Chicago Bears hope to exploit the Dallas Cowboys' offensive line Sunday, writes Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald.
• Bears coach Lovie Smith will use negative media coverage as motivation for his team, writes Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Bears will have to play a game of "Where's DeMarcus (Ware)" this weekend, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Green Bay Packers place-kicker Mason Crosby has bounced back from a late-2009 slump, writes Greg A. Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Coincidence or not, the Packers offense produced three points in four series against the Eagles with [Ryan] Grant as the primary halfback. On the first four series after Grant was injured, the Packers scored 24 points. That shows the Packers are capable of scoring without Grant, a talented back with a pair of 1,200-yard seasons to his credit but not necessarily a make-or-break player."
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy on not using linebacker A.J. Hawk last weekend in Philadelphia, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "I will not apologize for having more than 11 good defensive football players on our team."
• The Minnesota Vikings' trio of cornerbacks is expecting to get tested Sunday by the Miami Dolphins, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune: "Adrian Peterson was in a playful mood Thursday. He shot baskets on a Nerf hoop in the locker room and joked that his new look -- his head is shaved bald -- makes him faster. 'I'm thinking about cutting off my chin hairs and under my arms too,' he said."
• Vikings players would be all for acquiring San Diego Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.

In an Insider piece for ESPN.com, Football Outsiders' J.I. Halsell does a salary analysis of the NFC North and singles out Julius Peppers as the "most to prove" based on his $14 million a year contract.

Over the past two seasons, Peppers has totaled 25 sacks, the most sacks over a two-year period in his somewhat up-and-down career. That productivity helped the 30-year-old Peppers secure a contract that guarantees $42 million and pays, on average, $14 million per year, both of which surpass the contract of Dallas Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Ware. Given the question marks regarding Peppers' passion for football, it remains to be seen whether his sack productivity of late was motivated by the prospects of a big payday. Now that he has received that payday, will Peppers continue to play at an elite level?

Halsell gives the 2010 team salary, 2010 dead money, player with highest team salary number, non-tendered player in a contract year and player who has to live up to team salary number for each NFC North team.