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Darnell Dockett showed athletic ability and football smarts while collecting 3.0 sacks against the Titans in Week 12.

On one sack, Dockett held his ground and resisted charging too far upfield. He shed the offensive lineman's block at the right time, sacking Vince Young as the quarterback stepped toward him. It almost seemed as though Dockett had set a trap on the play.

Dockett plays left end in the Cardinals' base 3-4 defense. He moves around, though, and the NFL still lists him as a defensive tackle. The designation should help Dockett's chances for the Pro Bowl because most defensive tackles cannot match his sack totals.

Did I say most? Make that all. Dockett has more sacks this season than any NFL defensive tackle. He has 20 sacks since the start of the 2007 season, more than any defensive tackle, including Albert Haynesworth (17.5) and the Vikings' Kevin Williams (17.5).

No wonder Texans coach Gary Kubiak called Dockett the best player he had seen this season.

At his best, Patrick Kerney was a dominant pass-rusher.

He turns 33 next month and "has been fighting his way through a lot of things" physically, coach Jim Mora said Wednesday.

Is he hurt? Could a defensive end hit Kerney's age and start to lose it?

"You could," Mora said. "I think it depends on the individual. Pat doesn’t have injuries that we’re not talking about. He's got the typical aches and pains that come with playing that position, a very physical position, defensive end, left end. He’s a guy who’s played a lot of years and had a lot of success in this league. I don’t know if there's an age where a guy isn't effective anymore. Everyone's different. One thing about Pat is he's a worker."

Kerney is in his 11th NFL season. He has 4.0 sacks, more than any other 11th-year player. Among players with more NFL experience, Jason Taylor has 5.5 sacks, followed by Trevor Pryce (5.0), Leonard Little (5.0) and Greg Ellis (4.0). Jeff Zgonina, in his 17th season, is the longest-tenured player with a sack. He has 2.0.

Do not write off Kerney just yet. In 2007, he collected 10 of his 14.5 sacks after Week 10, including three of them in Week 11.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Rd. Pick '97 Draftee Currently on an NFL Roster Drafted By (Currently With) 1 1 Orlando Pace Rams (Bears) 1 3 Shawn Springs Seahawks (Pats) 1 6 Walter Jones Seahawks 1 8 James Farrior Jets (Steelers) 1 13 Tony Gonzalez Chiefs (Falcons) 1 21 Renaldo Wynn Jaguars (Redskins) 1 28 Trevor Pryce Broncos (Ravens) 1 60 Darren Sharper Packers (Saints) 3 66 Ronde Barber Bucs 3 86 Bertrand Berry Colts (Cardinals) 3 91 Mike Vrabel Steelers (Chiefs) 3 95 Brad Maynard Giants (Bears) 4 98 Derrick Mason Titans (Ravens) 4 112 Ryan Tucker Rams (Browns) 6 169 Al Harris Bucs (Packers) 6 193 Grady Jackson Raiders (Lions) 7 229 Jason Ferguson Jets (Dolphins)

The Tony Gonzalez trade from Kansas City to Atlanta leaves Walter Jones and Ronde Barber as the only 1997 NFL draftees still with their original teams.

Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell was the Bucs' college scouting director when Tampa Bay drafted Barber. This week, Ruskell listed Barber among the choices with which he was proud to be associated. Among the others: Brandon Mebane, Leroy Hill and John Lynch.

"They didn't care about where they went in the draft, and they became good football players," Ruskell said. "You got to give credit to the player. It makes you feel good, too, that you did something a little extra."

The Bucs also drafted Al Harris in 1997. Harris and Barber are among 17 players from the 1997 class still active. The Seahawks, Rams and Bucs each drafted two of those players. Note that eight of the 17 were first-round choices.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Rd. Pick 1997 Draftee Currently on an NFL Roster Drafted By (Currently With) 1 3 Shawn Springs Seahawks (Pats) 1 6 Walter Jones Seahawks 1 8 James Farrior Jets (Steelers) 1 13 Tony Gonzalez Chiefs 1 28 Trevor Pryce Broncos (Ravens) 3 66 Ronde Barber Bucs 3 91 Mike Vrabel Steelers (Chiefs) 3 95 Brad Maynard Giants (Bears) 4 98 Derrick Mason Titans (Ravens) 6 169 Al Harris Bucs (Packers) 6 193 Grady Jackson Raiders (Lions) 7 229 Jason Ferguson Jets (Dolphins)

Orlando Pace's release leaves the 1997 NFL draft class with a dozen players on active rosters, including three still
with their original teams.

The Seahawks, Bucs and Jets drafted six of the 12.

Three of the 12 remain with their current teams: Walter Jones, Tony Gonzalez and Ronde Barber.

Eight of the 12 played defense and five were first-round draft choices.

Pace will presumably resurface on another team. Chris Naeole and Warrick Dunn are  unrestricted free agents from the 1997 first-round class.