Welcome to the final regular-season edition of our weekly tribute to the top performances in the NFL.
It has been quite a ride in 2013, a year that saw record-setting numbers on both sides of the football. And with just 11 games to go, we will soon find out who the best team will be at the right time come Super Bowl XLVIII in February.
Once again, the National Football League didn't fail in its attempt to entertain. And could we be getting ready to see an even more entertaining version of the game in the playoffs. In the meantime, here's to wishing everyone "the best" in 2014.
Aaron Rodgers And LeGarrette Blount Headline The NFL's Week 17 Honor Roll Slideshow
QB Aaron Rodgers
Welcome back. The Packers won the NFC North with an 8-7-1 record and the clincher came Sunday at Soldier Field courtesy of a come-from-behind 33-28 victory over the Chicago Bears. After missing the previous seven games, Rodgers returned to throw for 318 yards and two scores. He was sacked three times and served up two interceptions. But all of the bad was forgotten in the fourth quarter when he avoided a sack, rolled to his left and hit wide-open Randall Cobb for a 48-yard score with 38 seconds to play and the thrilling win.
RB LeGarrette Blount
Bill Belichick's AFC East champions rolled up 267 yards rushing on 43 carries in Sunday's 34-20 victory over the visiting Buffalo Bills. And it was Blount who led the way with 189 yards and two touchdowns (36 and 35 yards) on 24 attempts. And although the workhorse runner wasn't a part of the passing game in the win, you will soon find out that he made a few more contributions to the team as well. So to be blunt, keep reading ...
WR Anquan Boldin
It was not only the fact that the 11-year veteran was targeted 11 times and caught nine passes for 149 yards and a score in the team’s 23-20 win at Arizona. It was the difficulties of the receptions as the sure-handed wideout continues to prove that he's a quarterback's best friend. Less than a calendar year ago, Boldin was catching passes for the Baltimore Ravens against the Niners in Super Bowl XLVII. Is he ready to help get his latest team back to the Big Game next month?
TE Tony Gonzalez
Is he the best player at his position in the annals of the game? On Sunday vs. the Carolina Panthers, he caught four passes for 56 yards in his team's 21-20 loss. In 17 seasons with the Chiefs and the Falcons, Gonzalez caught 1,325 passes for 15,127 yards and 111 touchdowns, gaudy numbers indeed and easily the tops for tight ends in NFL history. And while he walks away from the game without a championship, that pales in comparison to the impact he made on the game. Congratulations!
Offensive Line: Saints
After a rough four-week stretch which saw the team lose three games, the Saints wrapped up a playoff berth with a 42-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And after being sacked a combined 10 times in his last two outings, quarterback Drew Brees was sacked just once vs. the Bucs. New Orleans ran 62 plays (30 runs, 32 pass plays) and rolled up 468 total yards in the victory.
Defensive Line: Panthers
Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy was a monster these final two weeks of the season. But when a team comes up with nine sacks in one afternoon, you have to spread the credit. On Sunday at the Georgia Dome, Hardy (4), defensive ends Charles Johnson (2) and Frank Alexander (1) and rookie defensive tackle Star Lotulelei (1) combined for eight on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in Carolina's 21-20 victory.
LB Mychal Kendricks
The second-year pro has really made strides in 2013 and came up huge in the Eagles' 24-22 Sunday night win at Dallas which clinched the NFC East. Kendricks totaled a dozen tackles, intercepted a pass and forced a fumble. The Eagles wound up totaling 31 takeaways in 2013, more than double the amount they managed (13) during a 4-12 showing in 2012. And seven of those came courtesy of Kendricks (3 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries).
FS Eric Weddle
The Pro Bowl defender was very busy Sunday as the Chargers wrapped up a playoff berth via a 27-24 overtime win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Weddle totaled 12 tackles on defense and assisted on two more stops on kick coverage. But his biggest moment came in the game's extra session, when he took a quick snap in punt formation and got the necessary yards on fourth-and-two to keep the drive alive that resulted in the game-winning goal.
Special Teams: LeGarrette Blount
Yes, you have already seen Blount mentioned in this slideshow. But the pounding running back had kickoff returns of 83 and 62 yards in the Patriots' 34-20 victory over the Bills. Combine that with his 189 yards rushing on Sunday and Blount totaled 334 all-purpose yards in New England's 12th win of 2013.
Coach: Rex Ryan
Yes, the Jets missed the playoffs for the third straight year. And yes, the team hasn't had enjoyed a winning season since 2010. But Ryan's team closed the year with two straight wins (the first time they managed that feat this past season) and knocked the rival Miami Dolphins out of the playoffs with a 20-7 win in South Florida. Given the expectations of the team this season by many, a .500 finish by the Green and White is a definite surprise.
-- Read more of Russell S. Baxter at ProFootballGuru.com. Follow him on Twitter @BaxFootballGuru.
