Shutdown Corner defensive player of the week: Tamba Hali

[KS-Surveyor]

Bright spot from last weeks game.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shu...urn=nfl,207352

[LaChapelle]

Shutdown Corner defensive player of the week: Tamba Hali
By Doug Farrar

This week's Top Five is led by a great player on a horrible team, and enhanced by two guys Brett Favre(notes) is probably still trying to shake. Who's your favorite? Vote in the poll below!

Tamba Hali(notes), DE, Kansas City Chiefs -- This has been a nightmare season for the Chiefs, but Hali has been a rare bright spot. Against the Broncos last Sunday, he picked up three sacks, forced two fumbles, and drove All-World left tackle Ryan Clady(notes) nuts. "He's had a lot of almost-sacks and a lot of pressures," Clady said. "I think he's one of the best in the game right now." Hali's sack total was the highest for a Chiefs defender since Jared Allen(notes) slapped on the extra mayonnaise and picked up three quarterback takedowns in 2005. It was a fitting performance on the day set aside by the Chiefs to honor Derrick Thomas, the late Hall-of-Fame pass rusher.

Jon Beason(notes), LB, Carolina Panthers -- Bucs rookie quarterback Josh Freeman(notes) was throwing up goatballs all over the place against the Panthers; his five interceptions included three in the red zone. Beason came up with two of those picks, leading the league last week, and he added six solo tackles to his stat line (he's third in the league with 84 solo stops)as the Panthers beat Tampa Bay, 16-6. However, challenges face Beason and his team down the stretch -- the linebacker was recently charged with aggravated assault, and the Panthers finish the season with a brutal four-game stretch: New England, Minnesota, the New York Giants, and the New Orleans Saints.

Bert Berry, DE, Arizona Cardinals -- Any one of five or six Cardinals could take this spot after what that defense did to Brett Favre and the Vikings last Sunday night. Berry gets the nod because he picked up two of Arizona's three sacks and helped solidify a line that stuffed Adrian Peterson for 19 rushing yards on 13 carries.

Karlos Dansby(notes), LB, Arizona Cardinals -- Actually, we'll sneak a second Cardinals player in here. Not only did Dansby come up with seven solo tackles and an interception, he's an incredibly versatile player for the soon-to-be NFC West champs. In Bill Davis' defensive schemes, you'll find Dansby just about everywhere -- stunting inside on a four-man rush, trailing a tight end outside, and even lining up in center field between the safeties to confuse enemy quarterbacks. His versatility was a primary reason that Favre has such trouble reading Arizona's defense all night.

Clint Session(notes), LB, Indianapolis Colts -- Indy's defense doesn't get the headlines, but no team goes 12-0 without balance on both sides of the ball. Session may be the best representation of that Colts' defense -- he's a lunchpail guy who doesn't play to get his name in the papers, but his performance is becoming difficult to ignore. Session was all over the place in the 27-17 win over the Tennessee Titans. He forced a fumble and racked up 12 solo tackles, helping the Colts keep superback Chris Johnson under control and the Titans' pocket-to-option offense from breaking away.

Poll at link

[googlegoogle]

nice.

i noticed he's always just a few inches from a sack most of the time.

[TheGuardian]

Yup, and I'm telling you if we can get a true nose to not allow QB's to step up he'll rack up 10 sacks easily. He's always just missing because we have nothing in the middle so when the QB feels that backside pressure he just steps up into that nice cushy pocket and avoids Tamba.

[boogblaster]

The D needs a Nose two LBers another CB and SS ...