The Red Zone Report

With the 2007 season ending in storybook fashion (not for the folks in Foxborough), we can sit and look back upon a season saturated in memorable moments. From faces that are new to some and familiar to all, to guys surging to the forefront when given the opportunity to perform, we have our Top 10 moments of the 2007 NFL season.

From highlight-reel moments, to historic performances, to paying homage to a fallen star, we start with moments 6-10, all of which could make a claim at being the top moment of the season.

10) Stellar, unreal and feared. If you switch the letters around just right, you’ll spell out Devin Hester. Okay, maybe not. But what you will find is your punt team in his trail if they take their eyes off of him when he gets the ball in his hands. The Riviera Beach native averaged 15.5 yards a punt return with four touchdowns (long of 89 vs. Minnesota), and he added 934 kick return yards, averaging 21.7 yards a return and two touchdowns (one for 97 yards), on the way to leading the league with 1,510 return yards. I think it’s safe to say he has several moments.

9) Colts + Chargers – L.T., Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates x RCA Dome = Gimme for Indy. Not quite. Darren Sproles, Billy Volek, and Michael Turner alongside of the remaining uninjured starters, went into Peyton Manning’s home and made it their own. As diminutive as the former K-State running back is, his playmaking ability isn’t. Turner could start anywhere, period; his role in his team is enormous, and showed that night.

After turning their defense around from last season, Indianapolis failed to remain rigid against San Diego’s backups (Billy Volek is a backup lifer, sorry Willy). Hats off to the second string for coming to the rescue.

It has been over three decades, 1800+ attempts, 7 U.S. Presidents and one less American Idol before Michael Spurlock engraved his name in Tampa Bay‘s history books. The first ever kickoff return touchdown came against Atlanta, not only making history that was long overdue, but extending the lead to 14-3 en route to clinching the NFC south. May it be the first of many to come…within a half a century.

7) A time of grief and remembrance of a young athlete, who was slain in his own home, was set aside on December 2. Sean Taylor, standout among standouts at the University of Miami, as well as in the NFL, gets to “ride” with his team one more time. The hard-hitting safety is honored midway through the first quarter at Buffalo in Week 12. Instead of Reed Doughty going on the field in place of Taylor, he stood by a coach as only 10 men were on the field for the first defensive snap.

6) They border Lake Superior, are hosts to Great Malls, and now harbor a rookie with great talent. Minnesota’s very own ‘All Day,’ former Oklahoma Sooner and Heisman Trophy runner-up Adrian Peterson makes his way into the record books by running all over the Chargers.

Just as he’d raised eyebrows in his freshman year at Oklahoma, he delivered a noteworthy performance his first year in a new much more competitive league. In his first year with the Vikings, he managed to break the team’s rushing record for a rookie, as well as the league altogether. Rushing for 296 and three touchdowns in a single game definitely earns him a spot on the Top 10.

So, here are the first five, all of which could have very well been in the in the top five. Agree/disagree? Make your case for any of these moments to be higher, or for other moments to be added to the list.

We’ll have the second five up tomorrow, so keep on the lookout for it.