How will the NFL Network's final 10 of 'Top 100 Players' shake out?

The NFL Network's yearly Top 100 Players list has, per usual, generated plenty of buzz. Players vote on their peers, run their mouths when they don't like their ranking and, because it's football and a list of people, folks get all worked up about it. And now they're down to the final 10, announcing the names of the players on the list, though not the order they're in yet.

Alphabetically, the top 10 NFL players from 2012 (as voted on by their peers) are: Tom Brady, Arian Foster, Calvin Johnson, Peyton Manning, Von Miller, Adrian Peterson, Aaron Rodgers, Aldon Smith, J.J. Watt and Patrick Willis.

It's quite a stout list, and predicting the exact order won't be easy, but I'll try anyway. Here's a shot at predicting how I think they'll play out (not how I would rank them; if I was ranking them, my top 10 would look a lot closer to Pete Prisco's than what's below) when the network airs the top 10 on Thursday night.

10. Patrick Willis, LB, 49ers -- Is there anyone more consistently dominant than Willis? The Niners backer posted another All-Pro season with a pair of interceptions, half a sack, nine pass deflections and 88 solo tackles. It was reminiscent of when he finished 10th overall a year ago. Willis, despite being one of the best linebackers in the game, doesn't necessarily accumulate a bunch of "sexy stats" like sacks. So I'm not sold on him being that high on this list, even though just being on it is impressive enough. Seeing a repeat of his placement from last year wouldn't be surprising at all.

9. Arian Foster, RB, Texans -- Foster had another huge season rushing for 1,424 yards and 15 touchdowns. He paced the Texans offense, particularly with Matt Schaub struggling some and Ben Tate being hurt. He's a studly runner, and even if there's concern about his wear and tear heading into 2013 with his 351-carry total from last season lingering, he'll still be rewarded on the list. But he's still a running back, and he wasn't even one the best ones from last season, so No. 9 is as high as he goes. Not too shabby after finishing 25th last year, though.

8. Aldon Smith, OLB, 49ers -- In his second year, Smith posted 19.5 sacks, made a decent run at Michael Strahan's record and generally dominated. But Smith's play fell off a bit after Justin Smith suffered a triceps injury, he didn't close out strong and wasn't on this list last season. I also have to assume that offensive players will always score better on this list. (DeMarcus Ware and Ed Reed were the only two defensive players from No. 11 to No. 20.) Smith's going to No. 8 because he piles up sacks.

7. Von Miller, LB, Broncos -- If I'm making this list, Miller's top five. But I'm not, so whatever. He had 18.5 sacks, a pick, six forced fumbles and 55 solo tackles? That's freaking sick. He's one of the two best defensive players in the game, and No. 7 almost seems unfair given his talents.

6. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers -- Speaking of unfair, this just feels ... weird. Rodgers isn't the sixth-best player in the NFL. Obviously. But I think he'll dip a bit on this list after finishing No. 1 last year as a result of the Packers falling off a little bit. They "only" won 11 games last year (versus 15 in 2011). Rodgers, while he completed 67.2 percent of his passes, "only" threw for 4,295 yards and "only" 39 touchdowns. I think his peers will dock him a bit for the dip.

5. J.J. Watt, DE, Texans -- For the third straight year, a defensive player makes the top five on this list, and there's little doubt that Watt's deserving. (You could actually make the case he should be higher.) A year after being not ranked on this list, Watt put up MVP numbers from a 3-4 defensive end position (which is, frankly, unfathomable), collecting 20.5 sacks, 16 pass deflections, four forced fumbles and 69 solo tackles. Only a bias towards offensive players and the importance on quarterbacks keeps him from being higher.

4. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots -- Brady's counting stats separate him from Rodgers in my placement here -- I don't think Brady will get dinged for hitting on 63 percent of his passes, and his 4,827 passing yards, 34 touchdowns (to eight interceptions) show as much. Dealing with injuries to Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez only gives more credit to Brady putting up monster stats year in and year out, even if his numbers took a dip after Gronk went down against the Colts.

3. Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions -- If you're going to beat a quarterback in the top 10, you'd better have a damn good season. Megatron did that -- and more -- in 2012, when he shattered Jerry Rice's single-season record for receiving yards and even managed to flirt with 2,000 yards, an unheard of number for a wideout. His five touchdowns are disappointing, sure, but 122 catches and 1,964 yards? Ridiculous. This is, by the way, the same spot that Megatron landed in last year. Only superhuman efforts by two guys overcoming medical odds trumps his season.

2. Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings -- Very, very, very tempted to put AP at the top spot here, but I know what people think about quarterbacks (and I agree). Instead, he gets the No. 2 spot after a season quite similar to Johnson's -- AP rushed for 2,097 yards, 12 touchdowns and a straight-up bananas 131.1 yards per game. Down the stretch, no one was better than AP, who almost literally put the Vikes onto his back and drug them into the playoffs. Oh, yeah: and he did this despite having reconstructive knee surgery less than a year before. NBD, you guys.

1. Peyton Manning, QB, Broncos -- Another year, another quarterback up top. Manning was No. 2 on this list in 2011 before falling to No. 52 when he missed all of 2011 with neck injuries. He left the Colts and landed with Denver where, at the age of 36, he might've had the most prolific season of an incredibly prolific career. Manning completed 68.6 percent of his passes (the second-highest rate in his career), threw for 4,659 yards (also second-highest) and threw 37 touchdowns (again, second-highest). Manning's recovery wasn't completely perfect, but it was pretty darn close. And that's why his peers will plop him above everyone else when all is said and done.

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The game's best rivalries?

It's not just a good game; it's good theater, with drama, passion, angst and hyperbole injected into a series that suddenly threatens to become the West Coast version of Baltimore-Pittsburgh. I know, it's not there. Not yet. But it gets closer with every Harbaugh spitball. In the meantime, let's just say it's a rivalry that has everyone's attention, which means it just entered rarified air -- along with these guys:

Pittsburgh-Baltimore

These two not only regularly compete for the AFC North championship; they regularly compete with New England for ownership of the AFC, period. One or the other has appeared in four of the past five conference championship games (with both in the 2008 game), and they've been to three of the past five Super Bowls. But there's more than that. Look at the series history: Seven of the past nine games between these two were decided by three points. Three frickin' points. Moreover, look at what their players say about each other. It's not pretty, with Terrell Suggs once suggesting the Ravens had a "bounty" out on Pittsburgh star receiver Hines Ward -- a comment he later said was made in jest. Ravens' coach John Harbaugh calls the series "a defining type of rivalry," which makes sense if the definition is the best of the best of the best. This is Boston vs. the Yankees in baseball, UNC vs. Duke in basketball and Tiger vs. Phil on the back nine. The two teams are built around suffocating defenses, winning quarterbacks and organizational stability, and they bring an intensity and respect for each other rarely seen elsewhere. "If there is one place you want to play as a football player," Suggs once said, "it's definitely being the bad guy in Heinz Field." Now that's how you light a fuse.

Peyton Manning-Tom Brady

They're two of the best quarterbacks in pro football, and the only thing safer than their enshrinements at the Pro Football Hall of Fame is that they meet each other next year. You can look it up: Manning-Brady is on target for national TV Nov. 24 at Foxboro, the 11th time since 2001 they've met -- with 2008 and 2011 the only leap years. But there's a catch: Their teams did, in fact, meet in each of those seasons. It's just that their quarterbacks couldn't make it. Brady was hurt in 2008, and Manning was out in 2011. So they've been scheduled to play in each of the past 11 years, meaning they're one of the few stories with more sequels than Rocky. So Brady is 9-4 head-to-head vs. Eli's older brother. Only once in the last five times they met has the gap between the two been more than four points. Plus, now Manning has Brady's favorite receiver. Brady's been to five Super Bowls; Manning to two. Manning has four MVP awards; Brady has two. I think you get the idea. These are two of the most decorated quarterbacks in history, and enjoy them while you can. They won't last forever.

Chicago-Green Bay

Of the rivalries mentioned here, none goes back further than this one. It's not the meanest. Baltimore-Pittsburgh qualifies there. Nor is it the most competitive. While the series is close (92-88-6 in favor of the Bears), it hasn't been close lately. Green Bay won eight of the last nine. It's just that there's something about Green Bay-Chicago, and it's more than memories of Halas and Lombardi, Butkus and Nitschke, Sayers and Starr. It's 22 NFL championships (including five Super Bowls) and 48 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's 186 games and fierce hitting and bitter cold and Super Bowl Shuffles. Granted, there haven't been a lot of championships lately. But look at the NFC North: Nine of the last 11 titles have been won by one of these teams, with the Packers -- which didn't win the 2010 title -- running the table that year in the playoffs before winning Super Bowl XLV. When you think of the division this season, you automatically think Green Bay. But then whom? Minnesota? Not unless you believe Adrian Peterson runs for another 2,000 yards. Nope, it's Chicago, and, yeah, OK, so the Bears lost Brian Urlacher. They're still the team Packers' fans love to hate.

Atlanta-New Orleans

The last four years these two took turns at the top of the NFC South, with Atlanta winning it last season while the Saints' Sean Payton was on sabbatical. So there's balance. But that's not what I like about this series. This is: It's charged with as much emotion as it is superb play. Remember when Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's single-season passing record? It was against Atlanta, and the Falcons didn't like how it went down. Up 38-16 with under five minutes to play, New Orleans passed on the chance to kill the clock with running plays and, instead, had Brees pass to gain the 30 yards he needed to set the record. Afterward, Payton explained the situation, saying he thought it was "appropriate," but the Falcons weren't buying it. "That's just who they are," one of their players told our Pete Prisco. "We'll see them down the road. We won't forget any of it." Turns out, he was right. It was the Falcons who ended Brees' record of consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 54. That was a 23-13 Falcons' victory last season where Atlanta intercepted Brees five times, a first in his career. It was also after New Orleans had broken the Falcons' unbeaten record and airport workers in Atlanta egged the Saints' team bus when their charter arrived. Hey, if you can't beat 'em, egg 'em.

Jim Harbaugh-John Harbaugh

Following Super Bowl XLVII, Baltimore's John Harbaugh said, "There's no greater coach in the National Football league -- or in the world, as far as I'm concerned" -- than his brother, Jim, which is a nice thing for Big Brother to acknowledge. Only it begs this question: What does that make John? He played his brother twice and beat him both times -- including that 34-31 defeat in Super Bowl XLVII when the 49ers couldn't go five yards in three plays. These two have a total of seven years coaching in the NFL, with seven playoff appearances, four division titles, a combined record of 90-39-1 and five conference championship-game appearances. Nope, they don't hate each other, but neither is OK with losing -- which is good because, as the numbers tell us, neither one of them does much losing. I understand this is a stretch because the rivalry doesn't exist in head-to-head play. They've only met twice, for crying out loud. But don't tell me it doesn't exist in their bodies of work, because it does -- with one brother trying to outdo the other. Advantage, John.

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The Broncos might just be the best team playing fastbreak football this fall

At times, Peyton Manning looks like he’s being fast-forwarded.

No taking most of the play clock to deke defenders into tipping their hand, no surveying the entire field to decipher opponents’ intentions.

Just get to the line, take the snap and get rid of the ball in a hurry.

Then, hustle up to the line and do it all again. And again. And again.

The Denver Broncos didn’t just steal away Tom Brady’s favorite receiver in Wes Welker in free agency, they also adopted the New England Patriots’ feverish philosophy in turbocharging their already efficient offense this offseason.

When Adam Gase was promoted from Manning’s position coach to offensive coordinator over the winter, he excitedly talked about picking up the pace, and the Broncos have done just that, adding an up-tempo facet to Manning’s repertoire.

The Broncos might just be the best team playing fastbreak football this fall, too, what with Manning pushing the pedal and Welker on the other end.

Revving things up this offseason also has prepared Denver’s defense for the latest NFL trend.

“Communication. It speeds up everything,” cornerback Champ Bailey said. “I think it is good for us to start now because we saw a little bit of that last year and it hurt us. … When it starts going slow, it will be easy for us. The communication part is the most important thing because you can’t really talk a lot. You have to use a lot of sign language and things like that. It really prepares us for what is to come.”

The Broncos remember all too well their loss at New England last October when anybody daring to run grab a cold one from the fridge risked missing plenty of action. The Patriots got off 89 plays that afternoon, registering a team-record 35 first downs in a 31-21 win in which Welker had nine catches by halftime.

The Broncos were ill-prepared for the snappy snaps that day in Foxborough, Mass., failing to get lined up properly or to get their defensive calls hollered out before Brady was dropping back and hitting Welker with quick slants to catch them flat-footed over and over.

“We’re going to benefit a lot from” seeing it in practice every day, safety David Bruton said. “Just getting the communication across the board real quick. New England, for example, last year they went with that fast tempo and we showed chinks in our armor. We weren’t coherent, we weren’t stable, we weren’t as fluid as we wanted to be on defense. So, with our offense going at such a fast pace, we have no choice but to get it right or they’re going to tear us up, as well.

“We definitely feel like we’ll be ready for any team that comes out with a fast pace, and seeing as how that’s a part of the NFL today, we’re going to see it a lot.”

Manning said it helps that he’s in his second season in Denver, building on the foundation that was laid down a year ago. Gase’s promotion following Mike McCoy’s departure to coach the San Diego Chargers this winter opened the door for Greg Knapp to come on board as his new position coach.

“So, we are learning a new offense but at the same time, there is enough familiarity from last year that does make every player feel more confident,” Manning said. “And, when you know what you’re doing, you play faster. Receivers can run faster routes, I think quarterbacks and running backs have a better idea of what they’re doing and you can go out there and play without having to think as much.

“Any time you can take the thinking out of football, that’s a good thing.”

Gase has been peppered with questions about the Broncos’ up-tempo trend all offseason and he’s been trying to dial back expectations that Denver is going to run teams ragged, especially at altitude, right from kickoff.

The key he said, is having the flexibility to change the pace from series to series or even snap to snap.

“I think our ability to move in and out of any speed packages is good. We’ll slow it down some. I don’t want to say that it’s going to be this high tempo that everyone’s talking about. We’ve just got the tools to move in and out of speeds as we go during the season,” Gase said Thursday.

“I think our tools are going to be the key as far as, `Hey, we need to slow it down here. Maybe we’ll shift here. It’s going to be huddle. We’re on the ball. The quarterback has a chance to move in and out of those kinds of speeds.’ I mean, we’re not looking at the Philadelphia Eagles, Chip Kelly type of offense here.”

Gase said the ability to speed things up will help their two-minute offense, but it’s not like he’s trying to get in a certain number of more snaps per game.

He’s actually hoping to be able to slow things down a bit, too.

“I think the biggest thing is how do we figure out a way to put the ball in the end zone earlier and more often? And then be able to close it out,” Gase said. “That was one of the things last year we got criticized on was just the sloppiness of the end of the game. We’ve got to be able to shut the door. And now that goes back into, `Hey, we’re back in the huddle. We’re slowing it down. Now, we’ve got to be able to execute it.’”