Woodson Named NFL's Top Defender

NFL News - January 12th, 2010 - Written by John

No real surprise here. The NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award was going to go to a cornerback for the first time in 16 years, the only question was who was going to get it.

And as many of the league's postseason awards were given to players predicted weeks ago, this one followed suit.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson edged out Darrelle Revis for the honor with 28 votes.

While Revis was the league's best shutdown corner, and routinely locked out premier receivers every week, Woodson was the best all around. He anchored the league's second-ranked defense and helped the Pack earn their first postseason berth sans Brett Favre in almost two decades. Green Bay was first in interceptions, takeaways and turnover margin over the course of the 2009 NFL Season, although it's last game, a 51-45 defeat in the playoffs opening round, didn't replicate the dominance.

Woodson was tied for first in the league with nine interceptions, and had four forced fumbles, three touchdowns and two sacks.

It was only the second time a Green Bay defender won the award in award's 36-year history, joining Reggie White, who won it in 1998. Deion Sanders was the last cornerback to win the award while with the San Francisco 49ers in 1994.

Revis made a strong argument for the award, but only earned 14 votes from the panel of 50 sportswriters. In his third season, Revis had six interceptions and 54 tackles, and locked out Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco in the Jets' last two games. Both were crucial because they a) gave New York a berth into the playoffs b) gave the Jets only their second postseason win this decade.

He and linebacker David Harris were the cornerstones to the league's top-ranked defense, which seems to be peaking at just the right moment.

Three other players received votes. Denver's Elvis Dumervil and New Orleans' Darren Sharper got three, and Minnesota's Jared Allen got two.