The 2012 Power 100 ranking of the most powerful professional athletes in the U.S was released last night by Bloomberg/Businessweek, revealing Drew Brees at the top of the list (go to this link to see the top 20). 26 NFL football players (including four heading to the Super Bowl) are on the list.

CSE’s Analytics team, lead by VP, Analytics, David Newman, evaluated more than 3,000 athletes across a variety of sports, with 50 percent based on “off-field” measurements and 50 percent on “on-field” performance.

After the jump, check out the 26 NFL players in the top 100

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

The NFL’s Wild-Card Weekend started off with a bang in the NFC with the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints battling in a close  game that eventually was decided in the fourth quarter. Drew Brees and the Saints proved to be a bit too much to handle for the Lions’ defense in a 45-28 win.

Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson both had great games (211 yards and two touchdowns accumulated between the two), but the difference in this one was multiple missed opportunities on the defensive end.

The league’s bad boy, Ndamukong Suh, was a no-show in this one as the Saints often double-teamed the superstar defensive lineman. An effective game-plan which allowed Brees to have the time to complete 33 of his 43 passes and post 466 yards and three touchdowns.

While Brees’ numbers look great, the guy wasn’t invincible and actually threw up some ducks on the night. The only problem was that the Lions failed to capitalize on any of his miscues and he’s a guy who can’t be allotted second chances.

At halftime, the Lions entered the locker room with a 14-10 lead, and at the time looked like the better team. But, that didn’t last long when the Saints came out and reverted back to playing their kind of football which involves heaving up the ball and scoring on long pass plays. In the second half, the Saints outscored Detroit 35-14.

Where do the Lions go from here?

Other than going home earlier than expected, they should be happy about how the 2011-12 season played out. They have loads of young talent and showed during the season that they can at the very least compete with the Packers in the NFC North. Stafford and Johnson are the best QB-WR connection in the NFL and should flourish for years to come.

Even though the Lions have some issues on the defensive end, I wouldn’t necessarily say they have desperate positional needs. For that reason, I think they should go after a running back in the first couple of rounds in the NFL Draft. Yes, they have Jahvid Best, but it was apparent this became a less dangerous team when they lost him to injury. With Best’s injury-prone background, it wouldn’t hurt to have another running back in the mix.

And until Mikel Leshoure proves he can be healthy and a successful contributor to this team, it wouldn’t hurt to add another halfback for healthy competition.

In The Sports Banks’ latest Mock Draft, we have Miami’s RB Lamar Miller going to the Lions.

With a little balance, this Lions team could give the Packers a run for their money next season.

What did you think of the Lions’ first playoff game in a long time? Do you see a bright future for this team like I do? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

The Lions should be playing the New York Giants this weekend. I have mentioned that the team was hoodwinked out of multiple victories last season against the Bears. Well, it happened once again last weekend against the Green Bay Packers. There was a touchdown to Titus Young that was not ruled as a reception. Detroit succumbed to the Packers by four points and wound up against the Saints in New Orleans.

Jim Schwartz cannot dwell on this. The victimization of the team will not produce results on the field Saturday night. They come in as double digit underdogs to a hostile environment. Drew Brees and Matthew Stafford both do the same things well. They spread the ball around to a plethora of receivers. Due to this, they both put up points at a record setting pace. Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan should simply try to outscore the Saints. There is no shame in winning the game 35-31.

Old school coaches would tell you that the other team probably won’t score if their offense isn’t on the field. That can’t be a concern on Saturday night. Time management shouldn’t even come into the thought processes unless it’s at the end of the halves.

Stefan Logan is the kick returner for Detroit. Touchbacks can’t be on the agenda against the Saints. Special teams could be the “x” factor, so he should run off all kickoffs unless they are in the last few yards of the end zone.

Special teams is the one component that is most often overlooked in the game, but it can obviously be the deciding factor. The same strategy could be utilized for punt returns. Calvin Johnson should field them during this sudden death situation. The threat of injury is not the concern that it is during the regular season because there is plenty of time to recover after the contest if Detroit loses.

Trick plays could become part of the team’s playbook. The Saints will have their hands full simply trying to contain all of the possible targets without accounting for flea flickers and fake punts. This may seem like a gimmick, but when nobody is giving you a chance, it’s a viable option. Pulling out all the stops will gain the respect of his players for Schwartz.

Defending the run is something that isn’t mentioned much with the analysis of this game. Detroit was 23^rd in the NFL during regular season play. If the Saints are able to effectively run and pass, it’s a tall order for the team to compete. Ndamukong Suh hasn’t put up the statistics that he did last year, and Nick Fairley has had nagging injuries. They can atone for this with a superb effort on Saturday night.

The aforementioned defensive line must pressure Drew Brees. He broke Dan Marino’s single season passing record this season, and will continue to slice up secondaries if he has time. Various blitz packages implemented by defensive coordinator Gunther Gunningham could take him out of his comfort zone.

With Aaron Rodgers resting on the bench, who would have thought the Green Bay Packers would put up 550 total yards of offense and 45 points?

Back-up QB Matt Flynn had a career day with a franchise record six touchdowns and 480 passing yards in the 45-41 shootout win at Lambeau Field.

Since 1970, Flynn is the 3rd QB to throw for 3 or more TDs in his first two starts. The other two were Dan Marino and Kurt Warner.

For the Lions, QB Matthew Stafford put up college-like numbers with 520 yards and five touchdowns. And there was that Calvin Johnson guy with 244 receiving yards as well.

After Sunday’s performance, Flynn is most likely assured a starting job somewhere in the NFL next season. Included in the deal will be a large pay-increase, meaning there is no way he comes back to Green Bay to sit behind Rodgers in the near future.

One of the reasons Flynn flourished was the play of WR Jordy Nelson who has emerged as a legitimate top receiver. Nelson caught nine passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns.

I think it’s safe to say Flynn, Nelson, Stafford and Megatron (C. Johnson) played huge parts in leading teams to their fantasy championship this week.

Even though Rodgers had his 17 game starting streak snapped, the league’s likely MVP still had a good day while becoming the owner of the single-season passer rating record. By not playing, his 122.5 rating bypasses Peyton Manning’s mark of 121.1 set in 2004. Rodgers ends the season completing 343 of his 502 passes for 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns.

Even though the Lions gave it their best try, they will most likely receive the sixth and final seed, earning them a trip to New Orleans in the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Packers will have a full week to rest and await their opponent in the second round.

What did you think of this crazy shootout game? If your team is without a QB, would you go after Matt Flynn? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

For many NFL fans, this week’s games are meaningless, as their favorite team has been eliminated from playoff contention. But for many of the people who support those done-after-this-week teams,  they’re still alive in a postseason of a different sort.

They’ve been going head-to-head with rival fans in a trivia showdown known as The Season. Enabled by Buzztime, The Season reflected the NFL 2011 schedule every week, pitting the opposing fan-bases of each competing team. And as you might guess, Buzztime’s The Season has a very different looking playoff picture.

So who’s undefeated and the king of trivia thus far?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the current #1 overall seed in The Season, prime contenders to win the whole show. At least their fans are. On the field, the Bucs have been pretty much playing for draft position since early November.

NFC Playoff Picture

#1 Seed:  #1 Tampa Bay Bucs (15-0) Division Champion

#2 Seed: #3 Washington Redskins (15-0) Division Champion

#3 Seed: #5 San Francisco 49ers (13-2) Division Champion

#4 Seed: #6 Green Bay Packers (11-4) Division Champion

Wild Card Rankings (top two make the playoffs):

1. #12 New Orleans Saints (10-5) 

2. #15 Detroit Lions (9-6)

3. #16 St. Louis Rams (9-6)

4. #11 New York Giants (8-7)

NFC: All signs still point to a Tampa Bay-Washington showdown in the conference championship game. New Orleans is all but in. #15 Detroit plays #6 Green Bay in week 16 to close the season, and since they beat them a few weeks ago, they could do it again! #16 St. Louis closes The Season against #5 San Francisco, and they don’t have much of a chance. #11 New York Giants end the season against #17 Dallas. So it is very possible that The St. Louis Rams, New York Giants and Detroit Lions fans could end the Season 9-7.  If the Lions take the win over the Packers, so long Green Bay and Detroit get to say hello to the playoffs.

AFC Playoff Picture

#1 Seed:  #2 Houston Texans (14-1) Division Champion

#2 Seed: #9 New England Patriots (12-3) Division Champion

#3 Seed: #7 Kansas City Chiefs (12-3)

#4 Seed: #10 Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) Division Champion

Wild Card Rankings (top two make the playoffs):

1. #4 Oakland Raiders (12-3) Clinched Playoff Spot

2. #8 Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5)

3. #13 Denver Broncos (9-6)

Surprise, surprise! The AFC playoffs are STILL all about the Houston Texans Fans, the AFC West and the battle for the last Wildcard spot.  It is going to go down to the wire. If #8 Jacksonville beats beat #26 Indianapolis to end the Season, they are in.  #13 Denver plays #7 Kansas City to end the Season. If Kansas City wins, then they are the AFC West division champs, and Denver is out of the playoffs.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

The Detroit Lions are in the NFL playoffs for the first time this millennium.

This is a remarkable accomplishment considering the team was winless just three seasons ago. The absence of Matt Millen in the front office certainly has expedited the process of turning the culture of the organization around. While it’s certain that the club will play in the wild card round, the opponent isn’t for certain yet.

The teams that are in the mix are the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, and the Dallas Cowboys.

The two possible seeds for the Lions in the NFC bracket are the fifth and sixth. I will not play the “if this, then this” game. It is very dry reading for one, and secondly that is done more efficiently in a table format rather than prose. What I will provide is an argument for the most beneficial opponent for the Lions.

The Dallas Cowboys are the most favorable foe for Detroit. Tony Romo’s lack of success in December is legendary. The microscope in Dallas is the biggest in the NFL. The franchise has a micromanaging owner who constantly inserts himself into every decision on a daily basis. Romo’s playoff accomplishments certainly have not satisfied the masses in the football starved lone star state. He is a Brett Favre type of player whose ability to make positive things happen is matched by his propensity for a mistake.

Dallas also plays indoors, which would benefit the prolific passing attack of Detroit. Matthew Stafford is used to playing in hostile environments in the SEC and the NFC North; there would be an increased level of adrenaline from competing against America’s team.

The New York Giants would also provide a positive experience for the Lions. Eli Manning has had a record setting year, but so have a handful of quarterbacks. His Super Bowl victory was more due to luck than skill. He definitely is not his brother in terms of leadership or preparation.

Like the Lions, the strength of New York’s defense is the d line. Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck have the ability to pressure Stafford, but this will simply necessitate quick passing plays by Detroit or draws to keep them at bay. The Lions have demonstrated the propensity to come back in games this season. Their prior performances against the Vikings and Chargers are evidence of their gritty nature. Tom Coughlin does not hold a coaching edge over Jim Schwartz. His refusal to go out on a limb can be a blessing or curse, depending on the situation.

The San Francisco 49ers could be a better team for the Lions than the Saints. Frank Gore doesn’t possess the explosiveness that he did in the past. There is a lack of experience in this type of situation for Jim Harbaugh and Alex Smith. The defense has been the key to the success of the franchise all season, but linebacker Patrick Willis has been banged up recently. In addition, the team wrapped up the division so early that they haven’t played in very meaningful games lately. It’s tough for players to simply flip a switch for competitiveness.

The NFL has certainly gone out of the way in recent years to emphasize the passing game. Numerous rule changes and rule tweaks have changed the game, enabling passers to put up big numbers and let offenses score at will.

As a result, quarterbacks are the highest paid NFL players, with those most entrusted in protecting the QB’s blind side (left tackles) and those with the most important role in stopping the opponent’s forward pass (elite pass-rushers) not far behind.

The pigskin has been flying all over the place this fall as the single season mark of 5,084 passing yards, set by the Miami Dolphins’ Dan Marino in 1984, will soon fall.

Two QBs will almost certainly eclipse it, with three more coming close.

Tom Brady of the New England Patriots leads the NFL in passing with 4,897 yards. Given that the Pats average 316 yards passing per game, good for 3rd in the league, I think it’s safe to say he’ll get the 187 he needs and change next week versus Buffalo.

But Brady is only atop the league right now because Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints hasn’t played this week yet. He’s leading the league in average passing yards per game and has 4,780 before taking on the Saints’ bitter rival the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

Let’s say he puts up 300 yard games in his last two- that gives him 5,380 for the year, breaking the record with ease. I guess it’s going to come down to which coach wants to rest for the playoffs, and which coach finds themselves in a shootout, or perhaps with a chance to run up the score. (Belichick anyone?)

Now suddenly the last week of the season got a lot more interesting, Brady vs. Brees could be like Sammy Sosa vs. Mark McGwire- only without the fraud, steroids and ANNOYING Cubs and Cardinals fans.

Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers is currently fifth in the league at 4,380. He has the game left with the Chicago Bears tonight and one more after that. He should likely reach 5,000.

The NY Giants’ Eli Manning is third at 4,587 and the Detroit Lions Matt Stafford is fourth at 4,518. Each have one game left, meaning they’re both likely to clear 4,800 and have an outside shot at hitting 4,900. In any year but this, you’d be hearing a lot more about those two guys and their stats.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site that generates millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio shows all across the world. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

The odds makers have predicted that the San Diego vs. Detroit game on Christmas Eve will be even. Norv Turner’s teams traditionally perform at a much higher level during the latter portion of their seasons. This year is no exception, leaving fans of both camps wondering what will transpire at Ford Field.

The Lions have a 9-5 record heading into the last two weeks of play in the regular season. Even though the Green Bay Packers lost last week to the Chiefs, they still will be the champions of the NFC North. That leaves Detroit’s sights still firmly on the wild card possibilities. The team’s biggest obstacle offensively will be trying to run the ball.

Jahvid Best’s health has been a question all season and the cast of characters that has replaced him has been suspect. Schwartz shouldn’t even try to run on a regular basis unless he wants to milk the clock with a lead. Both teams have elite quarterbacks taking the ball from center and they should realize this when coming up with their respective game plans. Spreading the ball around to a plethora of receivers is a must for Detroit to have success on the offensive side. There are so many weapons, that San Diego must have their heads on a swivel to have a chance at defending their opponent.

The Lions must also attempt to pressure Rivers on a regular basis. The line is the strength of the defense and it should be utilized with constant penetration through the middle and on the edges. If Rivers has time inside the dome, he will dissect the secondary of Detroit. He hasn’t really had the ability this season to get in a consistent groove; disrupting his timing is a necessity for this to continue.

Kicking the ball into the end zone is a factor for the Lions. This opportunity to make the Chargers play on a long field will allow the Detroit defense to bend, but not break. This philosophy takes away the big play chances down the field for San Diego’s wide receivers. It is much more difficult for a team to matriculate down an eighty yard field over eight minutes than to drive half that yardage in a fraction of the time. The same could be said of the punt hang time and placement. Fair catches and punts out of bounds are just what the doctor ordered this time of year. The health of the special teams unit can even be guarded from these scenarios arising.

Red zone efficiency is the primary factor in the winner of this game. This is where Stafford and his weapons could be the difference. I am thinking of touchdowns rather than simply field goals. Going for it on fourth down on the opponent’s side of the fifty isn’t utilized enough in the NFL. If a coach is walking on egg shells in his decision-making, then his team will lack the faith from him. Attempting first downs instills confidence in the unit.

The fantasy football season is on the final stretch and every move takes on do-or-die importance. If you need a win now, start the higher rated player in my rankings and bring home that championship.

Quarterbacks

Could Impress: Tim Tebow. The Bills have fallen off the map after their fast start, and a big reason is the play of the defense. Buffalo is giving up 165 rushing yards a game and has struggled horribly against mobile quarterbacks. Tebow’s pass numbers have been better the last few weeks, so expect a good mix of rush and pass numbers for #15.

Could Disappoint: Eli Manning. The ‘other’ Manning is coming off his worst game of the season and has a tough matchup with the Jets this weekend. If we know one thing about Eli, it’s that he forces the issue in pressure games. If you’ve got other good options, you might want to consider sitting Manning.

Injury Replacement: Matt Moore. Give the guy credit; he’s been an above average quarterback this season, putting up double-digit fantasy points in more than half of his starts. The Patriots have allowed less talented quarterbacks to put up big fantasy numbers this season. Moore’s a decent play this week.

QB Rankings

1. Arian Foster HOU (@ Indianapolis)

2. Ray Rice BAL (vs. Cleveland)

3. Maurice Jones-Drew JAX (@ Tennessee)

4. LeSean McCoy PHI (@ Dallas)

5. Adrian Peterson MIN (@ Washington)

6. Ryan Mathews SD (@ Detroit)

7. Michael Turner ATL (@ New Orleans)

8. Reggie Bush MIA (@ New England)

9. Michael Bush OAK (@ Kansas City)

10. Rashard Mendenhall PIT (vs. St. Louis)

11. Chris Johnson TEN (vs. Jacksonville)

12. Shonn Greene NYJ (vs. New York Giants)

13. Frank Gore SF (@ Seattle)

14. Marshawn Lynch SEA (vs. San Francisco)

15. Willis McGahee DEN (@ Buffalo)

16. Beanie Wells AZ (@ Cincinnati)

17. Cedric Benson CIN (vs. Arizona)

18. C.J. Spiller BUF (vs. Denver)

19. Steven Jackson STL (@ Pittsburgh)

20. Roy Helu WAS (vs. Minnesota)

21. LeGarrette Blount TB (@ Carolina)

22. Felix Jones DAL (vs. Philadelphia)

23. Darren Sproles NO (vs. Atlanta)

24. Ahmad Bradshaw NYG (@ New York Jets)

25. DeAngelo Williams CAR (vs. Tampa Bay)

26. Jonathan Stewart CAR (vs. Tampa Bay)

27. Kahlil Bell CHI (@ Green Bay)

28. Donald Brown IND (vs. Houston)

29. Ryan Grant GB (vs. Chicago)

30. BenJarvus Green-Ellis NE (vs. Miami)

31. Kevin Smith DET (@ San Diego)

32. Peyton Hillis CLE (@ Baltimore)

33. Ben Tate HOU (@ Indianapolis)

34. Mike Tolbert SD (@ Detroit)

35. Brandon Jacobs NYG (@ New York Jets)

36. Marion Barber CHI (@ Green Bay)

37. Lance Ball DEN (@ Buffalo)

38. Chris Ivory NO (vs. Atlanta)

39. Jackie Battle KC (vs. Oakland)

40. Pierre Thomas NO (vs. Atlanta)

41. Thomas Jones KC (vs. Oakland)

42. Toby Gerhart MIN (@ Washington)

43. Evan Royster WAS (vs. Minnesota)

44. Kendall Hunter SF (@ Seattle)

45. Sammy Morris DAL (vs. Philadelphia)

46. Mark Ingram NO (vs. Atlanta)

47. Daniel Thomas MIA (@ New England)

48. Ricky Williams BAL (vs. Cleveland)

49. Stevan Ridley NE (vs. Miami)

50. LaDainian Tomlinson NYJ (vs. New York Giants)

Stephen Kelley is a contributor at The Sports Bank where he covers Fantasy Sports and Pro Drafts. You can follow him on Twitter @stephen_tsb.

The fantasy football season is on the final stretch and every move takes on do-or-die importance. If you need a win now, start the higher rated player in my rankings and bring home that championship.

1. Rob Gronkowski NE (vs. Miami)

2. Jimmy Graham NO (vs. Atlanta)

3. Tony Gonzalez ATL (@ New Orleans)

4. Jermichael Finley GB (vs. Chicago)

5. Antonio Gates SD (@ Detroit)

6. Aaron Hernandez NE (vs. Miami)

7. Jason Witten DAL (vs. Philadelphia)

8. Brent Celek PHI (@ Dallas)

9. Vernon Davis SF (@ Seattle)

10. Owen Daniels HOU (@ Indianapolis)

11. Brandon Pettigrew DET (vs. San Diego)

12. Dustin Keller NYJ (vs. New York Giants)

13. Kellen Winslow TB (@ Carolina)

14. Jermaine Gresham CIN (vs. Arizona)

15. Jared Cook TEN (vs. Jacksonville)

16. Anthony Fasano MIA (@ New England)

17. Ed Dickson BAL (vs. Cleveland)

18. Greg Olsen CAR (vs. Tampa Bay)

19. Heath Miller PIT (vs. St. Louis)

20. Marcedes Lewis JAX (@ Tennessee)

21. Scott Chandler BUF (vs. Denver)

22. Visanthe Shiancoe MIN (@ Washington)

23. Jacob Tamme IND (vs. Houston)

24. Kevin Boss OAK (@ Kansas City)

25. Evan Moore CLE (@ Baltimore)

Stephen Kelley is a contributor at The Sports Bank where he covers Fantasy Sports and Pro Drafts. You can follow him on Twitter @stephen_tsb.