Face Of The Franchises

With passing becoming the preferred method of  moving the football in the NFL, it only follows that the quarterback is the preferred face of the franchise. These days, if the quarterback isn't that face, the team is falling behind. It's the belief of many that a top quarterback is required for success in this passing league. Personally, I don't think that it has to be this way. I think that there are many ways for a team to be successful. I think that any player can be the face of the franchise. Even, heaven forbid, an offensive lineman.
Here's who I see as the face of each of the 32 NFL franchises:

Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson
Even before his incredible 2012 season, Peterson was the face of the Minnesota Vikings. There's no doubt now. MVP. Offensive Player of the Year. #1 player in the league, as voted by the players.

Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers
Enough said.

Chicago Bears: Jay Cutler
Until he retired this offseason, Brian Ulacher was the face of the Bears. I'd like to pick one of their excellent cornerbacks, Charles Tillman or Tim Jennings, but I'm not sure many outside of Chicago would even recognize them. Seeing as it's been about sixty years since a quarterback has been a face of this franchise, it feels a little odd.

Detroit Lions: Calvin Johnson
The Lions are a unique team in that they have an elite, franchise quarterback yet the face of their franchise is another player. Johnson is simply unique. Best receiver in the league. One of the best players in the league.

San Francisco 49ers: Patrick Willis
Some might be willing to anoint quarterback Colin Kaepernick. I'm not there yet. He might be the guy before the 2013 season is done but I'll wait until then. For now, I like Willis. He's one of my favorites. I think that Willis and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt might be the two best defensive players in the league. I also don't consider it a stretch to see head coach Jim Harbaugh as the face of this franchise. He's changed this team and he changed it fast. But, I'm leaving this to players.

Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson
I might be a hypocrite in anointing Wilson this early and not Kaepernick. I just think that the 49ers were playing some terrific football before Kaepernick took over. Alex Smith nearly had the team in the Super Bowl two years ago. He had the 49ers among the best in the league before he suffered the concussion that changed the direction of a franchise last season. Wilson's play turned the Seahawks into an elite team.

St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford
Bradford has had some elite moments but those moments have been difficult to sustain on a team that hasn't had a lot of recent success. Bradford has been forced to be the face of the team before he's really earned it.

Arizona Cardinals; Larry Fitzgerald
Fantastic football player. Hopefully, Carson Palmer will be much closer to Kurt Warner than John Skelton.

New York Giants: Eil Manning
Little to debate here.

Dallas Cowboys: DeMarcus Ware
Most might pick Tony Romo. Until Romo wins some big games I'll think of Ware whenever I think of the Cowboys.

Philadelphia Eagles: LeSean McCoy
This is really a default choice. Nothing much went right for the Eagles last year. I have a difficult time accepting Michael Vick as the face of anything. DeSean Jackson needs to get his game back a bit. When healthy, McCoy is a terrific running back.

Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III
There are so many dynamic young quarterbacks in the league right now. Kaepernick, Wilson, RGIII, Andrew Luck, and Cam Newton. This guy is the most electric. The league, all fans, and especially the Redskins need him to come back healthy.

Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan
It's easy to get in a lather over the really young quarterbacks but there's a group not much older that is really, really good. Ryan, Stafford, and Joe Flacco already seem ancient but they have an awful lot of football ahead of them.

New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees
This is pretty obvious. Few great players have connected so well and so completely with their adopted community.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Doug Martin
Most around the Buccaneers want this to be Josh Freeman. After his rookie season, I think of Martin when I think of this team. Great back. So much like Ray Rice it's scary.

Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton
So, his second season wasn't as terrific as his rookie season. He set that bar real high for himself. The play of the rookies didn't help either. Newton's future is bright.

Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco
It's diffucult to imagine the Ravens as an offensive team first, defensive team second but that's pretty much the case now. Despite losing former face of the franchise Ray Lewis to retirement and Ed Reed to free agency, the Ravens should still field a good defense. But, this is Joe Flacco's team now.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger
The Steelers took a step back last year. That hasn't happened for a while. It's up to Roethlisberger to bring them back.

Cincinnati Bengals: Andy Dalton
The Bengals are an interesting team. HBO should be glad to have them on Hard Knocks.They have a lot of talent from some real nice recent drafts. They have two elite football players in receiver A.J. Green and defensive tackle Geno Atkins but I think that Dalton is the face. He certainly has the hair to stand out from the rest.

Cleveland Browns: Joe Thomas
Trent Richardson is the more flashy choice right now but I'm going with the best football player on the Browns, offensive lineman Joe Thomas. The Browns would probably like to see this spot taken over by Brandon Weeden real soon. Thomas will help make that happen.

Denver Broncos: Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning could be the face of the NFL.

Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles
If not for the spectacular season that Adrian Peterson had last year, people would would be raving about how Charles came back from a similar knee injury.

San Diego Chargers: Phillip Rivers
There was a time, not long ago, that Rivers was mentioned with Manning, Brady, Brees, and Rodgers as the best quarterbacks in the league. He needs to get back to that level of play.

Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden
This one's a struggle. If McFadden could ever stay healthy, he'd be an elite back.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady
Not much needs to be said here.

Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill's terrific rookie season was kinda lost among those of Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, and Russell Wilson. The entire Dolphins team looks to be ascending.

Buffalo Bills: C.J. Spiller
The former top-10 pick finally had his breakout season with over 1,200 yards last year.

New York Jets: Muhammad Wilkerson
Like the Raiders, this one's a struggle. Wilkerson is on a fast track to being one of the top defensive linemen in the league. He's already the best football player on the Jets.

Houston Texans: J.J. Watt
Unlike the Raiders and Jets, there's several players to pick from the Texans. Perhaps, more players than any other team. Matt Schaub, Arian Foster, and Andre Johnson could all be considered for the face of the Houston Texans. I'm going with the player that has quickly become the best defensive football player in the league, J.J. Watt.

Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck
Time will tell if the 2012 rookie quarterback class can measure up to the 1983 class but it's pretty remarkable that Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill, and Andrew Luck are the face of their franchises after only one season. Brandon Weeden could join that group soon. Incredible. I still like Luck best out of this young quarterback group.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Maurice Jones-Drew
Jones-Drew needs to get healthy and stay on the field. He's an excellent running back.

Tennessee Titans: Chris Johnson
Johnson looks like he's back to running the ball in the right direction. I think that quarterback Jake Locker wrestles this title from Johnson real soon.