The NFL Network's Top 100 Players of 2012 is nearing its merciful conclusion. This week, players 20-11 were counted down, leaving only the top 10 to go.
Thus far, the Cowboys have placed only two players on the list. Tony Romo came in at No. 91, down from No. 72 in 2011, and Jason Witten was No. 75, down from No. 36 last year.
You can bet that a third will place in the top 10: DeMarcus Ware, who was No. 12 in 2011.
If he is the only Cowboys player remaining on, the list, which would seem likely, it would mean the team is down three Top 100 players from 2011. Miles Austin was always likely to slip out of the rankings after an injury plagued season, and Andre Gurode falls off after losing his job to Phil Costa.
But what did Jay Ratliff do to lose consideration? He made his fourth-consecutive Pro Bowl team last year, and though he totaled only two sacks, Ratliff was consistently pretty active in the backfield as a run-stopper.
Almost everyone will agree this Top 100 list, as voted on by the players, is filled with flaws.
Will Ratliff, who is highly respected amongst his peers, be included alongside defensive studs like Ware, Patrick Willis and Darrelle Revis? Or will he be left out of the Top 100 altogether, behind players like Tim Tebow, Donald Penn and John Kuhn?
Which would be a greater mistake?
