An NFL Midseason Report: Who's Due

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Is Takeo Spikes the most patient man in the game?

The NFL regular season already seems long when you're getting hit by 300-pound linemen each week, but it must feel like an eternity for those who never get a sniff of what it is like to play in the playoffs. Consider the players who have been in the league for years (one even a decade) without ever having tasted a playoff game. A look at the current NFL players who have played in the most games without ever appearing in a playoff contest reveals the usual roster of futility, but this year the Holy Grail may be in sight for a few. Of the top five, two play for the Cardinals (who comfortably lead the NFC West) and two others are on teams within a game of first place after last week. Lets look at the most patient men in football.

1. Takeo Spikes, LB, San Francisco, 149 games
THE SKINNY: The two-time Pro Bowler is with his fourth NFL club and his third in as many seasons. He became the first linebacker in Niners history to record an interception in three straight games, but his streak of sadness likely will continue unless the Niners miraculously catch fire under Mike Singletary.
THE KICKER: His lone year in Philadelphia (2007) marked only the second time in eight seasons the Eagles failed to make the playoffs.

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2. L.J. Shelton, OT, San Diego, 139 games
THE SKINNY: He started every game from 2005 to 2007 for the Browns and Dolphins, but is hoping his new assignment this year—blocking for L.T. as a backup on the Chargers—will get him to the promised land.
THE KICKER: Shelton's father, Lonnie, played 10 seasons in the NBA and won a ring with the '79 Sonics.

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3. Rian Lindell, K, Buffalo, 133 games
THE SKINNY: Even while making 80.7 percent of his field goals, his campaigns with Seahawks and Bills have been fruitless. This year has seemed (at times) like the year the Bills could end their eight-year playoff drought.
THE KICKER: Buffalo had a chance to make the playoffs on the final day of the 2004 season, but Lindell missed a 28-yard field goal late in the third quarter. It gave life to the Steelers, who went on to a 29-24 win that sent the Bills home.

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4. Terrelle Smith, RB, Arizona, 132 games
THE SKINNY: Smith, who is in his second season with the Cards, has blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher five times in his seven years with the league, including Deuce McAllister, Ricky Williams and Reuben Droughns. The Cards seem poised for their first postseason appearance in a decade.
THE KICKER: Smith's current RB, Edgerrin James, has only 380 yards.

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5. Neil Rackers, K, Arizona, 127 games
THE SKINNY: After leaving the Bengals for the Cardinals in 2003, he has set several kicking records and been elected to the Pro Bowl.
THE KICKER: In 2005, Rackers set the NFL record for field goals in a season with 40. The Cardinals finished 5-11.

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