St. Louis Rams

For Torry Holt, lining up alongside superstar wide receivers has become old hat. His running mate since he entered the league is another All Pro, Isaac Bruce. Even with another Pro Bowler teaming with him, Holt has been able to post some impressive numbers.

So, it came as no surprise when the receiver known as Big Gamehad another one in Sundays Pro Bowl. Playing with the likes of Carolina’s Mushin Muhammad and Green Bay’s Javon Walker, Holt managed to catch five passes for 99 yards to lead all receivers.

In an ironic twist, Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick, the man who was one of the biggest thorns in the side of the Rams this season, hit Holt for a 27-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Holt earned his spot on the Pro Bowl team after Philadelphia’s Terrell Owens was ruled out because of an ankle injury. Based on Holt's season, though, there was little doubt that he belonged in his fourth Pro Bowl. He had 94 catches for 1,372 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Holt has made his presence felt in recent years, staking his claim as one of, if not the best receiver in the league. Holt became the first player in NFL history to have 1,300 receiving yards in five straight seasons.

"Once the season is over I will get a chance to sit back, have a drink or something, and just sit back and chill, and just think about what has taken place," Holt said after setting the mark. "But the time that I have had a chance to think about it, it's a tremendous honor." A lot of great receivers came through the NFL, and are coming through the NFL now. For me to be able to do that is a testament to my dedication, my hard work, to Coach (Martz) believing in me, to my teammates believing me, and the guys helping me and encouraging me to go on everyday and be productive. It's a tremendous honor, but I needed help to get there. When I got the record, I thanked my teammates, because they helped me be able to go get that record."

There was probably no better time than his stay in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl that reflection. Holt has put himself in elite company in the history of the league, not just among current players.

To wit, Holt has more receiving yards than any player in the league since 2000 with 7,368, more than 400 yards ahead of his closest competition (Marvin Harrison of Indianapolis). He is third in touchdown receptions (33) since 1999. In his first six seasons in the NFL, Holt ranks only behind Randy Moss with 33 100-yard receiving games.

Although his numbers this season might not have been at the level they were last year, Holt might have been better. For the first time in his relatively young career, defensive coverages began to be aimed directly at Holt, making what he did accomplish that much more satisfying.

"This is the first year that I've experienced where I felt teams were actually trying to take me out of the game,” Holt said. “It was good. It was challenging. Like I told coach (Mike Martz) the other day, it was very challenging for me. I had to be more patient in my route running. I had to move my splits around. I had to change my game up in the running game, maybe block some, maybe run a route. I would do different things to try and keep them off balance. It has definitely been a challenge for me, as a player. All it has done is help take my game to another level."

The thought of Holt continuing to improve must be a scary one for the rest of the league, but chances are, at this time next season, Holt will have even more to reflect on.