Everyone saw the NFC Championship game this past weekend. It was the NFC Championship game everybody wanted to see once the wildcard seeds were determined, and the bracket was made; Seahawks vs. 49ers, in 12th-Man Stadium in Seattle. The two most intimidating defenses in the NFC, statistically the two best in the league, with the most heated divisional rivalry in the league the past three years, in the loudest and most intimidating stadium in the world. The Seattle Seahawks, led by the elusive and accurate style of Russel Wilson backed by none other than Beast Mode himself, Marshawn Lynch, with the Legion of Boom on the defensive side of the ball, were to take on the San Francisco 49ers, led by Colin Kaepernick and the wide-receiver tandem of Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree, two of the most physical receivers in the game, backed by Frank Gore, and a defense led by Navarro Bowman and Patrick Willis, a lineback tandem that would make even Drew Brees or Tom Brady piss themselves. This game was anticipated to be hard-hitting, rough, trash-talking, and loud as all hell, and we, the audience were not disappointed. That’s what we got. Most of all, we got Richard Sherman, the best cover-cornerback in the NFL, the loudest one at that, making the play of his career, and then going crazy on television.

The interview with Erin Andrews was crazy. Nobody doubts that, and nobody argues with it. However, Sherman was fired up, he was hyped; he just made the play of his career, a play that will be remembered for years. How could you blame the guy? He resoundingly stated “that’s what happens when you put a mediocre receiver against the best. 9/10 the best will win”. And he’s not wrong. He is statistically the best cornerback over the last three years. In every category. Deadspin does a great job breaking down his statistical anomalies and his freak-of-nature ability to really be able to contribute to a defense the same way that Peyton Manning runs an offense, analytical, calculated, and devious. Sherman really does deserve the respect of his peers, and frankly, from fans, he doesn’t deserve to be judged for his conduct on the field. If that were the case, then how would people like players like Michael Jordan or John Mcenroe? His judgement should come for anything that he does off of the field, not on the field.

Furthermore, Sherman also clowned on ESPN resident troll Skip Bayless, which, after his performance the last three seasons, puts him at the top of my list. He told Skip Bayless that “I am better at life than you.” He’s not wrong, Skip Bayless sucks. But, ignoring that, let’s discuss why Sherman is the best. Let’s lookat Pro Football Focus’s yards per snap in coverage, which measures how many yards a defensive back’s assigned man gets for every snap he’s in coverage. So if a cornerback drops back into coverage 50 times in a game and gives up 100 total yards, then his number is 2, if he gives up 25 yards, the number is 0.5. Sherman’s number is an absurd 0.77 yards per coverage snap — second in the league behind Darelle Revis’s 0.72. This number is absurd on its own, but Sherman’s targets per snap — the Deion metric, basically — is 9.5, the best figure in 2 years.

Sherman also leads the league in interceptions with 8, QB Rating against, and coverage snaps per reception, and has one of the lowest ratios for YAC to total yards allowed of all corners. He is a beast, and, although he has a great deal of talent around him, there’s no denying the substantial contribution he maintains.