The Raiders just inked Nnamdi Asomugha to a three-year $45 million deal, making him the league's highest paid player on a per-year basis. (Peyton Manning averages $14 million per year).

While the MSM talks all day about running and stopping the run, the bigger money gets spent on passing and stopping the pass. (Even the Raiders realize this, apparently).

And Asomugha is worth every cent. Having a corner that shuts down players like Andre Johnson and Steve Smith on a routine basis is more valuable than having the elite receiver he shuts down. You figure if they played to a stalemate, say 7.2 yards per target, 75 total yards, then they'd be worth the same amount. If the receiver won the battle - 8-plus YPT and 100 yards, or constant double-teams that freed other people - then the receiver would be worth more.

So you're talking about a player worth more than elite receivers.

incidentally, I'm always a proponent of playing your stars no matter what the matchup, but Asomugha tests the limits of that philosophy.