Playoff Contenders Football is the latest NFL release and according to Russ Cohen at Card Corner Club it is a cut above.

To purchase a box from Cherry Collectables for $156.95 click here

My box yielded six rookies, four autographed “Rookie Tickets”, and one legend autograph. How much does a box cost you ask? Around $155au dollars so let’s see what I got.

I didn’t get any dual autos but that didn’t diminish what I pulled. I love the new design and font on the “Rookie Ticket” cards; they should do very well on the secondary market. My first solid rookie auto was of Seahawks Lb Aaron Curry (the only autograph signed directly on the card).

I have always liked the information on the ticket and this one says Qwest Field and I personally like the way that field looked when I was in Seattle, so it made me like the card even more. Curry played 14 games this season and he had a few sacks. His 61 tackles ranked 4th on the team! My other three were Panthers CB Captain Munnerlyn (great name, played 15 games so he’s a keeper), Saints RB P.J. Hill is now on the Redskins and he’s a journeyman, my final rookie was Seattle TE Camreon Morrah who had one reception this season. So two of them were solid. There were better rookies out there but I still got a few good ones.

My best insert is debatable. I like the Jets so I love the Alex Sanchez card. He’s advanced his team to the playoffs, something Brett Favre couldn’t do last year and he’s been a real sparkplug for a rookie quarterback. His future is extremely bright. My next one was Vikings WR Percy Harvin. He had 790 yards and six TD’s and the AP voted him the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Favre has helped put him on the map by making the rookie one his favorite targets! My third card was of Lions TE Brandon Pettigrew, yet another player with a very high ceiling. Texans d-man Brian Cushing (134 tackles), Skins linebacker Brian Orakpo, who was the first Skins rookie in 31 years to make the Pro Bowl, and defensive end Rey Maualuga (63 tackles and 3 forced fumbles) of the Bengals rounded out the group. Even though these cards aren’t rookie cards the “ROY Contenders” and “Rookie Roll Call” cards are still highly collectible.

So right now my box is teetering. I got my last autograph card and I have to admit I didn’t know the player. I got an autograph card of Chicago Cardinals player Charley Trippi. The helmet-less photo on the card is your classic staged shot, but it still looks great because it’s vintage. The autograph is sharp and it’s the best looking one in the box. The Pittston school stadium (located in PA) is named after this legend and I found out he was the 1942 Rose Bowl MVP. His college career seemed to trump his fine NFL career but then I read he was the star of the 1947 NFL Championship game where the Cardinals beat the Eagles. He had over 206 combined yards on an icy field that day and he wore basketball shoes for traction! He is the only person in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with 1,000 yards passing, receiving and rushing, WOW! This was tremendous and I learned something in the process.

I think this set is visually stimulating and the potential for a few great pulls is a good bet. I think it’s worth picking up a box because of the mix of legends and rookies.