Executive of the Year
3.) John Schneider (SEA)
2.) Ryan Grigson (IND)
1.) John Elway (DEN)
This is always a very nebulous award, hard to pinpoint exactly what the criteria is, but all these three are solid candidates. Schneider is the GM of the Seahawks, and his draft was excellent, with getting Bruce Irvin and Bobby Wagner, who many called reaches, and both played very well, and then the best pick of Russell Wilson in the 3rd Round. Grigson, though, had arguably a better draft, overseeing a 2-14 team with little talent. He chose to resign the right two guys (Mathis, Wayne), and then picked Andrew Luck, Dwayne Allen (the best rookie TE), and TY Hilton (arguably the best rookie WR). In the end, I would give it to Elway, who took a leap of faith and signed Peyton Manning (the single biggest move of the offseason), signed guys like Tracy Porter and Tony Carter, had a good draft as well. It all comes down to Peyton, though. He's the man that made it happen.
Coach of the Year
3.) Leslie Frazier (MIN)
2.) Pete Carroll (SEA)
1.) Bruce Arians/Chuck Pagano (IND)
Usually the award either goes to surprise teams that do better than expected or great teams. Since the best teams (Atlanta, Denver, New England, Houston) don't have enticing candidates, it is all the former category this year. Leslie Frazier and his defense have gotten lost in the MVPETERSON Mania, but let's remember the Vikings playoff push was partly built off of a surprise 5-2 start where Peterson was not in form yet, and a lot of that had to do with the return of Frazier's defense. Pete Carroll made the decision to start Russell Wilson, and his defense has been the one of the two or three best in the NFL this year. In the end, I'll give it to the Arians/Pagano combination, for overtaking the team with the #1 pick, and leading them to 11 wins, many in close games. Just a brilliant job.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
3.) Luke Kuechly (MLB - CAR = 103 tackles, 2 INTs)
2.) Janoris Jenkins (CB - STL = 64 tackles, 4 INTs, 4 Return TDs)
1.) Lavonte David (OLB - TB = 127 tackles, 1 INT)
There were no great candidates this year, but these three NFC players all were quite good. Kuechly took a while to get going, but his rise in play coincided perfectly with a rise in play by the Panthers in general on defense. Janoris Jenkins was seen as a high risk/reward pick in teh draft, and for one year at least, it was a massive hit. His ability in the return game was great as well. In the end, Lavonte David was one of the key members of the NFL's best run defense. His solid play week-in week-out against the run was amazing for an unheralded rookie.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
3.) Robert Griffin III (QB - WAS = 258/393 (65.6%), 3,200 yards, 20 TDs, 5 INTs)
2.) Russell Wilson (QB - SEA = 252/393 (64.1%), 3,118 yards, 26 TDs, 10 INTs)
1.) Andrew Luck (QB - IND = 339/627 (54.1%), 4,374 yards, 23 TDs, 18 INTs)
This is Homer Pick #1 of these awards, but let me try to make the case for Luck, despite his worse stats than RGIII or Wilson. To me, no rookie was asked to do as much as Andrew Luck. Luck inherited the worst team (2-14 in 2011), with no real running game, with four rookies making up his top 6 targets (Hilton, Brazill, Allen, Fleener along with vets Wayne and Avery). He had the worst o-line. He had the hardest offense to play in. Both Wilson and Griffin threw fewer than 400 passes, which is really low in the modern NFL. They were coddled in run-heavy offenses, where Griffin could rely on his run game, and Wilson could rely on his defense. Luck could rely on none of these things, and threw the ball over 600 times. Naturally, his numbers look a little worst because he had the least talent and threw the most. Either way, I still think Luck is the best of the three going forward, but I actually think he was the best this year as well.
Defensive Player of the Year
5.) Charles Tillman (CB - CHI = 73 Tackles, 3 INTs, 10 FFs, 3 TDs)
4.) Geno Atkins (DT - CIN = 39 Tackles, 12.5 Sacks, 4 FFs)
3.) Aldon Smith (OLB - SF = 49 Tackles, 19.5 Sacks)
2.) Von Miller (OLB - DEN = 55 Tackles, 19.0 Sacks, 6 FFs)
1.) JJ Watt (DE - HOU = 69 Tackles, 20.5 Sacks, 16 Pass Defenses)
Tillman gets in just for his ridiculous penchant of forcing fumbles, though his counting stats dropped off late. Geno Atkins in any other year would have been a top-2 type candidate, as the best Defensive Tackle in football right now. Aldon Smith cooled off, coincidentally right after Justin Smith got hurt against New England, but those sack numbers do speak for themselves. The top-2 are the best young defensive players in football. Their overall numbers are quite close. Miller has been more disruptive against the pass in terms of hurries, but Watt has been slightly better against the run and has been a monster in batting down passes. At the end, Watt plays a tougher position to get big numbers and has big numbers. That was one of the great defensive seasons of all time, in reality. Just brilliant.
Offensive Player of the Year
5.) Tom Brady (QB - NE = 401/637 (63.0%), 4,827 yards, 34 TDs, 8 INTs, 98.7 rating)
4.) Peyton Manning (QB - DEN = 400/583 (68.8%), 4,659 yards, 37 TDs, 11 INTs, 105.8 rating)
3.) Calvin Johnson (WR - DET = 122 rec, 1,964 yards (16.1 y/r), 5 TDs)
2.) Aaron Rodgers (QB - GB = 371/552 (67.2%), 4,295 yards, 39 TDs, 8 INTs, 108.0 rating)
1.) Adrian Peterson (RB - MIN = 348 rush, 2,097 yards (6.0 y/r), 12 TDs)
Offensive Player of the Year is surely about numbers, so there is no real inherent advantage for being a QB (like there is for MVP). Still, the top three QBs did have great seasons, so I have Brady and Manning at 4-5. Aaron Rodgers quietly had an amazing season statistically. It wasn't nearly as good as his historic 2011 season, but was still statistically the best of any QB this year. Calvin is there for breaking Rice's record, but when he gets the ball thrown his way that much it makes breaking that record a little easier. He's in the perfect offense to do it, as Stafford threw more than any QB ever. In the end, Peterson's incredible season gets the nod. To have 6.0 yards per attempt over that many rushes is just insane.
Most Valuable Player
5.) Tom Brady (QB - NE)
4.) JJ Watt (DE - HOU)
3.) Aaron Rodgers (QB - GB)
2.) Adrian Peterson (RB - MIN)
1.) Peyton Manning (QB - DEN)
Brady's there because he was still great. Watt is there because he had hte most impactful season of any defensive player since Ed Reed in 2008 in my mind (or even since Derrick Brooks in 2002). Rodgers is ahead of Brady because in my mind he is better, he had a worse o-line that had major injuries throughout, he played many games without some of his top weapons in Jennings and Nelson, and had no real run game to lean on. Then we get to the top two, which will make up the second great MVP debate of the last four months. This one, to me, is a little clearer. Look, there is an award to reward a great season by a RB like Peterson. Peterson should win the Offensive Player of the Year Award, but for a non-QB to win MVP he has to have an all-time season. Compared to the last non-QB, I don't think Peterson this year was as good or impactful as Tomlinson in his 31 TD season. Most of hte 2,000 yard runners didn't win MVP. Manning went to a new team that was 8-8 the year before (and statistically more of a 6-10 team) and overhauled that entire team. That offense is now one of the two or three best in the NFL. The defense was given leads and raised its game. THe Broncos as a franchise raised their game. To me, Peyton Manning in 2012 was the definition of valuable.
Game of the Year - Week 5 - Indianapolis Colts def. Green Bay Packers 30-27
When the 1-2 Colts met the 2-2 Packers in Week 5, I don't think it would be a game featuring two teams that would be 11-5, but with the emotions surrounding the game, it definitely seemed meaningful and special at that time. Six days earlier, Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with curable leukemia and left the Colts. Bruce Arians was made interim head coach of a team that had just blown a 17-16 lead to the Jaguars by giving up an 80-yard TD pass in the last minute. This game didn't start out any better, as the Packers took a 21-3 lead into halftime. Then, the Colts picked Rodgers off and scored a TD, and then the game came alive. The Colts defense for the first time in 2012 played aggressive, repeatedly rushing and sacking Rodgers, and their offense was good, scoring 19 unanswered points to take a 22-21 lead. Rodgers and the Packers quickly answered to take a 27-22 lead with about five minutes to go, and then the legend was born. Against a good pass rush (and behind a terrible line) Andrew Luck led his first great TD drive of his career. The other star in the act was Reggie Wayne, who caught five of the passes on that drive (13 for 224 in the game). Wayne came back to the Colts to play with Luck and for Pagano, and it was his heart that forced him to play great all year, and he did just that in that game, breaking a tackle and scoring the game winning TD. Rodgers was left about 30 seconds and led a drive setting up a 50 yard field goal, but as the crowd knew on a game that was played for Chuck Pagano, with signs of Chuckstrong all over, with Reggie Wayne in his orange 'leukemia awareness' gloves, there was no way that kick was going in, and it didn't, ending a special game and giving us all a special moment.
3.) John Schneider (SEA)
2.) Ryan Grigson (IND)
1.) John Elway (DEN)
This is always a very nebulous award, hard to pinpoint exactly what the criteria is, but all these three are solid candidates. Schneider is the GM of the Seahawks, and his draft was excellent, with getting Bruce Irvin and Bobby Wagner, who many called reaches, and both played very well, and then the best pick of Russell Wilson in the 3rd Round. Grigson, though, had arguably a better draft, overseeing a 2-14 team with little talent. He chose to resign the right two guys (Mathis, Wayne), and then picked Andrew Luck, Dwayne Allen (the best rookie TE), and TY Hilton (arguably the best rookie WR). In the end, I would give it to Elway, who took a leap of faith and signed Peyton Manning (the single biggest move of the offseason), signed guys like Tracy Porter and Tony Carter, had a good draft as well. It all comes down to Peyton, though. He's the man that made it happen.
Coach of the Year
3.) Leslie Frazier (MIN)
2.) Pete Carroll (SEA)
1.) Bruce Arians/Chuck Pagano (IND)
Usually the award either goes to surprise teams that do better than expected or great teams. Since the best teams (Atlanta, Denver, New England, Houston) don't have enticing candidates, it is all the former category this year. Leslie Frazier and his defense have gotten lost in the MVPETERSON Mania, but let's remember the Vikings playoff push was partly built off of a surprise 5-2 start where Peterson was not in form yet, and a lot of that had to do with the return of Frazier's defense. Pete Carroll made the decision to start Russell Wilson, and his defense has been the one of the two or three best in the NFL this year. In the end, I'll give it to the Arians/Pagano combination, for overtaking the team with the #1 pick, and leading them to 11 wins, many in close games. Just a brilliant job.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
3.) Luke Kuechly (MLB - CAR = 103 tackles, 2 INTs)
2.) Janoris Jenkins (CB - STL = 64 tackles, 4 INTs, 4 Return TDs)
1.) Lavonte David (OLB - TB = 127 tackles, 1 INT)
There were no great candidates this year, but these three NFC players all were quite good. Kuechly took a while to get going, but his rise in play coincided perfectly with a rise in play by the Panthers in general on defense. Janoris Jenkins was seen as a high risk/reward pick in teh draft, and for one year at least, it was a massive hit. His ability in the return game was great as well. In the end, Lavonte David was one of the key members of the NFL's best run defense. His solid play week-in week-out against the run was amazing for an unheralded rookie.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
3.) Robert Griffin III (QB - WAS = 258/393 (65.6%), 3,200 yards, 20 TDs, 5 INTs)
2.) Russell Wilson (QB - SEA = 252/393 (64.1%), 3,118 yards, 26 TDs, 10 INTs)
1.) Andrew Luck (QB - IND = 339/627 (54.1%), 4,374 yards, 23 TDs, 18 INTs)
This is Homer Pick #1 of these awards, but let me try to make the case for Luck, despite his worse stats than RGIII or Wilson. To me, no rookie was asked to do as much as Andrew Luck. Luck inherited the worst team (2-14 in 2011), with no real running game, with four rookies making up his top 6 targets (Hilton, Brazill, Allen, Fleener along with vets Wayne and Avery). He had the worst o-line. He had the hardest offense to play in. Both Wilson and Griffin threw fewer than 400 passes, which is really low in the modern NFL. They were coddled in run-heavy offenses, where Griffin could rely on his run game, and Wilson could rely on his defense. Luck could rely on none of these things, and threw the ball over 600 times. Naturally, his numbers look a little worst because he had the least talent and threw the most. Either way, I still think Luck is the best of the three going forward, but I actually think he was the best this year as well.
Defensive Player of the Year
5.) Charles Tillman (CB - CHI = 73 Tackles, 3 INTs, 10 FFs, 3 TDs)
4.) Geno Atkins (DT - CIN = 39 Tackles, 12.5 Sacks, 4 FFs)
3.) Aldon Smith (OLB - SF = 49 Tackles, 19.5 Sacks)
2.) Von Miller (OLB - DEN = 55 Tackles, 19.0 Sacks, 6 FFs)
1.) JJ Watt (DE - HOU = 69 Tackles, 20.5 Sacks, 16 Pass Defenses)
Tillman gets in just for his ridiculous penchant of forcing fumbles, though his counting stats dropped off late. Geno Atkins in any other year would have been a top-2 type candidate, as the best Defensive Tackle in football right now. Aldon Smith cooled off, coincidentally right after Justin Smith got hurt against New England, but those sack numbers do speak for themselves. The top-2 are the best young defensive players in football. Their overall numbers are quite close. Miller has been more disruptive against the pass in terms of hurries, but Watt has been slightly better against the run and has been a monster in batting down passes. At the end, Watt plays a tougher position to get big numbers and has big numbers. That was one of the great defensive seasons of all time, in reality. Just brilliant.
Offensive Player of the Year
5.) Tom Brady (QB - NE = 401/637 (63.0%), 4,827 yards, 34 TDs, 8 INTs, 98.7 rating)
4.) Peyton Manning (QB - DEN = 400/583 (68.8%), 4,659 yards, 37 TDs, 11 INTs, 105.8 rating)
3.) Calvin Johnson (WR - DET = 122 rec, 1,964 yards (16.1 y/r), 5 TDs)
2.) Aaron Rodgers (QB - GB = 371/552 (67.2%), 4,295 yards, 39 TDs, 8 INTs, 108.0 rating)
1.) Adrian Peterson (RB - MIN = 348 rush, 2,097 yards (6.0 y/r), 12 TDs)
Offensive Player of the Year is surely about numbers, so there is no real inherent advantage for being a QB (like there is for MVP). Still, the top three QBs did have great seasons, so I have Brady and Manning at 4-5. Aaron Rodgers quietly had an amazing season statistically. It wasn't nearly as good as his historic 2011 season, but was still statistically the best of any QB this year. Calvin is there for breaking Rice's record, but when he gets the ball thrown his way that much it makes breaking that record a little easier. He's in the perfect offense to do it, as Stafford threw more than any QB ever. In the end, Peterson's incredible season gets the nod. To have 6.0 yards per attempt over that many rushes is just insane.
Most Valuable Player
5.) Tom Brady (QB - NE)
4.) JJ Watt (DE - HOU)
3.) Aaron Rodgers (QB - GB)
2.) Adrian Peterson (RB - MIN)
1.) Peyton Manning (QB - DEN)
Brady's there because he was still great. Watt is there because he had hte most impactful season of any defensive player since Ed Reed in 2008 in my mind (or even since Derrick Brooks in 2002). Rodgers is ahead of Brady because in my mind he is better, he had a worse o-line that had major injuries throughout, he played many games without some of his top weapons in Jennings and Nelson, and had no real run game to lean on. Then we get to the top two, which will make up the second great MVP debate of the last four months. This one, to me, is a little clearer. Look, there is an award to reward a great season by a RB like Peterson. Peterson should win the Offensive Player of the Year Award, but for a non-QB to win MVP he has to have an all-time season. Compared to the last non-QB, I don't think Peterson this year was as good or impactful as Tomlinson in his 31 TD season. Most of hte 2,000 yard runners didn't win MVP. Manning went to a new team that was 8-8 the year before (and statistically more of a 6-10 team) and overhauled that entire team. That offense is now one of the two or three best in the NFL. The defense was given leads and raised its game. THe Broncos as a franchise raised their game. To me, Peyton Manning in 2012 was the definition of valuable.
Game of the Year - Week 5 - Indianapolis Colts def. Green Bay Packers 30-27
When the 1-2 Colts met the 2-2 Packers in Week 5, I don't think it would be a game featuring two teams that would be 11-5, but with the emotions surrounding the game, it definitely seemed meaningful and special at that time. Six days earlier, Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with curable leukemia and left the Colts. Bruce Arians was made interim head coach of a team that had just blown a 17-16 lead to the Jaguars by giving up an 80-yard TD pass in the last minute. This game didn't start out any better, as the Packers took a 21-3 lead into halftime. Then, the Colts picked Rodgers off and scored a TD, and then the game came alive. The Colts defense for the first time in 2012 played aggressive, repeatedly rushing and sacking Rodgers, and their offense was good, scoring 19 unanswered points to take a 22-21 lead. Rodgers and the Packers quickly answered to take a 27-22 lead with about five minutes to go, and then the legend was born. Against a good pass rush (and behind a terrible line) Andrew Luck led his first great TD drive of his career. The other star in the act was Reggie Wayne, who caught five of the passes on that drive (13 for 224 in the game). Wayne came back to the Colts to play with Luck and for Pagano, and it was his heart that forced him to play great all year, and he did just that in that game, breaking a tackle and scoring the game winning TD. Rodgers was left about 30 seconds and led a drive setting up a 50 yard field goal, but as the crowd knew on a game that was played for Chuck Pagano, with signs of Chuckstrong all over, with Reggie Wayne in his orange 'leukemia awareness' gloves, there was no way that kick was going in, and it didn't, ending a special game and giving us all a special moment.
