2011 NFL Mid-Season Awards
Half of the NFL season is in the books. At this point, we see who is a contender and who is a pretender. Of course, significant injuries can make a contender become a pretender. Here are the mid-season awards:
Rookie of the Year (Offensive)
I will admit that I never thought Cam Newton would be this good. I don’t think I’m in the minority either. He’s 2nd in the league in passing yards, behind Drew Brees. That means he’s leading Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, who are also having excellent seasons too. Props to the Panthers taking the chance on Newton and winning big on that pick. I’d also consider Andy Dalton, considering he has turned the Bengals around and they are 5-2 in a tough AFC North division. Still, his numbers aren’t as impressive as Newton’s and a lot of credit goes to the Bengal’s defense.
Rookie of the Year (Defensive)
In the off-season, I could’ve sworn Patrick Peterson was a shoo-in. Half-way through the season, Peterson is making a significant impact and leads all rookies in tackles with 28, but he’s one of three rookies in the conversation. Von Miller (another guy I wish fell to the 49ers) has had a significant impact. He’s 2nd in sacks for rookies and is second in tackles with 26. Also deserving consideration is Aldon Smith. In the beginning, I felt the 49ers reached for him, but I see what the 49ers saw in him. He leads all rookies in sacks with 6.5. Still, by the numbers, I’d have to give the edge to Miller.
MVP
Aaron Rodgers should win this in a landslide. Even if he doesn’t maintain his current production, he should still win this pretty easily. Only Brady comes close in this discussion… but after his team’s loss to the Steelers, I don’t think there is any argument. Brees has lit the league on fire, but he’s also been mistake-prone. The few losses the Saints have eliminate Brees from this conversation. Rodgers has carried this team to 7-0. At the rate he’s playing, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Packers go undefeated. Yeah… he’s THAT good.
Offensive Player of the Year
Wow, so many players to choose from. I don’t want to choose Rodgers again, but he is probably my vote for OPOY too. But let’s count him out of the equation… Wes Welker has been amazing. Frank Gore, LeSean McCoy, and Ray Rice have been outstanding. But there is one man that stands above all others. Calvin Johnson has been an absolute freak of nature. Watching him play, I can only say… WOW. Seeing him completely freeze Champ Bailey (one of the premiere corners) and then score a 50+ yard touchdown was just icing on a cake. This guy is a monster in the red-zone too… apparently triple-covering him isn’t enough to stop him; he’ll just out-jump you. A Lions vs. Jets match-up would be an absolute treat… Megatron vs. Revis Island.
Defensive Player of the Year
DeMarcus Ware has been a beast this year. He and Jared Allen are both on pace to challenge Michael Strahan’s sack record. I gotta give props to both of em. Darrelle Revis has also been great, but we all knew that would happen. So props to him as well. But none of them are my DPOY. I think you knew who I would choose beforehand… Patrick Willis. But this isn’t just favoritism. Willis is the captain of one of the best defenses in the league. He absolutely disrupts the run. Coaches game plan around him and he still finds a way to destroy the opponents’ game plans. The reason why he is the DPOY instead of the others is that, despite a very average offense, the 49ers are 6-1. This is thanks to their offense and Willis is the man behind it all.
Coach of the Year - Jim Harbaugh
At the risk of seeming biased, I’m goin with the coach of my 49ers. The proof is in the pudding. Last year, the 49ers couldn’t win the games it should’ve. They showed lots of promise in some games (like vs. the Saints and vs. the Eagles). The NFC West was their’s to lose… and yet they lost it. The offense was terrible and the defense was mediocre. 1 year later and the 49ers have turned it around - and without making any significant splash in the off-season. The defense is the best in the NFC and the offense is sufficient. They’re at risk of locking up the division title when Thanksgiving rolls around. At 6-1, the Coach of the Year Award is a no-brainer. Barring any meltdown, Jim (not John) Harbaugh is deserving of this award in a landslide. I would have considered Jim Schwartz before, but after his 2-game slide, Harbaugh seems like the right choice to me.
