It’s Midseason Awards Time

Since we are basically halfway through the NFL season, I thought I’d take the time to give out my midseason awards. We all know that it’s not how you start but how you finish, but there are some teams that regardless of how they finish their seasons have been lost. Even with parity becoming obsolete, the second half of the season promises to be entertaining as the wild card races look to be as competitive as ever. Obviously these awards are subject to change as the season progresses, but as of right now, this is how I see things.

MVP: Peyton Manning. I know that Drew Brees is getting a lot of love for leading the Saints to an undefeated record and throwing the ball all over the field regardless of the defense he’s facing and Brett Favre is getting a lot of hype in Minnesota. But the cold reality is that Manning is the player most important to his team’s success and oh, the Colts are also undefeated. He is the smartest, most consistent player in the game. It’s amazing that when nobody thought he could get any better, in his 12th season he is playing better than he ever has before.

Offensive Player: Reggie Wayne. No, I am not a Colts fan. But do yourself a favor and look at this guy’s stats. He second in the league in receptions and yards, averages 13.5 yards a catch, has scored 6 touchdowns and has been the hardest receiver in the league to cover. I know he benefits from having Manning as his quarterback, but you can’t deny what he has done over his career and he is on pace for his best statistical season ever. Take last week where it was in doubt if he would even play the game because of a groin injury. Not only did he play, but set a career high with 12 catches with 147 yards and a TD. The guy is remarkable and in a league where receivers rarely get their due, it’s time to recognize Wayne.

It's about time everyone gave this dude some love. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

Defensive Player: Elvis Dumervil. This really comes down to him and Darren Sharper, but I give the edge to Dumervil because he has led a resurgence of the old Orange Crush Broncos in Denver. He has 10 sacks, forced 2 fumbles, and is consistently in the opposing team’s backfield. Denver’s switch to a 4-3 has benefited no one more than Dumervil, as he has gone from an undersized defensive end to a speedy rush linebacker who seemingly can’t be blocked. He’s also probably the Broncos MVP up to this point.

Special Teams Player: Ted Ginn Jr. It’s amazing how one game can make a season. After losing his starting receiving job and rumors running rampant that he would have been traded had the trade deadline been a week later, Ginn went out in his next game and took two kickoffs back for touchdowns. If it wasn’t for Patrick Cobbs going down for the season he never even would have gotten the opportunity, but I have a feeling it wont be the last time he sees the end zone on a return. He may not be able to catch very well but he is extremely explosive and elusive in the open field. Plus, with the new rules banning the three-man wedge, this is a really poor year for returners and no kickers really stand out right now.

Offensive Rookie: Percy Harvin. All of the team’s that passed on him because of his character issues must be kicking themselves right now. He’s only 8 games into his NFL career and he is already one of the most dangerous players in the league. There may not be a better player in space than Harvin and on top of the solid receiving numbers he has put up so far (28/369/3) he is also extremely dangerous as a returner on special teams. This guy is everything that Reggie Bush was supposed to be. 

Defensive Rookie: Jairus Byrd. The Bills rookie has gone largely unnoticed this year largely due to his team’s struggles, but he won’t remain anonymous for long. He leads the league in interceptions with 7 and has now had three straight 2-interception games. He isn’t a fluke either, the son of former Pro Bowl corner Gill Byrd, Jairus is second all-time on Oregon’s career interception list and the ball always seems to find him. The only difference right now between him and Sharper is Sharper is better with the ball and takes his picks for touchdowns; but those will come soon enough.

Get used to seeing Byrd with the ball in his hands. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

Comeback Player: Carson Palmer. This is probably the biggest landslide out of all the awards. Palmer has returned to the same level he was at before he missed most of last year with an elbow injury. He is getting better as the season progresses and he is leading a surprisingly stellar offensive attack for the upstart Bengals who are surprisingly tied for the AFC North lead with the defending champion Steelers and are a team that no one wants to play.

Breakout Player: Vincent Jackson. He’s been good for a couple of years now, but this year he has vaulted himself into the top five players at his position. He is physically imposing at 6-5 and 230 pounds, but it is his hands and playmaking ability that have made him the palyer he has become. He’s averaging almost 100 yards a game and has scored 5 times already. Antonio Gates is no longer the focal point of the passing game as Jackson has proven almost impossible to cover. Don’t believe me ask Nnamdi. Raiders star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha shuts down everyone he faces, except for Jackson. In the two games against Asomugha this year he has recorded 13 catches for 159 yards and two TDs. Considering that in the first half of last year Asomugha was only thrown at on average twice a game, that’s unbelievable.  

Coach: Josh McDaniels. When you take a team that collapsed down the stretch last year and succeed a legendary coach and get rid of the franchise quarterback, there is a ton of pressure on you. But that has seemingly not affected the young McDaniels, who led the Broncos to a surprising 6-0 start before dropping their game last week against the Ravens. But when everyone thought he was dumb, he knew he had a plan and so far it’s working perfectly. He deserves all the credit in the world.

Surprise Team: Denver Broncos. Did anyone see this coming? You don’t just get rid of your franchise quarterback and expect to be better overnight, but that’s exactly what the Broncos did. Their terrible defense from a year ago has been completely transformed with 9 new starters and a new scheme and Mike Nolan has them playing better than they have in years. Early turmoil has turned into a rousing success and a collapse similar to last year seems out of the question.

Disappointing Team: Tennessee Titans. This one was easy. Going from 13-3 to 1-6 automatically qualifies you for this award. I knew Albert Haynesworth was good but I didn’t know that he was this important. Their secondary has gone from one of the best to the worst and Kerry Collins looked like he was drinking again. This team is a mess and Jeff Fisher might have to look for ajob for the first time in 14 years.

Expect to see Bob Sanders and the Colts flexing their muscles in Miami at the end of the year. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Playoff Predictions

NFC East: Eagles
NFC West: Cardinals
NFC North: Vikings
NFC South: Saints
Wild Cards: Giants and Packers

AFC East: Patriots
AFC West: Broncos
AFC North: Steelers
AFC South: Colts
Wild Cards: Bengals and Chargers

Super Bowl: Colts over Saints