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Doctor's Notes: Midseason Awards
Wednesday, November 5th
This week the blog is going
to be dedicated to the midseason awards. After reviewing my
preseason predictions, I
continuously found myself wondering if I was hallucinating at the time.
I realize that on some of them (cough...Norv Turner...cough) I was
trying to do something different, but the reality of the season has come
crashing down on some of the things I thought would happen. Obviously,
I'm not asking for a mulligan, but instead, this is simply an
evalutation of what has been one of the more interesting seasons to
date.
Most Valuable Player:
Albert Haynesworth, DT, Tennessee
I know, you're probably thinking, "here he goes again...trying to
separate himself from the others", but I feel strongly about this one.
Haynesworth is the anchor of the best defense in pro football. In
addition, the defense completely fell apart last year when he was out.
In essence, he's the best player on the best team in the NFL.
Offensive Player of the
Year: Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans
I don't think this one surprises anyone. The other possibilities are
Kurt Warner and Clinton Portis. However, I give the nod to Brees because
the other two haven't had to deal with the injuries that the Saints
have. Think about it, he's been without Marques Colston, Reggie Bush,
and a fully functional Deuce McAllister for much of or the whole season.
Yet, he's still completing 69.1 percent of his passes for 2,563 yards
and 15 touchdowns.
Defensive Player of the
Year: DeMarcus Ware, OLB, Dallas
If Haynesworth is the MVP, then I have to turn to Ware for this
honor. Simply put, he's the most versatile player in the league. He can
rush the passer, stop the run, and drop into coverage.
Offensive Rookie of the
Year: Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta
This one's not even close. Chris Johnson of Tennessee has had a good
rookie campaign, but Ryan is excelling at the most difficult position in
all of sports and is making the transition look rather easy.
Defensive Rookie of the
Year: Jerod Mayo, ILB, New England
This is the one prediction I can be proud of. I thought that Mayo
was athletic enough to work in Bill Belichick's system, but I didn't
know he would be able to fit in as quickly and seamlessly as he has. He
will be one of "The Hoodie's" favorites for many years to come.
Coach of
the Year: Mike Smith, Atlanta
I remember being
quite surprised when Arthur Blank tabbed Jacksonville's ex-defensive
coordinator for this job. Not because I didn't think he was qualified,
but because I thought he would go for a bigger name with such a young,
impressionable team. Instead, Smith has done one of the best coaching
jobs in recent years. There's a good chance that the Falcons will fade
down the stretch - playing in such a good division with a young
quarterback - but the job he's done so far has been remarkable.
Comeback Player of the
Year: Jake Delhomme, QB, Carolina
Obviously, it's not as difficult as it is for a pitcher, but
Delhomme has been impressive since coming back from Tommy John surgery.
More than physically, though, this team needed his leadership.
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