NFL Awards
2012 Regular Season
NOTE: Greg and Andrew provide their take on who deserves
awards in the NFL this season. For each category, each blogger will provide
their top three choices. Enjoy!
Greg Branda’s
Ballot:
NFC Offensive
Rookie of the Year
3.
Alfred Morris (Washington) – I only have Morris 3rd on this
list because playing QB as a rookie in the NFL is one of the tougher things to
do in sports. Morris had a magical season, rushing for a rookie record 1,613
yards and 13 TDs. Morris is a great story,
and deserving to be on this list.
2.
Russell Wilson (Seattle) – Led the Seattle Seahawks to the playoffs at
the QB position, while supplanting Matt Flynn as the starter. Threw for 26 TD
against only 10 interceptions while rushing for 489 yards as well. Truly is fun to watch- also gets credit for
making the replacement officials leave with his ‘Fail Mary’ pass at home
against Green Bay.
1.
Robert Griffin III (Washington) – Led the Redskins to the playoffs,
threw 20 TD passes with only 5 interceptions while rushing for 815 yards. RGIII
had a remarkable statistical season.
AFC Offensive
Rookie of the year
3. Justin
Blackmon (Jacksonville) - Had he played on a better team and produced
consistently all season long I would have had him higher, but he didn’t really
come on until late in the season and was inconsistent. He still led all Rookie WR in receptions (64)
and yards (865).
2. T.Y.
Hilton (Indianapolis) - Incredible season for T.Y. Hilton and I hope
this is not seen as Indianapolis bias. Hilton had 50 receptions, which was
second among rookie receivers in receptions and also was second in yards (861).
He also caught 7 TD passes for a playoff team.
1.
Andrew Luck (Indianapolis) – Led the previously 2-14 Colts to the
playoffs, with 6 game winning drives in the 4th quarter or overtime.
Some will argue that he didn’t have as great a statistical season as RGIII or
Russell Wilson, but he was also asked to do more with less than both of those
other QBs were. His stats: threw for 4,374 yards, 23 TDs and 18 Int’s and is
the first overall pick at QB to start a playoff game in NFL history.
NFC Defensive
Rookie of the year
3. Lavonte
David (Tampa Bay) – Great weakside linebacker who ended the season with
139 tackles, leading the Tampa defense in tackles.
2. Harrison
Smith (Minnesota) - Really progressed well throughout the entire season
and was a big reason Minnesota’s pass defense improved throughout the season.
1.
Luke Kuechly (Carolina) – Was my pre-season pick for this award, and
finished the season with 164 total tackles to lead the entire NFC.
AFC Defensive
Rookie of the year
3. K.J.
Wright (Seattle) - Rookie Linebacker for Seattle out of Utah State. Has
really stabilized the inside of the NFL’s stingiest scoring defense.
2. Jerrell
Freeman (Indianapolis) - Older rookie that came over this season from
the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian football league. Finished second
in the AFC in combined tackles with 145 and was a stalwart in the middle of the
Colts defense all season.
1. Vontaze
Burfict (Cincinnati) - Undrafted because of character issues and playing
issues, but Mike Zimmer and Marvin Lewis have transformed this guy into a force
in Cincinnati’s defense. Ended the season with 127 combined tackles.
NFL Rookie of
the year
1. Andrew Luck
2. Robert Griffin III
3. Russell Wilson
4. Alfred Morris
5. Doug Martin
6. T.Y. Hilton
7. Justin Blackmon
8. Ryan Tannehill
9. Brandon Weeden
10. Trent Richardson.
NFL Defensive
Rookie of the Year
1. Luke Kuechly
2. Vontaze Burfict
3. Jerrell Freeman
4. K.J. Wright
5. Harrison Smith
6. Lavonte David
7. Mark Barron
8. Morris Claiborne
NFC Offensive
Player of the Year
3.
Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay) – Held this team together through a myriad of
injuries yet again, and though his numbers this year weren’t as great as last
years, he was still far and away the best QB in the NFC.
2.
Calvin Johnson (Detroit) – Greatest statistical season ever for a
receiver. Was un-coverable for a majority of the year, and did it in a season
when Matthew Stafford simply wasn’t that great.
1.
Adrian Peterson (Minnesota) – Toss up between he and Calvin. Since his
team made the playoffs he gets the edge since he had the second best season
ever as a RB less than a year removed from two torn major ligaments in his
knee.
AFC Offensive
Player of the Year
3. Andrew
Luck/Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis) – I know, I know, everyone is thinking
these two don’t belong in the same conversation as the other two, and maybe
individually they don’t. Here’s what I know: last season the Colts were 2-14,
and were terrible on offense and defense. They didn’t get that much better on
defense and they brought in Andrew Luck as their QB (along with several other
offensive pieces that looked great as well). But these two (Wayne and Luck)
combined for 106 catches/receptions (31.3% of Luck’s completions), 1,355 yards
(31% of Luck’s yards for the year), and 5 TD’s (21.7% of Luck’s TD passes).
2. Tom
Brady (New England) – Brady also had a great season and, oddly enough,
helped Peyton’s team get that #1 seed by thrashing Houston near seasons end.
1. Peyton
Manning (Denver) – Peyton had one of the most statistically great
seasons of his career, and led his team to the #1 overall seed in the AFC.
Sounds familiar.
NFC Defensive
Player of the Year
3. Clay
Matthews and Charles Woodson (Green Bay) – The Packers defense wasn’t
the same without these two in the lineup. It was totally different in the
playoff win over the Vikings when both of these players played.
2. Charles
Tillman (Chicago) – Tillman was great all year. He tackled, covered, and
forced fumbles (10) all at the same time. The Bears defense might be old but
they still get the job done.
1. Aldon
Smith (San Francisco) – An argument could be made for Justin Smith at #1
since after he went out Aldon Smith did next to nothing, but he was still the
most unblockable defensive lineman throughout the entire season in the NFC.
AFC Defensive
Player of the Year
3. Jerod
Mayo (New England) – Tackling machine. Helped lead an improved Pats
defense this season.
2. Von
Miller (Denver) – Was even better in his sophomore campaign than his
freshman one. Throw in that Elvis Dumervil did not play well this year and he
is even more impressive.
1. J.J.
Watt (Houston) – Was the most dominant player every time he stepped on
the field, except for week 16 (yes, week 16, everyone get a bye week so the NFL
season is actually 17 weeks long) against the Vikings.
NFL Offensive
Player of the year
1. Calvin Johnson
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Peyton Manning
NFL Defensive
player of the year
1. J.J. Watt
2. Von Miller
3. Aldon Smith
4. Charles Tillman
5. Jerod Mayo
6. Clay Matthews/Charles Woodson
NFL Comeback
player of the year
1. Peyton Manning
2. Adrian Peterson
(Need I list others?)
AFC Coach of
the year
3. Gary
Kubiak (Houston) - Probably would’ve been #1 had the Texans actually
taken home the #1 seed as they should’ve.
2. Joe
Philbin (Miami) - Led the Miami Dolphins to a 7-9 record this year when
they were given no chance before the season started. Did a heck of a job.
1. Bruce
Arians (Chuck Pagano) (Indianapolis) – Arians led the Colts in Pagano’s
absence and led them well. Pagano might win this award but it is actually
Arians’ award.
NFC Coach of
the year
3.
Mike Shanahan (Washington) – Led the Redskins to 7 wins in a row after
the bye week and to the playoffs even with an injured RGIII. Kyle Shanahan also
gets a portion of this award for the hybrid offense that they came up with that
implemented Shanahan’s zone blocking in with the pistol and zone read offenses.
2.
Mike Smith (Atlanta) – Led the Falcons to the #1 seed in the NFC and a
playoff berth. Was consistent and has been so over his tenure in Atlanta.
1.
Pete Carroll (Seattle) – Made the gutsy call of going with a rookie QB
(Russell Wilson) over a highly paid veteran (Matt Flynn) and set the stage for
his team’s success all year long.
NFL MVP
3. Russell Wilson/Andrew Luck/RGIII - Rookie QBs all
excelled this season, Tannehill and Weeden included. These three all led their
teams to the playoffs and this class of rookies may be looked at as the best
ever.
2. Peyton Manning (Denver) - Broncos would probably still be
in the playoffs without him but he has impacted this team significantly.
1. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota) – Simply amazing. The Vikings
would be terrible without him.
By: Greg Branda
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