SnakeLH2006
01-02-2010, 02:27 AM
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20100101/PKR07/301010049/1058/PKR01
Most valuable player: The dark horse is San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers, who is wrapping up another big season (27 TD passes, 4,155 yards, 104.5 passer rating) for a team that’s won 10 straight. But the race comes down to two other quarterbacks — New Orleans’ Drew Brees (34-4,388-109.6) and Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning (33-4,405-101.0) — who took their respective teams to No. 1 seeds. It’s close, but Manning gets the nod here for guiding the Colts to a 14-0 start without his longtime coach and two of his top three wide receivers.
Defensive player of the year: If the choice is between cornerbacks Charles Woodson of the Packers and Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets, Woodson should be the selection hands down. Revis is an exceptional cover corner and has defended a league-high 37 passes, but Woodson has played all over the field and is a takeaway machine, with eight interceptions and four forced fumbles to Revis’ six and none. Denver linebacker Elvis Dumervil (17 sacks) and New Orleans safety Darren Sharper (nine interceptions, three TDs) probably will get some votes, too, but they do one thing. Woodson does everything.
Offensive rookie of the year: Like the rest of the Minnesota Vikings, receiver/return man Percy Harvin has tailed off after a torrid start. But with two kick-return touchdowns to go with a solid first year on offense — 53 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns, plus 113 rushing yards on 14 carries — Harvin easily outproduced the dozen offensive players drafted ahead of him.
Defensive rookie of the year: If team performance factors heavily, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews (10 sacks, five forced fumbles, one interception) has a clear edge over Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd (nine interceptions) and Washington linebacker Brian Orakpo (11 sacks). But Houston linebacker Brian Cushing plays on another team that at least remains in contention entering Week 17, started from Day 1 and is Pro Bowl-bound for his all-around impact — 128 tackles, four sacks, 14 passes defended and two forced fumbles. In a battle of old Southern Cal teammates, Cushing gets the nod.
Comeback player of the year: Tampa Bay running back Cadillac Williams is a feel-good story, having returned from two major knee injuries in as many years, but his production (781 yards, four TDs) isn’t enough on a bad team. The numbers New England quarterback Tom Brady has put up (28 TD passes, 4,212 yards, 97.4 rating) would be solid even if he hadn’t shredded a knee in the 2008 season opener, and the Patriots’ return to postseason play seals his win here.
Coach of the year: There’s no shortage of choices, but Sean Payton has solidified his spot among football’s best offensive minds with New Orleans’ play this year. After a strong start, the Saints’ defense has fizzled. Their special teams woes cost them again in a head-scratching loss last week to Tampa. But the offense is ranked No. 1 by far in yards (416.5 per game) and points (33.3), and that’s all about Brees and the coach who puts him in position to succeed.
Scheduling quirk
With seven teams alive for the two available playoff berths in the AFC and only the top seed secure in the NFC, a bunch of scenarios could play out on Sunday.
This one would be the weirdest: all four wild-card weekend games could be rematches of Week 17 games.
If Dallas beats Philadelphia and Minnesota beats the New York Giants, Minnesota would get a bye and the NFC wild-card games would be Philadelphia at Dallas and Green Bay at Arizona — the same venues in which those teams meet on Sunday.
If the Jets beat Cincinnati, Houston beats New England, Baltimore loses to Oakland and Denver loses to Kansas City — got all that? — the AFC wild-card games would be rematches of Jets-Bengals and Texans-Patriots in the opposite locales.
Parting shot
Owner Jim Irsay, General Manager Bill Polian, coach Jim Caldwell — practically everyone in the Colts’ organization has felt the need to public defend the decision to pull key players from last week’s loss to the New York Jets.
Fans have lashed out at the team for not trying to complete a perfect season. Others have cried conspiracy.
How about this explanation: it was a philosophically sound, if clumsily executed/explained, decision made in hopes of pursuing a championship.
The Colts didn’t start resting people in Week 15 because that would have left them nearly a month off. To do it during a Week 16 game might have come across wrong to everyone, including players. But if the Colts win the Super Bowl, is it somehow tainted because they did it at 18-1 or 17-2 instead of 19-0? Hardly.
Whether he believes it or not, every coach preaches the championship is the only goal that matters. The idea that Caldwell’s crew somehow owed it to fans, the league or anyone else to supersede that goal is laughable.
If the hubbub created by the decision causes a distraction that harms the Colts in the long run, the decision-makers instantly become rip-able. But as long as the Colts are alive, there’s no telling if it was a highly public gaffe — or an unpopular gambit that kept one of the NFL’s elite on track to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
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What dude who watches the Packers doesn't love some Wood? He shoulda won this award 2 years ago....but the media is ALL OVER IT this year...It's a popularity contest, but that dude (CWood) is nuts as a gamer. Quiet some weeks, but wins games (several this year and in the past) almost single-handedly. Tackling machine who picks off anything near him.....That's Charles in a nutshell...Go CWood.
Most valuable player: The dark horse is San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers, who is wrapping up another big season (27 TD passes, 4,155 yards, 104.5 passer rating) for a team that’s won 10 straight. But the race comes down to two other quarterbacks — New Orleans’ Drew Brees (34-4,388-109.6) and Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning (33-4,405-101.0) — who took their respective teams to No. 1 seeds. It’s close, but Manning gets the nod here for guiding the Colts to a 14-0 start without his longtime coach and two of his top three wide receivers.
Defensive player of the year: If the choice is between cornerbacks Charles Woodson of the Packers and Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets, Woodson should be the selection hands down. Revis is an exceptional cover corner and has defended a league-high 37 passes, but Woodson has played all over the field and is a takeaway machine, with eight interceptions and four forced fumbles to Revis’ six and none. Denver linebacker Elvis Dumervil (17 sacks) and New Orleans safety Darren Sharper (nine interceptions, three TDs) probably will get some votes, too, but they do one thing. Woodson does everything.
Offensive rookie of the year: Like the rest of the Minnesota Vikings, receiver/return man Percy Harvin has tailed off after a torrid start. But with two kick-return touchdowns to go with a solid first year on offense — 53 catches for 731 yards and six touchdowns, plus 113 rushing yards on 14 carries — Harvin easily outproduced the dozen offensive players drafted ahead of him.
Defensive rookie of the year: If team performance factors heavily, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews (10 sacks, five forced fumbles, one interception) has a clear edge over Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd (nine interceptions) and Washington linebacker Brian Orakpo (11 sacks). But Houston linebacker Brian Cushing plays on another team that at least remains in contention entering Week 17, started from Day 1 and is Pro Bowl-bound for his all-around impact — 128 tackles, four sacks, 14 passes defended and two forced fumbles. In a battle of old Southern Cal teammates, Cushing gets the nod.
Comeback player of the year: Tampa Bay running back Cadillac Williams is a feel-good story, having returned from two major knee injuries in as many years, but his production (781 yards, four TDs) isn’t enough on a bad team. The numbers New England quarterback Tom Brady has put up (28 TD passes, 4,212 yards, 97.4 rating) would be solid even if he hadn’t shredded a knee in the 2008 season opener, and the Patriots’ return to postseason play seals his win here.
Coach of the year: There’s no shortage of choices, but Sean Payton has solidified his spot among football’s best offensive minds with New Orleans’ play this year. After a strong start, the Saints’ defense has fizzled. Their special teams woes cost them again in a head-scratching loss last week to Tampa. But the offense is ranked No. 1 by far in yards (416.5 per game) and points (33.3), and that’s all about Brees and the coach who puts him in position to succeed.
Scheduling quirk
With seven teams alive for the two available playoff berths in the AFC and only the top seed secure in the NFC, a bunch of scenarios could play out on Sunday.
This one would be the weirdest: all four wild-card weekend games could be rematches of Week 17 games.
If Dallas beats Philadelphia and Minnesota beats the New York Giants, Minnesota would get a bye and the NFC wild-card games would be Philadelphia at Dallas and Green Bay at Arizona — the same venues in which those teams meet on Sunday.
If the Jets beat Cincinnati, Houston beats New England, Baltimore loses to Oakland and Denver loses to Kansas City — got all that? — the AFC wild-card games would be rematches of Jets-Bengals and Texans-Patriots in the opposite locales.
Parting shot
Owner Jim Irsay, General Manager Bill Polian, coach Jim Caldwell — practically everyone in the Colts’ organization has felt the need to public defend the decision to pull key players from last week’s loss to the New York Jets.
Fans have lashed out at the team for not trying to complete a perfect season. Others have cried conspiracy.
How about this explanation: it was a philosophically sound, if clumsily executed/explained, decision made in hopes of pursuing a championship.
The Colts didn’t start resting people in Week 15 because that would have left them nearly a month off. To do it during a Week 16 game might have come across wrong to everyone, including players. But if the Colts win the Super Bowl, is it somehow tainted because they did it at 18-1 or 17-2 instead of 19-0? Hardly.
Whether he believes it or not, every coach preaches the championship is the only goal that matters. The idea that Caldwell’s crew somehow owed it to fans, the league or anyone else to supersede that goal is laughable.
If the hubbub created by the decision causes a distraction that harms the Colts in the long run, the decision-makers instantly become rip-able. But as long as the Colts are alive, there’s no telling if it was a highly public gaffe — or an unpopular gambit that kept one of the NFL’s elite on track to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
__________________________________________________ ____-
What dude who watches the Packers doesn't love some Wood? He shoulda won this award 2 years ago....but the media is ALL OVER IT this year...It's a popularity contest, but that dude (CWood) is nuts as a gamer. Quiet some weeks, but wins games (several this year and in the past) almost single-handedly. Tackling machine who picks off anything near him.....That's Charles in a nutshell...Go CWood.