By: Christian Hardy
These is my playoff predictions, game-by-game, as of January 4th.
NFC Wild Card Round - PREDICTIONS
Saturday - 7:00 PM CT - NBC
#3 New Orleans Saints def. #6 Detroit Lions, 34-30
Sunday - 12:00 PM CT - FOX
#4 New York Giants def. #5 Atlanta Falcons, 24-20
AFC Wild Card Round - PREDICTIONS
Saturday - 3:30 PM CT - NBC
#3 Houston Texans def. #6 Cincinnati Bengals, 20-17
Sunday - 3:30 PM CT - CBS
#5 Pittsburgh Steelers def. #4 Denver Broncos, 24-10
NFC Divisional Round - PREDICTIONS
#3 New Orleans Saints def. #2 San Francisco 49ers, 24-16
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #4 New York Giants, 30-24
AFC Divisional Round - PREDICTIONS
#2 Baltimore Ravens def. #3 Houston Texans, 20-10
#1 New England Patriots def. #5 Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-20
Conference Championships - PREDICTIONS
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #3 New Orleans Saints, 41-34
#1 New England Patriots def. #2 Baltimore Ravens, 30-27 (OT)
Super Bowl Prediction
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #1 New England Patriots, 31-24
MVP: Aaron Rodgers
January 4, 2012
January 3, 2012
2011-12 NFL Postseason Awards
By: Christian Hardy
The 2011-12 NFL Season was another record-breaking, incredible season for fans across the globe. There were two quarterbacks (Drew Brees and Tom Brady) who each, individually, broke the single-season record for passing yardage set by Dan Marino in 1984. But, that's just one of the abundance of records that were broken in 2011.
Among others, the ones that stood out to me were: Jared Allen whom was a sack away from being named the all-time sack king (and, perhaps, would have if it were not for Brett Favre and his shananigans), and Darren Sproles whom broke the single-season all-purpose yardage record very quietly with 2696 yards this season, and rookie quarterback Cam Newton threw for over 4,000 yards with a team that went 6-10.
Last but not least, there was the tight end yardage record. This record flip-flopped four times on Sunday, including both playoff teams putting their star tight ends back into the game after they had been pulled to regain the lead for the crown. In the end, it was Rob Gronkowski who ousted Jimmy Graham atop as the tight end with the most receiving yards in a single-season. In my opinion, this was huge for the NFL, and offenses around the league.
The position (tight end) has come to grow more than any other position in the game in the past decade. So what makes the position so special? Maybe the freakish athletes that play tight end and the inability for defenses to cover them. I mean, Gronkowski and Graham are both 6'6'', which creates a mismatch for corners who are 6'0''-6'2'' and linebackers that are 6'4'' in most cases. It makes tight ends nearly impossible to cover, and their hands are more dependable than 98 percent of wide receivers.
I could go on and on about tight ends all day, as I love the position and the athletes who play it. The fact of the matter is, it's going to continue to develop, and tight ends are going to become a bigger and bigger part of football, and the way it is played. And, until defenses can stop it (especially with Brees or Brady throwing you the ball) it will continue to grow. It will, also, change the way offenses play, especially through the air.
It was quite the up and down season for the NFL. More importantly, it was another great one. One to remember, that is for sure. Now that the season is over, I thought it would be fun to reveal to you who my awards (MVP, OPOY, DPOY, etc.) are all going to for this season. Let's get started.
Most Valuable Player
Winner: Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers
Runner Up: Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Honorable Mention: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, Saints running back/returner Darren Sproles
Aaron Rodgers is the easy winner here. Rodgers, and the rest of the Packers, became just the fifth team in NFL history to go 15-1. Not only that, but in 15 games, Rodgers threw for 45 touchdowns with virtually no passing game. Of course, I wouldn't just base this award all on stats, and by the eye test, Rodgers has been the most accurate and consistent thrower in the NFL this season, and that's why this award goes to him.
Brees and Brady both broke Dan Marino's record, and any other year one of those two would win MVP. However, Rodgers has, simply, been better than either of the two.
As for the honorable mentions, both deserve some type of award, they really do. Maurice Jones-Drew put every inch of effort on the field with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. I mean, you have Blaine Gabbert under center--who is arguably the worst starter in the NFL--and no name wide receivers with nine-men in the box and Maurice Jones-Drew is still able to win a rushing title. That is just incredible to me. As for Sproles, he was by far the most explosive and surprising player in the NFL this year. with his size and structure, who would of thought that he would of broken a record like he did this year. It truly amazes me.
All four of these guys very well deserve an MVP: Every single one. But, of course, there is only one award. That's why the title goes to the head of the best team in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers.
Offensive Player of the Year
Winner: Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Runner Up: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
Honorable Mention: Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford
Drew Brees is the king of passing yards, and the king of offense, hence the Offensive player of the year award. He uses every weapon on the field every play am makes very smart throws. Not only that, but he shattered Marino's record in just 15 weeks! How incredible is that? I don't see Rodgers winning both awards, I think Brees is the likely winner here. This would be Brees' first time winning the either the MVP or Offensive Player of the Year award.
However, there was another man who broke the single-season passing record. You might of heard of him for his Ugg boots sponsorship (or for his football skills). He goes by the name of Tom Brady. You could definitely make an argument for Brady, as he has a worse supporting cast than Brees does, especially in the run game. Nevertheless, Brady still has some great talent around him in the passing game. Brees has just been more consistent, and finished 241 yards ahead of Brady in terms of passing, which makes him my offensive player of the year.
I included Stafford because he led the Lions to their first playoff berth since 1999, and threw for over 5,000 yards doing it. He also quietly threw for 46 touchdowns (four short of the record for a single-season) which it quite impressive. Hopefully Stafford can stay healthy and become an elite quarterback in this league, if he isn't there already.
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs
Runner Up: Vikings defensive end Jared Allen
Honorable Mention: Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Panthers quarterback Cam Newton
Runner Up: Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton
Honorable Mention: Bengals wide receiver AJ Green, Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Broncos linebacker Von Miller
Runner Up: 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith
Honorable Mention: Texans defensive end J.J. Watt
Coach of the Year
Winner: 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh - Brought a low-end team to an elite team in just one year with limited resources. Not many coaches can do that. Well deserved coach of the year.
Runner Up: Bengals coach Marvin Lewis - I projected the Bengals to be in the bottom five teams at the end of the year. Rather, they finish third in the AFC North and make the playoffs! They still are not elite, but they are well on their way.
Honorable Mention: Packers coach Mike McCarthy, Texans coach Gary Kubiak - McCarthy if the coach of the best record (15-1) in football, and the favorites to win the Super Bowl. I would not be at all surprised if McCarthy wins this award. Kubaik overcame injury (including season ending ones to his first two quarterbacks) all season long and still found a way to win his division. That impresses me, and I'm sure the Texans will be right back on top of the AFC South next year if his team can stay healthy,
Comeback Player of the Year
Winner: Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson
Runner Up: Lions quarterback Matthew Srafford
Honorable Mention: Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil
Thanks for reading. I'll be back later this week or early next week with my 2011 Fantasy Football Steals and Busts and a look at who I think will be in Indianapolis playing for the Superbowl. After the Superbowl I will put out my first NFL Mock Draft, that will be updated all the way up to draft day, including my top five players at each position. Until then, I dare you (triple dog) to follow me on Twitter: @TheFFAddict.
I got this idea from ProFootballTalk. You can see their article here: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/02/pfts-postseason-awards/.
The 2011-12 NFL Season was another record-breaking, incredible season for fans across the globe. There were two quarterbacks (Drew Brees and Tom Brady) who each, individually, broke the single-season record for passing yardage set by Dan Marino in 1984. But, that's just one of the abundance of records that were broken in 2011.
Among others, the ones that stood out to me were: Jared Allen whom was a sack away from being named the all-time sack king (and, perhaps, would have if it were not for Brett Favre and his shananigans), and Darren Sproles whom broke the single-season all-purpose yardage record very quietly with 2696 yards this season, and rookie quarterback Cam Newton threw for over 4,000 yards with a team that went 6-10.
Last but not least, there was the tight end yardage record. This record flip-flopped four times on Sunday, including both playoff teams putting their star tight ends back into the game after they had been pulled to regain the lead for the crown. In the end, it was Rob Gronkowski who ousted Jimmy Graham atop as the tight end with the most receiving yards in a single-season. In my opinion, this was huge for the NFL, and offenses around the league.
The position (tight end) has come to grow more than any other position in the game in the past decade. So what makes the position so special? Maybe the freakish athletes that play tight end and the inability for defenses to cover them. I mean, Gronkowski and Graham are both 6'6'', which creates a mismatch for corners who are 6'0''-6'2'' and linebackers that are 6'4'' in most cases. It makes tight ends nearly impossible to cover, and their hands are more dependable than 98 percent of wide receivers.
I could go on and on about tight ends all day, as I love the position and the athletes who play it. The fact of the matter is, it's going to continue to develop, and tight ends are going to become a bigger and bigger part of football, and the way it is played. And, until defenses can stop it (especially with Brees or Brady throwing you the ball) it will continue to grow. It will, also, change the way offenses play, especially through the air.
It was quite the up and down season for the NFL. More importantly, it was another great one. One to remember, that is for sure. Now that the season is over, I thought it would be fun to reveal to you who my awards (MVP, OPOY, DPOY, etc.) are all going to for this season. Let's get started.
Most Valuable Player
Winner: Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers
Runner Up: Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Honorable Mention: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, Saints running back/returner Darren Sproles
Aaron Rodgers is the easy winner here. Rodgers, and the rest of the Packers, became just the fifth team in NFL history to go 15-1. Not only that, but in 15 games, Rodgers threw for 45 touchdowns with virtually no passing game. Of course, I wouldn't just base this award all on stats, and by the eye test, Rodgers has been the most accurate and consistent thrower in the NFL this season, and that's why this award goes to him.Brees and Brady both broke Dan Marino's record, and any other year one of those two would win MVP. However, Rodgers has, simply, been better than either of the two.
As for the honorable mentions, both deserve some type of award, they really do. Maurice Jones-Drew put every inch of effort on the field with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. I mean, you have Blaine Gabbert under center--who is arguably the worst starter in the NFL--and no name wide receivers with nine-men in the box and Maurice Jones-Drew is still able to win a rushing title. That is just incredible to me. As for Sproles, he was by far the most explosive and surprising player in the NFL this year. with his size and structure, who would of thought that he would of broken a record like he did this year. It truly amazes me.
All four of these guys very well deserve an MVP: Every single one. But, of course, there is only one award. That's why the title goes to the head of the best team in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers.
Offensive Player of the Year
Winner: Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Runner Up: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
Honorable Mention: Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford
Drew Brees is the king of passing yards, and the king of offense, hence the Offensive player of the year award. He uses every weapon on the field every play am makes very smart throws. Not only that, but he shattered Marino's record in just 15 weeks! How incredible is that? I don't see Rodgers winning both awards, I think Brees is the likely winner here. This would be Brees' first time winning the either the MVP or Offensive Player of the Year award.
However, there was another man who broke the single-season passing record. You might of heard of him for his Ugg boots sponsorship (or for his football skills). He goes by the name of Tom Brady. You could definitely make an argument for Brady, as he has a worse supporting cast than Brees does, especially in the run game. Nevertheless, Brady still has some great talent around him in the passing game. Brees has just been more consistent, and finished 241 yards ahead of Brady in terms of passing, which makes him my offensive player of the year.I included Stafford because he led the Lions to their first playoff berth since 1999, and threw for over 5,000 yards doing it. He also quietly threw for 46 touchdowns (four short of the record for a single-season) which it quite impressive. Hopefully Stafford can stay healthy and become an elite quarterback in this league, if he isn't there already.
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs
Runner Up: Vikings defensive end Jared Allen
Honorable Mention: Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Panthers quarterback Cam Newton
Runner Up: Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton
Honorable Mention: Bengals wide receiver AJ Green, Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Broncos linebacker Von Miller
Runner Up: 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith
Honorable Mention: Texans defensive end J.J. Watt
Coach of the Year
Winner: 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh - Brought a low-end team to an elite team in just one year with limited resources. Not many coaches can do that. Well deserved coach of the year.
Runner Up: Bengals coach Marvin Lewis - I projected the Bengals to be in the bottom five teams at the end of the year. Rather, they finish third in the AFC North and make the playoffs! They still are not elite, but they are well on their way.
Honorable Mention: Packers coach Mike McCarthy, Texans coach Gary Kubiak - McCarthy if the coach of the best record (15-1) in football, and the favorites to win the Super Bowl. I would not be at all surprised if McCarthy wins this award. Kubaik overcame injury (including season ending ones to his first two quarterbacks) all season long and still found a way to win his division. That impresses me, and I'm sure the Texans will be right back on top of the AFC South next year if his team can stay healthy,
Comeback Player of the Year
Winner: Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson
Runner Up: Lions quarterback Matthew Srafford
Honorable Mention: Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil
Thanks for reading. I'll be back later this week or early next week with my 2011 Fantasy Football Steals and Busts and a look at who I think will be in Indianapolis playing for the Superbowl. After the Superbowl I will put out my first NFL Mock Draft, that will be updated all the way up to draft day, including my top five players at each position. Until then, I dare you (triple dog) to follow me on Twitter: @TheFFAddict.
I got this idea from ProFootballTalk. You can see their article here: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/02/pfts-postseason-awards/.
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