Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the site of next week's Super Bowl XLVINext week, the AFC champion New England Patriots take on the NFC Champion New York Giants in Indianapolis to determine the winner of Super Bowl XLVI, a game whose hype should probably be the biggest in NFL history. So, expect to see hundreds of retrospective discussions on Super Bowl XLII and the "Eli Manning playing in his older brother's stadium for the chance to get one more championship than him" topic to be beaten endlessly to the ground (Hell, it's probably already beaten to a bloody pulp at this point). In the meantime, though, we find ourselves in the dreaded Super Bowl bye week, the week between the conference championships and the big game that reminds football fans a preview of the painful truth that we're only a few days away from seven months without a single meaningless game and Sundays much as this one. Sure, there's the Pro Bowl, but that's more of a tasteless diversion than anything else.
The Super Bowl bye week also means that I essentially have no games to predict in this week's column. With that in mind, I've decided to spice things up by looking back on the past season that was with The mj15 Blog's 1st Ever Season-Ending Awards! After all, the NFL is going to give out their major end-of-the-year honors next Saturday in the inaugural NFL Honors ceremony, so why shouldn't I? The only difference, of course, is unlike the usual awards that the NFL gives out, like MVP or Rookie of the Year, I've decided on creating new awards for things that each deserve them in their own way. So, let's get right to it, shall we?
Least Valuable Player (LVP): Chad Ochocinco, WR (New England Patriots)
In a year that saw his 2011 teammate Tom Brady throw 39 touchdowns and a career best 5,235 yards on 611 attempts, it would be pretty shocking for any of the Patriot's top wide receivers, let alone someone with such star power and notoriety as Ochocinco, to not benefit stats-wise. Yet, in 2011, that was just the case for the man formerly known as Chad Johnson, who caught a career worst 15 receptions for a measly 276 yards and only one touchdown (in week 15, no less) as New England's #3 wide receiver. This coming off a career in Cincinnati that saw him gain over 800 yards in eight of the previous nine seasons (the only time he didn't get past that mark came in 2008 when he missed a few games due to injury) before being traded to New England in August. Now, all of a sudden, it appears that the man's career might be finished. But don't worry, Ocho fans! I'm sure his second career as a bull rider will work out just fine.
Most Dissapointing Fantasy Football Player: (tie) Chris Johnson, RB (Tennessee) and Desean Jackson, WR (Philadelphia)
This award is different than the LVP because it's an award given to an NFL player who many drafted highly in their fantasy football drafts only to disappoint with seasons that were the epitome of underwhelming (players who were placed in the IR before the end of the season don't count, or else Jamaal Charles would dominate this category). This year, I decided to split the award up between two members of the 2008 NFL draft class who may have given future stars a lesson of what not to do in the middle of a contract year. In the summer, both men decided to hold off of the team's training camp in order to get better deals for themselves before each receiving new deals. Then, once the season kicked off, both men had their karma working highly against them. Jackson (average draft position according to ESPN.com: #28) underacheived with only 4 touchdowns despite being healthy all year as a starting wide receiver, while Chris Johnson (ADP: #2) had a terrible first half with only one 100 yard game and just one touchdown. Luckily, Johnson was able to get back into form during the second half, finishing with yet another 1000+ yard season, but not before he helped his Titans finish with the year's second worst rushing offense. As someone who remained relatively lucky with his draft choices this year, I could only imagine what it must've been to have to deal with these guys on your team week after week.
Position of the Year: Quarterback
Like the slogan that ESPN promoted all throughout 2011, this past season was indeed the "Year of the Quarterback." Never before have we seen a season of the NFL in which quarterbacks seemed to pad the stats and dominate the league's record books with such ease. It was a season that saw the most 300+ yard games (121), the most 400+ yard games (18), the most 40 touchdown years (3), and the most net yards per game (459.4). It was a year that saw six quarterbacks throw for more than 20 touchdowns in a year, and ten with over 4,000 yards thrown in a season, and three with over 5,000 yards in a season (a startling number considering how only this had only happened twice in the previous 91 years of the league). It was a year in which two quarterbacks (Drew Brees and Tom Brady) surpassed Dan Marino's once unbreakable single season passing record, and by a mininum of 150 yards to boot. 2011 was also the year when Panthers quarterback Cam Newton made his presence known by breaking both the rookie passing record and the record for the most rushing touchdowns by a league in a single season, while in Indianapolis Peyton Manning cemented an even greater legacy for himself without even having to play as his Colts finished the season with the league's worst record (2-14) in his first full season without him after nine straight seasons of 10+ wins with him. And as offenses continue to focus more on the passing game as the rule books keep changing to make it a more QB friendly league, I have a feeling that is just the beginning of the most important position in sports becoming even more important than ever.
Play of the Year: Jerome Simpson's Front-Flip Touchdown, Week 16 vs. Arizona
There were many great runner-ups for this award, including the two 99 yard scores from both Wes Welker and Victor Cruz, Randall Cobb's 108 yard kickoff return in the season's opening game, the other notable Cruz catch from week 5 against the Seahawks, LaGarette Blount's pounding run against Green Bay, Dwayne Bowe's circus catch against the Colts, and Patrick Peterson's game winning 99 yard punt return week 9 against St. Louis. But let's face it: nothing on this list can possibly compete against a front flip past a defender for a touchdown, all while sticking the landing in the process. Congrats on that feat of athleticism, Mr. Simpson. Now let's see if you can front flip your way out of these marijuana possession charges against you.
Play of the Year That Never Counted: The Chicago Bears Act of Punt Return Trickery, Week 3 vs. Green Bay
Corey Graham is the Britta Perry of this year's Bears team.
Quickest Broken Record: Most Receiving Yards by a Tight End
On the final day of the regular season, New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham broke Kellen Winslow's 31 year old record for most yards in a single season by a tight end with over 1,290 yards. A few minutes later on the exact same day, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski surpassed Graham with 1,327 yards, seventeen more this year than what Graham finished with. Therefore, that made Gronkowski the new record holder (whether this was the best thing to happen to The Gronk this season remains in question). Graham, in response to his quickly broken record, made the best comment on the whole situation after he finished that week 17 game against the Panthers: "I guess most records are meant to be broken." Indeed.
HALFTIME! This is the final halftime comedy bit of the season, and we're going to end it the way it began: with a clip from a George Carlin stand-up special. Here's George talking about conservation to take us into the second half of this column. I have a feeling that these seven and a half minute should go bye without any controversy and rather light humor.
The Terrence Mallick's "The Tree of Life" Honorary Award: Tim Tebow, QB (Denver Broncos)
This is the award given to the most polarizing individual from the past season (much like people who have seen "The Tree of Life" either really like it or despise it with a passion). Without a doubt, the man who provoked the most of such responses was none of then the Broncos starting quarterback, known throughout the year for his many comebacks and terrible play when the team faced any competent opponent. There were either two sides in regards to Tebow this year. You either loved his athleticism and his leadership, or you despised him for getting the media coverage of an NFL legend despite completing only 47% of his passes and struggling for almost the entire game expect in the 4th quarter. And considering how Tebow's season ended, I have a feeling that this is just a beginning wherein this "love or hate" relationship continues for many more years to come.
Annoying Commercial During Games That I'll Ironically Miss The Most: State Farm's "Discount Double Check"
If you ask me, Rodgers should've done commercials with Allstate instead. You're in good hands with them, which is something that I can't say the Green Bay wide receiving corp. had in the divisional playoffs against the Giants.
The Luckiest Team of the Year: Indianapolis Colts
For the first time since 1997, the Colts played a full season without their 1998 #1 draft pick that has lead them to ten straight double digit win seasons and two Super Bowls (one of which they won), and they played horribly without him. They finished the season 2-14, both Curtis Painter and Kerry Collins were a mess at starting QB trying to replace Manning, Reggie Wayne and the running game were almost non-existent, the defense was atrocious, and Jim Caldwell continued to look like a zombie on the sidelines. And yet, because of their terrible season, they managed to get out of it the #1 pick in the 2012 draft, giving them a chance to draft Stanford University quarterback Andrew Luck (a player who many scouts have considered to be the best prospect to come out of college since Peyton Manning) with their pick. So now they get the chance to rejuvenate their franchise like they did in 1998, all while finding an excuse to not pay Manning $28 million next season. It appears as if Colts fans are going to come out of this with the last laugh, much like Bulls fans in 2008 when they drafted Derrick Rose in their only non-playoff season since 2004.
The Biggest Media Turnaround of the Year: The Sports Media on Rex Ryan
For the previous two years, the man was praised as a great football coach and lauded for his fearless guarantees, brash attitude and ability to lead his team to victory. Then, this season, once it became obvious that the Jets weren't going to make it to the AFC Championship game for the third year in a row, everyone piled up on Ryan, calling him a bad coach of a team with terrible locker room chemistry who should be fired despite doing rather well in 2009 and 2010. Guess that's what happens to someone who had to rely on Mark Sanchez without a decent rushing game to help him.
Speaking of the media...
The Matt Millen Award for Worst Broadcaster: Phil Simms
Speaking of the media, here's someone who was doing a pretty bad job in being part of it. In between constantly contradicting himself during games and being condescending towards the viewer this past year, Simms (CBS's top in-game analyst) continued to show just how incompetent he was in doing something as simple as making his analysis interesting. I could say more, but I believe this clip is all that you will need to further get what I'm trying to say.
The Regular Season Game of the Year: New York Giants vs. Dallas, Week 14
Because the games of the year all came in the playoffs (Saints/49ers, Ravens/Patriots, Giants/49ers, etc.), I've decided to skip all of those and choose my pick for the best game that happened before the postseason started. And in what was a tough decision, I've decided to go with the first of the two regular season showdowns between the Cowboys and the now NFC Champion Giants. Down 34-22 with five minutes left, Eli Manning helped lead the Giants to a 15 point comeback to give them the lead late in the 4th quarter. Then, as the clock expired, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul blocked the potential game tying field goal by Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey to preserve the crucial victory for his team. Because of this win (and a few other things that went in New York's favor), both teams would meet in week 17 in a showdown for the NFC East crown. The Giants would take that game as well (in a more dominating fashion, no less) and the rest is now history.
-Runner-ups: New York vs. Denver, Week 11; Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh, Week 9; Oakland vs. Buffalo, Week 2; Arizona vs. St. Louis, Week 9; Detroit vs. Dallas, Week 4; Dallas vs. New York Jets, Week 1; Dallas vs. San Francisco, Week 2; New York Giants vs. San Francisco, Week 10; Green Bay vs. New York Giants, Week 13; Chicago vs. Denver, Week 14; New England vs. Buffalo, Week 3; San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Week 4; Detroit vs. Green Bay, Week 17.
I could go on, but I'm sure that these twelve are good enough in itself. Be sure to stop by next week as I wrap up this year's installment of the NFL picks column with my prediction for Super Bowl XLVI. Considering how I got the last two games wrong, I'd consider next week's column a can't miss! Until then, enjoy watching the Pro Bowl*
(*) Couldn't type last sentence with a straight face.
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
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