Most Valuable Player
My Original Prediction - Aaron Rodgers
Current Prediction - Aaron Rodgers
Stats - QB Rating - 122.5, Yards - 4,643, TD - 48 (3 rushing)
I wish this could be Drew Brees. I am not a Packers fan, I'm a die-hard Bears fan and Drew Brees had a record setting year, but alas, it is not to be. In the final week of the NFL season, the Packers defeated the Lions in a massive blowout, 45-41. Why mention that? Well, the Packers quarterback in that game was back-up, Matt Flynn. Rodgers rested for the game and his backup still threw 6 touchdowns in one game. Some may say that Rodgers is simply a product of a good system in Green Bay with phenomenal wide receivers, which may be partially true, but you simply cannot deny the fact that he was the best player in the NFL, all season long. Odds are, if you had Aaron "Godgers" on your fantasy team, you had a good year. His QB rating of 122.5 is good for the best of all-time in the NFL. He makes guys like Jordy Nelson dangerous and guys like Ryan Grant irrelevant. Simply stated, he's the MVP on the best team and defending Super Bowl champion, Green Bay Packers.
Runner-ups:
2 - Drew Brees
3 - Tom Brady
Offensive Player of the Year
My Original Prediction - Aaron Rodgers
Current Prediction - Drew Brees
Stats - QB Rating - 110.6, Yards - 5,476, TD - 47 (1 rushing)
Here's where I can give credit where credit is most certainly due. This year, while Aaron Rodgers may have been the league's most valuable player, Drew Brees was the best on offense. He has the numbers to back it up as he set the record for the passing yards in an NFL season...in his team's 15th game. He had a 16th game to pad his numbers, which he did, throwing for 5,476 yards and surpassing Dan Marino's record. The Saints offense was one of the best, if not the best, in the entire NFL and they'll be one of VERY FEW teams that have an actual shot at knocking off the Packers. If that's gonna happen, they'll need Brees to be playing at his highest level. He's definitely capable of it.
Runner-ups:
2 - Tom Brady
3 - Aaron Rodgers
Defensive Player of the Year
My Original Prediction - Ndamukong Suh
Current Prediction - Jared Allen
Stats - Tackles - 48, Sacks - 22, Forced Fumbles - 4
This one has a number of deserving candidates, but I ultimately decided on Jared Allen of the Minnesota Vikings. His team may have been awful, but Jared Allen was a force on defense. He came up just half a sack short of tying the single season NFL record for the most sacks in a single season. He's entertaining on and off the field and played more than admirably for a team going through some pretty drastic growing pains. No doubt he was the best defensive line-man and quite possibly best defensive player period in the NFL.
Runner-ups:
2 - DeMarcus Ware
3 - Jean Pierre-Paul
Offensive Rookie of the Year
My Original Prediction - Julio Jones
Current Prediction - Cam Newton
Stats - QB Rating - 84.5, Yards - 4,051, TD - 35 (14 rushing)
Cam Newton showed up to the NFL with a BANG. In his first career NFL start, Newton threw for 422 yards and 2 touchdowns, while rushing for another touchdown. His 422 yards were the most ever by a rookie in his first game. He followed that performance up with another 432 yards against the Green Bay Packers in week 2. His 854 yards through the air were the most by a rookie playing in their first 2 NFL games. From there on he continued etching his name into the NFL record books. He broke Peyton Manning's record for the most passing yards in a single season by a rookie with 4,051 and set the record for the most rushing TDs by a quarterback with 14. He certainly had his growing pains and a lot more to go in his career, but he's definitely off to a promising start.
Runner-ups:
2 - Andy Dalton
3 - A.J. Green
Defensive Rookie of the Year
My Original Prediction - Da'Quan Bowers
Current Prediction - Von Miller
Stats - Tackles - 50, Sacks - 11.5, Forced Fumbles - 2
The battle between Von Miller & Aldon Smith for Defensive Rookie of the Year is insanely close. I came very close to simply stating that it would be co-Defensive Rookie of the Years, but that seemed like it would be a cop-out. It really could go either way. Both play for playoff teams that are significantly improved from last year and made major impacts. They both play on great defenses, so why did I pick Von Miller? Going on stats alone, Miller's edge on tackles is more significant than Smith's on sacks. Miller's speed and tenacity on the defensive end is a sight to behold and both he and Aldon Smith will be mainstays at the top of the best linebackers in the NFL list for quite a while.
Runner-ups:
2 - Aldon Smith
3 - J.J. Watt
Coach of the Year
My Original Prediction - Jim Schwartz
Current Prediction - Jim Harbaugh
In his first NFL season as a head coach, Jim Harbaugh led the San Francisco 49ers to a 13-3 record and the 2nd seed in the NFC, leading to a 1st round bye in the playoffs. With 8 Pro Bowl players, one of the best defenses in the league, and a revitalized offense led by Alex Smith at quarterback and Michael Crabtree at wide receiver, along with Frank Gore at running back, the 49ers asserted themselves as one of the best teams in the NFL. Harbaugh's intensity proved to be more than enough for a young team, as the 49ers more than exceeded their bad expectations in the pre-season. San Francisco is playing with house money right now. No one expected them to even remotely sniff the playoffs and here they are with a 1st round bye. If they do anything in the playoffs, it'll just be a cherry on top to an already spectacular season.
Runner-ups:
2 - Jim Schwartz
3 - Mike McCarthy
Comeback Player of the Year
Stats - QB Rating - 97.2, Yards - 5,038, TD - 41
Matthew Stafford was just amazing this year. He missed most of the season last year with shoulder issues and promptly returned this year, becoming the 4th quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 5,000 yards in an NFL season. He led the way for the Lions as they made the playoffs for the first time since 1999, finishing with a 10-6 record, flipping their 6-10 record from 2010. Stafford to Calvin Johnson was one of the most dynamic duos in the NFL and will continue to be for years to come, provided they both stay healthy. Detroit doesn't have the most prolific of drafting records, but Stafford is definitely someone they can hang their hat on.
Runner-ups:
2 - Tony Romo
3 - Alex Smith
Superbowl XLVI
My Original Prediction - Philadelphia Eagles defeat New England Patriots
Current Prediction - Green Bay Packers defeat New England Patriots
Superbowl MVP
My Original Prediction - Michael Vick
Current Prediction - Aaron Rodgers
Stop me if you've heard this story before.
Runner-ups:
2 - Charles Woodson
3 - Jordy Nelson
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