NFL Season Award and Superbowl Predictions 2012

MVP: Matt Ryan QB, Atlanta Falcons.


This is the year Ryan takes that next step into the elite class of NFL QB's, that was all the talk last year. He may have disappointed those that felt that way, I just believe they were a year ahead of schedule. Ryan opens up the season with ol' reliable Roddy White and a young, eager to prove himself receiver in Julio Jones, to go along with the always consistent (when healthy) Michael Turner which should make attaining the necessary stats the easy part.


Rookie of the Year: Andrew Luck QB, Indianapolis Colts


Filling the shoes of a Legend will not be easy in the long run scheme of things, but for his rookie season Andrew Luck should put up the numbers to justify the hype machine that has backed him the last 2 seasons. Veteran receiver Reggie Wayne while on the downside of his career will be a necessary safety blanket for Luck in his rookie year while fellow rookie, and former Stanford teammate Coby Fleener will give the QB the instant chemistry needed for success. I am one in the minority that does believe RGIII has the larger upside of the two to go along with an owner that won't be scared to spend money to bring Griffin help, but for the rookie campaign Luck is definitely the safer pick.


Defensive Rookie of the Year: Luke Kuechly LB, Carolina Panthers.


Luke Kuechly is the kind of player you see in EVERY PLAY in the film room, hitting guys with or without the ball just to make contact. He's a defensive coordinators dream, and will instantly form a top-tier LB group for the Carolina Panthers with Jon Beason  and James Anderson (if they can remain healthy). He was a tackle machine in his time at Boston College becoming the NCAA's 2nd all time leader in solo tackles with 532 in 38 games. He's been making an instant impact with the Panthers including 10 tackles in a preseason game vs the Jets. Expect great things from this kid, very very soon.


Offensive Player of the Year: Arian Foster RB, Houston Texans


If Arian Foster played QB he'd be in everyones conversation for MVP, since he plays the once prestigious, now for some reason unheralded RB position he's written off as just a Fantasy Football gem. Arian Foster will be BIG this year. Through his interviews he strikes me as a guy who plays for the love and pride moreso than the check, although a 5year 43.5 mil contract (20.5 guaranteed) might make me water up at the podium as well. I think those values will keep him from being a guy who receives an extension and feels like he no longer has anything to prove. Besides Andre Johnson's shaky health, nothing can stop this Texans team from achieving their Super Bowl aspirations with the Schuab's consistency and All-Purpose Arian.


Defensive Player of the Year: Aldon Smith LB, San Francisco 49ers

Coming off a great rookie season with the 49ers that put their defensive on front street as the 9ers made an improbable run to the NFC championship game, Aldon Smith is on pace for much more. Listed at 6'4 258 pounds this beast of a man nh looks to extremely build upon the 37 tackles and 2 forced fumbles from last year as he continues to play next to the best LB in the business Patrick Willis. I expect Smith's number of sacks to rise immensely as he'll get almost double the snaps compared to what he got last year, while continuing to be great vs the run. This 49ers defense is here to stay.


Coach of the Year: Greg Schiano, Tampa Bay Buccaneers


I don't know how often a rookie Head Coach is named Coach of the Year, so I definitely don't know if it'd happen two years in a row! With that said, I do believe Schiano has a chance both to win this award and to turn the Bucs back onto their pace from 2010-11 instead of 2011-12. Schiano has brought his no nonsense attitude into a team with a young budding star at QB in Josh Freeman who finally has the necessary weapons in Vincent Jackson and rookie all-purpose back Doug Martin from Boise State. They had a terrific draft bringing in Safety Mark Barron from Alabama, and the aforementioned Doug Martin. While I don't expect a playoff berth from Tampa Bay this season, I wouldn't be surprised if they were knocking on that Wild Card door.



AFC Champs: Houston Texans


In my opinion the Houston Texans are the best team in the NFL, as they maintain the best balance between both running game/passing game, and offense/defense as a whole. The AFC for the first time in a while is not as strong as the NFC. It's still top heavy with teams like the Patriots, Steelers, Ravens who may be able to trip up the Texans on their path but I believe a healthy Arian Foster and Andre Johnson will prove to be too much for the rest of the AFC.


NFC Champs: Atlanta Falcons

As I said when crowning Matt Ryan with this years MVP, this Falcons offense is stacked! However I do believe the NFC is extremely deep this season, but with the Saints coaching fiasco, the Packers defensive deficiencies, etc I think the Falcons will be able to overcome the odds and represent the NFC in the Superbowl.


Superbowl Champ: Houston Texans, MVP: Arian Foster

Once again, I truly believe the Texans are the best team in football this season. It took me a while to come to that conclusion, as a Jets fan it's tough to discount the Patriots because of Brady or the GOAT (in my humble opinion) Peyton Manning, especially a Manning with something to prove. I just believe the Texans with that defense, which can withstand the loss of Mario Williams, an offense boasting that kinda firepower AND balance they can't lose. I'm always afraid of the curse that gets put on a team overtime they become almost a unanimous favorite but with all the untimely injuries they've had the past few seasons, the Texans are due for some good fortune.

Players under the MOST pressure this NFL Season

5. Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders

Probably a surprise to some that he's on this list, but when a team gives up (possibly) multiple 1st round picks for you and you have a ton of speed on the outside mixed with arguably the top RB in the game, the pressure is on. I can give Palmer some what of a pass for that poor excuse for QB play he displayed last season as he was "retired" trying to get the Bengals to trade him and then had to come to Oakland with a bunch of young receivers, learn the offense, etc. However, that 80.5 QB rating (62.3 QBR for the ESPN heads) to go with 2700 yards, 13TD 16INT in 10 games will not cut it. The Raider fanbase is dying for their first playoff berth since Jon Gruden and will not be ok with Palmer's mediocrity. Not only does Palmer need to live up to that trade hype, but he also has to prove the naysayers wrong as so far in his career he looks more like a flash in the pan then a franchise QB. 

4. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets

I remember it like yesterday, Kyle Orton (better than both Sanchez and Tebow) and the Denver Broncos having a rough start to the season and Orton struggling in another game. The entire crowd in Denver chanting "We Want Tebow!!" which brought us the ugly but thrilling stretch which became known as "Tebowtime!" Kyle Orton was coming off of a career season in Denver when his job was STOLEN from him by the fans. It did end up going well for Tebow as he led the then 1-4 Broncos on a winning streak, into the playoffs, and even overcame the vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers in his first career playoff game before getting beatdown, bumrushed and embarrassed by the Patriots the following week. Mark Sanchez is in a far worse situation. He's coming off a season where all Jets fans including myself second guessed him every step of the way and he looked like nothing more then a bottom tier QB which isn't what he was drafted for. Rex Ryan wanted Tebow personally, is a run-first kind've offensive mind, and brought in another like minded coach in Tony Sporano to give the offense some direction, which points to a Tebow Takeover as he did lead the best running offense in the league last year. If you've watched any sports TV over the past few days you'd know the Jets haven't scored a TD in preseason which is more a product of a terrible O-line and bad receiver in my opinion but Sanchez isn't doing much to solidify his spot. Opening the season home vs Buffalo, @Pittsburgh, @Miami, home to San Fran, and MNF  home vs Houston, will not be easy as a 1-4 start is very possible and just like Kyle Orton that 5th game is at home on MNF, the fix is in.




3. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys


The man everyone seems to love to hate, Tony Romo coming in at #3 on this list and I think it's pretty self explanatory. The Dallas Cowboys have entered the last 3 seasons as favorites to win it all and each season they come up short. Whether it's through fluke plays, terrible Romo decisions, or injuries there's always something stopping this team from making their progression. Now this season, with the worst team Romo has had in the last 5 seasons the pressure is completely turned up as owner Jerry Jones has even acknowledged the closing window of the Cowboys as currently constructed. Injuries haven't been Romo's friend so far this preseason as his favorite targets Witten and Austin are already hurting (Witten narrowly dodging season ending surgery), and Dez Bryant continuing to be Dez Bryant (arrested for allegedly beating his mother, as crazy as that sounds) and the offensive line has proven to be troublesome in the preseason as well. However I do believe Romo will take himself off this list this season, I don't think they'll win a ring but in an all of a sudden considerably better NFC I still believe they can be a playoff team behind the much underrated arm of Tony Romo. How he performs down the stretch and in the crunch time moments of this season will ultimately make or break his career from this point forward and I believe he will finally rise to the occasion.

2. Mike Vick/Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles

This list is about players but I believe the gun is being held to Andy Reid's job, and Mike Vick is on the other side of that gun, because it's up to him and his performance whether that trigger will be pulled. Mike Vick coming off the "dream team" season that didn't yield a playoff berth, knows the pressure has risen as he agreed with that stance in a recent ESPN interview. The pressure shouldn't all fall on Vick and Reid as Vick has already exceeded most people's expectations as A QUARTERBACK since coming from prison, especially coming off of a season where an offensive line coach was promoted to defensive coordinator (????) and their key free agent signing Nnamdi Asomuagh struggled in a new defensive scheme. However, when the teams flourish the QB gets the credit and when the team fails the QB gets the blame, whether fair or not it's true. On the other side of this team coming up short, Vick's 100mil contract and his proneness to injury aren't a very good mix. Not much to garner a #2 spot on a most pressure list eh? Well add to the equation that the Eagles have a loop hole in his huge contract where they can get out of it after this season and only take a $4mil cap hit, yea I'd say that puts the feet to the fire.

1. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos


On pace to break every formidable QB record known to man, including the infamous Brett Favre most games played without missing a start streak, it all came to a screeching halt last season. As a complete Peyton Manning fanatic I held out hope that it was all a facade and somehow he'd be back in time to start last season which obviously didn't happen. Peyton not only missed the 1st game of his career, but missed the entire season with an injury to his neck which eventually caused nerve damage, and required surgery. Peyton's loss to the Colts led them to the worst record in the NFL, the opportunity to start over with a new franchise QB in Andrew Luck and allowed Peyton to test the free agent waters for the first time in his career. To my surprise (and heartbreak) Manning eventually signed to the Broncos. The questions have already began swirling about whether Peyton will be able to get up after "the big hit", will Peyton be the same Peyton we know and love? Can Peyton lead this team with all it's young receivers to the playoffs, after Tebow did it last season? (yes I went there) Can Peyton catch his younger brother Eli who now has 2 superbowl rings to Peyton's 1? The NFL did the Greatest QB alive (my humble opinion) no favors with an opening schedule of Pittsburgh, @ Atlanta, Houston, Oakland, @ New England, and @ San Diego before what would be a much needed bye week. A 10 win season and playoff berth would be a remarkable accomplishment all things considered, and I believe if anyone on this list can live up to the pressure it's Peyton Manning.

Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (coming off another superbowl loss), Andrew Luck (replacing Peyton Manning), Robert Griffin III (Redskins gave up the house and car for him), Adrian Peterson (Did he come back too soon?)