Handing Out 2012 NFL Awards

Ah, what a fun season it's been so far. A Reddit user came up with the graphic on your left showing the amazing amount of parity that has been involved this year... yes, even you, Kansas City (and this was posted in Business Insider in November!) But as this NFL season winds down, we have to pick out the best of the best and like last year decide on the winners of the major awards for the league. Some of these will be a lot easier than others, but the debate is part of what makes this so much fun. My picks for last year's award winners (not all of which were accurate, but a lot were) can be found here.


Offensive Rookie of the Year

Robert Griffin III, Redskins
258-393, 3200 yds, 20 TD, 5 INT; 120 car, 815 yds, 7 TD, 12 FUM (2 lost)

This was one of the tougher calls to make obviously, given that this is probably the best quarterback draft class in decades and the brilliance that Griffin, Andrew Luck and more surprisingly Russell Wilson have displayed this season. As awesome as Luck has been in being a key part of getting Indianapolis back to the playoffs far sooner than anyone expected, he's been asked to do a lot for that team. You hate punishing him for it, but his 18 picks is the most among rookie quarterbacks. That leaves two similar guys in RGIII and Wilson. Griffin's biggest issue are his fumbles, but he has taken care of the ball the best and has been more efficient than Wilson has, despite Wilson's lead in touchdowns. Really, if you have any of these 3 guys, your team is in good shape, but we have to pick one, and I have to go with RGIII. And honestly, if Luck or Wilson end up winning the award, I can't complain.

 
Defensive Rookie of the Year

Casey Heyward, Packers
53 tackles, 6 INT, 21 PD, 1 FF

The amazing part of this one is that Heyward hasn't been an every-down player (granted, those are getting rarer these days) but when he's been out there, he's made the most of his opportunities. He's tops among rookies with 6 interceptions and 26 pass deflections (numbers which are tied for 5th and alone in 3rd, respectively, among all players). He's been a big reason why Green Bay's defense has been better than it was last year.

Offensive Player of the Year

Peyton Manning, Broncos
400-583, 4659 yds, 37 TD, 11 INT

Peyton has to be included on here somewhere. It was a tough decision between him and Tom Brady (surprise surprise), but Manning was more efficient (Brady threw 50 more passes for a little less than 200 more yards) in terms of yards per attempt. Manning's QBR (105.8, behind only Aaron Rodgers) and Total QBR (84.1, best in the league) were higher than Brady's (98.7 and 77.1, respectively).

Defensive Player of the Year

J.J. Watt, Texans
81 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 4 FF, 2 FR

There's some good competition here with guys like Von Miller, Aldon Smith, or one of Chicago's corners (Peanut Tillman or Tim Jennings), but JJ Watt has been a freak of nature. Not only has he made a habit of getting to the quarterback and knocking the ball loose, he also possesses the great instincts to get his hands up when he can't reach the quarterback, knocking down Lord knows how many passes (NFL.com does not have him down for any). That impact earns him this title.


Coach of the Year

Bruce Arians, Colts
9-3 as interim head coach, AFC Wild Card

Not usual for an interim head coach to be here, but this one was pretty much a no-brainer. While I definitely think #Chuckstrong had a lot to do with it, he took over a 1-2 team at the time, he went 9-3 in place of Chuck Pagano when there was no expectation for him to takeover, and to do so almost seamlessly deserves a lot of credit. Granted, it helps when you have an awesome rookie quarterback and some knowledgeable veterans in your midst, but Arians' impact can't be overstated.

East to West: Peyton's Mountain Assault

I wasn't sure what to think last week when I heard reports of Peyton Manning meeting with Bronco big wigs last week. Really, he would be an improvement to any NFL team outside Massachusetts, Louisiana and Wisconsin (arguably inside too, but they're both good with the guys they have I'm sure).

Now that it's all but official that Manning is moving west to the mountains of Denver, you have to look at this team with a little more fear and respect than you did last year. I like Tim Tebow as a person and an athlete, though I admit that he has his flaws as an NFL-caliber QB. That's what makes this deal such a brilliant move.

Last year's Broncos were a team that went on a big run with Tebow's unpredictability early on and had some victories where there should have been defeats. But that team was built around a good defense that would keep them in the ball games to give the offense a chance to win at the end. Now? They can become a more complete team with the most cerebral field general the league has ever seen.

So what of Denver's golden boy? From what I've seen, Denver is looking to trade Tebow, presumably for a second round pick. Given that Tebow would be relegated to the bench, it makes sense to get something for him. But here's a radical proposal if the right deal doesn't come along: why not move him around the field?

Tebow made a name last year as something of a dual-threat quarterback, though he was usually better scrambling for positive yards than he was throwing the ball. Since he has that ability to take off, why not use it? Put him in the I-formation as a fullback a few times a game. Hand it off to him a few times, but you can also use that as a decoy to fool the defense. As we well know, Manning is an expert at that sort of thing. That's what makes this following idea even more ingenious.