What’s up, it’s your boi Carlos checking in, a.k.a. C-Lo, a.k.a. Straight Cash Homey, representing Eastside ATL, Decatur. One time for my folks out in the DEC, and shout to my people all over the “A”.
Ok, that was my ridiculous rap intro. I’ve always wondered why rappers have to introduce themselves in such “ludacris” way every time someone puts and microphone in their face. Just once, I would love to see/hear an interview with a rapper when he simply introduces himself as Jeff.
I digress….
Now for the real reason we are here. It is time to tell you who I feel will win today’s games and receive a trip to Dallas to play in the game that Jerry Jones was sure his team would be in when the season started. Well, HE IS hosting the game, it’s just to bad that his players will have to buy tickets.
Without further ado, my picks are as follows:
My message to you is the same as it was last week, for those of you who aren’t scared, feel free to post your picks in the comments section of this blog.
NFC Championship Game (Packers at Bears) – First of all, I would like to correct all of the commentators who have been calling this the best rivalry in the NFL. That is not a true statement. While it may in fact be the oldest rivalry in the NFL, it is far from the best. In all actuality, it’s not even one of the best. The fact that today’s game is only the SECOND time they have ever met in the playoffs, proves my point. For it to be a great rivalry, the teams must play in meaningful games. Unfortunately, these two teams have rarely played in meaningful games because they have never really been good at the same time. While the rivalry may be intense in their region and between the fans of the two teams (just as the Saints and Falcons are between the two respective cities), doesn’t mean that it is one of the best and most intense rivalries in the entire league. The two best rivalries in the NFL today are Colts – Patriots and Steelers – Ravens. In years past, Cowboys – 49ers and Steelers – Raiders have also been intense rivalries. The Packers and Bears don’t come close to these on any level.
Now to today's game. This will be a hard-hitting game that will remind you of the Steelers – Ravens game in last year’s playoffs (just the hitting, not the closeness of the game). I don’t think neither team will really be able to run the football against the opposing defense. In general, I feel as though the team with the best combination of quarterback, offensive line, and defense usually wins football games. Looking at this matchup, I give the Packers a big advantage in the quarterback comparison, and a small edge in the offensive line comparison. I think the defenses are about even, although they play completely different styles. They are both extremely good at what they do. That being said, look for Jay Cutler to have a Brett Favre type of performance (not the good Brett Favre) and literally throw the game away. I fully expect the Packers to return at least one interception for a touchdown.
Also, I have a quick word of advice for Green Bay Coach Mike McCarthy:
That guy that wears #23 for the Bears and serves as their kick/punt returner is pretty good. As a matter of fact he is the best kick returner in the entire 90 year history of the league, and HE HAS ONLY PLAYED FOUR YEARS! Therefore, if you plan on winning this game, you may want to consider NOT KICKING THE BALL TO HIM!
My Prediction (if McCarthy follows my advice): Packers 24 – Bears 10
AFC Championship Game (Jets at Steelers) – This should be an excellent football game. Both teams have tremendously strong defenses, solid running games, and a game-breaking receiver (Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace). Mark my words, both quarterbacks will definitely be sacked multiple times this evening. You have James Harrison, Lamar Woodley, and Troy Polamalu wreaking havoc for the Steelers and the Jets will counter with a fierce front-seven in their own right that will be supported by the fact that Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie have the ability to cover opposing receivers all alone without any help from the safeties, which allows Rex to dial-up as many exotic blitzes as his imagination can come up with. Now that the lights are at their brightest, I expect two things to happen in this game, Troy Polamalu will MAKE a big play for the Steelers on defense, and Braylon Edwards will BLOW a big play for the Jets on defense.
Therefore, I would like to tell all of the fathers of 18 – 20 year old girls in Milledgeville, GA to relax because Big Ben is going to the Super Bowl, so it will be at least two more weeks before he will be in your town to spend his off-season.
My Prediction: Steelers 17 – Jets 14
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 2)
Last week my record was 2-2, which is not bad. It isn’t necessarily good either. I was David Garrard, who is in my opinion the very definition of an average NFL quarterback. Good enough to keep his team from replacing him, but not good enough to ever really win anything. This is a new week, and this week I will elevate my game from David Garrard to Aaron Rodgers. That being said, I present to you my picks for the second round of the NFL playoffs.
My message to you is the same as it was last week, for those of you who aren’t scared, feel free to post your picks in the comments section of this blog.
Best Rivalry in the NFL (Ravens at Steelers) – I say it every time that they meet and it still applies, the team with the most people alive at the end of four quarters will win this football game. For those who love defensive football (not bad offensive football, but really good defensive football), THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU! Nothing will be cheap. Every yard will be hard fought, and the hits will be vicious. These are two teams that play the game with bad intentions, which is what I love to see. That being said, this will be a tremendously low scoring game that will be decided on the final possession. These teams are so evenly matched, that one turnover will decide who goes on to face the (SPOILER ALERT!) Patriots in the AFC Championship Game and who comes over to my house and watches it with me. This game will also feature to two sure-fire Hall of Fame safeties, one of which will make a big play at some point during this game. I am picking the Ravens to win this game for one simple reason, their defensive line is better than Pittsburgh’s offensive line. This game will be decided in the trenches, and I don’t believe that Pittsburgh has an answer for Haloti Ngata and Terrance Cody, otherwise known as the 700 lbs. of beef that happen to be the defensive tackles for the Ravens.
My Prediction: Ravens 10 – Steelers 6
Foot in Mouth Bowl (Jets at Patriots) – This title can apply to both Rex Ryan (if you don’t know what I am referring to, look it up) or Antonio Cromartie. Cromartie had a lot to say about Tom Brady this week. I commend his brashness and confidence. I just hope for the sake of ALL of his kids watching at home that he can back up those words. Although Cromartie is an excellent corner in his own right, he plays opposite Darrelle Revis, which means that he will see plenty of action coming in his direction. Let me re-phrase that: He will have plenty of opportunities to make Brady look bad. You can also read that sentence as: He will have plenty of opportunities for Brady to make him look like a fool. Although this game will be closer that the 45 – 3 beat down the Patriots gave the Jets in Week 13, I really don’t expect this one to be very competitive.
My Prediction: Patriots 30 – Jets 14
The Joyride is Over (Seahawks at Bears) – Ok, I along with everyone else in the free world got the Seahawks – Saints game wrong last week. Thanks to the best single run I have ever seen in my entire life (by Marshawn Lynch, see video below), and a terrible effort by the unit that allegedly plays defense for the Saints, the Seahawks were able to pull off the huge upset. That being said, the Bears defense will be slightly better that the Saints defense (by slightly better, I mean the difference between Michael Jordan and Craig Ehlo). I know that the Seahawks beat the Bears in Chicago earlier this season, but that was a totally different Bears team. Once again, I am counting the Seahawks out by picking the Bears to win big and I dare them to prove me wrong again.
My Prediction: Bears 23 – Seahawks 7
Game of the Week (Packers at Falcons) – The Ravens and Steelers may be the best rivalry in the NFL, but this will be the best matchup of the weekend. This will be a beautiful game to watch. You have two high-flying offenses that can light up the scoreboard going head to head in perfect football weather, 72 degrees with no chance of precipitation. The Packers have already played a thriller against the Falcons at the Georgia Dome this season. In that game Atlanta narrowly escaped with a three point victory. However, I do not see that being the case this week. As I stated last week, the winner of Eagles – Packers game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. The Packers won that game, therefore (SPOILER ALERT!) I will be picking them throughout the NFC playoffs. Aaron Rodgers is an absolute baller, and he will be too good to be denied on Saturday night.
My Prediction: Packers 28 – Falcons 24
My message to you is the same as it was last week, for those of you who aren’t scared, feel free to post your picks in the comments section of this blog.
Best Rivalry in the NFL (Ravens at Steelers) – I say it every time that they meet and it still applies, the team with the most people alive at the end of four quarters will win this football game. For those who love defensive football (not bad offensive football, but really good defensive football), THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU! Nothing will be cheap. Every yard will be hard fought, and the hits will be vicious. These are two teams that play the game with bad intentions, which is what I love to see. That being said, this will be a tremendously low scoring game that will be decided on the final possession. These teams are so evenly matched, that one turnover will decide who goes on to face the (SPOILER ALERT!) Patriots in the AFC Championship Game and who comes over to my house and watches it with me. This game will also feature to two sure-fire Hall of Fame safeties, one of which will make a big play at some point during this game. I am picking the Ravens to win this game for one simple reason, their defensive line is better than Pittsburgh’s offensive line. This game will be decided in the trenches, and I don’t believe that Pittsburgh has an answer for Haloti Ngata and Terrance Cody, otherwise known as the 700 lbs. of beef that happen to be the defensive tackles for the Ravens.
My Prediction: Ravens 10 – Steelers 6
Foot in Mouth Bowl (Jets at Patriots) – This title can apply to both Rex Ryan (if you don’t know what I am referring to, look it up) or Antonio Cromartie. Cromartie had a lot to say about Tom Brady this week. I commend his brashness and confidence. I just hope for the sake of ALL of his kids watching at home that he can back up those words. Although Cromartie is an excellent corner in his own right, he plays opposite Darrelle Revis, which means that he will see plenty of action coming in his direction. Let me re-phrase that: He will have plenty of opportunities to make Brady look bad. You can also read that sentence as: He will have plenty of opportunities for Brady to make him look like a fool. Although this game will be closer that the 45 – 3 beat down the Patriots gave the Jets in Week 13, I really don’t expect this one to be very competitive.
My Prediction: Patriots 30 – Jets 14
The Joyride is Over (Seahawks at Bears) – Ok, I along with everyone else in the free world got the Seahawks – Saints game wrong last week. Thanks to the best single run I have ever seen in my entire life (by Marshawn Lynch, see video below), and a terrible effort by the unit that allegedly plays defense for the Saints, the Seahawks were able to pull off the huge upset. That being said, the Bears defense will be slightly better that the Saints defense (by slightly better, I mean the difference between Michael Jordan and Craig Ehlo). I know that the Seahawks beat the Bears in Chicago earlier this season, but that was a totally different Bears team. Once again, I am counting the Seahawks out by picking the Bears to win big and I dare them to prove me wrong again.
My Prediction: Bears 23 – Seahawks 7
Game of the Week (Packers at Falcons) – The Ravens and Steelers may be the best rivalry in the NFL, but this will be the best matchup of the weekend. This will be a beautiful game to watch. You have two high-flying offenses that can light up the scoreboard going head to head in perfect football weather, 72 degrees with no chance of precipitation. The Packers have already played a thriller against the Falcons at the Georgia Dome this season. In that game Atlanta narrowly escaped with a three point victory. However, I do not see that being the case this week. As I stated last week, the winner of Eagles – Packers game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. The Packers won that game, therefore (SPOILER ALERT!) I will be picking them throughout the NFC playoffs. Aaron Rodgers is an absolute baller, and he will be too good to be denied on Saturday night.
My Prediction: Packers 28 – Falcons 24
Saturday, January 8, 2011
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 1)
Those who know me know that my favorite sport is professional football (NFL, not UFL), and that my favorite time of year is when the playoffs begin. Well boys and girls, the playoffs begin later today, so consider me a HAPPY MAN! We are officially 29 days away from the Super Bowl, and judging by most of the playoff teams, we should get a good one this year (except if somehow there is a Chiefs vs. Seahawks matchup). That being said, the twelve remaining teams have a long journey to navigate if they expect to be playing in the castle that Jerry built in 29 days. That journey begins today, and I will do my best to guide you there, beginning with my PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 1 EDITION).
If you aren’t scared, feel free to add yours in the comment section below this entry.
Girlfriend/Wife Special (Saints at Seahawks) – Ladies, if you want to spend time with your boyfriend/husband on Saturday, feel free to occupy their time until 8pm. That is when the playoffs officially begin. Although they may try to tell you (as I will my wife) that the 4:30 pm game is important also. If they do, feel free to call them a liar. I know that Seattle is one of the toughest places to play a road game in the NFL, but this might be the most lopsided playoff game in recent memory. I am giving the Seahawks NO CHANCE in this game, and it won’t even be close. As a matter of fact, I think the Saints went up by a touchdown as soon as their plane touched down in Seattle.
My Prediction: Saints 31 – Seahawks 10
Front Row vs. Back Row (Jets at Colts) – This matchup reminds me of high school. We will get a chance to see a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, when the kids who always sat in the front of the classroom (Colts led by Peyton Manning) will face off against the dumb loudmouth disruptive kids that sat in the back of the class (Jets led by Rex Ryan). That being said, it should be a highly entertaining and well played game. This game will be a true test of wills between the Colts (peaking at the right time) offense and the Jets (not as good as they think they are) defense. This one will be close and a lot of fun, so fellas, put your foot down and make sure that your lady knows that 8pm Saturday night is football time. If you end up watching The Notebook instead of this game, scan you man card into your computer and email it to me at the address shown at the top of this page.
My Prediction: Colts 24 – Jets 20
Thunder vs. Lightning (Ravens at Chiefs) – What happens when the league’s best rush offense plays host to the league’s fifth-best run defense in a playoff game? I don’t know thE answer to that question right now, but I will know after the 1pm game on Sunday. This game will be strength versus strength, because the Ravens’ hard hitting defense (thunder) simply don’t let you run the ball, while Kansas City’s offense (lightning) lives by the running game. As I see it, the only way to beat the Ravens is to exploit their below average corners in the passing game (but throw at your own risk because Reed is back behind those weak corners). However, I doubt that Kansas City’s 30th ranked passing game will be able to accomplish this feat. Although Kansas City is another ridiculously difficult place to play on the road, I think that the Ravens’ been here before attitude and road warrior mentality (they are 6 – 3 on the road in the playoffs since 2000) will overpower the young, inexperienced Chiefs who will be playing their first playoff game since 2006.
My Prediction: Ravens 21 – Chiefs 10
WHY DID THEY HAVE TO PLAY IN THE FIRST ROUND?! (Packers at Eagles) – Whether my prediction for this game is right or wrong, I feel as though the winner of this game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. That being said, I must admit that this is the hardest game of the weekend to pick (and the reason that I am writing this blog entry so darn late). As a matter of fact, I came extremely close to not picking this game, and just saying that it was too difficult to choose a winner. For those reading this who know me personally, you know that is simply not my style. To pick this game, I had to look beyond the superficial Vick vs. Rodgers talk, and really dive into the match-ups. This is where I discovered my pick to win this game. While both teams will certainly light up the scoreboard, because there will be big play threats all over the field in Vick, Jackson, Maclin, and McCoy for the Eagles and Rodgers, Jennings, and Driver for the Packers, the difference in this game lies on the defensive side of the football. Although, the Eagles defense is a pretty good unit and has played extremely well at times this season, in my opinion the Packers defense is much better. Although Vick has proven time and time again that he can be unstoppable, the Packers defense has as good a chance as any to prevent him from scoring on every possession. He definitely won’t look like he did against Washington in that video game played earlier this season. The bottom line is that the offensive skill players in the game are ridiculous and the quarterbacks are two of the best in the business. However, I like Aaron Rodgers against the Eagles defense slightly better than I like Vick against the likes of Clay Mathews, Charles Woodson, and Nick Collins. Don’t miss this one, it will be a shootout. If you are a fan of Big 10 football and enjoy watching three yards and a cloud of dust, this is not the game for you.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Eagles 35
Tune in next week for PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 2)….
If you aren’t scared, feel free to add yours in the comment section below this entry.
Girlfriend/Wife Special (Saints at Seahawks) – Ladies, if you want to spend time with your boyfriend/husband on Saturday, feel free to occupy their time until 8pm. That is when the playoffs officially begin. Although they may try to tell you (as I will my wife) that the 4:30 pm game is important also. If they do, feel free to call them a liar. I know that Seattle is one of the toughest places to play a road game in the NFL, but this might be the most lopsided playoff game in recent memory. I am giving the Seahawks NO CHANCE in this game, and it won’t even be close. As a matter of fact, I think the Saints went up by a touchdown as soon as their plane touched down in Seattle.
My Prediction: Saints 31 – Seahawks 10
Front Row vs. Back Row (Jets at Colts) – This matchup reminds me of high school. We will get a chance to see a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, when the kids who always sat in the front of the classroom (Colts led by Peyton Manning) will face off against the dumb loudmouth disruptive kids that sat in the back of the class (Jets led by Rex Ryan). That being said, it should be a highly entertaining and well played game. This game will be a true test of wills between the Colts (peaking at the right time) offense and the Jets (not as good as they think they are) defense. This one will be close and a lot of fun, so fellas, put your foot down and make sure that your lady knows that 8pm Saturday night is football time. If you end up watching The Notebook instead of this game, scan you man card into your computer and email it to me at the address shown at the top of this page.
My Prediction: Colts 24 – Jets 20
Thunder vs. Lightning (Ravens at Chiefs) – What happens when the league’s best rush offense plays host to the league’s fifth-best run defense in a playoff game? I don’t know thE answer to that question right now, but I will know after the 1pm game on Sunday. This game will be strength versus strength, because the Ravens’ hard hitting defense (thunder) simply don’t let you run the ball, while Kansas City’s offense (lightning) lives by the running game. As I see it, the only way to beat the Ravens is to exploit their below average corners in the passing game (but throw at your own risk because Reed is back behind those weak corners). However, I doubt that Kansas City’s 30th ranked passing game will be able to accomplish this feat. Although Kansas City is another ridiculously difficult place to play on the road, I think that the Ravens’ been here before attitude and road warrior mentality (they are 6 – 3 on the road in the playoffs since 2000) will overpower the young, inexperienced Chiefs who will be playing their first playoff game since 2006.
My Prediction: Ravens 21 – Chiefs 10
WHY DID THEY HAVE TO PLAY IN THE FIRST ROUND?! (Packers at Eagles) – Whether my prediction for this game is right or wrong, I feel as though the winner of this game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. That being said, I must admit that this is the hardest game of the weekend to pick (and the reason that I am writing this blog entry so darn late). As a matter of fact, I came extremely close to not picking this game, and just saying that it was too difficult to choose a winner. For those reading this who know me personally, you know that is simply not my style. To pick this game, I had to look beyond the superficial Vick vs. Rodgers talk, and really dive into the match-ups. This is where I discovered my pick to win this game. While both teams will certainly light up the scoreboard, because there will be big play threats all over the field in Vick, Jackson, Maclin, and McCoy for the Eagles and Rodgers, Jennings, and Driver for the Packers, the difference in this game lies on the defensive side of the football. Although, the Eagles defense is a pretty good unit and has played extremely well at times this season, in my opinion the Packers defense is much better. Although Vick has proven time and time again that he can be unstoppable, the Packers defense has as good a chance as any to prevent him from scoring on every possession. He definitely won’t look like he did against Washington in that video game played earlier this season. The bottom line is that the offensive skill players in the game are ridiculous and the quarterbacks are two of the best in the business. However, I like Aaron Rodgers against the Eagles defense slightly better than I like Vick against the likes of Clay Mathews, Charles Woodson, and Nick Collins. Don’t miss this one, it will be a shootout. If you are a fan of Big 10 football and enjoy watching three yards and a cloud of dust, this is not the game for you.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Eagles 35
Tune in next week for PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 2)….
Sunday, January 2, 2011
AND THE WINNER IS….
If you ask NFL players why they put their well-beings on the line week after week to play such a violent game, I am sure that you will receive a variety of answers. Some would say that they play simply for the love of the game (which I don’t entirely believe in most cases), some would say that they are playing for the money (which I mostly believe), and the really honest ones would simply say that they play in hopes to win one of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY’s YEAR END AWARDS (which I completely believe).
Now, to makes some players efforts worth all of the hard work and sacrifice, I present to you they STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! 2010-2011 NFL AWARDS.
MVP – Tom Brady (QB, New England Patriots)
This was a neck and neck race until last week when Michael Vick and his Eagle teammates decided to lay an egg. Brady has been brilliant this year. His season stats at the press time (3rd quarter of his game vs. Miami) are simply amazing. He has completed 66% of his passes for 3,701 yards, with 34 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. Vick was more exciting this year, and could have won it with a strong performance last week, but Brady has just been consistently too good this year to be denied.
Coach of the Year – Raheem Morris (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
There were plenty of candidates for this award as well. Bill Belichick was masterful in leading the Patriots to the best record in the AFC (sans Randy Moss), Mike Smith has the Falcons playing better than anyone could’ve ever imagined, and Lovie Smith has completely turned the Bears around. While they are all worthy candidates, none of their accomplishments come close to Raheem leading the Bucs to nine or ten wins (depending on the outcome of their game with the Saints, which is currently being played). When he took the job, everyone assumed that he was just a cheap placeholder until ownership decides to pay attention to their NFL team again (they also own the Manchester United soccer team), but he has proven that he indeed has the “Juice” and is one of the bright rising stars in this league, thus earning my Coach of the Year award.
Offensive Player of the Year – Michael Vick (QB, Philadelphia Eagles)
While Brady may be the MVP, Vick has proven to be an unstoppable offensive force. He has been nothing short of incredible this season. Honestly, he won this award when he decided to play Super Tecmo Bowl against the Redskins on Monday Night Football earlier this season. I decided then and there that he would be my Offensive Player of the Year, and he or anyone else for that matter, has done anything to change my mind.
Defensive Player of the Year – Ed Reed (S, Baltimore Ravens)
I know that this will be controversial since he missed the first six games of the season after hip surgery. However, since he started playing in Week 7, he leads the NFL in interceptions with 8, and he also leads the league in interception return yards with 183 yards. Did I mention that HE DIDN’T PLAY THE FIRST 6 GAMES OF THE SEASON! Honorable mention goes to two other defenders who also had great seasons, Troy Polamalu and Clay Mathews.
Offensive Rookie of the Year – LaGarrette Blount (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The easy choice here would be Sam Bradford, who will probably win it because he plays QB and he was the #1 pick of the draft. However, this knockout artist has proven to be a driving force behind the Buccaneers’ success this year. He can eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for the season with a strong showing today against the Saints. This is amazing considering that he has only played in 12 games and only had 6 starts. He is also averaging 5.2 yards per carry (the gold standard is 4.0) and has 6 touchdowns entering today’s action. He has been an absolute beast, and if this football thing doesn’t work out, I see boxing or MMA in his future.
Defensive Rookie of the Year – Ndamukong Suh (DT, Detroit Lions)
This should be UNANIMOUS! Honestly, I don’t know who could possibly come in second place. Suh has nine sacks, PLAYING DEFENSIVE TACKLE! He is an absolute beast and plays football the way it should be played, WITH BAD INTENTIONS! If anyone questions whether or not he is a great player, they should consider this one fact: No one mispronounces his name! Only truly great players with difficult names, have them universally pronounced correctly.
Comeback Player of the Year – Michael Vick (QB, Philadelphia Eagles)
Do I really need to explain this one?
BALLER: Joe Webb (Minnesota Vikings) – Have the Vikings found a QB for next season? I know the sample size is small, but Webb was phenomenal in his first NFL start against the Eagles last week. Webb passed for 195 yards with 0 interceptions and rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown. Not bad for a rookie in his first start, playing against a good defense.
SCRUB: Mike Haywood (FORMER Head Coach at the University of Pittsburgh) – What an idiot. There are already only a small handful of black Division 1 football head coaches (twelve, I believe), thanks a lot for making that number even smaller. Your dumb a$$ decided to celebrate your new job by beating the mother of your child, what an idiot. You don’t deserve to be a leader of young men. I hope that you will learn from this incident, and never put your hands on a woman again. In the meantime, I would like to thank you for being counter-productive to the fight for racial equality on the college football sidelines.
Now, to makes some players efforts worth all of the hard work and sacrifice, I present to you they STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! 2010-2011 NFL AWARDS.
MVP – Tom Brady (QB, New England Patriots)
This was a neck and neck race until last week when Michael Vick and his Eagle teammates decided to lay an egg. Brady has been brilliant this year. His season stats at the press time (3rd quarter of his game vs. Miami) are simply amazing. He has completed 66% of his passes for 3,701 yards, with 34 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. Vick was more exciting this year, and could have won it with a strong performance last week, but Brady has just been consistently too good this year to be denied.
Coach of the Year – Raheem Morris (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
There were plenty of candidates for this award as well. Bill Belichick was masterful in leading the Patriots to the best record in the AFC (sans Randy Moss), Mike Smith has the Falcons playing better than anyone could’ve ever imagined, and Lovie Smith has completely turned the Bears around. While they are all worthy candidates, none of their accomplishments come close to Raheem leading the Bucs to nine or ten wins (depending on the outcome of their game with the Saints, which is currently being played). When he took the job, everyone assumed that he was just a cheap placeholder until ownership decides to pay attention to their NFL team again (they also own the Manchester United soccer team), but he has proven that he indeed has the “Juice” and is one of the bright rising stars in this league, thus earning my Coach of the Year award.
Offensive Player of the Year – Michael Vick (QB, Philadelphia Eagles)
While Brady may be the MVP, Vick has proven to be an unstoppable offensive force. He has been nothing short of incredible this season. Honestly, he won this award when he decided to play Super Tecmo Bowl against the Redskins on Monday Night Football earlier this season. I decided then and there that he would be my Offensive Player of the Year, and he or anyone else for that matter, has done anything to change my mind.
Defensive Player of the Year – Ed Reed (S, Baltimore Ravens)
I know that this will be controversial since he missed the first six games of the season after hip surgery. However, since he started playing in Week 7, he leads the NFL in interceptions with 8, and he also leads the league in interception return yards with 183 yards. Did I mention that HE DIDN’T PLAY THE FIRST 6 GAMES OF THE SEASON! Honorable mention goes to two other defenders who also had great seasons, Troy Polamalu and Clay Mathews.
Offensive Rookie of the Year – LaGarrette Blount (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The easy choice here would be Sam Bradford, who will probably win it because he plays QB and he was the #1 pick of the draft. However, this knockout artist has proven to be a driving force behind the Buccaneers’ success this year. He can eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for the season with a strong showing today against the Saints. This is amazing considering that he has only played in 12 games and only had 6 starts. He is also averaging 5.2 yards per carry (the gold standard is 4.0) and has 6 touchdowns entering today’s action. He has been an absolute beast, and if this football thing doesn’t work out, I see boxing or MMA in his future.
Defensive Rookie of the Year – Ndamukong Suh (DT, Detroit Lions)
This should be UNANIMOUS! Honestly, I don’t know who could possibly come in second place. Suh has nine sacks, PLAYING DEFENSIVE TACKLE! He is an absolute beast and plays football the way it should be played, WITH BAD INTENTIONS! If anyone questions whether or not he is a great player, they should consider this one fact: No one mispronounces his name! Only truly great players with difficult names, have them universally pronounced correctly.
Comeback Player of the Year – Michael Vick (QB, Philadelphia Eagles)
Do I really need to explain this one?
BALLER: Joe Webb (Minnesota Vikings) – Have the Vikings found a QB for next season? I know the sample size is small, but Webb was phenomenal in his first NFL start against the Eagles last week. Webb passed for 195 yards with 0 interceptions and rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown. Not bad for a rookie in his first start, playing against a good defense.
SCRUB: Mike Haywood (FORMER Head Coach at the University of Pittsburgh) – What an idiot. There are already only a small handful of black Division 1 football head coaches (twelve, I believe), thanks a lot for making that number even smaller. Your dumb a$$ decided to celebrate your new job by beating the mother of your child, what an idiot. You don’t deserve to be a leader of young men. I hope that you will learn from this incident, and never put your hands on a woman again. In the meantime, I would like to thank you for being counter-productive to the fight for racial equality on the college football sidelines.
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