Midseason: Manning, Brees leading MVP race
By Mark Craig Minneapolis Star Tribune
MINNEAPOLIS (MCT) — There are plenty of surprises, disappointments and lingering question marks as all 32 NFL teams hit at least the halfway point of their seasons this week.
There are two undefeated teams, including a Saints squad that finished last in the NFC South in 2008.
There’s one winless team, the 0-7 Buccaneers, and five one-win teams, including the Titans, who had an NFL-best 13-3 record one year ago.
Vikings quarterback Brett Favre is the story line of the year, but at least third in the early running for a fourth Most Valuable Player award. The top two candidates are quarterbacks Drew Brees of the Saints (7-0) and three-time winner and defending champion Peyton Manning of the Colts (7-0).
The NFL Coach of the Year front-runner is 33-year-old Josh McDaniels, whose Broncos are 6-1 despite a tumultuous offseason that followed last year’s 8-8 season. Vikings coach Brad Childress, who pursued and finally captured Favre, is in the running, as is Colts coach Jim Caldwell, who last week joined Potsy Clark of the 1931 Portsmouth Spartans as the only rookie NFL coaches to start 7-0 in the past 80 years. Caldwell can match Clark’s 8-0 start with a victory over Houston this week.
Speaking of the Texans, they are two games over .500 (5-3) for the first time in their eight-year history. They have never made the playoffs or had a winning record, but they currently hold the sixth and final playoff position in the AFC.
Five other teams that didn’t make the playoffs last year currently are in position this year, including the Bengals, who were 4-11-1 a year ago.
Of course, the most difficult half of the NFL season is about to unfold.
Midseason Awards
• Most Valuable Player —
1. Drew Brees, QB, Saints: I’m going with Brees because he’s playing his position about as perfectly as it can be played on a team that’s 7-0 following last year’s 8-8 finish.
2. Peyton Manning, QB, Colts: The defending MVP could easily win his fourth. He’s No. 2 in passer rating (109.3) while completing 71.1 percent of his passes with 15 TDs and four INTs on a 7-0 team.
3. Brett Favre, QB, Vikings: If he’s close at the end of the season, he will get the nod because of the sentimental factor. Who wouldn’t love to see a 40-year-old guy win his fourth MVP? Other than Packers fans, of course.
• Coach of the Year —
1. Josh McDaniels, Broncos: Despite last week’s 30-7 loss to the Ravens, McDaniels is still the favorite. He’s 6-1 despite inheriting a defensively-poor 8-8 team, trading away QB Jay Cutler and briefly suspending receiver Brandon Marshall.
2. Sean Payton, Saints: Winner of this award as a rookie in 2006, Payton is off to a 7-0 start after last year’s 8-8 season. He’s the brains behind the offense and he also put $250,000 of his pay toward hiring defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
3. Jim Caldwell, Colts: You can make a case for Vikings coach Brad Childress being in the top three or even top two. But Caldwell is one of only two rookie coaches to start 7-0.
• Defensive MVP —
1. Jared Allen, DE, Vikings: He leads the NFL with 10 sacks. He had 7 of them and a safety against the Packers. Even when he’s not sacking the QB, he’s usually disrupting an offense because he never stops being a pain in its rear.
2. Darren Sharper, S, Saints: Sharper, who turned 34 this week, probably will win this award. He is tied for the league lead with seven interceptions, three of which he has returned for touchdowns.
3. Elvis Dumervil, DE, Broncos: Denver has made quite the turnaround defensively. They brought in several free agents, such as safety Brian Dawkins. But another reason is the outstanding play of Dumervil, who has 10 sacks and two forced fumbles.
• Defensive Rookie of the Year — Jarius Byrd, FS, Bills: A second-round draft pick, Byrd is tied with veteran Sharper for the NFL lead in interceptions with seven. Byrd also has 16 passes defensed.
• Offensive Rookie of the Year —
Percy Harvin, WR-KR, Vikings: There are some challengers, such as Colts WR Austin Collie and Bears WR-KR Johnny Knox, but Percy is the leader. He has three TD catches, two kickoff returns for touchdowns and six catches of at least 20 yards.
• Comeback Player of the Year —
Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals: An elbow injury limited Palmer to four games during the Bengals’ 4-11-1 season a year ago. He’s back and the Bengals are 5-2 and tied for the lead in one of the toughest divisions in football, the AFC North.
• Best free-agent signing —
Brett Favre, QB, Vikings: Considering the Vikings might be 3-4 or 4-3 without Favre, I’d say he gets this one ahead of former Viking Sharper. Favre is fourth in passer rating (106.0) while completing 68 percent of his passes with 16 TDs and three INTs.
• Hottest seat — Jim Zorn, coach, Redskins: Zorn was told he’ll coach the rest of the season. Something tells me Redskins owner Daniel Snyder will then fire him faster than the 10 minutes or so it took Zygi Wilf to fire Mike Tice after the Vikings’ 2005 finale.
• Biggest surprises — 1. Broncos start 6-1 under rookie coach McDaniels, a strong defense and QB Kyle Orton.
2. Bengals start 5-2, beat Steelers.
3. Saints start 7-0 after finishing 8-8 and last in the NFC South last year.
• Biggest disappointments —
1. Titans start 1-6 after posting a league-best 13-3 record a year ago.
2. Carolina is 3-4 after going 12-4 and earning the NFC’s No. 2 seed in ‘08.
3. Despite having the most talent, San Diego still trails Denver by two games in a weak AFC West.
• Most overrated — Rushing offense: It’s a quarterback-driven league, so let’s stop talking about establishing the run. Especially when the top three rushing teams — Jets, Titans, Dolphins — are a combined 8-14.
• Most underrated — New England Patriots: It’s hard to say the team of the decade is under the radar, but it sure feels that way even though the Patriots are 5-2 and lead the AFC East. They’ll be back in prime time soon enough with a Nov. 15 date at Indianapolis.
• Five questions for the second half —
5. Will the Bucs go 0-16?
Already 0-7, they still have to play the Saints and Falcons twice apiece. That’s 11 losses right there. They have three remaining opponents that currently have losing records (Dolphins, Panthers and Seahawks). But they play each of them on the road.
4. Will Favre’s arm hold up?
It seems strange to keep saying this about a guy who hasn’t missed a game since 1992. But he is 40, his arm did give out last year and it did topple the Jets’ once-promising season.
3. Will the Saints and/or Colts go 16-0?
The 2007 Patriots are the only NFL team to have a 16-0 regular season. The 2009 Patriots travel to New Orleans and Indianapolis during a three-week stretch this month. They are at the Colts for a Nov. 15 Sunday nighter and at the Saints for a Nov. 30 Monday nighter. The Saints have the easier path to 16-0. Their toughest games — Patriots and Cowboys — are at the Superdome.
2. Will the Steelers defend their title?
They need to play better if they are going to win the AFC North and have a better chance to repeat. Starting Monday, the Steelers have a four-game stretch that could leave them 6-5 and desperate. They play at Denver, at home against a Bengals team they lost to, at Kansas City and at Baltimore. The schedule lightens considerably after that.
1. Will Tony tease us again?
The Cowboys are looking good again. But hang on. It’s still early considering quarterback Tony Romo’s late-season failures in Big D. Romo can’t be considered an elite QB until he wins a big game. He’s 5-10 in December and January.
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