With the regular season wrapping up today, it’s time to look at the possible winners for the NFL awards.
MVP
San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning and New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees made early pushes, but it has to be Tomlinson. He has scored an NFL record 31 touchdowns and has come up big when the Chargers have needed him most.
Offensive player of the year
New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees. He has been outstanding as the leader on the team that is the story of the season. A year ago, the Saints were a lost franchise in a broken city with an uncertain future. Now, they are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Brees, who came over as a free agent from San Diego, has 4,372 passing yards and 26 touchdowns.
Defensive player of the year
Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey. He probably won’t win the award, but he should. No defensive player affects the field like Bailey. Teams rarely go after him, and when they do, they pay. Bailey leads the NFL with nine interceptions. The problem with Bailey’s case is he doesn’t have any spectacular plays, but those six interceptions inside Denver’s 3-yard line should count for something. Miami defensive end Jason Taylor has 13.5 sacks and two touchdowns, but he doesn’t affect games like Bailey.
Comeback player of the year
New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington. Some like Brees for this award, but he was hurt in the last game of the 2005 season and didn’t miss any time this season, and thus doesn’t count. Denver receiver Javon Walker, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during the first week of the 2005 season, should get serious consideration, but the award is Pennington’s. After two serious shoulder injuries, many thought his career was over. The Jets almost didn’t bring him back. Pennington has been the leader of the surprise team of the AFC and is a big reason the Jets are on the verge of the playoffs.
Coach of the year
New Orleans coach Sean Payton. Many observers like Eric Mangini of the Jets. Mangini, a Bill Belichick protégé, has done a fabulous job. No one expected the Jets to be a playoff team. But Payton inherited a mess and a 3-13 record. The Saints are 10-5 and have a first-round bye in the playoffs. Payton has brought the team together, and if the Saints went to the Super Bowl it would be one of the best stories in NFL history.
Offensive rookie of the year
Tennessee quarterback Vince Young. This is the most intriguing race. New Orleans’ Reggie Bush and Marques Colston will get plenty of votes, as will Chicago returner Devin Hester. But it has to go to Young. Who cares that he has started only 12 of 15 games? That’s enough. The Titans are the hottest team in the NFL, and Young does what Michael Vick wishes he could – run, pass and win.
Defensive rookie of the year
Houston linebacker DeMeco Ryans. Before the season, many thought this award would come out of Houston. Wrong guy. It’s not No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams, but second-round pick Ryans. The middle linebacker from Alabama has been a steal, an instant impact player. Ryans has 145 tackles, second-most in the NFL.
A KO to T.O.
Dallas: Many league observers believe this will be Terrell Owens’ only season with Dallas. The consensus is coach Bill Parcells will give owner Jerry Jones a “him or me” ultimatum and Owens will be on his way out.
If that’s the case, where will Owens end up? How about nowhere? It’s difficult to believe the NFL would just let a talented player go away, but there really wasn’t a big push for Owens when Dallas signed him. The Broncos are not likely to be interested. After toying with the idea, they bowed out before talks got serious in the offseason.
Owens has gone through another season full of self-created distractions, but the biggest problem is his skills are diminishing. He still gets open, but Owens has dropped more balls than usual, and at age 33, he no longer is an elite player.
Giants on coaching call
New York Giants: The Giants will be looking for a replacement for Tom Coughlin. Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis could be a top candidate.
Weis is a quarterback guru, which would play well in the Big Apple. New York could pursue San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer, particularly if Charley Casserly replaces retiring New York general manager Ernie Accorsi. Schottenheimer and Chargers general manager A.J. Smith don’t get along, so it wouldn’t be shock if the coach left. The Giants will provide one of the most intriguing coaching openings to watch.
Raiding the cupboard
Oakland: Although there has been a report coach Art Shell will be fired, the Raiders haven’t said a word. It wouldn’t be a surprise one way or the other.
But the real question is, does he deserve to be fired? No. That’s not to say Shell has done a good job with his 2-13 team, but he has so little to work with. The Detroit Lions are 2-13 in Rob Marinelli’s first season, and no one is talking about his job security. And they shouldn’t. Coaches need time to get their programs going.
Shell is Oakland’s third coach in four seasons, and the team is 15-48 in that stretch. Shell inherited a mess, and he did the Raiders a favor by taking the job. It is believed he agreed to coach the team for two years, then move into the front office. No one wanted this job when Shell took it after a five-week search in February. Who would take it now?
Around the league
Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson is finishing strong. The second-year player from Northern Colorado is on the cusp of becoming a star. He is a huge target with big-time skills. And the Widefield High School alumnus is showing the transition from “small school” (Division II, then I-AA) to the NFL isn’t too much for him. … Seattle thought its receiving issues would be solved with its trade for Deion Branch this season, but Branch has not performed well in recent weeks. He has dropped six passes in the past two games. If the Seahawks are to shed their recent slump, Branch must find his hands. … It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Ron Dayne on the open market. The former Broncos tailback showed he can be effective at times this season for Houston. The Texans signed him for one year the day after Denver cut him in early September. The Texans likely will try to re-sign him, but there could be some marginal interest elsewhere.
Broncos mailbag: Bill Williamson posts a new installment each Tuesday on DenverPost.com. Previous mailbags also are available on the website.
Staff writer Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
And the winners should be …
NFL reporter Bill Williamson makes his choices for the league’s major awards:
Defensive rookie of the year
Awarded Wednesday
Who: Houston Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans
Why: Second-round pick is a tackling machine and outshining top selection Mario Williams.
Offensive rookie of the year
Awarded Thursday
Who: Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young.
Why: He’s 8-4, including four comeback victories.
Comeback player of the year
Awarded Thursday
Who: New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington
Why: Leading a turnaround after double shoulder surgeries.
Most valuable player
Awarded Friday
Who: San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson
Why: Who else would it be?
Defensive player of the year
Awarded Friday
Who: Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey
Why: No other defender affects a game plan like Bailey.
Offensive player of the year
Awarded Saturday
Who: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees
Why: What he has done after a shoulder injury, with that franchise, is stunning.
Coach of the year
Awarded Sunday
Who: Saints coach Sean Payton
Why: He inherited a franchise in shambles and has turned the Saints into Super Bowl contenders.
EXTRA POINTS
AT ISSUE
Rivers regressing
What: San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers’ recent issues
Background: In his first season as an NFL starter, Rivers is not improving at the end of the season. He started out great and flourished in the middle of the season. However, Rivers passing statistics have dipped significantly in the past five weeks. His only good game in that stretch was Dec. 10 against visiting Denver. In the four other games, Rivers best completion percentage was 58.6 and Dec. 17 against Kansas City, his passer rating was 12.4.
Williamson s take: Chargers fans shouldn t fret. Rivers will get out of this slump. The kid can clearly play or he wouldn t have had his early season success. The Chargers can disguise Rivers in the playoffs if his skid continues. Early in the season, the Chargers protected Rivers by limiting his throws. If they have to do it again, they should until he gets comfortable again. But because this is such a solid team, the Chargers can live with Rivers late-season growing pains.
THE HOT SEAT
Searching for “D”
Who: The Indianapolis Colts’ defense
When: The rest of their season
Why: After a season reprieve last year, the Colts’ defense is back to killing the team. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning let his frustrations bubble over after a loss to Houston last week, the team’s fourth in the past six games. Manning let it be known he is not happy with the team’s defense. And he shouldn’t be. Starting today at home against Miami, the Colts have to get better defensively. Coach Tony Dungy, a defensive specialist, must find a way to help his offense, or it will be yet another disappointing postseason for Indianapolis.
ROOKIE WATCH
Davis blossoming
Who: San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis
When: Today at Denver
Why: Davis hasn’t had a spectacular rookie season. He missed six games in the middle of the season with an injury and has just 17 catches and three touchdowns. Nine of those catches have come in two games, the first of the season and last week, when he had four receptions for 91 yards. So perhaps the light is turning on for the former Maryland star who had perhaps the best NFL combine of any player in history. Davis has all the skills, and he should be a good player. That’s why the Broncos considered trading up to take him in the weeks before the draft. Still, Davis has some weak spots, including dropped passes and in the blocking game.
