Trying to predict season awards are as close to predicting which Browns’ quarterback will start next game.  It is completely based on gut feeling, which in the Browns’ case is usually wrong.
 
Keep that in mind as you read our predictions for our picks for individual awards in the NFL.
 
MVP
 
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts – Manning is arguably playing his best football this season.  He has passed for more than 300 yards in the first five games.  Manning is achieving this with a receiving corp of Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon.  Not exactly an elite group of football players. Despite Indianapolis’ non-existent running game (ranked 28th in the league), Manning still finds holes in defenses.  Amazing considering most defenses are built to stop the Colts’ passing game.
 
Runner-up: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints- Brees was on fire in the first two games of the season but slowed down in the subsequent games.  In the first two games, Brees threw for nine touchdowns and only two interceptions.  But after that he had a mini-slump that included no touchdown passes in Week 3 and 4.  If Brees continued on his touchdown tear all the way through Week 9, we wouldn’t complain if the NFL handed him the MVP award right now.
 
Brees is helped by the improved running of Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas.  Unlike Peyton Manning, he actually has a running game to help him keep defenses off his receivers.
 
Coach of the Year
 
Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts – Caldwell is only the second rookie coach in NFL history to start the season 8-0 since Potsy Clark did it in 1931 with the Portsmouth Spartans.  Sure, he has benefitted from Peyton Manning’s brilliance but considering an offensive line that features disappointing LT Tony Ugoh and G Mike Pollack, Caldwell made the right call by replacing them with Kyle DeVan and Charlie Johnson.
 
Runner-up: Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints –Payton has rebounded nicely since his 7-9 record last 2007.  He has done a great job overhauling the roster this season, retaining only eight players from the time he was hired.  There is currently no apparent chink in the Saints’ armor.  He has improved the Saints’ defense which now leads the league in interceptions and interceptions returned for touchdowns.
 
It’s really a toss-up between Payton and Caldwell but I gave Caldwell the nod because of him being a rookie coach. You can also make a case for Bengals’ coach Marvin Lewis for his teams’ surprising performance. The Vikings’ Brad Childress also deserves consideration for personally picking up Favre from the tarmac and convincing Minnesota that Favre can help them be a contender.
 
Offensive Player of the Year candidates
 
Matt Schaub, Houston Texans – Schaub leads the league in passing yards and in touchdown passes.  He has fumbled only once and features a QB rating of 98.1.  If the Texans’ defense held their own against division rivals Indianapolis and Jacksonville, Schaub would’ve led Houston to victory against them.  Schaub is still able to move the ball despite being predictable with targets Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels.
 
Runner-up: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints – Since I’ve made a case for Drew Brees above, let’s go to his numbers this season: 94.6 QB rating, 14 touchdowns, six interceptions, 69 percent completion rate and 2336 passing yards.
 
Schaub gets the nod since Brees went through mini slump of scoring no touchdowns in two games.
 
Defensive Player of the Year candidates
 
Darren Sharper, New Orleans Saints – Sharper signed with the Saints’ as an unrestricted free agent during the offseason.  This year’s version of Sharper doesn’t look 34-years-old but 25-years-old when he first made the Pro Bowl.  He has made big plays all season including an interception of Matt Ryan that helped the Saints preserve their streak.  He leads the league in interceptions, yards returned after interceptions with 317 and defensive touchdowns.
 
Runner-up: Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings – Allen is one of the toughest covers in the league.  He is the biggest reason why the Vikings are a well-balanced team.  The numbers speak for themselves: leads the league in sacks with 10.5 and stuffs with six.
 
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
 
Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings – Harvin is always a threat with the ball.  He has scored five touchdowns in eight games; three from playing as a receiver and two from returning kicks.  It seems that his play has definitely outweighed his character issues.
 
I couldn’t count anyone worthy of this award besides Harvin.  Mark Sanchez is not exactly an Offensive ROY candidate.  So is Mike Wallace.  This award looks like a run away for Harvin.
 
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates
 
Brian Cushing, Houston Texans – Cushing is playing great for the Texans and is third in the league with 78 total tackles.  He reacts great and barely gets fooled by ball fakes and play-actions
 
Runner-up: Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills – Byrd makes a strong case for this award because of his elite instincts and his gift of magnetically drifting towards the ball.  He has recorded seven interceptions in a four game span.
 
I give the nod to Cushing because the Texans have a better record than the Bills but you really can’t go wrong with both of them.
 
NFL Comeback Player of the Year
 
Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings – Favre came back from retirement and was pathetic for the Jets.  He came back from another retirement and is playing great for the Vikings.  Maybe the shoulder injury did affect Favre’s performance last season because right now he has been nothing but superb. The legendary QB is also receiving consideration for the MVP award but because of Manning’s brilliance that’s all Favre will get: consideration.
 
Favre added more to his legend by leading the Vikings in the final ten seconds against the 49ers earlier this season.  He has recorded only three interceptions and has thrown for 16 touchdowns so far.  This could be Favre’s best season yet.
 
Favre has earned the right to win this award.  No one else even comes close to what Favre has accomplished this season.

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Byron Leftwich played so well in a backup role for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season that he signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the offseason.
 
He played in five games for the Steelers and compiled a 104.3 QB rating; he completed 21 of 36 passes for 303 yards, two TD passes, one rushing TD and no turnovers.  Leftwich was able to hold the fort last season while Roethlisberger was injured on the sidelines.  He earned his first Super Bowl ring as the Steelers defeated the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
 
It was fairly reasonable why the Buccaneers signed Leftwich for two-years as their starter.  Leftwich seemed to finally realize his potential after being drafted 7th overall in 2003 by Jacksonville.
 
Apparently, Leftwich is suited for backing up big-time players like Roethlisberger because his first three games as a starter for the Buccaneers was abysmal.  He has failed to lead Tampa Bay to a win and was demoted from a starter to a third-string QB.
 
In three starts, the former 7th overall pick completed only 54.5 percent of his passes for an average of 198 yards per game with four TDs, three interceptions and has been sacked only twice.  Despite average numbers, Leftwich has failed to lead Tampa Bay to a single win.  And it’s not just the losses that has bothered head coach Raheem Morris but the way the Buccaneers lost in the first three games.  Tampa Bay has lost by an average of 16.6 points per game with Leftwich as the team’s starter.  What’s even worse is that the Bucs have not scored in the first quarter all season.
 
Leftwich has proven that his talent, psyche and leadership are not meant for big-time minutes.  The pressure of being a starter simply overwhelms him.
 
To be fair to Leftwich, the first three games of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers weren’t exactly against bottom-dwelling teams.  He had to face the Cowboys, Bills and Giants.  Tampa Bay simply set their hopes too high for Leftwich.  The Buccaneers can’t be blamed though because Leftwich looked great last year for the Steelers.   In Week 4, Leftwich’s replacement Josh Johnson also failed to lead the Buccaneers to a win.  He came up short against the Washington Redskins.  Johnson did show glimpses of consistency; he completed 13 of 22 passes for 106 yards with one TD and one interception.  He even rushed for 41 yards on 7 attempts.
 
Different QB equals the same result for the Buccaneers; Tampa Bay should have stuck with Leftwich as their starter for at least 2 more games before deciding to demote him.  He needed time to adjust with the Bucs’ new offense, especially playing under a new system under first-year coach Raheem Morris.  The blame can’t be placed entirely on Leftwich, some of the fingers need to be pointed at the direction of Morris’ coaching.  Leftwich was thrust into a situation where he needed to win against top-tier opponents while trying to shake the high expectations placed upon him.
 
But it’s pretty obvious that Leftwich can’t be relied on as a starter and is only confident enough to be a backup.  Josh Johnson was selected the starter by the Bucs because they are preparing him for the future.  Expect Johnson to finish the season as Tampa Bay’s starter.

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The pressure that comes with being the starting quarterback for football’s most famous team is not easy to handle.  Everything that the man behind center wearing the Cowboys’ blue-starred crest on his jersey does is put under the microscope and analyzed.  We’re not talking about on-the-field stuff only, as details of the personal life of the Cowboys’ quarterback sometimes end up in the news.  And Tony Romo has experienced this truth first-hand.
 
Romo, a 3-time All-American at the University of Eastern Illinois, was surprisingly undrafted in 2003 but signed a contract with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent shortly thereafter.  After spending two seasons in Dallas as the team’s third-string quarterback, Romo finally got his shot during the 2006 season when he was called to replace starter Drew Bledsoe during a game against the division rival New York Giants.  After seeing two quarters of action, Romo finished with a pretty intriguing statline: he completed 14 of 25 passes, throwing for 225 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.  Even after completing just over half his attempted passes and throwing for three picks in only half a game, Romo was named the starter for the next game and he hasn’t relinquished that role since.  Romo went on to have a fantastic season, leading the Cowboys to the playoffs and meriting a Pro Bowl selection.  But unfortunately for Romo, his season would end on a very sour note, and his tremendous play from the regular season couldn’t help him escape the criticism to come.  With his Cowboys about to attempt a 19-yard field goal that would give them a late lead in an NFC Wild Card playoff game versus Seattle, Romo, the kick holder on the play, mishandled the snap and then was tackled as he tried to run the ball into the end zone to make up for his mistake.  That debacle would effectively end the Cowboys’ season and Romo was now in the media spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
 
Trying to move on from that play against Seattle in the previous year, Romo entered the 2007 season with high expectations.  Romo responded well to all the questions that were surrounding him by leading the Cowboys to an impressive 13-3 record, throwing for 4211 yards and 36 touchdown passes in the process.  But once again, Romo’s fantastic performances in the season couldn’t do anything to help him during the playoffs.  The Cowboys headed into the 2007 post-season as the favorites to go to the Super Bowl from the NFC.  However, with his team needing a touchdown to win in the final moments of their first playoff game, Romo threw an interception that gave the victory to the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants.  After being unable to come through for his team in the dying moments of a playoff game for two consecutive seasons, the Dallas media and outlets from all over the country were very tough on Romo, blaming him for the Cowboys’ unsuccess.  This harsh treatment of Romo prompted teammate Terrell Owens to defend his quarterback at his press conference, telling the media through tears that they were being unfair by criticizing Romo.
 
If things weren’t already rough for Romo, they got even rougher in 2007 when his personal life was receiving a lot of attention.  Romo’s relationship with singer and actress Jessica Simpson was well-known to the public, and when Romo’s performance on the field was subpar, fans blamed Simpson for this and often mocked the relationship.  Some fans concluded that Romo would not play well everytime Simpson was attending a Cowboys game, and this hypothesis got a lot of mentions in the media.  After photos of Romo on vacation in Mexico with Jessica and a few teammates before the Giants game surfaced, another controversy was made with the fact that Romo was vacationing one week before an important football game.
 
The 2008 season was not easy for Romo or for the Cowboys, but the off-field controversy seemed to die down that year.  And coming into 2009, those distractions may be over for good.  Terrell Owens was released by the Cowboys in the off-season, and while Owens seemed to get along very well with Romo, that could all have changed if the Cowboys started to play poorly or if Owens was not seeing many balls thrown his way.  With the sports media’s favorite son Owens off to Buffalo, Romo soon after ended his relationship with Jessica Simpson.  Without two of the most mediatized figures in America in his entourage, Romo will be able to focus solely on his football career now.  Let’s not forget that Romo is a stellar quarterback who has a record of 27-12 and two Pro Bowl appearances to his name in only three years as a starter in the NFL.  If this guy can concentrate only on his play, he will be one of the elite players in the NFL for years to come.
 
So, now without T.O. and Jessica with him, is 2009 Tony Romo’s year?  The Cowboys do have a tough schedule and they do play in arguably the strongest division in the NFL, but they are good enough to make a long run in the playoffs.  And if Tony Romo can stay healthy and keep his mind on his play, he just might get the Cowboys into the Super Bowl next February.

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The NFL is chalk full of surprises and four teams are a testament to that.  Personnel changes and new player signings have given several teams’ new life and a fresh start.
 
San Francisco 49ers
 
Head coach Mike Singletary and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky have surprised the league by revamping San Francisco’s defense.  Their pass-rush defense gives opposing teams problems as shown in their game against Kurt Warner and the Cardinals.  Linebackers Patrick Willis, Parys Haralson and CB Nate Clements provide San Francisco a very tough secondary.  The improvement of Shaun Hill and continued consistency from Frank Gore allow San Francisco to be a well-balanced team.  Gore was disappointing against the Cardinals but the teams’ run game allowed Hill to score in the fourth.  Gore had a monster performance in the Niners’ second game against Seattle; Gore’s stat line included 207 yards and two touchdowns.  If San Francisco can finally sign stubborn draft pick Michael Crabtree then they’ll be considered a legitimate playoff contender.
 
Singletary was somewhat successful in his nine games last season going 5-4.  Now that Singletary has had a full offseason and training camp, the Niners are poised to make the playoffs.  San Francisco already holds wins over division rivals Arizona and Seattle.
 
Denver Broncos
 
Many thought the Denver Broncos front office made a big mistake by firing two-time Super Bowl winning Coach Mike Shanahan.  In addition to that they traded away QB Jay Cutler to the Bears but so far the Broncos are moving on just fine and are undefeated in two games.  Cutler’s replacement, Kyle Orton had a terrible preseason and has completed only 55% of his passes this season but boasts a QB rating of 90.  RB Correll Buckhalter has also been solid for the Broncos so far.
 
Denver hired former San Francisco coach Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator and the Broncos’ secondary looks formidable.  So far, their secondary has allowed a total of only 13 points in two games.  Nolan installed a 3-4 defensive formation featuring newly signed safeties Renaldo Hill and Brian Dawkins and CB Andre Goodman.  LB Elvis Demervil is thriving in the new 3-4 offense, recording a total of nine sacks against the Browns and Bengals.
 
New Orleans Saints
 
The Saints are the league’s premier offensive powerhouse but finished with a disappointing 8-8 last season that led to them missing the playoffs.  TE Jeremy Shockey disappointed a lot of fans last season with his dismal performance but in two games this year, Shockey is finally accustomed to New Orleans’ offense.  QB Drew Brees has found him a useful target in the red zone.  New Orleans finally got rid of inconsistent RB Deuce McCalister and allowed Mike Bell and Reggie Bush to strut their talent.  They have a balanced offensive game but the Saints need to solidify their defense if they expect to go deep into the playoffs.  Currently they share the league-lead in interceptions made.
 
There’s already buzz of MVP talk surrounding Drew Brees; consider his stats so far: 75% completion rate, 334 yard per game, 9 TDs in two games, only two interceptions and two sacks featuring a QB rating 132.
 
New York Jets
 
The Jets disappointed last season even with legendary Brett Favre at the helm but New York dispatched Favre last season and rookie QB Mark Sanchez looks like a keeper.  The Jets are atop the AFC East.  New York wasn’t considered a serious contender this year but after the win over New England, skeptics have to think otherwise.  Coach Rex Ryan has tightened the Jets’ defense and features a lightning quick blitz.  Superstar Tom Brady was helpless against the Jets’ secondary.  New York’s defense is only allowing an average of eight points per game.  Coach Rex Ryan has successfully integrated his Baltimore defensive coordinator experience in New York.
 
The Jets are still protecting Sanchez by not letting him air out passes and allowing him to build confidence with short swings.  RBs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington give the Jets a dangerous running combo.
 
Disappointing Teams
 
Several contenders have experienced a rocky start.  It’s going to be hard for these teams to contend for a championship considering injuries and significant slippage in player performance.
 
Tennessee Titans
 
Many thought that the Titans’ 13-3 record last season was a fluke and they were right.  Tennessee is winless in two games; one against the defending champs Steelers and one against an improving Texans team.  Their schedule doesn’t get any better with games against the Jets, Colts and Patriots.  This year, QB Kerry Collins has lost last season’s magic and backup Vince Young figures to ba a bust.  Their defense is allowing 388 yards a game.
 
Arizona Cardinals
 
The Cardinals’ offensive line has trouble against blitzing defenses and the teams’ lone win was against the lowly Jaguars.  Plus, Arizona will surprise no one unlike last year where every team in the league took them lightly.  Teams won’t sleep on the Cardinals this season and don’t be surprised if they don’t make the playoffs.  
However, the Cardinals are still a fun team to watch with Warner, Fitzgerald, Boldin and Hightower powering its offense.  Arizona’s defense is an improvement from last season averaging 4 sacks a game but again, no team will sleep on the Cardinals this time.
 
Pittsburgh Steelers
 
The Steelers need to find a running game fast if they want to repeat as champs.  RB Willie Parker is playing awful and belongs on the sidelines.  Pittsburgh is having difficulty scoring and barely won against the Tennessee Titans.  Don’t get me wrong, their defense is still solid but they can’t keep relying on Roethlisberger’s arm to pull them out of trouble.  The Steelers’ offensive line continues to let Roethlisberger take hits in the pocket.  Definitely not good for a team with chances of repeating; RB Rashard Mendenhall needs to be installed as a full-time back.
 
Philadelphia Eagles
 
The Eagles gave Donovan McNabb an extension last year after his revitalized performance in the NFC Championship game against the Arizona Cardinals.  Many expected the Eagles to dominate this season especially with the addition of Michael Vick.  But McNabb suffered a rib injury during their season opener against the Panthers.  With McNabb not a hundred percent, the Eagles are headed to another disappointing season.  Vick may have flashes of greatness in several games but he is NOT the right player to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl win.

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