2013 NFL Awards

Cory Puffett

Super Bowl week is upon us and I’m very excited to begin my own coverage of the big game and the events surrounding it. I’d like to start today with the event that will be held the evening before the big game. Alec Baldwin will host the third annual NFL Honors, where the biggest regular season awards will be given out.

Before we get to Saturday, I would like to offer my two cents on who the biggest awards of the season should go to.

Most Valuable Player

Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos

This is open and shut. Nobody came close to matching his level of production this season. In fact, I can count on two hands the number of people who have come close to his production level in the history of the league.

Manning threw for 55 touchdowns and bested Drew Brees’ single-season passing yards record by one yard this season. He led Denver to 13 wins and the number one seed in the AFC, and his play has remained at a high level this postseason. He was the NFL’s most valuable player this season.

Coach of the Year

Andy Reid, HC, Kansas City Chiefs

Last season could not have been much worse for Kansas City. They were one of the two worst teams in the league and dealt with a tragic situation mid-season involving one of their players. Reid had a rough season of his own in Philadelphia with Mike Vick’s turnover issues and a porous defense.

Kansas City brought Reid in and they also landed former San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith. They already had a good core of offensive and defensive players. They made just a few offseason personnel changes outside the coaching staff and suddenly the Chiefs were an 11-5 wild card team. The turnaround Reid brought to Kansas City in one year is definitely deserving of this award.

Offensive Player of the Year

Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

I’m not a fan of giving the OPOY award to the recipient of the MVP award even if it does make the most sense. So my choice for this award is my mid-season MVP, Jamaal Charles. He had a phenomenal first half of the season and saved his best performances for the latter part of the year, which made a lot of fantasy football players very happy.

There are only a couple of halfbacks in the NFL who are as versatile as Charles, being a big factor in Kansas City’s run game and passing attack. With his help, Alex Smith had his best season as a professional football player.

Defensive Player of the Year

Robert Mathis, OLB, Indianapolis Colts

I really came down Mathis and Rams DE Robert Quinn for this award. They had very similar seasons statistically. My decision is predicated on Mathis having the best season of his career and being a driving force of the Colts’ AFC South title.

Indianapolis’ defense was very shoddy last year. Andrew Luck led several unlikely 4^th quarter comebacks and took advantage of a very easy schedule to make the playoffs as a wild car team. Robert Mathis was a driving force of the Colts’ vast improvement on that side of the ball and is my defensive player of the year.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers

Lacy had a great rookie season, but he wasn’t the only offensive rookie who found quick success in the NFL. But he is the most deserving player for this award. The Green Bay Packers go as Aaron Rodgers goes, and that was evident during the first couple games after he was injured in the middle of the season.

Lacy stepped up as an offensive leader and helped the Packers deal with weekly transitions between starting quarterbacks and without him, Green Bay would not have been playing the Bears for the NFC North title in Week 17.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Kiko Alonso, MLB, Buffalo Bills

Last year I didn’t really know who Luke Kuechly was until I was combing through stats to make my awards predictions. I recognized his name from the draft, but that was it. It is much the same for Alonso, and he had a very similar year statistically as what Kuechly had last year.

Kuechly wound up being the cornerstone of a much-improved Carolina Panthers defense this year. Perhaps Kiko Alonso will be able to help Buffalo turn around next year.

Comeback Player of the Year

Brent Grimes, CB, Miami Dolphins

Most people will say Darrelle Revis should win this award, and I don’t disagree. But Grimes has not gotten nearly as much attention despite his great season.

Grimes suffered a torn Achilles at the beginning of the 2012 season. He started his pro football career in NFL Europe before playing a few seasons in Atlanta. After his Achilles injury, he had to switch teams just like Revis. Grimes ended up in Miami and had a better season statistically than Revis and made a case as one of the better shutdown cornerbacks in the NFL.