The ‘In my opinion Awards’ for the NFL season

This has been an incredible NFL season and there have been many plays and players that we will forever remember from the 2009 year. This is the time of year when the NFL begins handing out Pro Bowl spots and begins handing out other awards as the playoffs begin. Now I know that these are not your “official” awards for the NFL season and I do agree with some of the awards that were named but here are the guys that I think should win awards for various reasons. I understand you may see things a little bit different or possibly a lot different but these awards are the way I see it. So here they are the official ‘Sam Awards’ for the 2009 NFL season.

Offensive rookie of the year-Percy Harvin

Percy Harvin has been a beast in the Minnesota offense, thanks to that 40 something quarterback they have, he has done as advertised. When at Florida, he did many things on offense and did them well and those abilities have helped him become a triple threat in the NFL. Not only can he be a receiver, he can be a running back, and also a kick or punt returner and this is what makes him the most dangerous rookie, on offense, in the NFL.

Defensive rookie of the year-Brian Orakpo/ Brian Cushing/ Clay Matthews

I know you are only supposed to pick just one but for this category I just couldn’t. Orakpo has played on a team in Washington where there weren’t many bright spots but he was definitely one. Orakpo caused havoc on opposing quarterbacks and showed that he could be a mainstay in Washington for a long time. Cushing and Mathews were two of the best rookie linebackers coming into the NFL in a long time, what is scary they both came from the same college, both have an intensity that is unmatched and both have a nose for the ball. All three made names for themselves in the league this year, look for more of an impact next year.

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Defensive player of the year- Patrick Willis/Charles Woodson

Now I know that many will say where is Darrelle Revis from New York? And to that I would say yes he deserves it but I look at overall performance and these two guys just stuck out to me. Charles Woodson did more than just play the corner back position; he was involved in making many tackles and forcing many turnovers for his teams’ success. Patrick Willis was the San Francisco defense, Willis is a tackling machine. He is the prototypical blueprint of what a linebacker should be, a tough, hard-nosed, hard worker who puts it all out on every play.

Offensive player of the year- Drew Brees/Chris Johnson

Now I understand that Chris Johnson of the Titans had an incredible year with his over 2,000 yards rushing and he most definitely deserves being the offensive player of the year. Let’s look at Drew Brees, he every year continues to get better and better and has the Saints on track to the Super Bowl. He is one of the most accurate quarterbacks and it showed as the Saints led the league in points per game, with Brees being a major source of that statistic. Both players are incredible offensive threats and both deserve this award.

Comeback player of the year- Brett Favre/ Tom Brady

I know that Tom Brady is coming off an awful knee injury, an injury that most have a hard time coming back from and he did it well. Brady is always an offensive threat, but he brings a presence to his team as leader that is not match by many. With Brady being on the field it made the Patriots a better team and it showed in many games. For Favre he is coming off his best regular season, arguably ever, with the running game that he has and with the weapons at receiver it has allowed him to step up his game like never before. I understand Brady winning this award, but I could also see Favre winning this award off of the season he had last year.

NFL MVP- Peyton Manning

What more can you say about Peyton Manning, he did win his forth NFL MVP this season and with good reason. Manning led the Colts to a 14-2 record, with a shot at going undefeated at the end of the regular season. With a young receiving corps and with a less than average running game, Manning was still among the league leaders in the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns. It seems that every year he is among the leaders and he does it consistently, I think there is no one, in my opinion; that is more valuable to his team than Peyton Manning.

By: Sam Adams
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer