2012 NFL Picks and Predictions: Midseason Awards: The 2012 NFL regular season is just past its halfway point, and it is time to take a look at which players are on track to take home some serious hardware at year’s end. Some of the names of the frontrunners are very familiar, but there are plenty of surprises on the list, as well. Granted, there are still plenty of games remaining, and the pecking order can change dramatically in a matter of weeks. However, it never hurts to take a look at which players are leading the way as teams prepare for the stretch run.
2012 NFL Picks and Predictions: Midseason Awards
Most Valuable Player: Peyton Manning, Quarterback, Denver Broncos
It is safe to say that Manning’s neck is doing just fine following the surgeries that kept him out all of last season. He is currently leading the NFL with a 108.6 quarterback rating, a 69.5 completion percentage and an 8.2 yards per attempt average. Manning is also third in yards per game (300.5) and touchdowns (20), and he has Denver leading the AFC West and averaging the fourth-most points in the NFL. If he remains the NFL’s tor-rated passer and guides the Broncos into the playoffs, another MVP trophy will likely be headed his way.
Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt, Defensive End, Houston Texans
It is scary to think he is only in his second year in the league. Watt currently leads the NFL with 10.5 sacks, and his 10 pass deflections are by far the most of any defensive linemen. When you factor in that he plays in a 3-4 scheme, his level of production becomes even more impressive. Watt has been the most dominant defensive linemen in the game thus far and has been the anchor of a Houston defense that ranks in the top five in fewest yards and fewest points allowed. The award is his to lose right now.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts
Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin is coming on strong, but Luck has the edge for now. He is fresh off a 433-yard performance that set a record the most passing yards in a single game by a rookie, and he has already tied the record for most 300-yard passing games by a rookie. More importantly, Luck and the Colts have won four of their last five games and are in the thick of the playoff race in the AFC. This was the same Indianapolis team that went 2-14 last year, and the only major addition has been Luck. No, he isn’t Peyton Manning, but he has a roster that could barely win a game last year in the playoff conversation. A QBs No. 1 job is to win games, and Luck is doing just that and throwing for a ton of yards in the process.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Bobby Wagner, Linebacker, Seattle Seahawks
Fellow rookie linebacker Luke Kuechly ranks second in the NFL in tackles, but Wagner ranks in the top 10 in tackles and actually has one more solo tackle than Kuechly. Wagner also has 2.0 sacks and has been coming on strong with double-digit tackles in three of his last four games. The real tiebreaker between these two rising stars at the position is that Wagner has helped transformed Seattle’s defense into one of the best in the NFL. Midway through the year, the Seahawks rank in the top five in fewest points and fewest yards allowed.
Comeback Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson, Running Back, Minnesota Vikings
Peyton Manning could easily win this award, as well, but while he had most of last season to recover, Peterson suffered a torn ACL at the end of last season. Nobody would have blamed him for missing games at the start of the year or starting slow, but Peterson found the end zone twice in Week 1 and hasn’t slowed down since. He currently leads the NFL with 957 rushing yards, and his 5.7 yards per carry is the second-best average in the league. Not to mention the fact that Peterson is getting better. He has topped 120 yards in three straight games and scored at least one touchdown in each of those games. It is almost unbelievable that a running back can suffer a bad late-season knee injury and still be the best player at this position a few months later. Peterson pretty much has this award wrapped up already.
Coach of the Year: Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts
It would have been easy for Indianapolis’ season to derail when head coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia and forced off of the sidelines. Instead, Arians has held the team together, and the Colts are 4-1 since the unfortunate circumstances forced him into the head coaching role. Yes, it helps that rookie quarterback Andrew Luck has been every bit as great as advertised, but Arians deserves his share of the credit, as well. He stepped into a horrible situation and has his team on pace to make the playoffs. If the Colts do end up reaching the postseason, Arians has to be considered the Coach of the Year.
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