NFL Player Of The Decade

Welcome to part 2 of the "Player of the Decade" series. The NBA player of the decade was selected, and was given to Los Angeles Lakers star, Kobe Bryant. Today, we recap the NFL's most prolific player that has played throughout the course of the past 10 years.
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The Candidates
Other than quarterbacks, it is almost impossible to think of anybody in any other postion that has had so much of an impact, that they can be considered as the player of the decade. No running backs have been in the league for that long, and still be great. That may be the thing. Because, you see, running backs involve a lot of grueling work, and a lot of careers fade off after the player turns around 28. That is pretty much the same deal with defensive positions. The only two positions in the league where players past 35 can still have really good success, is a quarterback and a placekicker, and a placekicker shouldn't really be considered as a player of the decade. Please.

It is almost no doubt that when thinking player of the decade, a quarterback has got to be chosen. It's the sad truth, but nonetheless, it is the truth. For the MVP, you barely don't see a quarterback chosen because of the fact that quarterbacks are given the utmost respect for their hard work and dedication. They are really the heart and sole of a lot of teams, given loads of responsibilites.

Brett Favre could be a candidate, but he hasn't really been that great of a quarterback over the past decade to be chose as the QB of the deacde.

With that being said, if you are given 2 candidates to choose for NFL player of the decade, most likely, at least 8 times out of 10, you will get Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
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The Statistics
Peyton Manning (up until the start of the '09 season) : 102 wins, 43 losses, 37 754 passing yards, 281 touchdowns, 122 interceptions, 98.4 QB rating
Tom Brady (up until the start of the '09 season) : 88 wins, 45 losses, 26 466 passing yards, 197 touchdowns, 86 interceptions, 87.2 QB rating

It is extremely clear the Manning is the better quarterback, except for when it comes to interceptions, where Brady has nearly 40 fewer INT's. However, in every other statistical category, #18 reigns. Now, I'm not making any excuses for Tom Brady, but one must note that in the 2000 season, Brady was just a rookie and didn't play a full season, playing only 1 game, and in the 2008 season, Brady went down with a season-ending injury before the full duration of the first game of the year. That is 30 games missed, which can account for a lot.

Just like the Bryant-Duncan match-up, Brady and Manning have a lot of hardware. Peyton Manning has won 3 MVPs and 1 Super Bowl. Tom Brady has won 1 MVP and 3 Super Bowls. Yet again, just like the Bryant-Duncan discussion, the difference between MVPs and Super Bowls between these two are identical (3 MVPs and 1 MVP is 2 - 3 Super Bowls and 1 Super Bowl is 2.)

How do they do for the team? Well, let's take a look. In 2006, the Colts went 13-0, before losing their first game of the year. In 2007, the Patriots went a perfect 16-0, and even went to the Super Bowl, where the fell to the heavily unfavoured New York Giants, in one of the biggest upsets in NFL history. The Colts also went undefeated this year, where they went 14-0, until they lost to the Jets this past Sunday in a questionable decision by first-year head coach Jim Caldwell to pull the starters in the 3rd quarter.

However, the Colts hold the record for consecutive regular season wins with 23, topping the previous record set by the Patriots last year, winning 21 in a row.
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The Verdict
If you were to tell me to pick a player based on my liking, I would say Tom Brady in a hurry because he is one of my most favourite players in the league. However, that would be a biased opinion. Truthfully, despite my temptations, I pick Peyton Manning as the best player the NFL has seen in the past decade. However, it is the of the slimmest hairline away that he beats out Tom Brady. Really, this one is one of the hardest sports questions to answer. He's just brought more year-to-year success, throwing for over 4000 yards for most of the decade. He is more careless with the ball, averaging over 13 INT's a year, while Brady's only averaged 9, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he is a game changer. Even given Brady's potential to change a game, which he does, Manning brings more to the table when it comes to mentality.

Manning definitely brings a more tough, mental attitude to the game and makes all his players better. A perfect example would be this year, when Marvin Harrison decided to forego a retirement, taking away Peyton Manning's favourite receiver. Also, Anthony Gonzalez, who was a up and coming receiver who came out of his shell last year, went down with a season-ending injury. Even though he had Reggie Wayne, he used receivers that weren't all that known throughout the league at all, like Pierre Garcon, and made them into fabulous receivers.

So congratulations go to Peyton Manning, who is crowned as being the decade's best athlete in the NFL.

NFL Half-Season MVP

Eight of the sixteen games have taken place. Put it in the books. It's been a half-season full of adversity and triumph. Teams that were once atop the pedestal of football are now seen at the bottom of the pile. On the other hand, there are teams that have gone from being flushed down the toilet to being brought back up and leading their divisions, for now. Players have showed us what they can really do. For some, it was a matter of coming out of their shell. For others, it was curling back up in a fetal position. For a selected few, the numbers just say it all.

Without further ado, here is my pick for MVP.
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MVP: Peyton Manning.
Yes, Drew Brees is clicking on all cylinders, and should deserve to be ahead of Manning, considering that his 8-0 Saints have played better than the 8-0 Colts, but looking at what Manning's done with what he was given, it's hard to argue otherwise.

His favourite, long-time target, Marvin Harrison hung up his cleats in the offseason. A young, but up and rising receiver in Anthony Gonzalez was put on the IR due to a knee injury. Jim Caldwell, a rookie head coach, came to take over Tony Dungy's veteran coaching job after he too retired.

Not to mention, Drew Brees has a running game. Peyton doesn't.

2545 passing yards, a 70.6 completion percentage, a 105.2 passer rating, and being the only quarterback in the league to average over 300 passing yards a game?

Not to mention that he's challenging Dan Marino's passing mark and his team is primed for a playoff spot and a first-round bye.

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CONSIDERABLE MENTION FOR MVP
Drew Brees, Saints
Adrian Peterson, Vikings
Tom Brady, Patriots
Chris Johnson, Titans
Austin Miles, Cowboys.

Passing Out Quarter-Season Remarks

One fourth of the NFL season has come to an end (a week ago), and it is a bit late now that week 5 has almost finished, but it's still something that has to be reported on. Who are this year's most surprising teams? Who has disappointed everyone? Who is playing in MVP shape so far? All these questions are answered.

1) Which teams have surprised this year?

In the AFC, it is without a doubt that the Denver Broncos have turned heads. This off-season proved to be a disastrous-looking one for the Broncos personnel and fans. Long time head coach, and legendary coach Mike Shanahan , was fired after failing to produce a playoff team yet again. Who replaced him? A 33-year-old by the name of Josh McDaniels took over, and right off the get-go, it was determined that not a lot of players on the team liked his coaching style. Jay Cutler for one, who was their franchise quarterback and definitely one of the game's brightest, voiced his disliking of McDaniels, prompting the Broncos to trade him away to the Chicago Bears in exchange for Kyle Orton, who was known for his horrendous play during his stay with the Bears. Just in case that wasn't enough, star receiver, Brandon Marshall voiced his opinon about a contract and his troubles with the law affected his play. On top of that, he didn't give it all during practice, focing the Broncos to suspend him for 2 pre-season games.

All of that, and the Broncos still found a way to go 4-0, and now, 5-0, after a heartbreaker OT win against the almighty New England Patriots. Somehow, someway, McDaniels, Orton, Marshall and co., have found a way to surpass all expectations.

Drew Brees and the Saints have always been known for their fiery, explosive offense, and boy, have they shown what they can do until this point. The same team as last year for the most part, they have posted a 4-0 record and continue to put teams in a strangle hold with their unpredicable offense. First in points per game, third in total yards per game, second in rushing yards per game, third in first downs per game, seventh in rush defense, first in interceptions and am I boasting about the Saints' defense? Yes, the offense and defense has been clicking on all cylinders to help the Saints bolster to their outstanding start.

2) Which teams have been the most disappointing to start off?

The Tennessee Titans were definitely one the game's top defenses last year, putting a target on opposing team's players and having one goal: to kill them. Other than losing Pro Bowl defensive tackle, Albert Haynesworth, the team has for the most part stayed the same way. However, losing Haynesworth has proved to be costly for the team that went 13-3 last year, starting off the season 0-5. Other than the season opener against the reigning Super Bowl champions, Pittsburgh Steelers, the Titans defense has showed no signs of life, giving up TDs all over the board. They give up the fourth most amount of points in the NFL with 27.8 as opposed to giving up 14.6 last year, which was good for 2nd. Kerry Collins has been horrible as well, throwing interceptions almost regularily. He's thrown more INT's (7) than TD's (5). He's allowed lots to wonder whether Vince Young, who's had a rough start to his NFL career, should be the starter instead.

For teams who have records like 0-4, or something of that sort, it is widely expected by critics and sports fan alike, but when a team like the Titans or Tampa Bay Buccaneers go without a win, it is definitely a disappointment. The Bucs, who have a defense that tore through NFC last year, answer back with a defense who cannot support the team in any means necessary. They have given up 28 points per game, which is good for third last in the NFL (0.2 points more than the Titans), they have given up the fifth most amount of yardage per game at 379.8, and their rush defense is good for fifth last in the league as well. On the other hand, the offense, is just as bad. They have scored the fourth least (13.6 ppg) in the league and they have an icky quarterback situation, where both Byron Leftwich and Josh Johnson do not stand out in any category.


3) Who is playing like they are the MVP?

Sure, there are many players out there who perform their heart out to maximize their team's success, but only one of these players play on the field every single game, and make their teams that much better, therefore, they are handed out the MVP award. So far, the quarter-season MVP goes to Indianapolis Colts quarterback, Peyton Manning. The 33-year-old QB, who is one of two players in NFL history to win the MVP three times, is cleary posting up numbers that suggest that he sould have another added to his repertoire. He has started the season throwing for 5 straight 300+ yard performances, and only Kurt Warner and Steve Young have dones this before him. He leads the league in passing yards by a margin of nearly 200 yards, he has boosted his teammates' play as well, as receiver Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark are 2 of the top 3 in receiving yards in the NFL and he has propelled his team to a quick 5-0 record.

In terms of statistics, he has thrown for the most touchdowns, he has the highest passer rating amongst all quarterbacks, he has the second highest pass completion percentage and has thrown for the most amount of yards per game at 329. There is no one within the vicinity of play and consistency as Peyton Manning.