Midseason awards for 2009 season

Now that everyone has played at least eight games, it’s time to hand out some midseason awards for the 2009 season.

I know most of the pros in the business release their halfway awards heading into Week 9, that’s too soon for me. I like when everyone plays eight games (which really is half their schedule) before I hand out awards.

So here they are:

MVP: Peyton Manning. … I could have gone with Brett Favre and Drew Brees but when I sit back and think about it, there’s no one more important than Manning. He’s obviously the quarterback, but he’s also the offensive coordinator and a great defender even though he doesn’t play defense. He makes opposing teams get away from what they’re comfortable doing and putting them in a game of catchup. Only the great ones can do that on a weekly basis, and when Manning isn’t having one of his better games, he still finds a way to win. Teams are almost always trying to keep up with Manning, and this stat proves it: Teams are running 25 times per game (1oth least) and throwing 37 times (4th most). And those teams do it with very little effect, with a QB rating at 70.1 (4th worst) combined and gaining 5.8 yards per attempt (2nd worst). Oh, now you want to know Manning’s numbers: QB rating of 105.2 (3rd best, and behing Brees and Favre), 70.6% completion percentage, 16 TDs and 5 INTs and is sacked a league-low 7 times (Kerry Collins has been sacked six times but he’s no longer the starter in Tennessee). He gains 8.1 yards per completion and averages 318.1 yards per game, which puts him on pace to surpass Dan Marino’s record of most passing yards in a single season.

Offensive Player of the Year: Drew Brees. … Listen, I love what Chris Johnson is doing in Tennessee but when you’re leading the NFL’s other undefeated team (with Colts being the other), you get love from me. Brees and the Saints might be the most complete team in football and that’s why I have them right now No. 1 in my power rankings and representing the NFC in the Super Bowl (although I picked the Patriots to win it). Brees is orchestrating the NFL’s No.1-rated offense at 426.9 yards per game. They also score a league-leading 37.9 points per game, more than a touchdown ahead of Vikings (30.5 ppg). The only thing that’s bothering me about Brees is that lately he’s been careless with the football. In his last three games, he’s turned the ball over 8 times (5 picks and 3 lost fumbles) to throwing only four TDs. The amazing thing about that is in the past two weeks Brees has brought his team back from behind twice while down two huge deficits. In Week 7 at Miami, the Saints trailed 24-3 at one point in the first half and won 46-34. Last week against the Panthers, the Saints trailed 17-3 and won 30-20. Brees has completed 68.3% of his passes and thrown for 2,336 yards (8.8 yards per attempt) and 17 TDs. He’s been intercepted 7 times and sacked only 12 times. He also has a couple of rushing TDs to boot. (On a side note: The Saints also have my vote for Team of the First Half.)

Defensive Player of the Year: Jared Allen. … There aren’t too many guys more fun to watch than Jared Allen of the Minnesota Vikings. He has a nonstop motor, which has led to a league-leading 10.5 sacks this season, including 7.5 against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers alone. He’s forced three fumbles, recovered two and scored eight points (safety and TD).

Coach of the Year: Brad Childress. … I could have gone with Josh McDaniels, Marvin Lewis, Jim Caldwell or Sean Payton, but I pick Childress. He has done a wonderful job dealing with the adversity surrounding the displeasure from the fans over the past couple of years, but he’s built this team into the machine it is today. In his first year as head coach in 2006, the Vikings won 6 games, then 8 games, then 10 games (wildcard berth) and now their 7-1 heading into Week 10 against the Lions. Childress has been under a lot of fire but he’s built this team through the draft and key free agent pickups with Adrian Peterson, Steve Hutchinson, Percy Harvin, Jared Allen, Cedric Griffin, Sidney Rice and it goes on and on and on. Childress has done nothing but stay the course and believe in his philosophy. Keep it up, Coach.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Percy Harvin. … I don’t mean to brag but this was my preseason rookie of the year and there’s not one person that’s even close in this poll, other than the Ravens’ Michael Oher. Harvin has been every bit explosive as expected. Harvin has 860 kickoff return yards this year, tied with superstar returner Josh Cribbs — the only think that’s positive in Cleveland. Harvin also has caught 28 passes for 389 yards and three touchdowns. And with 39 yards rushing, Harvin has 1,288 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns. He’s also shown some toughness as of late playing through injury. … Enough said.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jairus Byrd. … Some might be saying “Who?” I’ll tell you who. He’s a stud corner for the Buffalo Bills who was thrust into duty was Buffalo’s secondary was decimated with injuries. He’s tied for the league lead with ballhawk Darren Sharper of the Saints with 7 interceptions. Byrd has started six of eight games this year and in his last four straight games, he has at least 1 INT, including 2 in each of the past three games.

Comeback Player of the Year: Tom Brady. … As much as I wanted to choose Carson Palmer of the Bengals, the numbers don’t lie. Brady stats this year are better than Palmer’s, and a lot of that is because of the emergence of Cedric Benson, who’s has proven to be every bit worth his fourth-overall selection in the 2005 draft. The vote between Palmer and Brady is close because Palmer has brought the Bengals to the top of the AFC North and sixth in my power rankings. Patriots are fifth. Brady, however, has brought the Patriots back to one of the top forces in the AFC. Brady has thrown for 2,364 and is second behind Peyton Manning in yards per game (295.5). He’s completed 65.8% of his passing for 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. All the major quarterback stats out there, and Brady leads Palmer in every one

Breakout Player of the Year: Miles Austin. … This is an open-and-shut decision. Austin has revitalized a Dallas Cowboys offense that needed a spark out of the wide receiver position. Roy Williams has done nothing but be a weekly disappointment and continue to be paid No. 1-type money when he’s a solid No. 2 at best. Austin is 6-foot-3, 214-pound WR with great strength, hands and breakaway speed. Austin, an undrafted rookie out of Monmouth (N.J.), has the 11th-most receiving yards (612) in eight games this year, including ONLY four starts. All of his yards are on 27 receptions, which gives him a mind-boggling and league-leading 22.7 yards per reception with receivers with at least 25 catches. Speedster DeSean Jackson of the Eagles is the only other receiver with a ypc average (20.7) like Austin. There are 54 players with more receptions than Austin this year, and he’s 11th in receiving IN ONLY FOUR STARTS! … He also set the Cowboys franchise record and NFL record for most productive first start for a wide receiver: 250 yards receiving. Case closed. Austin is also tied for No. 1 in touchdown receptions with seven, including the only catch he made last week in Philadelphia — a 49-yard game-winning fourth-quarter catch. The two guys leading the Cowboys offense, Tony Romo and Austin, are both undrafted players.