Week 10 picks and midseason awards

With the midway point of the schedule in the NFL, its time to hand out awards for half season excellence. It’s the cliché thing to do if you’re a sports writer of any note and since in my own mind I exist in that column, I will give you my picks for the awards followed by my picks for week 10 in the NFL.

5 best teams in the NFL:

1. Giants
2. Titans
3. Steelers
4. Redskins
5. Carolina
Prior to the season if you looked at the majority of people’s predictions for how the season would play out, only two of these teams may have crept this high on this list. But that’s the unpredictability of football. On any given week, any team can beat any team. But these are the best. People may have a problem with me putting the Giants over an unbeaten team in the Titans but the product in the NFC is much better than the majority of crapola that the AFC is putting out right now.

5 biggest storylines in the NFL:

1. Tom Brady- Conspiracy theorists believe that it was just due for all the scores being run up last year on their almost perfect season. But the record is a byproduct of a defense that was porous in the secondary and already depleting its resources. They weren’t going to blow anyone out this season and most probably would have carried a game better record into Indy for their showdown in the oil rig of a stadium.
2. Wildcat- Never has a high school offense found its way from Friday nights into Sunday afternoons but what Tony Sporano made catchy, the NFL and its copy cat tendencies has made cliché. Its like a dance: Everybody’s doing it!
3. Raiders- An organization that has gone far from the pursuit of excellence to the point that they have become a laughingstock. Where to search for a lowest point? An owner that wanted his head coach to quit and the head coach that did everything to make his owner fire him. Or how about last Sunday’s anemic offensive showing? Or maybe its releasing DeAngelo Hall after just 8 games and 8 million dollars. There’s a laundry list of things to consider.
4. Players getting in trouble with the law- Matt Jones and cocaine. PacMan Jones and his troubles with the law continuing. Larry Johnson domestic abuse. These are the kind of storylines that the NFL is dealing with. It’s a tough sell that these are just isolated incidents as these are not just role players involved, its stars.
5. Coaches getting the early exit- Although the Raiders story belongs as story 5a., that story just has too many wrinkles involved to not be given its own indication. But owners have been more and more willing to let go of the coaches they feel are not getting the job done. Will Jim Haslett and Mike Singletary survive after this season is done regardless? Will they be the difference? Will someone tell Mike Singletary to turn his eyes off? They’re creeping me out.

Offensive MVP of the season:
Drew Brees- Playing on an underachieving team I have a hard time giving any award with the name valuable but I shudder to think what kind of black hole this Saitns team would be without Drew. He’s on pace to break Dan Marino’s record of passing yards in a season. He better throw the ball because there’s not much else going on in the bayou.

Defensive MVP of the season:
Albert Haynesworth- Just like the Super Bowl, you can’t give it to units otherwise, I’d give it to Justin Tuck and a few others on the Giants, but Haynesworth has been otherworldly and is setting himself for a nice pay day come this Spring when he goes on the market. He’s what we call a clog, something that doesn’t allow movement beyond where he stands and that’s exactly what he is.

Offensive Rookie of the Year:
Matt Ryan- He’s a rookie QB who clearly has headed the class of QB’s from this year’s draft and has taken the reins of a team that was clearly unsure of what they had. Well, they have a franchise altering QB. Just keep him away from all known animals.

Defensive Rookie of the Year:
Chris Horton- Seventh Round pick who is causing a ruckus. Scares the beejezus out of me when he plays for the Redskins.

Playoff Teams revised:
NFC:
1. Giants
2. Panthers
3. Cardinals
4. Packers
5. Redskins
6. Eagles

AFC:
1. Titans
2. Steelers
3. Patriots
4. Chargers
5. Jets
6. Dolphins

Don’t look at me like I have three heads, yes I’m picking three teams from both eastern divisions of the conferences.

Ok so here are the picks:

Cleveland (-3) vs Broncos- I’m picking a team that has a rookie QB (basically) who has practiced for one day with the starters on a short week, against the Broncos. Shows you the confidence I have in the Broncs.

Lions (+6.5) vs Jacksonville- either this Mike Peterson episode unites them or divides them further. They have had too many poor showings for me to not be convinced that this team might have issues that supercede anything going on on the field.

Titans (-3) over Bears- Kyle Orton wants to play in Sunday’s game. Well, here’s a prediction. The first time he sees Haynesworth up close and realize how quick he is, he will take himself out of the game and then Rex will take care of the rest for the Titans.

New England (-4) over Buffalo- Strange things have happened in the Indy/NE rivalry but last week when Belichiek forgot how to be himself and used his last timeout prior to the fourth quarter I was puzzled beyond belief. Now, they face a team in Buffalo that just lost its best pass rusher and a team that more teams are figuring out.

Atlanta (-1.5) vs. New Orleans- The usage of John Abraham (not the Indian movie star ladies) for the Atlanta pass rush has been nothing short of brilliant. Matt Ryan, rookie of the year.

Jets (-9) vs. Rams- the Jets have the offense capable of blowing out teams. But they need more of the balanced attack that you saw last week. Their run D and Kris Jenkins has been nothing short of dominant. Haslett is slowly losing credibility with his handling of Steven Jackson who refuses to practice and Haslett in return refuses to let him play. Not the kind of actions of a man who is trying to get an extension for next year.

Seattle (+8.5) vs. Miami- I love Miami and Chad Pennington. But the Seattle defense is better than what its been showing. The Seahawks should do well enough to stay in the game while the Dolphins should continue to excite with the Wildcat.

GreenBay (+2.5) vs. Minnesota- If Brett Favre were playing this game then yes, I would’ve picked the Vikings because of his disdain for staying in doors. But this is Aaron Rodgers. If he is to be a sufficient replacement, he must conquer the dome. Encouraging play last week to make me believe that the Packers are going to make a late push into the playoffs.

Carolina (-9.5) vs. Oakland- This isn’t even fair.

KC (-15.5) vs. San Diego- Wow, Vegas wants you to take the Chiefs. I guess they think highly of Ron Rivera and his new Cover 2 defense he will install in San diego.

Steelers (-1) vs Indy- the Steelers are just playing hungry right now but should we consider that Byron Leftwich is starting? That the Colts are getting all their starters back? Hmm. I take the Steeler D to carry them in this one.

Giants (+3) vs. Philly- No lie folks. The defending Super Bowl champs. The unanimous number one seed in the NFC are 3 point dogs against the Iggles. My, how wonderful it is.

Baltimore (-1) vs. Houston- I liked what I saw out of the Ravens offense, and I see them scoring in bunches against a defense that many really overestimated.

Arizona (-9.5) vs. San Fran- the Cardinals are a team on the rise while the 49ers while a team on the downhill strut, are headed in the right direction if the 49er team lets Mike Singletary build this team. I like his approach and his intensity will appeal to the younger guys who might not have a clue of how dominant he was back when he was playing.