New Orleans Saints Year in Review: Handing out the Best and Worst of Awards

As the 2011 season commenced Sunday afternoon at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome following an impressive 45-17 stomping of the Carolina Panthers, the New Orleans Saints immediately set their sights on next week's Wild Card Playoff Game, which will also be played back in the dome. 

That game will feature the surprise team of the NFL in 2011, the Detroit Lions, and your perfect 8-0 home record New Orleans Saints. More will be discussed throughout the week involving this matchup, but one initial thought is necessary: It is GREAT matchup for the Saints!

More importantly, though, the Saints finished the regular season 13-3, with the No. 3 seed in the NFC. And they're the hottest team in the entire league. And they set almost every NFL offensive record imaginable en route to another magical season under Sean Payton, with Drew Brees at the helm. 

There wasn't a lot to dislike about this Saints team—especially in the final eight weeks of the season. But we'll start there and then speak on the positive. 

Worst Loss: St. Louis Rams

The 31-21 loss to the St. Louis Rams followed a prolific Sunday night outpouring of offense against the lowly Indianapolis Colts the week before. I wrote at the time, and still stick to this now, you are never as good or bad as you play in blowouts. 

The Saints looked awful in their contest against the Rams and deserved to lose. Considering how bad the Rams have been since, this was absolutely unacceptable. 

Had the Saints taken care of business in the Edward Jones Dome, the Saints would have this upcoming weekend off and a week to rest starters and prepare for a forthcoming matchup with a team that is likely to be the San Francisco 49ers. 

Worst Moment: Sean Payton Goes Down

It was a rather simple play early in the Tampa game, but when Jimmy Graham got pushed out of bounds into his head coach and offensive play-caller, Sean Payton, the Saints lost all momentum against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Payton was out for most of the football game that day and was forced to coach from the booth for several weeks after.

However, as the Bible says God can make good things happen from bad, that came true for the Saints. Without Payton's sideline presence, Pete Carmichael, Jr. was forced to call offensive plays for the first time in his career.  

And Carmichael did an excellent job. In fact, he propelled himself to a possible head coaching job either this offseason, or in the next few. 

Unfortunately, the hit to Payton likely cost the Saints the football game against the Bucs. 

Best Moment: Drew Brees Passes over Dan Marino

Watch the video, enough said. 

Honorable Mention:

—Brees and the Saints tear apart the Colts 62-7 on Sunday Night Football.

—Brees and the Saints slay the Giants on Monday Night Football. 

—Saints defense stops Atlanta on goal-to-go situation to ensure overtime, then stops the Falcons on 4th-and-1 in overtime to guarantee win. 

—Tracy Porter and Jo-Lonn Dunbar make huge defensive plays in goal-to-go situations to preserve road victory at Tennessee. 

Coach of the Year: LB/Associate Head Coach Joe Vitt

When Sean Payton missed preparation time during the week of the Colts game, it was Joe Vitt who assumed responsibility of the entire football team. He handled the coaches' press conference and entire team meetings. 

And a funny thing happened after Vitt's entire role increased: His linebackers' play improved mightily. Jonathan Casillas improved, Scott Shanle looked like the type of veteran presence the Saints hoped he'd be when they decided to re-sign him this offseason. 

Ramon Humber, Will Herring and Martez Wilson all stepped up. 

If Vitt ever had a chance for a head coaching job, it seems this would be the offseason that would take place. 

Rookie of the Year: RB Mark Ingram

Sure, Mark Ingram only played in 10 of the team's 16 regular-season contests. But when Ingram was in the lineup he combined with Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas to make up one of the finest group of running backs in the entire league. 

In 10 games, Ingram rushed 122 times for 474 yards—a rather pedestrian 3.9 yard-per-carry average—and five touchdowns. 

Add in his acumen as a pass protector and Ingram was an important player in this New Orleans' offense. Expect Ingram to take a major step forward next season when he gets back on the field. He is still the future at the position for this Saints offense. 

No other rookie contributed quite as much as Ingram did in 2011. For that, he is the Saints' Rookie of the Year. 

Running Back of the Year: Darren Sproles

In 2011 Darren Sproles was everything the Saints envisioned Reggie Bush would be, and so much more. 

Sproles finished the season with 603 yards rushing, 86 receptions and 710 yards plus nine total offensive touchdowns (not to mention a punt return touchdown in the opening season game). 

Sproles was the most explosive player in the entire league and finished with a league record of 2,969 total yards. 

But most importantly, Sproles continued and expanded upon the joker role that Reggie Bush had so perfectly mastered as New Orleans Saint. 

Receiver of the Year: Marques Colston

Devery Henderson started the year out hot, hot, hot. Robert Meachem provided a huge spark to the New Orleans' offense at the beginning of the year and later on during the Saints' recent eight-game win streak. 

And Lance Moore led the Saints' wide receivers in touchdowns. 

But no receiver provided a more consistent third-down and clutch target than big 'ole No. 12. Colston made a number of acrobatic catches to keep drives alive and provide key scoring for the Saints. 

Colston finished the season with a wonderful 80-catch, 1,143-yard season. In fact, that yardage total made up Colston's second-best season as a pro. And he missed three games due to injury this season. 

Watching the Saints play this season, there's little doubt Marques Colston was the most dangerous and difficult-to-cover wide receiver the Saints had. His presence was the key to much of what the Saints offense did all season long. 

He's a huge reason Drew Brees now holds the single-season passing yardage record—and for the team obtaining the total offensive yardage record. 

Offensive Lineman of the Year: Jermon Bushrod

Jermon Bushrod was awarded with his first Pro Bowl nod of the season in 2011. It was a surprise reward, but one well deserved. 

Bushrod gave up only three sacks on the season and played an integral role in a much-improved rushing offense. 

Yes, guards Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans were excellent, and center Brian de la Puente was crucial in the Saints' offensive success. However, Bushrod made up the difference in an offensive line that struggled greatly in 2010, and a unit in 2011 that was among the league's best by the end of the season. 

Defensive Lineman of the Year: Will Smith

Will Smith led the Saints defensive linemen in sacks with 6.5, and he added two fumbles that he was responsible for creating. 

Additionally, Smith led the charge for a unit whose improvement against the run was dramatic from the beginning of the season to now. 

Much like Colston, he missed games in the beginning of the season and upon his return to the lineup the unit's overall play improved tremendously. 

Linebacker of the Year: Jo-Lonn Dunbar

I gave serious consideration to Ramon Humber, whose presence has made the Saints defense a commendable one. His series of big plays have helped grow this defense to a different level in the second half of the season. 

However, Jo-Lonn Dunbar's accomplishments cannot be overlooked. He took over when Jonathan Vilma went down with injury and the defense actually got better. 

With Vilma back in the lineup, Dunbar has found himself on the field sometimes playing outside, sometimes inside in a four-linebacker defense. 

Whatever the circumstance or the alignment, Dunbar has been beyond solid. In fact, he's been great. 

He was responsible for two fumbles, a sack, 79 combined tackles and a handful of great tackles that provided momentum for the Saints defense. 

Of course, his most memorable and important play of the season was his chase down of Titans' QB Jake Locker to end the game in Nashville. The Saints won that game, and Dunbar was a huge reason why. 

His quarterbacking of the defense has been very underrated, but it's obvious that the Saints have found their replacement for Vilma either when his contract runs out or he decides to retire. 

For now Dunbar is great as a utility linebacker. 

Defensive Back of the Year: Roman Harper

When you're a safety and you finish a season with 7.5 sacks, you are legit. I don't really care what else you did. 

Of course, Harper also was a huge key in providing great run defense, and as the season went on his coverage ability improved mightily. 

But it was his blitzing ability which allowed Gregg Williams to settle into a Cover 1 look with Malcolm Jenkins playing center field, and this began to work very well near the end of the season. 

But Harper's flexibility allowed Williams to also take advantage of Jenkins' ability to blitz as well, while playing Harper in coverage. 

The Saints' defense was so much better in the second half of the season, largely due to the great play of No. 41. 

Special Teams Player of the Year: Thomas Morstead

Could there have been anyone else? 

When you are second in the conference in net punting average and set a league record in touchbacks, you are clearly the Special Teams Player of the Year, at least for your team, if not for the entire league. 

He won't get that much recognition, as he unfortunately was left off the Pro Bowl team in front of the 49ers' Andy Lee. But Morstead has been such a valuable weapon in field position for the Saints this season—a trait that should come in handy in the postseason. 

Defensive Player of the Year: Jabari Greer

Where would this Saints' defense be without Jabari Greer? 

Frankly, I don't even want to think about it. The results without Mr. Greer are unimaginably frightening, kind of like the weather was in Green Bay Sunday. 

I'll just be frank about it: If you don't think Greer was the best corner in the NFC South this season, and at least one of the top five in all of football, you don't know jack about football. 

The guy was everywhere, making seemingly every crucial tackle for the Saints' secondary. He shut down almost receiver he faced, including the amazing Calvin Johnson. 

He made a number of great plays on the football throughout the season, but more importantly tackled like a boss (my new favorite expression). 

Yes, he got beat on occasion, but so does every other corner in the entire NFL. There really isn't such thing as a shutdown corner anymore, but Greer in 2011 came awfully close. 

Similar to other great corners though, it was his work in the run game that separated him from his competition. Never mind the Pro Bowl snub—I've officially declared that hogwash—Greer should be an All-Pro at the cornerback spot. 

He was simply that good. 

Offensive Player of the Year: Jimmy Graham

As great as the rest of the Saints' offensive weaponry was in 2011, no player stood taller, literally, than tight end Jimmy Graham. 

Graham fell one catch short of 100 for the campaign, but in the process managed to set the single-season record for tight end receiving yardage at 1,310 yards. Oh yeah, he also provided 11 touchdowns, the most on the team.

The second-year, former basketball player erupted onto the scene in 2011 after a nice, but unsatisfying rookie campaign in 2010. In 2011, Graham became almost as well known for his after-touchdown goalpost dunks as he did the catches and touchdowns he made. 

But let's not mistake things. Graham's play was outstanding, exceptional and amazing all in one. In fact, the AP will likely have to create a second spot on the first team All-Pro team at tight end to fit both Graham and Gronkowski, whose accomplishments are both spectacular and neither can rightly be relegated to second team. 

Team MVP: Drew Brees

If I were to put any other player in this spot, it would show I'm an idiot and be completely unfair to Brees. Brees isn't only the MVP of this Saints' squad, he probably should be co-MVP of the entire NFL. 

He finished the 2011 season with a remarkable 71.2 completion percentage to go along 46 touchdowns to only 14 interceptions (considering how often the Saints throw the ball, that is simply remarkable). And, oh yeah, there was some other record he set—that's right, with his 5,476 yards passing Brees is the single-season leader for passing yards. 

Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers didn't even come close to Brees' total for the season. 

I should probably add that Brees finished with a ridiculous 110.6 QB rating, and if that wasn't enough he solved world hunger (well, he actually was appointed to the board of said organization in 2011). 

Brees did so much for this Saints squad, he may have catapulted himself into the highest-paid-quarterback sphere with his play in 2011. And at this point, every Saints fan would agree he deserves every penny.