NFL Players of the Year: Who Gets Offensive/Defensive POY Honors for 2012?

For the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year, the smart money says that Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, he of the 2,097 rushing yards this season, is the front-runner for the league's "OPOY" honors. We don't really agree on that. 

Peyton Manning had a tremendous season in his first year with the Denver Broncos, leading his team to 13 wins and producing two 1,000-yard receivers. They've played well enough down the stretch to get themselves a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs. 

The NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award is one of those where casual fans may not appreciate the seasons that these guys have had. These guys didn't score a lot of touchdowns or necessarily rack up significant individual accolades, but they were vital components to their team's success nonetheless. 

One guy who did manage to find himself some pub this season is J.J. Watt, the defensive end for the Houston Texans. "J.J. Swat" found multiple ways to disrupt opposing quarterbacks, whether by batting their passes or by knocking them to the ground. Watt's success helped his team win the AFC South for the second straight year. 

Another guy who made a name for himself this season is second-year cornerback Richard Sherman. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 draft, Sherman snagged eight interceptions in 2012. Only Chicago's Tim Jennings had more.

But Sherman's coverage skills drew comparisons to the injured Darrelle Revis, and by winning his appeal over a four-game PED suspension recently, Sherman is cementing his reputation as one of the NFL's best cornerbacks. 

We discuss these players and more in our "OPOY" and "DPOY" debates. Check out our thoughts in the video above and leave you own vote for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in the comments. 

As always, thanks for watching.