NFL's Midseason Award Winners

Well, it’s halfway through this 2008-2009 NFL season, and to say it has been surprising would be an understatement.

So, in this year of twists and turns, whose play has lifted their team to a higher level?

Time to unveil my NFL Award Winners at this point during the year (starting with the “lesser” awards, working up to the MVP).

Coach of the Year: Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans

This one is too easy. The Titans are 7-0, Fisher is riding Kerry Collins to the winners’ circle, and the Titans are on top of the world after beating the Colts on Monday night.

No other coach even comes close to this one.

Executive of the Year: Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons

This was also a very easy one. The Falcons have already matched last year’s win total (4-12 in 2007, 4-3 so far in 2008), and Blank has to get a ton of the credit for it. Hiring Mike Smith was the first step, getting a great defensive-minded coach who would get the most out of his players.

Then came the signing of Michael Turner and the spectacular draft that the Falcons had.

The first three picks Atlanta made (Matt Ryan, Sam Baker, and Curtis Lofton) are all starters and all look like studs.

Enough cannot be said about the job Arthur Blank did this offseason, turning this franchise in the right direction.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans

Stats: 122 carries, 626 yards, 5.1 avg, 4 TDs, 18 receptions, 92 yards, 5.1 avg, TD.

Projected Stats (based on current): 279 carries, 1,431 yards, 5.1 avg, 9 TDs, 41 receptions, 210 yards, 5.1 avg, 2 TDs.

Johnson beat out Matt Ryan for this pick for two reasons:

1. His team is undefeated.
2. His stats are mind-boggling.

He leads rookies in total yards from scrimmage with 718 (626 rushing, 92 receiving) and has four touchdowns on a ridiculous 5.1 yards-per-carry.

I criticized the Titans for taking Johnson in the first round over guys like Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly, but now Johnson is on my fantasy team and my crow has never tasted so good.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Chris Horton, SS, Washington Redskins

Stats: 37 tackles, 3 INTs, 4 passes defended.

Projected Stats (based on current): 74 tackles, 6 INTs, 8 passes defended.

Chris Horton is not a name you hear a lot outside of Washington, but people had better take notice.

Horton has filled in for Reed Doughty this year and has done so quite admirably. He ranks first among rookies with three interceptions and also has 37 tackles and four passes defended.

Oh yeah...Horton was also a seventh-round pick for the Redskins, fourth-to-last in the entire draft (No. 249 overall), so don’t forget that when you take his contributions into account.

Comeback Player of the Year: Kerry Collins, QB, Tennessee Titans

Stats: 99/170, 58%, 1,056 yards, 6.2 avg, 3 TDs, 3 INTs, 75.0 rating.

Projected Stats (based on current): 226/389, 58%, 2,414 yards, 6.2 avg, 7 TDs, 7 INTs, 75.0 rating.

Collins had a lot of competition for this spot, including Ronnie Brown, Chad Pennington, Joey Porter, basically the entire Dolphins roster, and Kyle Orton.

But the difference was that none of those other players have led their respective team to an undefeated record.

I mean come on. Did anyone expect the Titans to be 7-0 with Vince Young, let alone without him? The fact of the matter is that Kerry Collins has done a terrific job managing this team, and they owe a great amount of their success to him.

Offensive Player of the Year: Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints

Stats: 210/304, 69%, 2,563 yards, 15 TDs, 7 INTs, 101.6 rating.

Projected Stats (based on current): 420/608, 69%, 5,126 yards, 30 TDs, 14 INTs, 101.6 rating.

Rub your eyes. Whack your computer monitor. You read that stat correctly. If Brees keeps up his pace, he will throw for over 5,000 yards this season.

Of course, that is far from a sure thing, but seeing as Brees has only failed to break 300 yards passing in two games this year, it’s also far from an impossibility.

Brees is the field general of the No. 1 offense in the league, and with him at the helm; it’s easy to see why they are ranked so high.

Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Willis, LB, San Francisco 49ers

Stats: 71 tackles, 1.0 sack, INT, TD, 8 passes defended.

Projected Stats (based on current): 142 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 TDs, 16 passes defended.

Patrick Willis took the league by storm last year as a rookie, leading the league in tackles on his way to the Pro Bowl and winning defensive ROY honors. He was seventh in the voting for this award last year, with Bob Sanders taking the honor, but with Sanders out, the path is wide open for Willis.

Willis is one of few bright spots for the 2-6 49ers, and you can have hours of fun just by watching his 86-yard INT return for a touchdown against Seattle over and over and over again, juking out Matt Hasselbeck and leaving a trail of Seahawks in his wake.

Since the beginning of last season, no one has accumulated more tackles than Willis (245). Now that’s saying something.

Most Valuable Player: Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints

Stats: See above.

Projected Stats (based on current): See above.

Brees has been the reason for New Orleans success this year, and his value to his team is unmatched. He is the pure definition of an MVP, no questions asked.