Detroit Lions: First Half Awards

Breakout your best tux and dust-off your patent leather shoes, it's time to hand out some awards! Or just crack a beer and reheat a couple slices of pizza, I'm indifferent.

Okay, the Detroit Lions are not going to run the table. Check.

The Lions will not go undefeated at Ford Field. Check, check.

The Jungle Kings now sit at 5-2 and regardless of what happens at the edge of the Rockies this weekend; the team is playing at a 60 percent winning clip, at minimum, which will put them in the playoff race. 

Just six weeks earlier, as we were ranking Chris Johnson as either the third or fourth best fantasy stud (oops), you would have leaped at the offer to start the second half of the season at 5-3 or an unthinkable 6-2. The last couple weeks have been an unwelcomed Old Crow shot of reality, it doesn't go down very smooth, but it is what it is. 

With the extracurriculars of both coaches and players bandaging the pain of back-to-back home loses, we need to put the first half of the season in perspective or as Rich Rodriguez says, "Let's be positive."

No, we're not going to recite the lyrics to "Wind Beneath My Wings," but rather dish out some first-half hardware to the deserving members of the Honolulu Blue & Silver. 

All votes have been tabulated and re-tabulated by the third party accounting firm of Billable, Frivolous & Derisive PC.

Gentlemen, may I have the first envelope please....

Calvin Johnson

Offensive MVP

This award should be about as suspenseful as finding out who’s buried in Grant’s tomb. Calvin Johnson is far and away the number one reason this team is off to its better than expected start.

The Indianapolis Colts are 0-7 without Peyton Manning, where would the Lions be without Calvin? I could make a very good argument of 1-6.

Megatron is fifth in receptions (41), fourth in yards (679), third in plays of 20 yards (11), second in plays of 40 yards (4), say it with me “explosion” and of course numero uno in the most important category, touchdowns (10).

He may not be the straw stirring the drink, that Stafford’s role, but he is the top-shelf booze that gives the cocktail giddy-up. A little extra from the bartender (Linehan) in the second half would hurt either.

Ndamukong Suh

Defensive MVP

Don’t look so surprised, Ndamukong. You’re a freak and everyone knows it.

Comparing him to other defensive tackles, Suh has the sixth most sacks (3), fourth most tackles (23) and solos (16); the same or better totals as Haloti Ngata and Richard Seymour.

Double teams are coming his way far more often this year than last; the focal point of every opposing dry erase board is No. 90. He’s feared, accounted for and most importantly driven.

I love how he stood up for himself when falsely accused of taunting this week. The guy wants to hurt, not maim, the opposition. If you have a problem with that type of attitude from an interior defensive lineman, go watch soccer.

Jason Hanson

Special Teams MVP

Yes, Jason, come on up here and get your award....again. Who else is going to get this award other than the most dependable kicker on the planet?

He's 16-of-17 field goal attempts with his lone miss a 52-yarder. He's second amongst kickers with 68 points total and eighth in touchbacks (20), not bad for a guy who broke into the league when Color Me Badd was still relevant.

Ryan Donahue is going to have to get much more consistent before he gets consideration for the old man’s trophy. This award should be known as “The Little Hanson Jug.”

Brandon Pettigrew

Unsung Hero 

They say the light comes on for wide receivers in year three, third-year standout Brandon Pettigrew is making a case for tight ends as well. Ranking second in the league in receptions (38) and top 10 in yards (352), Pettigrew is becoming one of the better pass catchers at his position, plus…he blocks!

It was a clean block (even the broadcast team said the refs should have let it go) that cost him $7,500 in NFL fines against the 49ers but more costly, the penalty nullified a play that would have set them up with 1st-and-goal. Ever see Dallas Clark stick his nose in there like that?

He and Calvin Johnson were the main contributors to the comeback in Minnesota. He is providing returns on his first-round selection from the trade with the Dallas Cowboys while Roy Williams is performing his signature first-down signal in Chicago as frequently as Jimmy Johnson’s hair goes “au naturale.” Martin Mayhew should have Jerry Jones’ cell number on speed dial.

Eric Wright

Best Offseason Acquisition

The year prior would have been more difficult with Lions coaches perched outside the homes of free agents Kyle Vanden Bosch and Nate Burleson, this year it’s clearly Eric Wright.

Amongst defensive backs he’s 42nd in tackles and 37th in passes defended, yet 17th in interceptions. All better numbers than free-agent darling Nnamdi Asomugha at a fraction of the $25 million check the Eagles scratched. How’s that for extreme couponing?

When the opposition is looking for a matchup to exploit, they are not looking towards No. 21, they are going after Chris Houston. The former second-round pick from UNLV has been a great roll of the dice for the Lions and another gift from Jerry Jones (Cleveland’s pick acquired via trade from Dallas). Somebody send Jerry another Botox gift certificate!

Kris Kocurek

Best Coach Not Named Schwartz

This is only his second year leading the defensive line, but Kris Kocurek is making noise. He was part of the Tennesse Titans back in 2002 when Jim Schwartz was the defensive coordinator and Gunther Cunningham was the assistant head coach/linebackers coach.

He bounced around the state of Texas cutting his teeth with some small college programs, but when Schwartz got the gig in Detroit, Kocurek got the call as an assistant to the legendary Bob Karmelowicz .

Granted he has some great talent to work with along the defensive front but Bill Belichick had Lawrence Taylor when he was with the New York Giants and Phil Jackson had that guy from North Carolina and Kobe, sometimes you get the breaks.

Kocurek is a football rat, crazy intense and humble enough to ask for player input; his players love him. He’s technically sound and young enough to have his eye on Gunther’s job if this regime can sustain a winning tradition for a few years, he’s Schwartz’s kinda guy.

Titus Young

Rookie of the Mid-Year

This award appeared much more clear-cut after the Minnesota game. Titus Young made some great drive-sustaining catches in the comeback, but since then his numbers have dropped weekly.

He is sixth amongst rookie wideouts with 15 grabs and has received plenty of playing time both in the slot and outside. His training camp injuries put him back several weeks on the learning curve and it showed Sunday.

He was incommunicado with his quarterback as Matthew Stafford anticipated Titus to release into the end zone on a fade and Young cut the route off. Young appeared to read the coverage correctly because the corner had both his hips and shoulders turned in anticipation of the fade, but I can’t say for certain.

Afterwards, Stafford was explaining the error to the rookie. Those things are going to happen only six weeks into an NFL career.

With Mikel Leshoure sidelined and Nick Fairley just getting his feet wet, this award of attrition goes to the Boise State star.

Those are your 2011 Detroit Lions Mid-Season Awards, we’ll have to wait and see if there is more valuable hardware for the Lions at the end of the season.