NFL Predictions: Predicting Every 2011 NFL End-of-the-Season Award

It's Christmas Day, and a wild week of football is behind us.  Well actually, almost the entire regular season of football is behind us, and you know what that means.  It's time to make some predictions.  

It's time to predict the winners of every 2011 end-of-the-season award.  This year more than ever, the awards like the NFL MVP, Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year and the Breakout Player of the Year are coming down to the wire.

Some of these awards, like the Offensive Player of the Year and the League MVP, will come down to the respective player's performance in their regular season finales, while other awards like Offensive Rookie of the Year appear to be set in stone. 

I figured I would just do everyone a favor, and make the voters' jobs a lot easier by telling them who they should vote for for every 2011 end-of-the-season award.   

Here they are, full predictions for every 2011 NFL end-of-the-season award.  

Coach of the Year: 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh

The Coach of the Year award is one of the only awards this NFL season that has a clear-cut winner, and that winner is 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.  In his first season as a head coach in the NFL, Harbaugh has helped the lowly 49ers to a 12-3 overall record. 

If that record isn't impressive enough, just take a look at some of the 49ers' big wins of the season.  They beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions and New York Giants, all teams who are currently in contention for appearances in the playoffs.  

What is most impressive, though, about Harbaugh's first year as head coach is the fact that he has earned the 2nd best record in the NFL with an often-underachieving quarterback in Alex Smith.  

Harbaugh has done exceptionally well with talent that, before he arrived, often underachieved and that is more than enough to win him the 2011 NFL Coach of the Year award.

Other Nominees:  Bengals' Marvin Lewis, Lions' Jim Schwartz and Packers' Mike McCarthy  

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Broncos LB Von Miller

This is a difficult award to pick, mainly because Broncos linebacker Von Miller doesn't seem to want to win it.  His production as of late, specifically against the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills has been sub-par at best.  

While that lack of production is due to a thumb injury that required surgery, it's still a cause for alarm when picking the winner of this award.

Aside from Miller's statistical production of 63 tackles (50 solo), 11.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles, the most impressive aspect of Von Miller is his ability to make an immediate impact on an already-decent defense.  

In games where Miller records 5 tackles or more, the Broncos are 7-1, as compared to their 1-6 record when Miller records fewer than 5 tackles.  What that signifies is the incredible impact that Miller has on the game.

If Von Miller was healthy for the entirety of the year, he could have easily surpassed the league's rookie sack record of 14.5.  While he will fall just shy of that record, his production will be enough to earn him the 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.  

Other Nominees: 49ers LB Aldon Smith, Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson and Bills DT Marcell Dareus    

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Panthers QB Cam Newton

A lot of fans and voters alike think the Offensive Rookie of the Year race leads to a clear-cut winner, being Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.  While I don't think it's absolutely clear-cut, I do believe that he is more than deserving of the award.  

What makes this award race interesting is the success of so many offensive rookies, but Cam Newton, despite the Panthers' record, is deserving of the award. 

Cam Newton has managed to stay healthy for the entirety of the 2011 season, accounting for 3,722 passing yards and 17 passing touchdowns on a decent 59.6% completion percentage, while also accounting for 609 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on only 114 attempts.  

While those stats are surely impressive, what's even more impressive about Newton is that he has done so well with absolute ease. 

Newton's ability to step in and help the lowly Carolina Panthers earn a 6-9 overall record is absolutely amazing, and that alone should be enough to earn Cam Newton the 2011 NFL Rookie of the Year award.  

Other Nominees:  Bengals QB Andy Dalton, Bengals WR AJ Green and Falcons WR Julio Jones 

Breakout Player of the Year: Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski

The Breakout Player of the Year award is a tough one to pick, because there are two players who are absolutely deserving of this award.  

49ers quarterback Alex Smith and Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski have both had breakout years, the hard part is deciding who's year has been more of a "breakout" than the other.  

Although Alex Smith is finally having a solid year, I don't think he deserves the award mainly because he plays on a team that wins games by running the ball and playing stingy defense.  

Rob Gronkowski, on the other hand, is Tom Brady's main target, on a team with the league's worst overall defense.  Gronkowski wasn't bad last year, but no one thought he would be as amazing as he is this season.

Gronkowski has accounted for 1,141 yards and 15 touchdowns, breaking Tony Gonzalez's tight end touchdown record, on only 75 receptions.  

That means Gronkowski scores a touchdown on every 5 offensive touches.  On a team that relies solely on offense to win games, that kind of production alone makes Gronkowski deserving of the 2011 Breakout Player of the Year award.

Other Nominees:  49ers QB Alex Smith, 49ers LB NaVorro Bowman and Saints TE Jimmy Graham     

Defensive Player of the Year: Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul

The 2011 Defensive Player of the Year award could really go any of four ways.  It could go to 49ers LB Patrick Willis, Vikings DE Jared Allen, Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware or Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul.

While all players are deserving of the award, I believe Jason Pierre-Paul is most deserving because he is without a doubt the best defensive player on his team and a big reason why his team is winning. 

The Giants are on the verge of wining the NFC East, and while a lot of that is based on the success of quarterback Eli Manning, it is also in large part due to the explosive play of defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.  

Pierre-Paul, on the Giants lowly 28th-ranked defense, has accounted for 76 tackles (57 solo), 13.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one blocked kick.

Pierre-Paul gets the job done for the Giants week in and week out, legitimately winning crucial games for the Giants, and that will be what ultimately earns him the award.

Jason Pierre-Paul may or may not win the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, but one thing for sure is that he is absolutely deserving of the award.

Other Nominees: 49ers LB Patrick Willis, Vikings DE Jared Allen, Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware   

Offensive Player of the Year: Saints QB Drew Brees

How do you ensure that you will end the regular season with the Offensive Player of the Year award? Simply by breaking the all-time record for passing yards in a season, set by former Offensive Player of the Year award winner Dan Marino.  

With two games left ,Saints quarterback Drew Brees is only 304 yards away from breaking Marino's record, and if he does that, he will undoubtedly win the 2011 Offensive Player of the Year award. It's as simple as that.

If breaking Dan Marino's record isn't enough to prove to you that Brees deserves the award, just take a look at Brees' 2011 production. 

Brees has thrown for 4,780 yards and 39 touchdowns with an unreal completion percentage of 71.5%. Brees has also only thrown 11 interceptions which averages out to only 0.79 turnovers per game.

It's pretty clear-cut that Drew Brees is deserving of the 2011 Offensive Player of the Year award, if not the league's MVP award as well.

Other Nominees:  Texans RB Arian Foster, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and Lions WR Calvin Johnson        

Comeback Player of the Year: Dolphins RB Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush finally had the year that everyone expected him to have coming out of USC, putting up his first 1,000+ yard rushing season of his career.  Reggie Bush did in his first year in Miami what he couldn't do in five years with the New Orleans Saints, which shows just how perfect of a fit Miami is for Reggie Bush.

Bush's career has been on a steep decline since 2007, averaging 581 yards in 2007, 404 yards in 2008, 390 yards in 2009 and only 150 yards in 2010.  If Bush' statistical production wasn't bad enough, in 2010 he suffered a broken bone in his right leg, limiting him to eight games.

After all of that, and his scandal that tarnished USC, it appeared that Bush's career was all but over. Fortunately for Bush, he got a shot at redemption in Miami with the Dolphins, and he has used that second chance to prove how valuable he is.  

Reggie Bush is currently ranked ninth in rushing in the NFL with 1,086 yards and 6 touchdowns on 216 carries, and after five consistently underwhelming years, it appears that production will be enough to earn him the 2011 Comeback Player of the Year award.

Other Nominees: 49ers QB Alex Smith, Jets WR Plaxico Burress  and Broncos RB Willis McGahee  

Most Valuable Player: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers

The 2011 NFL MVP race will be highly debated.  Should it go to the quarterback who is breaking NFL passing records in Drew Brees?  Should it go to the untouchable quarterback of the team in the NFL with the best record (13-1)?  Should it go to Mr. Perfect himself, Tom Brady?

Whoever the award goes to, one thing is certain: all the nominees are deserving of the honor.

What makes the above mentioned players stand apart, and what will ultimately be the difference in this MVP race, is two simple losses.  Aaron Rodgers has led the Green Bay Packers to a 13-1 record, whereas Tom Brady and Drew Brees have led their respective teams to 11-3 records.  

The fact that Aaron Rodgers has led the Green Bay Packers to a near-perfect season is what will stick out in the minds of voters.

In addition to his leadership for the Packers, Aaron Rodgers also has some ridiculous production for the year.  Rodgers has thrown for 4,360 yards and 40 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions with a league leading quarterback rating of 120.1.  

If that wasn't enough, Rodgers also accounted for 239 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground.

Rodgers' production speaks for itself, but one thing that his statistics can't depict is the incredible leadership, discipline and poise that he brings to the Packers, and that is what truly makes him deserving of the 2011 Most Valuable Player award. 

Other Nominees: Saints QB Drew Brees, Patriots QB Tom Brady and Lions QB Matthew Stafford  

Walter Payton Man of the Year: Broncos QB Tim Tebow

The Walter Payton Man of the Year award honors a player in the NFL who is committed to excellence through volunteer work and charity work as well as excellence on the football field.  

While there are a number of excellent football players who are also committed to charity work, there is one who stands head and shoulders above the rest.  That man is Bronco's quarterback Tim Tebow. 

While Tebow's true "success" on the field is arguable, his endeavors off the field are not.  In his second season in the NFL, Tebow has already established the "Tim Tebow Foundation," which is focused on raising money to help people who are truly in need.

The Tebow Foundation has already raised $400,000, part of which is being used to create a children's hospital in the Philippines.

Tim Tebow embodies what the Walter Payton Man of the Year award stands for: an NFL player who uses the "platform" of football to better the lives of those around them, and that is why he will earn that honor in 2011.  

Other Nominees: Eagles CB Nnamdi Asomugha, Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald and Chiefs DT Tamba Hali