Bye Week - Monday - Mid Season Awards

Offensive Player of Mid-Year: Aaron Rodgers (shocker). This guy is playing outside of his mind and there is no doubt that he is the Packers’ offensive MVP.

Receiver (WR/TE/RB) of Mid-Year: A tough one, since A Rodg does such a fantastic job spreading the ball around. I’m going to have to go with Greg Jennings on this one. Reliable as they come, Jennings is a threat every time he touches the ball.

Offensive Shocker of Mid-Year: While it isn’t really a shocker to me, I’m going to go with the explosion of Jordy Nelson. I liked him at K State and was pumped when we drafted him. He is stepping up nicely into the #2 spot and becoming one of Aaron’s favorite targets.

Offensive Play of Mid-Year: It’s a toss up between Greg Jennings’ catch & run for a diving TD against Atlanta and Jordy Nelson’s 93 catch & run for a TD that left half of St. Louis’ secondary juked out of their shoes. Honorable mentions for Jermichael Finley’s 3 TD performance against the Bears and Jennings’ wide open TD against Minnesota, which gets extra points for the feel good aspect of it.

Defensive Player of Mid-Year: Although his numbers aren’t as staggering as they have been, I’m going with Clay Matthews here. While he isn’t racking up the sacks, he is certainly a disruptive force in the backfield and I firmly believe that it is his pressure that helps to force the 13 INTs our defense has so far.

Defensive Up and Comer: Morgan Burnett. Kid looked good last year before the injury and isn’t disappointing this year. Now if he could get that damn cast off…

Defensive Shocker of Mid-Year: The lack of pass rush from the defense as a whole.

Defensive Play of Mid-Year: Goal-line stop against Saints. Sums up what this defense is as a unit: while the play may be sloppy, they know how to tighten the screws and get the job done when they need to.

Rookie Of The Year: Randall Cobb, although he has tapered off after a speedy start. He’ll look better when this kickoff rule gets changed and he has more opportunities to run back kicks. But he looks comfortable at the WR spot and we even saw him take a handoff this last game. Do I see a little trickeration in our future?

Best Game So Far: As a whole team, I’ll have to go with the game against Atlanta, but really only the second half. Shutting out the Falcons at home in the second half was a tremendous feat by our defense.

Worst Game So Far: The Panthers game could be up for consideration. But I’m gonna say St. Louis. I know, I know…the Rams are so bad that we didn’t need to add insult to injury like the Saints did to the Colts. But I don’t like to see a team let off the gas in a game and it looked like the guys were content with the 24 points the scored in the first half. Against St. Louis, it didn’t turn out to be a problem. But playing that laid back could be a mistake, especially at a time when we can’t afford mistakes.

Trap Game Of Future: Unless the Lions lose out all the way to Thanksgiving, I can’t see the Detroit game as a trap, simply because we know how well they have been playing during the early part of the season. I’m going to go with the game in Kansas City against the Chiefs. It’s toward the end of the season and we should be ramping up for the playoffs. KC, meanwhile, is probably playing for pride at this point. Classic trap game set-up, although I doubt the ramifications of a loss would be detrimental to the team.

I like the whole NFL idea Jeffersap did. My turn.

Offensive Player of Mid-Year: Aaron Rodgers (shocker).
Receiver (WR/TE/RB) of Mid-Year: Wes Welker, who is on pace to shatter Rice’s single season yardage record.
Offensive Shocker of Mid-Year: I second the motion of Chris Johnson’s terrible play, simply as a fantasy owner of his. What’s even more shocking is that the Titans are still in the division hunt with Johnson sucking, although that’s with a lot of help from Jacksonville and Indianapolis.
Offensive Play of Mid-Year: Dominick Hixon’s grab against St. Louis.

Defensive Player of Mid-Year: It pains me…but Jared Allen. I take it back. Charles Woodson leading the league in INTs so far.
Defensive Up and Comer: Jason Pierre-Paul.
Defensive Shocker of Mid-Year: San Francisco’s revival.
Defensive Play of Mid-Year: Vince Wilfork’s pick against San Diego and crybaby Phillip Rivers.
Rookie Of The Year: Cam Newton. No question
Best Game So Far: Bills coming from behind and beating the Pats.
Worst Game So Far: The Cleveland Seattle game, by far.

Thanks for the post!

Offensive Player of Mid-Year: Rodgers. Anyone saying anything different is trying to sell you something.
Receiver (WR/TE/RB) of Mid-Year: Jennings. He’s the most consistent, he’s the big play guy, he makes things happen…and he carries the team on his back duuu!
Offensive Shocker of Mid-Year: TIE…how much better Jordy Nelson has gotten AND just how freakin good Aaron Rodgers has been.
Offensive Play of Mid-Year: Jordy beating Al Harris on the slant and go route against the Rams.

Defensive Player of Mid-Year: Clay Matthews. People are going to want to give it to Woodson for his flashy stats, but even though Matthews sack numbers are down he is the most consistent defender, is able to generate pressure through double teams, and is much more consistent against the run.
Defensive Up and Comer: Morgan Burnett. He looked great before he broke his hand and has looked pretty good despite having a cast on his hand since he broke the hand. That’s impressive and shows another defensive playmaker in the making.
Defensive Shocker of Mid-Year: The fact that Nick Collins career might be over. Say what you will about the softness of the D or how many yards they have given up, this could be a big problem for Collins and the Packers.
Defensive Play of Mid-Year: Woodson’s pick six against Denver. At that point the route was on.

Rookie Of The Year: Randall Cobb. The rookie class looks alright so far since Sherrod has come in and played some (looked alright), Green has some looks but is now gone for the year, Taylor and Lattimore look pretty good on special teams, and Williams has gotten in some looks at TE, but Cobb looks special.
Best Game So Far: Atlanta. They showed toughness and resolve, something necessary in order to repeat and face down the Niners and Lions.
Worst Game So Far: Tough to say since they are all wins….I would say Minnesota. It’s tough to say we should of rapped that game up sooner, because really we were able to step up and do what we needed to when we needed to do it, but still there were lots of little things that should be improved upon from that game more than any other really.
Trap Game Of Future:

Offensive Player of Mid-Year: Aaron Rodgers…I assume this will be the same for everyone. No one else makes everyone better like Rodgers does.

Receiver (WR/TE/RB) of Mid-Year: Jordy Nelson. I think he’s taken the next step this year. I was skeptical but he’s won me over, he’s becoming something special.

Offensive Shocker of Mid-Year: Jermichael Finley’s struggles. He’s really only had one great game. The rest have been pretty underwhelming, especailly the one following him going into the coaches office. He needs to step it up and give James Jones his hands back!

Offensive Play of Mid-Year: Jordy Nelson’s TD two weeks ago where Rodgers layed it in there perfectly and he split the defenders and took it to the house for like 95 yards.

Defensive Player of Mid-Year: Morgan Burnett. Not even a broken hand has slowed him down. He’s making those of us that stood behind him look very good! Runner up was Clay who is having the quietest great year in the league.

Defensive Up and Comer: Going Burnett here too.

Defensive Shocker of Mid-Year: Nick Collins injury and potential end of his career…devastating for him as well as the team!

Defensive Play of Mid-Year: Probably would go the stand against the Saints too.

Rookie Of The Year: Reggie Cobb. Totally re-energized our ST return team. He’s been a little up and down (to be expected) but loving the way he’s being used…hope to see more in the second half.

Best Game So Far: Saints game. Possibly the two best teams in the league facing off to open the season. It was filled with big plays and lots of excitement.

Worst Game So Far: Carolina game. I hated seeing a rookie shred up our D…the first sign that our D might have regressed a little this year.

Trap Game Of Future: NY Giants game. They will be hungry and have underrated team I think.

Offensive Player of Mid-Year: Matt Flynn by default of not being needed. J/K I think this is pretty unanimous.
Receiver (WR/TE/RB) of Mid-Year: The easy choice is Greg Jennings, but I like that it doesn’t seem like Jones has been dropping as many this year even if he’s not being targeted as much.
Offensive Shocker of Mid-Year: Grant’s inability to do anything on the ground.
Offensive Play of Mid-Year: (tie) Crosby’s 58 yd FG because well that was awesome, Nelson’s 93 yd TD because well same thing, and Cobbs 108 yd KO return because again awesomeness.

Defensive Player of Mid-Year: Matthews because he is the heart and soul of that defense
Defensive Up and Comer: I kinda like how Sam Shields has progressed this year. He already has as many picks and passes defended in 8 fewer games thus far.
Defensive Shocker of Mid-Year: How much they are getting gashed for huge chunks of yardage.
Defensive Play of Mid-Year: Goal-line stand hands down.

Rookie Of The Year: Cobb by default
Best Game So Far: Bears game because its always a little more satisfying winning at Soldier Field.
Worst Game So Far: 7-0 = no worst game
Trap Game Of Future: Tampa, game before Thanksgiving game and for what its worth Rodgers has a bad history against them (2 G 31 for 62 431 yds 4 TD 6 INT) not to mention 2 of the 3 worst QBR for games where he played the entire time. Granted the last game was two years ago, but this Tampa team is alot better than the last two teams.

Offensive Player of Midyear: Aaron Rodgers. Blatant and obvious.
Receiver of Midyear: Greg Jennings. With that being said, James Jones has gotten better and better.
Offensive Shocker of Midyear: The offensive line’s ability to look completely lost. What the hell, guys? There’s no reason you should be giving up 9 sacks over the course of three games. This could also be on Rodgers not releasing the ball when he should.
Offensive Play of Midyear: Jordy Nelson’s epic 93 yard TD reception. Essentially ended the game right there, as the Packers were completely content on sitting back with a huge lead.

Defensive Player of Midyear: CWood21, but Claymaker’s done exceptionally.
Defensive Up and Comer: Morgan Burnett, who’s done very well despite having a club.
Defensive Shocker of Midyear: the wild swings the defense has taken, especially against the run. They were obliterated by Adrian Peterson and Willis McGahee, but were able to shut down DeAngelo Williams and company.
Defensive Play of Midyear: The goal-line stand against New Orleans.

Rookie of the Year: Cobb. None of the other rookies have truly received much in the way of playing time.
Game of the Year: Saints (Sorry Banks and JRicky!). Holding them on a goal-line stand essentially kick-started an amazing run to 7-0.
Worst Game of the Year: Tough to say after 7-0, but probably the Broncos. Rodgers’s performance was AMAZING, but it was hideous to watch the defense get sliced up by Kyle Orton and Willis McGahee.
IT’S A TRAP Game: Raiders. It depends on what QB they put out there, but the Raiders are a very tough team to stop when they get it all together. These Raiders are far from the complete joke we played in 2003 and 2007.

I like Jordy Nelson and Jermichael Finley, but how can anyone but Greg Jennings even be seriously considered as our WR/TE/RB of mid-year?

I’m also worried about the defense . . . but I’m far from panic mode yet. I think Capers has yet to show teams the full package. Why give them game film – especially when our offense is scoring enough to be able to play vanilla-ish D.
First game of the year, against the Saints: no big shame in giving up big yards to the Saints. Second game: I think the reason we stopped the running game but not Cam Newton and Steve Smith is because Capers and Co. probably hadn’t planned on Newton being the real deal. At that point he had only had one game so it was hard to really believe, and one game doesn’t give one a lot of game film. So I think we probably over game-planned for the run and didn’t think enough about Newton and Steve Smith.
Then Collins goes out. It will take a while to adjust. Bennett and Peprah have to gain the confidence of Capers before he can get really creative. In the meantime we have to kind of cover their butts. But the lack of a second pass-rusher behind CM3 is a big concern.