Packers WR Randall Cobb Wins For 2011 NFL Play of the Year

by Brandon on Feb 5, 2012 7:01 AM CST in Green Bay Packers News

Green Bay Packers news | Season-opening kickoff return wins Cobb NFL Play of the Year award | Green Bay Press Gazette. The biggest news was the MVP award, but Green Bay Packers rookie WR Randall Cobb was also recognized at the NFL Honors Show for his 108 yard kickoff against the Saints.

I find it hard to name just one play as the best play of the year. Should it be for an amazing highlight? A play that somehow turned a team's entire season around? His kick return wasn't a play that turned their season around, and they could have won the game even without it. But it was a very memorable play that these voters remembered as the best play they saw all season.

I was more impressed by Cobb's contributions to the special teams unit overall, which had been lowly ranked over the past couple seasons. In 2011, Football Outsiders ranked them No. 8 overall. What he gave them was a lot better than the poor production they had on returns in 2010.

My thanks to WildPack86 for his earlier Fan Post.

By the way, if you haven't of this award before, I believe it's a brand new one included as part of the new NFL Honors Show at the Super Bowl. Here's more from SB Nation NFL Editor Joel Thorman. NFL Honors Show: The View From Behind The Scenes - SBNation.com. He's the one pictured with the beard who isn't Colts C Jeff Saturday.

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I guess the best news of Cobb winning this award is that it means Blount didn’t win for that dang run against us! Another funny thing about the return was that his coach was mad at him for even taking it out in the first place, and now he get rewarded for it! haha

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Feb 5, 2012 7:51 AM CST reply actions

Although I'm glad a Packer won it...

I thought the Bengal’s flip into the end zone – and sticking the landing – was a far more memorable play.

Still, the fact that it was the FIRST play, and still stuck out in the minds of the voters all year long, is quite a feat.

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by JSOnline Castaway on Feb 5, 2012 8:36 AM CST reply actions

It was more memorable but not in an amazing football play kind of way. Honestly it was a gimmick play. Totally pre-meditated. He could have scored without doing it, just a play for show. I would have rather seen Blount get it than a guy doing a flip. The flip was fun but really the play wasn’t anything spectacular.

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Feb 5, 2012 11:15 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

This.

I would like to also add that the Cobb kickoff return was cool because the NFL moved the kick off and no one thought anyone would get returns anymore. RIGHT OFF THE BAT! So awesome.

That dog just won't hunt.

by Bush League All Star on Feb 5, 2012 11:38 AM CST up reply actions

I Don't think it was premeditated...

How is he supposed to plan for the guy being right in front of him and actually getting a piece of him? He might have planned to do a flip once he scored, but I Seriously doubt he planned on doing a flip just to score, much less over a defensive player!

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by Strohman on Feb 5, 2012 11:41 AM CST up reply actions

I agree. I don’t think it was premeditated as a flip. I think he was diving for the endzone and it ended up as a flip.

by MikeDB on Feb 5, 2012 2:12 PM CST up reply actions

His coaches talked about him practicing the move and talking about doing it during a game. I mean premeditated in that way, not in that it was some kind of a deal where he had the exact moment laid out (obviously). It was something where he had been waiting for the right moment.

Its great youtube footage but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a great football play.

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Feb 10, 2012 9:56 AM CST up reply actions

I agree with this.

I don’t think it was a gimmick, but I agree the TD otherwise wasn’t anything spectacular other than the flip, it wasn’t really a “football play” if you will. Blount and Cobb both had plays that showed what spectacular football awareness they had, and they both could have won, but I’m glad it was Cobb.

On Wisconsin!

by Celtin on Feb 5, 2012 12:19 PM CST up reply actions

It may have helped Rodgers win the MVP. Don’t know the rationale for every voter, but I bet the Pack’s record was definitely in the equation for all of them.

by CourtesyLaughs on Feb 5, 2012 10:10 AM CST reply actions

Play of the Year was decided by voting, so it could also be an indication of lots of Packer fans voting.

by MikeDB on Feb 5, 2012 2:12 PM CST reply actions

You could argue

Without Cobb’s KR for a TD, we don’t get the one seed, we don’t get a ton of momentum from beating the Saints, we don’t go 15-1. Cobb was as big a factor as any Packer in that game, and he justified his draft status with that game alone.

Aaron Rodgers, MVP.
The day LeBron James wins an NBA championship will be the day I stop watching NBA basketball. Needless to say, it looks like I'll be watching for quite a few more years.

by arodgb on Feb 5, 2012 2:52 PM CST reply actions