2010 Season 1st Quarter Report

As the first quarter of the 2010 season came to an end Monday night, the league is already very muddled. Who'd have thought the Chiefs would be 3-0 and the Bengals and Colts would be 2-2 or that the Cowboys and Vikings would be 1-2? Not I for one, but some great football has already been played, and some very exciting and important games still to play.

This post will just cover the basic awards, as well as a quick projection of the Super Bowl.

1st Quarter Awards:

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Dez Bryant

Runner Ups: Sam Bradford
                   Demaryius Thomas

This was a tough one, and while Thomas is playing very well, Bryant is just a step ahead of him. He has a TD on a return, and he's playing better in the passing game. Bradford warrants great consideration because of the relative success the Rams are enjoying, and also because for a rookie he's doing a fine job of moving the chains.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Earl Thomas

Runner Ups: Ndamukong Suh
                   Nate Allen

Thomas is proving he is going to have a long career in the NFL. In an incredibly weak Seattle secondary he leads the team, and is tied for the league lead, in interceptions. He is third on his team for tackles and if you watch any Seattle game, he's involved in almost every play. Suh has been a beast and is beginning to live up to his hype and comparisons to Warren Sapp. He has recorded 3 sacks and 15 tackles, and is a very important man for that Detroit team. Allen is playing almost as well as Thomas, plus he has a sack, but he's just a hair behind with fewer tackles, and isn't quite as involved or active as Thomas is.

Offensive Player of the Year: Arian Foster

Runner Ups: Kyle Orton
                   Peyton Manning

I was part of the crowd that thought Foster was a one hit wonder, but he's proving that group wrong pretty quickly. In four games he rushed for over 500 yards, four touchdowns and a 6.3 YPC. He is playing better then Chris Johnson or Adrian Peterson. He is just a monster at this point. Orton and Manning are playing amazing ball, both are on course for career years, an easier thing for Orton then for Manning. Either one could win this award as well, but Fosters electric play wins the award for me.

Defensive Player of the Year: Clay Matthews

Runner Ups: Shaun Philips
                   Nate Allen

Matthews is playing absolutely great football right now with seven sacks over four games. He's physical and a dominant player. We should be grateful we don't play Green Bay this season because Matthews is getting behind the line way too often. Philips is also playing very well, with six sacks and an interceptions to top it off. I kept flipping back and forth between Allen and Thomas, but because Allen has the sack over Thomas, and Thomas already won the DROY award, I'll give Allen the nod.

MVP: Kyle Orton

Runner Ups: Peyton Manning
                   Philip Rivers

Orton has proved that while he can't make miracles every week, the only reason we are even in the game is because of him. He's putting up Pro Bowl numbers behind a line that's given up 11 sacks in 4 games, second most in the NFL behind Cutler, whose out with a concussion. This team wouldn't be 2-2 without Orton. Manning and Rivers are the same case, they're playing some of the best football of their career, but their teams are just failing them. The only reason Manning is overlooked is because does he really need another MVP award?

Super Bowl:

Indianapolis Colts against the Green Bay Packers

Manning will not allow his team to stay at 2-2, he will put in enough work for his whole team and run that marathon alone if he has too. Baltimore and the Steelers warrant consideration, but their offenses are too weak I believe to drive to the Super Bowl. The Packers are playing top notch football, with just one hiccup and a messy game against Chicago. They are playing great football.