Season Awards: Hand Mr. Brady his due bunch
Most surprising team: Green Bay. The NFC North was billed as a one-team division, and it was: Only Chicago wasn't the one team. The Bears went into retreat early, leaving the top floor to Green Bay. And the Packers renewed their lease by winning, winning, winning. So they bombed out a week ago. That can happen when snow, sub-freezing temperature and wind gusts in excess of 40 mph collide in Chicago. 2. Cleveland; 3. Tampa Bay
Most disappointing team: Chicago. A year ago the Bears were one win from parking a second Lombardi Trophy in Halas Hall. Now they're the latest victims of the Super Bowl jinx, which seems to infect everyone but Seattle immediately after losing NFL title games. Sure, the Bears have a raft of alibis: injuries, bad quarterbacking, Tank Johnson, bad quarterbacking, Cedric Benson, bad quarterbacking. Mostly, though, they just stunk. 2. Baltimore; 3. Denver
Most surprising player: Derek Anderson, QB, Cleveland. He came this close to raising the Titanic and putting the Browns in the playoffs. And maybe that happens this weekend, I don't know. What I do know is that Cleveland should finish 10-6, its best record since returning to the NFL, and Anderson is a big reason why. All he's done is throw for more TDs than all but four quarterbacks and keep rookie Brady Quinn on the bench. 2. Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay; 3. Earnest Graham, RB, Tampa Bay.
Most disappointing player: Shaun Alexander, RB, Seattle. Two years ago he was the league MVP and set a record (since broken) for touchdowns. Now he can't get out of anyone's way. In fact, two weeks ago he didn't have a run longer than 1 yard until the third quarter. I know he has injuries, but I haven't seen anyone's reputation plunge this far this fast since Kenneth Lay took the hit for Enron. 2. Julius Peppers, DE, Carolina; 3. Larry Johnson, RB, Kansas City.
Most improved player: Mario Williams, DE, Houston. He did next to nothing as the No. 1 pick in 2006 and was a favorite target for critics (thank you very much) who insisted the Texans botched the pick. One year later he's second in the league in sacks and the cornerstone of a Houston team that looks ready for takeoff in 2008. Yeah, I'd say that was an improvement. 2. Braylon Edwards, WR, Cleveland; 3. David Garrard, QB, Jacksonville.
Best free-agent pickup: Patrick Kerney, DE, Seattle. Once a star in Atlanta; now a star in Seattle. The Seahawks promised Kerney would invigorate their pass rush, and they were right. He leads the league in sacks. He had a five-game stretch where he produced 10 sacks and forced three fumbles. And he's 2.5 sacks from setting a single-season franchise record. 2. Jeff Garcia, QB, Tampa Bay; 3. Jamal Lewis, RB, Cleveland.
Best trend: Commissioner Roger Goodell restoring law and order to a league that was beginning to look like Guys Gone Wild. He cracked down on Pacman Jones, Chris Henry and Michael Vick, and he subtracted a first-round draft pick and $750,000 from Bill Belichick and the Patriots for Spygate. Goodell is tough, but he is fair. More important, he is quick and decisive with his punishment. 2. Close games; 3. Arizona, Cleveland and Detroit back on the NFL map.
Worst trend: The NFL Network's failure to reach more homes. Cable companies won't meet the NFL's demands, so the Network hopes for a consumer revolt. It doesn't happen. Enough already. Lower your demands, people, and let's reach a compromise. It makes sense to televise Saturday's Patriots-Giants game on network TV; it makes no sense to keep Dallas-Green Bay from public view in places like New York City. 2. Outsourcing regular-season games; 3. Anything ... no, everything ... associated with the Atlanta Falcons.
Best moment: Tight end Kevin Everett returning to Buffalo. He suffered partial paralysis when he was hurt in the season opener, with physicians warning the injury could be life-threatening. Last weekend he walked into the Bills' locker room for the first time since that incident, proof that miracles can ... and do ... happen. 2. Favre breaking Dan Marino's career touchdown mark; 3. Peterson rushing for an NFL-record 296 yards.
Worst moment: The death of Sean Taylor. Once he was as tough off the field as he was on it. Then he fathered a child and started to change a life that was cut short by what police term a break-in. Senseless. Stupid. And sad. 2. An immobilized Everett strapped to a gurney and whisked off the field in Buffalo; 3. Everything about the Michael Vick case, including the support of his ex-teammates after he was sentenced to 23 months in jail. Just what part of liar, killer and confessed felon don't you understand, guys?
