Midseason Review
With nine weeks complete in the 2011 NFL Season, it seems like it's time for a quick review on the season thus far with seven 'quick hits' on the season thus far.
1. Best Team | New England Patriots 7-1
There's three teams that sit at 7-1 thus far on the season and two of them are in the same division. Both the Packers and Bears are 7-1, but the Patriots have scored 231 points in 8 games, second most in the league behind the Tennessee Titans. Their 124 points against is fourth best in the league as well. Their only blemish came in week five when the 2-6 Miami Dolphins topped them 23-19 on a last minute touchdown to Brandon Marshall. They will be tested soon however when they travel to Chicago to take on the Bears in week eleven.
2. Biggest Surprise | Buffalo Bills 5-3
The Bills may have come back down to earth by losing three straight after starting off undefeated. No one expected the Ryan Fitzpatrick led Bills would have this kind of early success, but they're on pace to have a playoff birth, and that's a hell of a shock. Good luck to them in the second half of 2011.
3. Biggest Disappointment | Dallas Cowboys 2-6
They weren't that stellar in 2011, but after a lackluster draft, they've yet to do anything substantial this season either. They've lost two straight and find themselves with very little chance of making the playoffs for a second straight season.
4. Most Valuable Player | HB Chris Johnson - Tennessee Titans
He's toppled 1400 yards in just nine games. He's got thirteen rushing touchdowns, a ridiculous 7.6 yards per rush average, and he's also caught forty-six passes for just over 500 yards there too. Not only is he on pace to beat Dickerson's record, he's on pace to shatter it. The only downfall, the Titans have had an up and down season that has them at just 6-3 right now.
5. Defensive Player of the Year | LB Shaun Phillips - San Diego Chargers
65 Tackles, 8 Sacks, 2 Interceptions, 1 Forced Fumble. Phillips has been a force for a 5-4 Chargers team that finds themselves struggling to stay alive in the playoffs.
6. Rookie of the Year | QB Cam Newton - Tennessee Titans
Okay, this is debatable, he's struggled in some games while looking impressive in others. Panthers Patrick Peterson has been impressive with four interceptions and forty tackles thus far. But Newton is on pace to throw for nearly 4000 yards [2020 in 9 games] and around twenty-five touchdowns to fifteen interceptions. If he can stop his fumbling, he's had three this season so far, he'll be a hell of a player for years to come.
7. Injuries | Twenty-Four Players on Injured Reserve
The Redskins have lost Donovan McNabb with a fractured elbow, Jaguars David Garrard with a torn tricep, and Matt Cassel is on the Chiefs IR with a PCL tear. Saints defensive end Will Smith hasn't even taken a snap this season after breaking his jaw in the third preseason game. The Raiders have lost both Tommy Kelly [Complete ACL Tear] and Richard Seymour [Torn Pectoral Muscle] for the season as well. The Cowboys defensive woes could be determined by linebacker Keith Brooking being placed on the IR with an ACL tear.
Giants Eli Manning left the game against Seattle in week seven with a toe injury. His return this season is listed as questionable, but could be ready for the playoffs should the Giants make it that far. The Vikings had been set on Red Grossman as their future quarterback, but after leaving the game in week eight with a quad injury, he hasn't returned. He may return for the season finale if lucky.