Jan26

The 2013: Fan on Fire – Pro football Awards – They “WEREN’T” What We Thought They Were Award (Nominees)

NFL Inferno 1 comment

Eli Manning, (Patrick Smith/Getty Images North America)

Eli Manning and the New York Giants won the Super Bowl last season, but this season they didn’t make the playoffs. Other teams failed to live up to their pre-season billing as well.

Here are the Nominees for the 2013 Fan on Fire – Pro Football Awards: The “They WEREN’t What We Thought They Were” Award

Instead of Putting together an “All” Team like a lot people do every year, last year I decided to put together my own awards list. Not necessarily awarding the best statistically in any given position, but awards that matter to me, and maybe to some of you.

The Awards Nominees have been announced. I now review the nominees in each category throughout the playoffs, and then on Super Bowl Eve I will announce the winners. Last year it was all based on my opinion, but since I got such a good response I will include a poll on each review, and see who the “fans” think should win. The poll results won’t be revealed until the winner is announced.

So here are the NOMINEES for the second annual 2013 Fan on Fire – Pro Football Awards “They WEREN’T What We Thought They Were” Award Award.

The “They WEREN’T What We Thought They Were” Award: Goes to the team who failed to live up their hype the most. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Detroit Lions: in 2011 the Lions went 10-6 and secured a wild card berth in the playoffs. With the talent on offense they had coming back and the likes of Ndamukong Suh on defense, the think was that the Lions would be a playoff team again. But things didn’t go according to plan and the Lions finished 6-10 in 2012 on an eight game losing streak.

Jim Schwartz, (Leon Halip/Getty Images North America)

New York Giants: The New York Giants went 9-7 in the 2012, the same as in 2011, but this season they didn’t make the playoffs and last season ended with a Super Bowl win. Based on what happened last season, one would think that the Giants would have at least made the playoffs, but it wasn’t to be.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers went from 12-4 in 2011 to 8-8 in 2012 and out of the playoffs. Ben Roethlisberger was injured for a good part of the season, and the Steelers didn’t seem to have the same level of intensity defensively. While some teams might look at 8-8 as a good season, the Steelers are one of the most consistently good teams in the NFL, and 8-8 is a disappointment.

Ben Roethlisberger, (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images North America)

Last Years winner: Philadelphia Eagles

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The other Award Category Nominees

The “Don’t You know Who I am? – Diva” of the Year: No, this award does not go to the top women’s wrestler, it goes to the most petulant, tempestuous, out of control player of the year. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Rashard Mendenhall, RB – Pittsburgh Steelers
Chad Johnson, WR – Miami Dolphins
Ndamukong Suh, DT – Detroit Lions

Last Years winner: Albert Haynesworth

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“Highlight Hero” of the year: Goes to the top offensive player who provided to best highlight reel footage of the year. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Dez Bryant, WR – Dallas Cowboys
A.J. Green, WR – Cincinnati Bengals
Robert Griffin III, QB – Washington Redskins
Adrian Peterson, RB – Minnesota Vikings

Last Years winner: Calvin Johnson, WR – Detroit Lions

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“Enforcer” of the year: Goes to the defender, that strikes the most fear into NFL Offenses. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Von Miller, LB – Denver Broncos
Aldon Smith, LB – San Francisco 49ers
J.J. Watt, DE – Houston Texans

Last Years winner: Terrell Suggs, LB – Baltimore Ravens

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The “Lazarus” Award: Goes to the player or coach whose career seemed to be in jeopardy, but now is rejuvenated after a successful season. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Peyton Manning, QB – Denver Broncos
Chuck Pagano, HC – Indianapolis Colts
Adrian Peterson, RB – Minnesota Vikings

Last Years winner: Alex Smith, QB – San Francisco 49ers

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The “Talk the Talk / Walk the Walk” Award: Goes to the player, who not only talks a good game, but also walks it, and lived up to his hype. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Richard Sherman, CB – Seattle Seahawks
Wes Welker, WR – New England Patriots
Roddy White, WR – Atlanta Falcons

Last Years winner: Arian Foster, RB – Houston Texans

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The “Don’t Believe the Hype” Award: Goes to the player who came into the season with a lot of hype, but didn’t quite live up to it. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Trent Richardson, RB – Cleveland Browns
Michael Vick, QB – Philadelphia Eagles
Mario Williams, DE – Buffalo Bills

Last Years winner: Chad Johnson, WR

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The “There’s that Man Again” Award: Goes to the player who you never heard of, that’s suddenly all over the field making plays, and you wonder why he’s not on your team. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Stevie Brown, S – New York Giants
Alfred Morris, RB – Washington Redskins
Russell Wilson, QB – Seattle Seahawks

Last Years winner: Victor Cruz, WR – New York Giants

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The “I – in TEAM” Award: Goes to the player who had the best Individual season on a bad team. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Jamaal Charles, RB – Kansas City Chiefs
Calvin Johnson, WR – Detroit Lions
Patrick Peterson, CB – Arizona Cardinals

Last Years winner: Jared Allen, DE – Minnesota Vikings

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The “REAL” Coach of the year Award: Typically this award goes to the coach who over achieved the most, or the coach whose team dominated the league. But this award goes to the Coach who actually did the best coaching job this season. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are:

Bruce Arians – Indianapolis Colts
Pete Carroll – Seattle Seahawks
Chuck Pagano – Indianapolis Colts

Last Years winner: Jim Harbaugh - San Francisco 49ers

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PLAYER OF THE YEAR

The “FAN ON FIRE” Football Player of the Year: Goes to the player who had the hottest performance throughout the season. And the Nominees in alphabetical order are: