Hats off to Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson because they are having three of the best rookie seasons of any quarterback in NFL history. All three are tremendous leaders who we will, hopefully, all have the pleasure to see in the playoffs if the Redskins can beat the Cowboys next week. But which one should win the offensive rookie of the year? I'm not sure if he will, but in my opinion, Andrew Luck should win the award. His stats are great, but compared to Griffin and Wilson, Luck's completion percentage and interception totals make him the third horse in the race. But the most important stat to Luck's resume: +8. +8 is the win differential that the Colts, under Andrew Luck's leadership, have seen from 2011 to 2012. Andrew Luck, who took over a 2-14 team at the beginning of the season, is the first quarterback to be taken number one overall to lead his team to the playoffs. Not only that, look at how he lead his team to the playoffs. Luck has seven fourth quarter comebacks compared to Griffin and Wilson's three. Time and time again, whether Luck had been performing well or poor, he would engineer comebacks that only the great quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have done. Remember when Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers led the Colts 21-3 in the third quarter and Luck and the Colts came back to win 30-27 on a late touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne? Remember when the Colts trailed 33-21 with four minutes to go in Detroit? Remember when on the last play of that game, Luck found Donnie Avery to give the Colts the win? Those two games alone are the difference between the Colts clinching the playoffs in week sixteen and needing help in week seventeen to make the playoffs. But there were five other games in which the previously hopeless Colts needed Andrew Luck to make plays when it mattered most to win. Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson each have more around them, allowing them to deservedly shine because they are both spectacular players. But the Colts do not have anywhere near the talent of the Redskins and particularly the Seahawks, making Luck the league's most valuable rookie on the offensive side of the ball. But I guess the most interesting aspect of this terrific award race is that the winner of this award will define the terms of the award. If Andrew Luck wins the offensive rookie of the year, then the award is given to the player who is most valuable to their team. If Robert Griffin III or Russell Wilson wins this award, it means that the award is given to the most outstanding player. It should be very interesting to see who claims this award, but I believe it will come down to whether Robert Griffin III leads the Redskins to a win over Dallas to make the playoffs. If he does, I believe Griffin will win the award, even though I still would believe that Andrew Luck deserves the award for being the most valuable rookie.
Monday, December 24, 2012
2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of Year- Still Andrew Luck's Award
Hats off to Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson because they are having three of the best rookie seasons of any quarterback in NFL history. All three are tremendous leaders who we will, hopefully, all have the pleasure to see in the playoffs if the Redskins can beat the Cowboys next week. But which one should win the offensive rookie of the year? I'm not sure if he will, but in my opinion, Andrew Luck should win the award. His stats are great, but compared to Griffin and Wilson, Luck's completion percentage and interception totals make him the third horse in the race. But the most important stat to Luck's resume: +8. +8 is the win differential that the Colts, under Andrew Luck's leadership, have seen from 2011 to 2012. Andrew Luck, who took over a 2-14 team at the beginning of the season, is the first quarterback to be taken number one overall to lead his team to the playoffs. Not only that, look at how he lead his team to the playoffs. Luck has seven fourth quarter comebacks compared to Griffin and Wilson's three. Time and time again, whether Luck had been performing well or poor, he would engineer comebacks that only the great quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have done. Remember when Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers led the Colts 21-3 in the third quarter and Luck and the Colts came back to win 30-27 on a late touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne? Remember when the Colts trailed 33-21 with four minutes to go in Detroit? Remember when on the last play of that game, Luck found Donnie Avery to give the Colts the win? Those two games alone are the difference between the Colts clinching the playoffs in week sixteen and needing help in week seventeen to make the playoffs. But there were five other games in which the previously hopeless Colts needed Andrew Luck to make plays when it mattered most to win. Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson each have more around them, allowing them to deservedly shine because they are both spectacular players. But the Colts do not have anywhere near the talent of the Redskins and particularly the Seahawks, making Luck the league's most valuable rookie on the offensive side of the ball. But I guess the most interesting aspect of this terrific award race is that the winner of this award will define the terms of the award. If Andrew Luck wins the offensive rookie of the year, then the award is given to the player who is most valuable to their team. If Robert Griffin III or Russell Wilson wins this award, it means that the award is given to the most outstanding player. It should be very interesting to see who claims this award, but I believe it will come down to whether Robert Griffin III leads the Redskins to a win over Dallas to make the playoffs. If he does, I believe Griffin will win the award, even though I still would believe that Andrew Luck deserves the award for being the most valuable rookie.
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