For the past few years, I've been one of Julius Peppers' biggest critics. For a guy who is compared so often to Reggie White, Peppers, I thought, should be producing more than 10 sacks a year, which was his eight-season average in Carolina. And when the Bears signed him in March for, in essence, $1 million per game, I thought: They'll be disappointed in his production for that money.

Though Peppers had but eight sacks this year, he had a huge impact on a defense that went from 21st in the league in points allowed in 2009 to fourth this year; from 4.3 yards per rush last year to 3.7 this year; from 29 touchdown passes surrendered last year to 14 this year. He pushes the pocket. He buzzes around the quarterback. He makes other guys -- Israel Idonije, Tommie Harris -- better.

There's no question the return of Brian Urlacher at the pivot point of the defense has been a significant addition, but Peppers has been the most important reason the Bears have become the Monsters of the Midway again, and that's why he's my defensive player of the year.

I considered Clay Matthews long and hard for this award, and it was close. Midway through the season, Matthews was the guy. But then I saw Peppers beat a wounded Jake Long for two of his three sacks against the Dolphins, and saw how he pushed Bryant McKinnie around on the Monday nighter in Minnesota. He's the John Stockton of the Bears defense, the guy who makes everyone around him better.

That's the headline of my awards. Here's my ballot. Keep in mind that the playoffs mean nothing; the balloting is for regular-season play only.


Awards
MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England. Stopped being a race when Mike Vick had his non-factor final two weeks.

Coach: Bill Belichick, New England. Narrowly over Raheem Morris of the stunningly 10-6 Bucs, because Belichick oversaw the revamping of his offense with a great personnel and coaching job, winning 14 games.

Executive: Scott Pioli, GM, Kansas City. Again, narrowly over the Bucs' Mark Dominik, whose team played 13 rookies in winning games at season's end. But Pioli's draft (strong character players and impact rookies), and the Chiefs winning the AFC West, gave him the edge.

Offensive player: Tom Brady, QB, New England. Hard to beat out a guy with 36 touchdowns against only four interceptions.

Defensive player: Julius Peppers, DE, Chicago. Matthews and Cameron Wake my 2-3.

Offensive rookie: Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis. Played every snap and had a better season than Mark Sanchez (look it up), and still I strong considered Steeler center Maurkice Pouncey, who played like an eight-year vet from August on.

Defensive rookie: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit. Ten sacks with the amount of focus and pressure that was on him? Amazing. Edged Devin McCourty. Though I have McCourty as one of my corners and Suh not on my D-line, Suh had a better year than McCourty.

Comeback player: (tie) EJ Henderson, LB, Minnesota; Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia. Comeback player can mean coming back from anything -- injury, jail, whatever -- and I realize Vick was on the team last year and just didn't play much. I was solid on Henderson all along, but Vick's resurgence was so compelling and so great that I had to include him.

All-Pro Offense
WR: Calvin Johnson, Detroit; Roddy White, Atlanta. Sorry, Brandon Lloyd and Reggie Wayne. You're both deserving. I just loved the year Johnson had in scraping together 77 catches and 12 touchdowns with subpar quarterbacks throwing to him.

TE: Marcedes Lewis, Jax. Over Antonio Gates because Gates missed so much time.

T: Jake Long, Miami; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore. I went tough at tackle. Two warriors here, particularly Long, who played so much of the year with a torn labrum.

G: Ryan Lilja, K.C.; Rich Seubert, Giants. Seubert's here, edging Brandon Moore of the Jets, because I thought he had a superb year of versatility. Seubert started 7 games at center, so it is difficult for me to exclude someone who played 16 games at the guard position, but he was such a versatile fireman for the Giants, he definitely deserved a place on this team.

C: Alex Mack, Cleveland. Doubt this? Watch the job Mack did on Vince Wilfork in the Browns' beatdown of the Patriots.

QB: Tom Brady, New England.

RB: Arian Foster, Houston. Won the rushing title and caught the ball well out of the backfield. Even so, I thought long and hard about Jamaal Charles here.

FB: Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta. Blocks as well as any fullback in the game. Huge edge for Michael Turner.


All-Pro Defense
DE: Vince Wilfork, NE; Julius Peppers, Chicago. Wilfork played everywhere on the Pats' line, and played everywhere well.

NT: Kyle Williams, Buffalo. No other nose man is the combo pile-pusher and backfield invader that Williams is.

DT: Jonathan Babineaux, Atlanta. Love how he moves so powerfully through guard-tackle and guard-center holes. He's one of the long-overdue guys to get credit for the Falcons' defense.

OLB: Clay Matthews, Green Bay; Cameron Wake, Miami. Two tremendous pass rushers who don't take plays off. Pretty hard to not put Terrell Suggs somewhere on this team, but these guys, I thought, were two of the most dangerous rush 'backers in the league this year.

ILB: Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh. Represents James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley here. Could have picked any of the three. Love the way Timmons moves sideline to sideline and covers as well as any other inside 'backer.

MLB: Ray Lewis, Baltimore. Don't believe the hype that this is it for Lewis. He played great this year.

CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland; Devin McCourty, NE. McCourty makes it because Darrelle Revis was just OK for much of the middle part of the year because of his bad hammy, and because I thought Brandon Flowers had a so-so end of the year. Tramon Williams also very close here.

FS: Chris Harris, Chicago. Edged Nick Collins of the Packers. The Bear-turned-Panther-turned-Bear-again is a strong open-field tackler and had big picks against the Eagles and Vikes.

SS: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh. Missed two games and had a couple in which he had little impact because of his ankle/Achilles issues. Still the most instinctive safety in football.

Let the arguments begin.

"Peter King" wrote:

Awards

MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England. Stopped being a race when Mike Vick had his non-factor final two weeks.

Coach: Bill Belichick, New England. Narrowly over Raheem Morris of the stunningly 10-6 Bucs, because Belichick oversaw the revamping of his offense with a great personnel and coaching job, winning 14 games.

Executive: Scott Pioli, GM, Kansas City. Again, narrowly over the Bucs' Mark Dominik, whose team played 13 rookies in winning games at season's end. But Pioli's draft (strong character players and impact rookies), and the Chiefs winning the AFC West, gave him the edge.

Offensive player: Tom Brady, QB, New England. Hard to beat out a guy with 36 touchdowns against only four interceptions.

Defensive player: Julius Peppers, DE, Chicago. Matthews and Cameron Wake my 2-3.

Offensive rookie: Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis. Played every snap and had a better season than Mark Sanchez (look it up), and still I strong considered Steeler center Maurkice Pouncey, who played like an eight-year vet from August on.

Defensive rookie: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit. Ten sacks with the amount of focus and pressure that was on him? Amazing. Edged Devin McCourty. Though I have McCourty as one of my corners and Suh not on my D-line, Suh had a better year than McCourty.

Comeback player: (tie) EJ Henderson, LB, Minnesota; Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia. Comeback player can mean coming back from anything -- injury, jail, whatever -- and I realize Vick was on the team last year and just didn't play much. I was solid on Henderson all along, but Vick's resurgence was so compelling and so great that I had to include him.

All-Pro Offense

WR: Calvin Johnson, Detroit; Roddy White, Atlanta. Sorry, Brandon Lloyd and Reggie Wayne. You're both deserving. I just loved the year Johnson had in scraping together 77 catches and 12 touchdowns with subpar quarterbacks throwing to him.

TE: Marcedes Lewis, Jax. Over Antonio Gates because Gates missed so much time.

T: Jake Long, Miami; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore. I went tough at tackle. Two warriors here, particularly Long, who played so much of the year with a torn labrum.

G: Ryan Lilja, K.C.; Rich Seubert, Giants. Seubert's here, edging Brandon Moore of the Jets, because I thought he had a superb year of versatility. Seubert started 7 games at center, so it is difficult for me to exclude someone who played 16 games at the guard position, but he was such a versatile fireman for the Giants, he definitely deserved a place on this team.

C: Alex Mack, Cleveland. Doubt this? Watch the job Mack did on Vince Wilfork in the Browns' beatdown of the Patriots.

QB: Tom Brady, New England.

RB: Arian Foster, Houston. Won the rushing title and caught the ball well out of the backfield. Even so, I thought long and hard about Jamaal Charles here.

FB: Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta. Blocks as well as any fullback in the game. Huge edge for Michael Turner.

All-Pro Defense

DE: Vince Wilfork, NE; Julius Peppers, Chicago. Wilfork played everywhere on the Pats' line, and played everywhere well.

NT: Kyle Williams, Buffalo. No other nose man is the combo pile-pusher and backfield invader that Williams is.

DT: Jonathan Babineaux, Atlanta. Love how he moves so powerfully through guard-tackle and guard-center holes. He's one of the long-overdue guys to get credit for the Falcons' defense.

OLB: Clay Matthews, Green Bay; Cameron Wake, Miami. Two tremendous pass rushers who don't take plays off. Pretty hard to not put Terrell Suggs somewhere on this team, but these guys, I thought, were two of the most dangerous rush 'backers in the league this year.

ILB: Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh. Represents James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley here. Could have picked any of the three. Love the way Timmons moves sideline to sideline and covers as well as any other inside 'backer.

MLB: Ray Lewis, Baltimore. Don't believe the hype that this is it for Lewis. He played great this year.

CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland; Devin McCourty, NE. McCourty makes it because Darrelle Revis was just OK for much of the middle part of the year because of his bad hammy, and because I thought Brandon Flowers had a so-so end of the year. Tramon Williams also very close here.

FS: Chris Harris, Chicago. Edged Nick Collins of the Packers. The Bear-turned-Panther-turned-Bear-again is a strong open-field tackler and had big picks against the Eagles and Vikes.

SS: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh. Missed two games and had a couple in which he had little impact because of his ankle/Achilles issues. Still the most instinctive safety in football.

Let the arguments begin.

Pack93z: Listened to the same piece...
Jan 19, 2011 08:48.07

Zero2Cool: Yeah Shawn, mike and mike.
Jan 19, 2011 08:46.33

Zero2Cool: Wade, read below for example one.
Jan 19, 2011 08:42.14

longtimefan: 8 shouts on DPOY....shouldnt there be a thread if your intentions are to make threads? not being a smart ass...what qualifies as to much shouts on one topic, and what doesnt?
Jan 19, 2011 08:41.40

Pack93z: AP awards being released the 25th of Jan
Jan 19, 2011 08:35.57

Pack93z: url
Jan 19, 2011 08:32.09

Pack93z: On Mike and MIke? If so.. yes it was Peter Kings
Jan 19, 2011 08:30.10

Zero2Cool: Wade, considering I have tried that path before and all it did was lay a welcome mat for others to disrespect my intentions.
Jan 19, 2011 08:28.43

Zero2Cool: It was Peter Kings DPOY? I got in my truck and they said Peppers won DPOY, Bellicheck with Coach of the year. Didn't hear "whos" though.
Jan 19, 2011 08:27.33

Pack93z: Peter Kings
Jan 19, 2011 08:27.06

Pack93z: Peppers got King DPOY.
Jan 19, 2011 08:26.59

GoPack1984: Where did you hear Peppers got DPOY? I heard the awards will be announced next week.
Jan 19, 2011 08:24.56

Wade: so how come you keep clearing the shout?
Jan 19, 2011 08:19.21

Zero2Cool: CLeared shout table. I heard Julius Peppers got DPOY, Brady MVP
Jan 19, 2011 08:06.38

"Shoutbox" wrote:

Covering all bases.. lol.

"Pack93z" wrote:

One Man's All Pro Votes
 
The two most difficult positions to pick All-Pros for are outside linebacker and guard. But the reasons are entirely different. At outside linebacker, there is a glut of talented players, several more than you can squeeze onto an All-Pro team. At guard, there really arent any true standouts in the NFL these days. There isnt a lot of separation between the best guards in the league and the below-average ones.

Here is how my All-Pro ballot shakes out.

QuarterbackTom Brady, Patriots. Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers would have been strong contenders in another season, but Brady really blew away the competition this year. Of course, that was before the playoffs began. Votes had to be cast then.

Wide receiversCalvin Johnson, Lions and Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs. You could have gone a number of ways here. Tough to argue with Roddy White, and Reggie Wayne is a consideration every year. Brandon Lloyd merited a look. Mike Wallace and Greg Jennings are personal favorites. And Andre Johnson probably is the most talented of all. But Bowe scored 15 touchdowns despite getting virtually all of the attention from opposing defenses. And Calvin Johnson is the NFCs version of Andre Johnson. The Lions kept changing quarterbacks, and Johnson was the only constant in their passing game.

Running backsArian Foster, Texans and Jamaal Charles, Chiefs. Foster may have meant more to his offense than any non-quarterback meant to their offense. And Charles 6.9 yard average per carry is the bomb.

FullbackOvie Mughelli, Falcons. He was a hammer on lead blocks for Michael Turner, and he helped keep Matt Ryan clean all year.

Tight endMarcedes Lewis, Jaguars. Antonio Gates probably gets this spot if he didnt miss so many games. Jason Witten was tough to ignore too. But this was a good year to take notice of Lewis, an old fashioned tight end who blocks better than he runs, but still can make tough catches.

Offensive tackleDBrickashaw Ferguson, Jets and Andrew Whitworth, Bengals. Jake Long and Joe Thomas are solid, solid players are were strong considerations. But Ferguson pass protects as well as anyone. He gave up only two sacks all year according to STATS despite frequently being left on-on-one with the opposing teams best pass rusher. Whitworth was named the Bengals MVP, and for good reason.

GuardBrandon Moore, Jets, and Josh Sitton, Packers. Moore was very consistent in all phases of his game, and is a premier run blocker. Sitton was the best blocker on the Packers line. Chris Snee of the Giants also as a worthy candidate.

CenterNick Mangold, Jets. He may have been better one year ago, but he still was as good as any center.

Defensive endJulius Peppers, Bears and Jared Allen, Vikings. For much of the season, many people were wondering why these two guys werent getting more sacks. But they were both rushing the passer exceptionally well and helping to create opportunities for others.

Defensive tackleHaloti Ngata, Ravens and Ndamunkong Suh, Lions. Ngata really came into his own this season, adding some pass rush to his incredible run defense. And Suh was a force right from the start.

Outside linebackerClay Matthews, Packers and DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys. Matthews is the one lock. The second spot was up for grabs between Ware, Cameron Wake, Tamba Hali, James Harrison and Terrell Suggs. I gave it to Ware because he led the league with 15.5 sacks even though he didnt play on a team that had as many pass rush opportunities as most.

Inside linebackerBrian Urlacher, Bears and A.J. Hawk, Packers. Tough to argue against Ray Lewis ever. But Urlacher was outstanding. Im really surprised he hasnt gotten more attention for his overall game. And Hawk was the best-kept secret in the league.

CornerbacksDarrelle Revis, Jets and Tramon Williams, Packers. Revis is a rubber stamp candidate. Williams is another player hardly anyone knows about, but he came on strong this season to edge out Oaklands Nnamdi Asomugha on my ballot.

SafteyTroy Polamalu, Steelers and Ed Reed, Ravens. This was the easiest choice. No contest, really.

PunterShane Lechler, Raiders. His combination of leg strength and touch is unbeatable.

KickerBilly Cundiff, Ravens. He set a record with 40 touchbacks, and was darned good on field goals too.

ReturnerDevin Hester, Bears. Teams changed their game plans because of him on a consistent basis, and he frequently still made them pay.