Offensive MVP: There are so many valid options for the offensive MVP at the halfway point of the season. You have Fred Jackson, LeSean McCoy, and Matt Forte taking the big step to the elite running back status. Calvin Johnson is literally playing as if he is a transformer. And even Ben Roethlisberger is playing like a legitimate accurate, pocket passer. With all that said, it is not even really close. Aaron Rodgers has quietly racked up 2,372 yards and a league-leading 20 touchdowns in only seven games. He also leads the league with a quarterback rating of 125.7 and with a completion percentage of 71.5, which both would be NFL records if the season ended right now. Obviously, it will not, so it will be interesting to see if A-Rodg can keep up this record-setting pace. This last decade we have been so spoiled with fantastic quarterback play. We have had the privilege of watching future Hall of Famers Brett Favre, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning play and now we get to watch a guy that when it is all said and done, could be better than all of the aforementioned stars.

Defensive MVP: There are also plenty of viable options for our mid-season defensive MVP. The underrated Patrick Willis has wreaked havoc all season and the rest of his defense is finally picking up their slack, as they are one of the top ranked defenses in the league. Most people would say that Ndamukong Suh is the defensive MVP so far, but I disagree. He has been a huge presence on the defensive side of the ball, but I need more out of him. Although his impact is immeasurable, his numbers are not MVP caliber. He does not mean as much to his team than the real defensive MVP: Darrelle Revis. He has 20 tackles, which is only three less than Suh, with 10 pass deflections and four interceptions, one of which he returned for a 99-yard touchdown against Miami on Monday night. He not only prevents the opposing offense from scoring, but he also scores for his team. He has the job to cover the opposing team’s best receiver every single game, while there are some games where Suh does not need to go against a premier offensive lineman. It is clear that Revis makes the biggest impact on the defensive side of the ball.

Coach of the mid-season: For this award, there are also many options, but they are not very practical. Jim Harbaugh has turned his team from a mediocre 6-10 squad from a year ago into an intimidating powerhouse. The difference between Harbaugh and the likes of Jim Schwartz, Chan Gailey, and Marvin Lewis, is that Harbaugh is doing it with a quarterback who no team would even accept money to take off the 49ers. Alex Smith had his chance and blew it, but Harbaugh has instilled so much confidence in him that he is playing like a winner. The Niners are 6-1 and not planning on losing anytime soon. They are playing perfect, efficient football, which is a direct correlation to the coaching of Harbaugh. They do not have the most athletic, skillful team, but they play smarter than their opponents, and in the NFL, brains sometimes outweigh strength. Harbaugh does not take anything from anyone (just ask Jim Schwartz) and he makes his players feel like they are the best in the league. Quite frankly, I want to know where I can signup to play for him.

Offensive Rookie: There is no argument on this one. Cam Newton is the best offensive rookie at the mid-season point. Newton has posted a respectable quarterback rating of 82.8, while throwing for 2,393 yards and 11 touchdowns. Oh, by the way, he has also rushed for seven touchdowns! The guy is a playmaker by definition and has instantly made the Panthers a better team. Newton is proving a great deal of people wrong by being a fantastic runner and passer at the quarterback position. Analysts said he was just a runner in college, but the fact is that he is a runner, a passer, and a winner. You cannot teach the type of intangibles that Newton possesses. I cannot wait to see what he has in store for us for the rest of the season.

Defensive Rookie: This award can go a million different ways. There is no clear-cut winner, but if I had to choose, it would go to Patrick Peterson. He leads all rookies in tackles, is tied for most interceptions, and has two punt returns for touchdowns. He is part of an extremely weak Cardinals defense, but he has done a pretty good job covering top receivers. He makes the biggest impact for his team, out of the defensive rookies, but he still has a ton of room to grow. He was my favorite defensive player coming out of the draft, and he will only get better every season he plays. Do not be surprised if Peterson Island conquers Revis Island in a couple of seasons. You heard it here first folks.

Best touchdown celebration: This award must go to an offensive player, right? Offensive players have more opportunities to celebrate, but with all the new (annoying) rules, all they can really do is show their affection for dancing. When a defensive player scores, especially big linemen, it is much funnier. We all remember the amazing dance routines of Warren Sapp. But today, for you, I have the greatest touchdown celebration ever. In week two, on a Monday night game against the Rams, New York Giants’ outside linebacker, Michael Boley, picks up a fumble and runs it in for six. What happens then is what made history. Boley proceeds to wind up and throw a perfect strike at the sound camera assistant standing next to the cameraman. He hit the guy square in the nose and nothing tickles my fancy like someone getting hit in the face for no reason. It is truly creativity at its finest. To watch the greatest touchdown celebration ever click on the link below:

Best quote: This really is not a legitimate award, but we needed to make an exception for this half-season. Not only did we have one of the best celebrations ever this season, but we had one of the best quotes, too. This player named Brandon Marshall (you may have heard of him) could not find a way to pump-up his win-less Dolphins, so he told reporters that his goal for the Week 6 Monday night matchup against the Jets was to get kicked out of the game. Marshall said, “I'm not joking. I'm serious. They're going to fine me. It's probably going to be like a $50,000 fine. But that quarter and a half that I'm out there, I'm going to play like a monster. I might get in a fight with Bart Scott. (Antonio) Cromartie, we pretty much matured our relationship and grew a little bit. We used to fight in Denver and San Diego. If that happens, it happens, so we'll see." Well Marshall failed in his goal, while also losing the game. In addition, he dropped a critical touchdown pass. See, if Marshall followed his plan and got kicked out of the game, the player that would have replaced him would have caught that touchdown. So in conclusion, Marshall was only looking out for the good of the team. What a moron.

-Cuatro