The title says it all. JTuds posted a thread about breakout player of the year this year, but I think this question is a good one also. (2 picks, one Jet, one non-Jet.) For my non-Jet, I'm taking Brett Favre. Gone will be the INTs. Back will be the TDs. They will end second in the division behind Chicago, but may make the playoffs as a wildcard. On the Jets, I'm pretty sure there will be a lot of Penny votes, but I'm still convinced he will come back 100%. That said, my comeback Jet is Curtis Martin. He will have well over 1,000. He'll create more opportunities for the passing game, along with the revamped OLine, giving whoever is the QB more time to throw. He will still catch the ball out of the backfield for 5-8 yards when we need them. In other words, vintage CMart.
My homer pick goes to Chad Pennington. Most fans around the league consider him "done," but I think he has a few wins left in him. He will be a great "transition" player as we move forward into our future.
I hope I can bite my tongue and kick myself in the ass for this later, but I have little faith in Chad. Our comeback player, I'm hoping will be Coles. I want a 1000 yard season for the guy. For another team.... maybe Arrington? But I'm thinkin Kurt Warner... with more attention being paid to Arizona in the media, and with those 2 receivers and James in the backfield... it could get ugly for Seattle in the West.
The forgotten man. People forget how much of an impact he was for our defense in 2004. Losing him last season was a huge loss for us, but no one ever seems to mention his return as a significant upgrade. Barton will be an anchor for our defense this season, and he plays with the intensity Mangini looks for in all of his players.
Exactly. This is something that I have brought up before. Most just seem to remember the 'late hit' on Brees, and tend to forget the brilliant defender he was in '04. I think the Jets new slogan should be..."Injured doesn't mean Finished"
Jets have alot of candidates for this award after our disastrous last season. Martin and Pennington both have opportunities to shut critics up big time, and I expect atleast one of them will prove the media wrong. I'll be a homer and say Chad, just cause I'd love to see Chad shut everyone up and put up a solid season.
You have to have something to come back to. Some sort of measuring stick. My pick for the Jets is Chad. For the NFL is Daunte.
Yeah it can't be Brees or Palmer, they played almost the whole season. I don't understand how someone like Favre could win it either. What is he coming back from, sucking?? If Penny does anything this year it has got to be him, otherwise probably Daunte because his knee was "soooo torn up...."
Yeah, I thought about leaving him off the list, but if none of the others make any sort of comeback I think he could be in consideration... chances are he ain't going to do squat, though.
He won't even be in consideration for it this year because he played well for San Diego in 2005. Guys who won the award in recent years: Drew Brees Doug Flutie Joe Johnson Bryant Young Jon Kitna Garrison Hearst Tommy Maddox The season before winning the award, those guys had been riding pine or were injured or weren't even in the league. Or in the case of Brees, had sucked the year before.
I have to hope its Coles for the Jets and many of us won't like this if it happens, but I pick Culpepper..