Well, well, well we are finally here. After an off-season full of suspensions, injuries, and “Deflategate” mumbo jumbo, the NFL season is set to kick off Thursday with the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gillette stadium will be electric, as the team will raise its Super Bowl XLIX banner, and Pats fans celebrate their superstar QB Tom Brady being on the field after winning his appeal of his four game suspension.
With Thursday quickly approaching, I am going to give you my predictions for the NFL awards with a little hip hop twist. I will also pick division winners, and conclude with my Super Bowl picks. So find that comfy spot on your couch, grab your favorite chips, a cold beverage and enjoy!
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts. I expect Luck to absolutely light it up this year. Coming off of a 4,761 yards and 40 TD season Luck has been blessed with even more weapons. Frank Gore should bring stability to a run ga
me that ranked 22nd in the league last year in rushing. Andre Johnson and rookie speedster Phillip Dorsett give Luck even more weapons in the passing game, which should help him continue the trend of his completion percentage improving every year he has been in the league (54.1,60.2,61.7).
These new weapons, along with Luck playing with a chip after feeling “salty” watching the Super Bowl, should propel him to put together one of the best seasons we have seen from a QB. It also doesn’t hurt that he gets to light up the Jaguars and Titans twice a year. Luck will be spotted after this historic season riding to Rihanna’s “Better Have My Money”, seeing as he will be signing one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history next offseason.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings. It’s certain people who roam this Earth that you just do not want to upset. One of those human beings is Adrian “All Day” Peterson. After sitting out all but one game last season Peterson will be aching to get back to his safe haven. Critics have been mentioning his age, and the fact that he hasn’t played football in a year as reasons to temper expectations with Peterson.
My take is Peterson hasn’t had a QB of Teddy Bridgewater’s caliber since playing with HOFer Brett Favre in 2009(Not going to count 10′ because Favre was obviously a shell of himself). In that 2009 season Peterson posted a career high 18 TDs. With teams unable to stack the box every play, Peterson will flourish and have another phenomenal season. The only reason he is not my MVP pick is because I expect the Vikings defense to take a large step further in its second year under Head Coach, Mike Zimmer, and steal some headlines along with Bridgewater. In other words when Sundays hit I expect Peterson to (In the words of Kanye West) ball “All Day”.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Miami Dolphins. Of course the easy pick here is J.J. Watt. I am going to step away from the consensus, and pick the first defensive tackle to take home the award since Warren Sapp in 1999.
My thinking on this pick is that the Dolphins already had a good defense anchored by a great player in Cameron Wake. You add the best defensive tackle in the game, along with more attitude to this defense, and the Dolphins should have at least a top five defense. Suh gets double-digit sacks for the second time in his career, and leads the Dolphins to their first division title in 15 years. After signing for the most guaranteed money by a non-quarterback in NFL history, let’s just say in the words of Chris Brown Suh, “All Eyes On You”.
OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders. Simply put Amari should have the most opportunities to bring home this piece of hardware. He is the #1 receiver on a team that should be down, and have to throw it a ton. His route running ability is up to par with the upper echelon of the receivers in the NFL already. Don’t believe me just ask Patrick Peterson. Todd Gurley would have gotten serious consideration here if he wasn’t a year removed from ACL surgery.
Derek Carr should be improved in year two, and Cooper will be his favorite target. After tearing up the college ranks to the likes of over 200 receptions, 3400 yards receiving, and 30 Touchdowns. Amari will do the same in the NFL as he puts together a 1,000 yard season instilling Raiders fans with hope that “we gon’ be alright” as Kendrick Lamar would say.
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Atlanta Falcons. Beasley could not have been drafted to a better fit to win this award. The Falcons have desperately needed a true pass rusher, as they haven’t had a double-digit sack guy since John Abraham in the 2012 season. Insert Beasley, and a head coach in Dan Quinn whose forte is working with defensive lineman, and this will change in 2015. Beasley is an athletic freak posting a 4.53 40 time, and 35 reps on the bench press at the combine.
Quinn will feature him in his defense, moving him all over the field putting him in position to get to the Quarterback. If Beasley can hold up against the run and be a 4-down player he will walk away with this award with ease. Even as a situational pass rusher, I still see him making enough headlines to win DROY. Seeing his first round pick flourish will have owner Arthur Blank jamming to the tunes of Big Sean’s “Blessings”, heck maybe he even get Riley Curry in the Georgia Dome for a performance.
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Eric Berry, S, Kansas City Chiefs. Last November Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He went from not knowing if he would ever be able to play football again, to back on the field playing in less than a year. Berry is projected to operate as the Chiefs 3rd safety, coming on in obvious passing situations to start the season. Any contribution he makes this year will seal this award for him in my eyes.
With all the negative publicity the NFL has received as of late, this will be a perfect opportunity for them to get it right and give Berry the award for his triumph. His story is a lesson for us all in overcoming, and realizing that the “Hero” lies within you as Mariah Carey would so gracefully put it.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings finished last season 7-9 without their best player, and arguably the best player in the league. Zimmer improved the Vikings defense from dead last in points per game in 2013 to 11th in 2014.
I expect that defense to take another step forward in year 2 under Zimmer, and burst on the scene in a Fetty Wap manner finishing as a top 5 defensive unit in the league. This paired with Peterson back in the mix, should propel them past the Packers for the NFC North crown. This will make Zimmer the unanimous pick for Coach of The Year.
DIVISION WINNERS
AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals. Have the most talent on both sides of the ball. Combine that with a healthy AJ Green, and Jeremy Hill running behind that offensive line equals a team that will be hard to beat.
AFC South: Indianapolis Colts. You’ve read what I think my MVP pick will do.
AFC East: Miami Dolphins. Have you seen that defensive front play together yet? They will be flat-out dominant. Think they have surrounded Tannenhill with enough talent for them to win this Patriots dominated division.
AFC West: Denver Broncos. Wade Phillips will have this defense playing at an extremely high level. Oh yea, they still have some guy named Peyton Manning.
NFC North: Minnesota Vikings. Packers have lost Jordy Nelson for the season, and I am still not sure they have enough on defense. Meanwhile, the Vikings will have a great defense and great balance on offense. Once again ZIMMER COY!
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons. Dan Quinn has found something with the Adrian Clayborn Vic Beasley combo. An improved pass rush, coupled with a more balanced offensive attack should be enough in this division.
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys. The addition of pass rushers Greg Hardy and Randy Gregory, coupled with the return of Sean Lee should greatly improve the defense of the returning NFC East Champ. The RBBC will get it done behind the best offensive line in football.
NFC West: Seattle Seahawks. They stick to the same formula that has gotten them to the past two Super Bowls. They also added Jimmy Graham a TD scoring machine. Pete Carroll will have this team hungry once again.
WILD CARDS
AFC Wild Card 1: New England Patriots. Not sure super bowl hero Malcolm Brown can replace Revis or Browner in that secondary, but Belicheck will find a way to get it done. Not to mention Tom Brady has all his weapons back from last year
AFC Wild Card 2: Kansas City Chiefs. Returning a defense that allowed the second fewest points in the league, the Chiefs addressed their most pressing issue with the addition of Jeremy Maclin.
NFC Wild Card 1: Green Bay Packers. They still have that bad man named Aaron Rodgers, who will make Davante Adams a household name by seasons end. Eddie Lacy will have a big year and they will be in the playoffs once again.
NFC Wild Card 2: Arizona Cardinals. Their starting quarterback only played six games last year and they still finished with 11 wins. Palmer plays all 16 this year, and Bruce Arians continues to show how great of a NFL Head Coach he truly is.
SUPER BOWL 50
Broncos over Packers. Peyton Manning rides out on a white horse with his second Super Bowl title. Manning and Rodgers go at it with the game coming down to a last-minute game winning drive by Peyton. Peyton goes out like his current GM, John Elway on top to cap a phenomenal career.
NDSports 
Great job bro, keep it going!
Thanks bro! Definitely plan too!