One of our favorite sites, Pro Football Focus, has released its 2011 awards. Its not too difficult to guess who was named Offensive Player of the Year:
Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers edged Drew Brees, who is No. 2.
Did any Eagles make the list? Sure did. But believe it or not, LeSean McCoy wasnt one of them. The only RB on the list is Maurice Jones-Drew.
Jones-Drew did win the rushing title, so guess he gets the nod. Plus, he did so the horrid Jaguars, whose passing game was reminiscent of the Eagles attack with Brad Goebel as QB.
Jones-Drew, however, was ranked ninthtwo spots behind Eagles left tackle Jason Peters and one spot ahead of guard Evan Mathis.
Peters and Mathis are the only two offensive linemen in PFFs top 10.
NFL
PFFs Sam Monson concluded that Peters was comfortably the best tackle in football in 2011 with a grade of plus-27.6, which was nearly double the number of the next best tackle.
Despite blocking for Michael Vickwho has a tendency to run away from his protection at the best of timesPeters has surrendered just 20 total pressures (sacks, knockdowns, and hurries) on the season and has allowed Vick to hit the deck just four times, Monson wrote.
Mathis was graded the leagues top guard. In 1,024 snaps, Mathis didnt allow a sack and just 15 pressures. He finished with a blocking grade of plus-20.4. The next best grade for a guard was posted by Saints All-Pro Carl Nickswho had a plus-6.9.
Mathis helped form the best left side of an offensive line in the NFL for the Eagles, Monson wrote, and he did it all being thrust into the lineup late in camp as the Eagles shuffled positions.