![]() |
Monday Morning QB (cont.)Posted: Monday February 5, 2007 4:40AM; Updated: Monday February 5, 2007 12:22PM The Awards Section
Offensive Player of the Week Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis. For all the reasons listed above, plus this one: Five scoring drives in the first three decisive quarters, and the ability to neutralize Brian Urlacher for much of the night (except for a brilliant deflected pass early) by disguising so much of what he does. Nine years is a long time to wait for a championship, but I have a feeling we won't have to wait nine more for Manning's second one. Defensive Player of the Week Kelvin Hayden, CB, Indianapolis. The athleticism of his interception of Rex Grossman in the fourth quarter was impressive enough, leaping high in front of Muhsin Muhammad, grabbing the pass and coming down a millimeter in-bounds at the Colts' 44. But to have the elusiveness to zig-zag 56 yards for an insurance touchdown made that the best play of the second-year player's career. Quirky note of the night: Chicago offensive coordinator Ron Turner was Hayden's first coach at Illinois. Special Teams Player of the Week Devin Hester, KR/PR, Chicago. Fourteen seconds into the game, Hester had made the one big play the Colts drilled all week to avoid. Taking the Adam Vinatieri kickoff high at the 8-yard line, Hester moved in and out of traffic -- quickly, as you've no doubt seen on countless replays -- and got a break when Vinatieri, the last Colt with a real chance to get him down, slipped and fell as he tried to tackle him at the Bears' 30. It's the first time in 41 Super Bowls the opening kick was returned for a touchdown. Coach of the Week Tony Dungy, head coach, Indianapolis. There is no better lesson in the sport of coaching-office-couch-sleepers than for Dungy to win a Super Bowl with a brilliant defensive gameplan while spending time with his family Thursday night, Friday afternoon and night, and Saturday afternoon. Goat of the Week Rex Grossman, QB, Chicago. The Bears trailed 22-17 with 12 minutes remaining, with the ball in their own territory, driving for what they hoped would be the go-ahead touchdown. But in the next two minutes, Grossman threw two interceptions -- the first on a lofted duck off his back foot that was returned for a touchdown by Hayden -- and he personally took the Bears out of the game.
5 of 7 | ||||||||||||||||