Defensive Player of the Year

We all saw Osi Umenyiora get his triple play this weekend. He was able to get a clean hit on San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trent Dilfer, cause a fumble, and then return the fumble 75 yards for a touchdown. Umenyiora has all but won the defensive player of the year award 7 weeks into the season with 24tackles, 8sacks, 3forced fumbles, and 1td. But the best defense end in football thus far is not Umenyiora, but Kansas City’s Jared Allen.

Jared Allen is dominating the competition this season. Allen has recorded 26tackles, 8sacks, 2force fumbles, and 2pass deflections. Yes his numbers are almost identical to Umenyiora’s, but let’s look how each player earned their impressive stats. Osi played in every game this season, 6 sacks and 2 force fumbles came against the Philadelphia Eagles and their terrible backup tackle Winston Justice. Umenyiora is not at fault for dominating Justice, but he only played two great games this season being held without a sack in four games. Allen on the other hand only played five games this season being shut out only once without a sack. Allen violated the NFL’s substance abuse policy being arrested for his second DUI causing a suspension for the first two games of the season. Playing under the franchise tag this season, Jared Allen will certainly continue to wreak havoc in opponent’s backfields in search of quarterbacks and a big pay day at season’s end.

Miami Dolphins

I feel sorry for my buddy, Timmy C., whose team has already given up on their season. Two weeks ago the team traded away wide receiver Chris Chambers to the San Diego Super Chargers for a second-round draft pick. At the time of the trade Chambers accrued 415 receiving yards for the 0-5 Miami Dolphins. At 0-5, the last thing a team should do is trade away a guy responsible for 29% of your receiving yards. To make matters worse, running back Ronnie Brown is now out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Brown was 4th in the NFL in rushing (602yds) and 1st in yards from scrimmage (991yds). With the loss of Chambers and Brown the Dolphins must replace 47% of their receiving yards and 75% of their rushing yards. With opponents Giants, Eagles, Steelers, Ravens, Patriots, and the Bengals still on the schedule there is a chance the Dolphins’ franchise could not only hold the only 16-0 season, but the only 0-16 season as well.

With the former Auburn star out for the rest of the season Miami must scramble to find a new running back. Brown was responsible for 602 of the Dolphins 806 rushing yards. Could Ricky Williams be the answer? Williams applied to be reinstated to the NFL and should be eligible to play in the next week or so. The Miami Dolphins already have his rights so coach Cam Cameron might hold off on waiving the half baked Heismann winner.

Cincinnati Bengals

If you are one of the few that think Chad Johnson is the problem in Cincinnati you are CRAZY! If Chad is not wanted in the ‘nati he is more than welcome to come the nation’s capital. I’ll call Snyder right now…

Let’s talk about the Chad Johnson. Ocho Cinco is currently second in the NFL in receiving yards (680yds). Last season he led the NFL in receiving yards (1,369yds), in 2005 he was 3rd (1,432yds), 2004 he was 6th (1,274yds), and 4th in 2003 (1,377yds). Get the picture? Johnson recorded over 1,100 receiving yards every season after his rookie year. Johnson has never accused his quarterback of being homosexual, never followed around his quarterback screaming on the sidelines, in fact after his spat with Carson Palmer during the New England Patriots game, 85 went on record saying it was his fault because he ran the wrong route. Mr. Cinco has never told the media he plays when he “wants to.� Chad Johnson has never been in any legal trouble off the field, so I ask what is he doing wrong?

The Cincinnati Bengals have problems, but not with their passing game. The team is second in passing yards per game averaging 273yds a game. The Bengals average 27pts a game which is fifth in the NFL. The offense is producing despite Rudi Johnson not being healthy since week 2 and losing rookie running back Kenny Irons for the season with an ACL tear. The Bengals are averaging a depressing 98 rushing yards a game prohibiting them from wearing down teams and keeping their ravaged defense off the field. Which brings me to my next point…

Marvin Lewis is known as a defensive genius. Lewis built the Baltimore Ravens defense that is a force to this day. His short stint in Washington was also a success. Linebackers such as Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware, and LaVar Arrington flourished in Lewis’ system. Coach Lewis builds his defenses around fast and aggressive linebackers. Let’s take a glance at Cincinnati. Marvin Lewis drafted Odell Thurman who is an animal. Thurman recorded 106tackles, 5sacks, and 5ints his rookie season in 2005, but is suspended this season because of substance abuse. David Pollack is another stud linebacker Lewis drafted, but is currently facing a career ending neck injury. Ahmad Brooks… hampered with a groin injury. Even Lamar Marshall who Lewis coached in Washington is injured. How do you expect to beat the New England Patriots if all your linebackers are out? By the end of the game Dhani “Dinosaur� Jones was the only healthy linebacker the team had. The Cincinnati Bengals might be young and immature, but their biggest problem is injuries and a suspension… not Ocho Cinco.