MVP Profile: Troy Polamalu, 2010

Safety, Pittsburgh Steelers

Age: 29

8^th season in pro football & with Steelers

College: Southern California

Height: 5’10” Weight: 207

Prelude:

Highly regarded coming out of college due to his speed and hard-hitting style, Polamalu was chosen by the Steelers in the first round (16^th overall) of the 2003 NFL draft. He had difficulty adjusting to the pro game as a rookie, but moved into the starting lineup at strong safety in ’04 and came on strong, intercepting five passes and gaining selection to the Pro Bowl. It was the first of five consecutive Pro Bowl seasons for Polamalu, and after receiving second-team All-NFL honors from the Associated Press in 2004, he was a consensus first-team All-NFL choice in 2005. Polamalu was utilized in a variety of ways, both in coverage as well as like an extra linebacker, in order to take advantage of his disruptive playmaking ability. However, his style of play began to take a physical toll. He missed five games in 2007, came back to intercept 7 passes as his coverage skills improved in ’08, but then appeared in only five contests in 2009 due to a knee injury.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared in 14 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 1

Interceptions – 7 [2, tied with Devin McCourty & Asante Samuel]

Most interceptions, game – 2 vs. Cincinnati 12/12

Int. return yards – 101 [9, tied with Joe Haden & Bryan McCann]

Most int. return yards, game – 57 (on 2 int.) vs. Cincinnati 12/12

Int. TDs – 1

Fumble recoveries – 1

Forced fumbles – 1

Tackles – 49

Assists – 15

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Postseason: 3 G

Interceptions – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

2^nd team All-NFL: Pro Football Focus

Pro Bowl

Steelers went 12-4 to finish first in the AFC North while leading the NFL in sacks (48), fewest rushing yards allowed (1004), and fewest points allowed (232). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Baltimore Ravens (31-24) and AFC Championship over New York Jets (24-19). Lost Super Bowl to Green Bay Packers (31-25).

Aftermath:

Polamalu followed up in 2011 by playing in every game and once more achieving consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl honors. However, durability again became an issue in 2012 as he missed nine games with a calf injury and there were questions regarding his future in Pittsburgh. He bounced back in 2013, playing in all 16 games and returning to the Pro Bowl. Overall through 2013, Polamalu has been a consensus first-team All-NFL selection four times, garnered second-team honors twice, and been chosen to the Pro Bowl after eight seasons. He has intercepted 32 passes, three of which were returned for TDs, and been credited with 12 sacks and 539 solo tackles.

--

MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

2011: Packers Defeat Steelers in Super Bowl XLV

Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 pitted the team that had won the most NFL titles, the Green Bay Packers with 12, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the club that had won six Super Bowls, the most since that annual showcase had come into existence.

The Packers, who overcame a rash of injuries throughout the season, were the sixth seed in the NFC coming into the playoffs. Having started out the 2010 season at 3-3, they won five of their next six games and finished second in the NFC North at 10-6. QB Aaron Rodgers (pictured above), the successor to Brett Favre as starting quarterback, suffered two concussions but also came into his own in a year in which he led the NFL in passing with a 101.2 rating. Pro Bowl WR Greg Jennings was the most productive of a good receiving corps (76 catches, 1265 yards, 12 TDs) while WR Jordy Nelson was coming on in the postseason. The running game had been a chronic problem after RB Ryan Grant suffered a season-ending injury in the opening game, but RB James Starks was a pleasant surprise in the playoffs. The defense featured a solid group of linebackers led by OLB Clay Matthews. Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s team went on the road in the postseason and defeated the Eagles in the Wild Card round, ambushed the top-seeded Falcons in Atlanta, and then bested the long-time rival Bears for the NFC title.

Pittsburgh, under Head Coach Mike Tomlin for the fourth year, topped the AFC North at 12-4 despite not having QB Ben Roethlisberger for the first four games due to a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The Steelers were 3-1 without him and when Roethlisberger returned, he played well. Wide receivers Mike Wallace and Hines Ward were productive while RB Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 1273 yards and 13 TDs. The Steelers ranked second in the league in total defense, and the unit was solid throughout. Pittsburgh defeated the division-rival Ravens and Jets to reach the Super Bowl.

Wintry weather had been a problem in the week leading up to the contest, but clear skies and milder temperatures returned on game day. There were 103,219 fans in attendance at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with many more watching the telecast.

The teams exchanged punts until midway through the first quarter, when the Packers put together a nine-play, 79-yard scoring drive. James Starks ran for eight yards on a third-and-one play and Aaron Rodgers completed three passes to Jordy Nelson, the third of which was good for a 29-yard touchdown. Mason Crosby added the extra point.

An illegal block on the ensuing kickoff had the Steelers starting at their seven yard line, and on the next play Ben Roethlisberger threw long and was intercepted by FS Nick Collins, who returned it 37 yards for a TD. Crosby’s conversion put Green Bay up by 14-0.

The Steelers came back with a 13-play drive that extended into the second quarter and was helped along by Roethlisberger scrambling for 18 yards on a third-and-nine play and passing to WR Emmanuel Sanders for the necessary 13 yards in a third down situation to the Green Bay 22. The drive finally stalled at the 15 and Shaun Suisham kicked a 33-yard field goal to get the AFC Champs on the board.

The Packers went three-and-out on their next series and Pittsburgh moved to midfield before Roethlisberger again was picked off, this time by DB Jarrett Bush, giving the Packers the ball at their own 47. It took Green Bay just four plays to make the most of the turnover. Rodgers completed passes to Greg Jennings for four yards and then Nelson for 16 before Starks ran for 12 yards to the Pittsburgh 21. From there, Rodgers again connected with Jennings down the middle (pictured below), this time for a touchdown and, with Crosby’s PAT, a 21-3 lead.

Down by 18 points and getting the ball back on offense with 2:24 left in the first half, the Steelers advanced 77 yards in seven plays. Roethlisberger started off with a throw to WR Antwaan Randle El that picked up 37 yards to the Green Bay 40. Another Roethlisberger pass was knocked down at the line of scrimmage, but he completed his next four tosses, three of which were to the 34-year-old veteran Hines Ward. The last completion to Ward was good for a six-yard touchdown and, following Suisham’s extra point, the score was 21-10 at halftime.

The Packers had the first possession of the third quarter and punted, with a face mask penalty on the return giving Pittsburgh favorable field position at the 50. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 17 yards on first down and, following a short running play, Roethlisberger gained six yards on a scramble that set up third-and-one. RB Isaac Redman gained 16 yards around end and Mendenhall capped the five-play series with an eight-yard touchdown carry. Suisham added the extra point and the Steelers were behind by just four points and appeared to have the momentum.

The Packers had another short possession followed by a punt, and the Steelers, starting at their 40, again moved into Green Bay territory. Roethlisberger threw to Ward for a 15-yard gain to the 29, but the Packers stiffened on defense and, following a third-down sack of Roethlisberger, Suisham was wide on a 52-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts for the remainder of the period but, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Mendenhall fumbled, which was forced by Clay Matthews, and LB Desmond Bishop recovered for the Packers at the Green Bay 38. Two pass completions were followed by two that fell incomplete, but facing third-and-10, Rodgers connected with Nelson for 38 yards to the Pittsburgh two. Rodgers was sacked by LB LaMarr Woodley for a loss of six yards on first down but followed up with an eight-yard scoring pass to Jennings. With the successful conversion, the Packers held a widened lead of 28-17.

The Steelers responded with a 66-yard drive in seven plays. All of those plays were Roethlisberger passes, and he completed six of them, including the last to Mike Wallace for 25 yards and a TD (pictured below). Pittsburgh then went for a two-point conversion and it was successful when Randle-El took a pitchout and reached the end zone. Green Bay’s lead was narrowed to three points at 28-25.

The Packers started their next possession at their 25 with 7:34 left to play. Rodgers was sacked on first down by DE Ziggy Hood but threw to Nelson for nine yards and, after a false start backed them up five yards, Rodgers went deep to Nelson for a gain of 31 yards to the Pittsburgh 44. Starks ran twice for a total of 15 yards before Rodgers went long for WR James Jones and picked up 21 yards to the eight yard line. The Steelers held on defense, but Crosby added a crucial 23-yard field goal to make it a six-point game.

With the clock now down to just over two minutes, the Steelers had one last shot. Starting at their 13, Roethlisberger threw to TE Heath Miller for 15 yards and Ward for five, but the next three passes fell incomplete and with that Green Bay came away with a 31-25 win.

The Steelers led in total yards (387 to 338) and first downs (19 to 15). They also recorded three sacks, to one by Green Bay. However, Pittsburgh also turned the ball over three times, to no turnovers by the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers, the game’s MVP, completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Jordy Nelson had 9 catches for 140 yards and a TD while Greg Jennings scored twice while pulling in four receptions for 64 yards. The Packers didn’t run the ball much, and James Starks led the club with 52 yards on 11 carries.

For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger was successful on 25 of 40 throws for 263 yards with two TDs, but also two interceptions, and ran for 31 yards on four attempts. Mike Wallace was the top receiver with 9 catches for 89 yards and a touchdown and Hines Ward contributed 7 receptions for 78 yards that also included a score. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 63 yards and a TD on 14 carries.

“This is where it (the Lombardi Trophy) belongs,” said LB A.J. Hawk. “As long as the Packers have lived, it’s going to be great to bring that back.”

It was the 13^th league championship for the Packers, and they appeared on their way to another when they went 15-1 in 2011. However, they fell flat in a loss to the Giants at the Divisional playoff level to snuff out their hopes of repeating. Pittsburgh again went 12-4, finishing second in the AFC North, but lost in stunning fashion to the Denver Broncos in overtime of their Wild Card playoff contest. 

2010: Browns Intercept Brees Four Times on Way to Upset of Saints

The game between the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns on October 24, 2010 looked to be a classic mismatch. The Saints, playing at home, were the defending NFL Champions and, while not as dominating as in ’09, were still 4-2. Head Coach Sean Payton’s team again had a high-powered offense that was led by outstanding QB Drew Brees throwing to a fine group of receivers, although injuries were affecting the running game.

Meanwhile, the visiting Browns, coached by Eric Mangini, were 1-5 and starting a rookie, Colt McCoy, at quarterback. Hard-running Peyton Hillis was a capable running back, but there was little else going for Cleveland. They had added LB Scott Fujita in the offseason, who had been a key defensive player with the Saints, and he would prove helpful in facing his former team’s offense.

There were over 70,000 fans filling the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints had the first possession and punted, which provided plenty of excitement when WR Josh Cribbs returned the kick seven yards and then lateraled to DB Eric Wright, who went another 62 yards to the New Orleans 19. Six plays later, Phil Dawson kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the Browns the early lead.

New Orleans was held to a three-and-out possession and punted, with Cribbs returning it 17 yards to his own 44. Two carries by Peyton Hillis yielded 14 yards and a pass interference call on the Saints added 38 more. Hillis ran for a four-yard touchdown and, with Dawson’s extra point, the visitors were ahead by 10-0.

The Saints followed up with a long and methodical drive that featured Drew Brees completing short passes and RB Chris Ivory picking up yardage on the ground. However, an apparent Brees scoring throw to WR Lance Moore was nullified by a penalty and, two plays into the second quarter, the ex-Saint Scott Fujita intercepted a Brees pass at his own three yard line and returned it 16 yards.

The teams traded punts, with neither offense able to move, until New Orleans put together a 10-play scoring drive. Brees completed three passes and Garrett Hartley finally got the home team on the board with a 32-yard field goal.

The Browns responded by going 75 yards in eight plays, although the biggest was a fake punt by Reggie Hodges that he turned into a 68-yard run to the New Orleans nine (pictured below; the longest carry by a NFL punter in  forty years). Cleveland was unable to reach the end zone from there but came away with more points on a 21-yard Dawson field goal to extend the lead to 13-3.

On the second play of the following series, Cleveland’s margin got larger when a Brees pass was picked off by LB David Bowens (pictured at top), who returned it 30 yards for a TD. Dawson added the PAT and the Browns had an improbable 20-3 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. For emphasis, CB Sheldon Brown intercepted another Brees pass before the teams headed for the locker rooms, with the home crowd booing the defending champs as they left the field.

The clubs traded punts through a scoreless third quarter, although the game was delayed for ten minutes after one in which a sideline chain holder was injured when the punt return went out of bounds. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Saints scored when Brees connected with TE David Thomas for an 11-yard touchdown. Adding the extra point, Cleveland’s lead was cut to 20-10 with plenty of time remaining.

The Browns put together a long series of 13 plays that covered 61 yards and burned up 7:34 off the clock. They converted two third downs while keeping the ball on the ground as Hillis carried eight times and even completed an option pass to Colt McCoy for 13 yards. Dawson capped the drive with a 48-yard field goal for a 13-point lead.

Brees came out throwing on the next possession, with passes to RB Ladell Betts for 16 yards and TE Jeremy Shockey for 19. But after reaching the Cleveland 34, a short pass intended for Betts was intercepted by Bowens, who scored for a second time with a 64-yard return. It was the key play of the game and effectively finished off the Saints. While New Orleans scored another touchdown on an eight-yard pass from Brees to Colston, it came with less than two minutes to play. The Browns won in a stunning 30-17 upset.

The Saints easily outgained Cleveland (394 yards to 210) and had far more first downs (25 to 12). However, New Orleans also had the four big turnovers, two of which directly led to scores, while the Browns didn’t turn the ball over at all, and big plays on special teams helped the visitors as well.

Colt McCoy (pictured at left) completed just 9 of 16 passes for 74 yards, but while he didn’t throw for any touchdowns, he also didn’t give up any interceptions. Peyton Hillis ran for 69 yards on 16 carries that included a TD and also completed a pass for 13 yards, while Reggie Hodges had the one 68-yard carry out of punt formation. WR Brian Robiskie was Cleveland’s top receiver with three catches for 25 yards.

For the Saints, Drew Brees went to the air 56 times and completed 37 for 356 yards and two TDs, but also had the four interceptions. Marques Colston had 10 pass receptions for 112 yards and a score and Ladell Betts contributed 8 catches for 48 yards out of the backfield. Chris Ivory led the ground game with 48 yards on 15 attempts.

“They say I’m the oldest guy to score two touchdowns since Larry Csonka,” joked 33-year-old David Bowens, who had the two big scoring returns of interceptions. In 11 previous seasons, he had scored one TD that came on a blocked punt.

The Browns pulled off an upset of the Patriots following their bye week but returned to earth with just two more wins in their last eight games to end up third in the AFC North at 5-11. New Orleans recovered to win six consecutive games and placed second in the NFC South with an 11-5 record. Qualifying for a Wild Card berth in the playoffs, they were upset by the Seattle Seahawks – who had won the weak NFC West with a mediocre 7-9 tally – in the first postseason round.

The win was Colt McCoy’s first as a starting pro quarterback. In eight games, he completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 1576 yards and six touchdowns with nine intercepted. Peyton Hillis rushed for 1177 yards on 270 carries (4.4 avg.) and caught 61 passes for 477 more yards, leading the club with 13 total touchdowns. Neither would prove to be a long-term solution for the Browns, however.

Drew Brees, who threw 11 interceptions in all of 2009, was up to 10 in seven games after the loss to the Browns and went on to toss 22 for the year, which ranked second in the NFL. However, he also led league in completion percentage (66.3) and the NFC with 33 touchdown passes and 4620 passing yards and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the third straight year (and fifth time overall).

-------

(NOTE TO READERS: Today’s post marks the fourth anniversary of the launch of Today in Pro Football History. For regular readers, thank you, I hope you have enjoyed it and will continue to do so. For newcomers, I encourage you to take a look at the archived material. Feedback and suggestions are always welcome – there is an email link on my profile page.)

2010: Falcons Rally to Beat Buccaneers

The Atlanta Falcons had won five straight games and were at 9-2 as they faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 5, 2010. Head Coach Mike Smith’s team had a well-balanced offense with third-year QB Matt Ryan (pictured at right) throwing to WR Roddy White and 14^th-year veteran TE Tony Gonzalez and RB Michael Turner, coming off of an injury-plagued ’09 season, providing power to the ground game. They had been winning efficiently, not having given up a turnover in the previous four games.

The Buccaneers, a young team under second-year Head Coach Raheem Morris, had a 7-4 record, which was a significant turnaround after going 3-13 in 2009. QB Josh Freeman was proving to be effective in his first full year in the starting lineup. Unheralded RB LeGarrette Blount had been waived by Tennessee and claimed by Tampa Bay with good results and WR Mike Williams, a rookie drafted in the fourth round out of Syracuse, was also proving to be surprisingly effective. But while they were undefeated against losing teams, they had yet to prove themselves against contending clubs and had already lost to Atlanta four weeks earlier.

The Buccaneers wore 1970s-era throwback uniforms for the late afternoon game at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. The teams traded punts before the Falcons drove to the game’s first score. Matt Ryan completed two passes to Tony Gonzalez that gained 14 and 17 yards, respectively, and Michael Turner carried the ball four times for 21 yards that included a five-yard touchdown.

The Buccaneers responded with an 86-yard drive that took 11 plays and was highlighted by Josh Freeman scrambling for 17 yards and LeGarrette Blount running for 20 yards to set up his six-yard carry for a TD. Connor Barth’s extra point tied the game at 7-7, which was the tally heading into the second quarter.

Neither club was able to put together another effective drive until midway through the period when Atlanta went 64 yards in eight plays. Ryan completed passes of 15 yards to WR Michael Jenkins and 21 yards to WR Harry Douglas to reach the Tampa Bay 24, and on a third-and-ten play hit FB Ovie Mughelli for a 17-yard touchdown.

Following a short possession by the Bucs, the Falcons got the ball back but turned it over when Ryan, throwing deep for Gonzalez, was intercepted by SS Sean Jones, who returned it 31 yards to the Atlanta 30 with 1:39 left in the first half. It was Atlanta’s first turnover in five games, and it cost them. Tampa Bay capitalized seven plays later when Freeman tossed a one-yard TD pass to Mike Williams. The teams went into halftime tied at 14-14.

The Buccaneers took the lead on the first series of the second half. On the second play, Blount ran 28 yards to the Atlanta 38 yard line and, after reaching the 15, Barth kicked a 33-yard field goal that made the score 17-14. That was it for the third quarter scoring as a long 12-play drive by the Buccaneers from their nine to the Atlanta 41 came up empty.

In the fourth quarter, Ryan was intercepted again, this time by FS Corey Lynch to give the Bucs the ball at the Atlanta 39. Once again they made the most of it as Freeman completed passes to Williams for nine yards and WR Arrelious Benn for 28. FB Earnest Graham tossed a two-yard option pass to TE John Gilmore for a touchdown and, with the successful PAT, Tampa Bay was ahead by ten points.

The margin didn’t last long, however, as the ensuing kickoff was returned 102 yards for a TD by WR Eric Weems. A short possession by the Buccaneers resulted in a punt and the Falcons took over at their 33 with 8:30 left on the clock. It didn’t look promising when they found themselves facing a third-and-20 situation, backed up to their 23, but Ryan completed a pass to Roddy White for 25 yards to keep the series alive. Turner ran for nine yards on two carries and a pass interference call on the Bucs gave Atlanta a first down at the Tampa Bay 33. Another untimely penalty on the Bucs helped the Falcons along and the 10-play, 67-yard drive finally ended with Ryan tossing a nine-yard touchdown pass to Jenkins. The successful extra point made it a four-point lead for Atlanta.

Tampa Bay had another shot and, with Freeman throwing on every play, moved the ball 35 yards in nine plays. However, after a 19-yard completion to WR Sammie Stroughter put the ball on the Atlanta 27, Freeman was intercepted by CB Brent Grimes and the Falcons were able to run out the clock to come away with a 28-24 win.

The Buccaneers gained more yards (325 to290) while Atlanta had the edge in first downs (20 to 19). The Falcons turned the ball over twice, to one given up by Tampa Bay. However, the Bucs were penalized nine times, sometimes in key situations, at a cost of 102 yards to six flags being thrown on Atlanta.

Matt Ryan completed 18 of 36 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions and was at his best during the fourth quarter comeback. Michael Turner rushed for 88 yards on 24 carries that included a TD. Roddy White caught 7 passes for 74 yards.

For the Buccaneers, Josh Freeman (pictured below) was successful on 19 of 38 throws for 181 yards with a TD and one picked off; he also ran the ball four times for 28 yards. LeGerrette Blount gained 103 rushing yards in 20 attempts and scored a touchdown. Mike Williams topped the receivers with 6 catches for 68 yards and a score.

 “When you come out and you don’t play as well as you like, but you still find a way to win, those are signs of a good football team,” said Matt Ryan. “We feel like today was a good example of that for us.”

“We felt like we really outplayed them for most of the game, but it’s the NFL,” said Josh Freeman from the Tampa Bay side. “You have to find a way to win in the fourth quarter nearly every week, and today we weren’t able to do that.”

The Falcons went on to top the NFC South and gain top seed in the playoffs with a 13-3 record. However, they were badly beaten by the streaking Green Bay Packers at the Divisional level. Tampa Bay won three of its remaining four games to end up at 10-6 and third in the division, but just missed out on the postseason. The season of promise proved fleeting for the Buccaneers, who collapsed to 4-12 in 2011.

Matt Ryan passed for 3705 yards and 28 touchdowns with just 9 interceptions and was chosen to the Pro Bowl. Michael Turner led the NFC in rushing with 1371 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, also receiving Pro Bowl recognition. Roddy White (pictured above) was a consensus first team All-Pro as well as Pro Bowl choice while leading the NFL in pass receptions (115) and the conference in receiving yards (1389) despite being hindered by a knee injury late in the season.

Josh Freeman placed sixth in the league in passing (95.9 rating) while throwing for 3451 yards and 25 TDs with six interceptions while also rushing for 364 yards. LeGarrette Blount rushed for 1007 yards on 201 carries (5.0 avg.) in his 13 games of action, making him the NFL’s top rookie ground gainer.

2010: McNabb Leads Redskins to Overtime Win Over Packers

The Washington Redskins were off to a 2-2 start as they hosted the Green Bay Packers at FedEx Field on October 10, 2010. The team had undergone a transformation following a miserable 4-12 record in ’09, bringing in GM Bruce Allen, Head Coach Mike Shanahan, and a new veteran quarterback in 33-year-old ex-Eagle Donovan McNabb (pictured above).

Green Bay, under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, was 3-1 and following up on an 11-5 record in 2009 that had put them in the playoffs. A young team, the Packers were retooling well, particularly at quarterback where Aaron Rodgers was proving to be a worthy successor to long-time star Brett Favre.

The Packers had possession first, but following a short kickoff return they turned the ball over on the second play from scrimmage. Rodgers passed to TE Donald Lee for 17 yards, but the tight end fumbled and safety Kareem Moore recovered and advanced 13 yards to the Green Bay 21. However, the Redskins moved backward rather than forward and ultimately were forced to punt from their 44.

Starting at their own 10, the Packers made a big play immediately as RB Brandon Jackson ran for a 71-yard gain to the Washington 19. Five plays later Rodgers threw to Lee for a five-yard touchdown and the early lead.

The teams traded punts for the remainder of the opening period, although a 35-yard pass from Rodgers to WR James Jones had the ball in Washington territory to start the second quarter. But after reaching the one yard line, the defense stopped two running plays and a Rodgers pass into the end zone was broken up on fourth down.

The Redskins advanced to their own 33 before being forced to punt and Hunter Smith’s kick was returned 52 yards by CB Tramon Williams right back to the line of scrimmage. Mason Crosby kicked a 52-yard field goal four plays later to make it 10-0.

After another exchange of punts, the Redskins appeared to be trapped back in their own territory before McNabb completed a pass to WR Santana Moss for 52 yards on third-and-18. Two carries by RB Ryan Torain gave the Redskins another first down at the Green Bay 25 and a McNabb shuttle pass to Moss gained nine more yards to the 16. A throw to TE Chris Cooley moved the ball inside the 10 and, with the clock down to 13 seconds, Graham Gano kicked a 26-yard field goal to conclude the 12-play, 78-yard drive and make the score 10-3 at halftime.

The Packers put together a 70-yard series in 9 plays in their first possession of the third quarter that featured a Rodgers pass to WR Donald Driver for 34 yards. Crosby was successful with a 36-yard field goal that put Green Bay back in front by ten points.

Following a short Washington possession, the Packers moved to the Redskins’ 29 in eight plays but Crosby missed a 48-yard field goal. The score remained 13-3 heading into the fourth quarter.

The teams again exchanged punts until the Redskins, who had largely been dominated by Green Bay’s defense, struck quickly as McNabb went deep down the middle to WR Anthony Armstrong for a 48-yard touchdown. With the successful extra point, Washington was just three points down with plenty of time on the clock.

After the Packers punted on their next series, McNabb went to Armstrong (pictured at right) on the first play for a 23-yard gain. When the drive stalled at the Green Bay 47, it was McNabb to Armstrong again for 13 yards and a first down on a third-and-10 play. But the Redskins could gain nothing further and Gano’s field goal attempt from 51 yards was wide to the right.

Green Bay failed to move the ball and punted back to the Redskins with just under four minutes remaining in regulation. With McNabb completing three passes, including 30 yards to Cooley, Washington went 53 yards in seven plays and this time Gano connected on a 45-yard field goal to make it a tie game at 13-13.

The Packers took over at their 21 with 1:07 on the clock and in three plays made it to the Washington 35, but Crosby’s 53-yard attempt at a game-winning field goal hit the upright and bounced away. There was time for one more play from the Washington 43 and a long pass by McNabb was intercepted by Tramon Williams at the goal line and returned 64 yards. The game went into overtime.

Characteristic of much of the game, the teams traded punts to start the extra period and then Rodgers was intercepted by diving safety LaRon Landry to give Washington the ball at the Green Bay 39. The Redskins advanced to the 15 with the help of two defensive penalties and Gano finished the contest with a 33-yard field goal to give them a 16-13 win at 6:54 into overtime.

Green Bay had more total yards than the Redskins (427 to 373), who punted on seven of their first eight possessions. Washington had the edge in first downs (21 to 17) as the Packers had difficulty moving the ball in the second half. Green Bay’s defense sacked McNabb five times, to four sacks of Rodgers by the Redskins, while the Packers turned the ball over twice – the last time fatally - to one suffered by Washington. In addition, Green Bay was penalized 9 times at a cost of 63 yards (to four for 28 yards on the Redskins).

Donovan McNabb completed 26 of 49 passes for 357 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Santana Moss caught 7 of those passes for 118 yards while Anthony Armstrong added 84 yards on three receptions that included the long TD. Chris Cooley also had 7 pass receptions, for 69 yards. The running game was mediocre for the Redskins, accumulating just 51 yards, and Ryan Torain led the way with 40 yards on 16 attempts.

For the Packers, Aaron Rodgers was successful on 27 of 46 throws for 293 yards with a TD and one intercepted; he also rushed for 30 yards on four attempts. With the long gain in the first quarter, Brandon Jackson rushed for 115 yards on just 10 carries and also led the team with 5 pass receptions that gained an additional 25 yards. James Jones had 65 yards on four catches and Donald Driver was right behind with 58 yards on his four receptions.

It was the second overtime win of the year for Washington, and the Redskins were now 3-2. However, after reaching 4-3 to match their win total of 2009, they lost seven of their last nine games to finish at the bottom of the NFC East with a disappointing 6-10 record.

It proved to be an especially disappointing season for Donovan McNabb, who ultimately clashed with Coach Shanahan, lost the starting job, and left after one year. He passed for 3377 yards with 14 touchdowns but also 15 interceptions.

The Packers moved in the opposite direction. Several players had to leave the game against the Redskins due to injuries, a chronic problem early on, and afterward it was revealed that Aaron Rodgers had suffered a concussion. But he and the team recovered and, following a sluggish start, Green Bay went 7-3 to close out the regular season, good for second place in the NFC North and a Wild Card slot in the postseason. They won four straight playoff games on the road, including the NFC Championship and the Super Bowl over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Aaron Rodgers performed ably, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 3922 yards with 28 TDs against just 11 interceptions. His 101.2 passer rating led the NFC, as did his 8.3 yards per attempt.

MVP Profile: Tom Brady, 2010

Quarterback, New England Patriots

Age:  33

11^th season in pro football & with Patriots

College: Michigan

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 225

Prelude:

A lightly-regarded sixth-round draft choice by New England in 2000, Brady got his chance when starting QB Drew Bledsoe was injured in the second game of the ’01 season. With the young quarterback showing surprising poise and leadership ability, the team surged in the second half and ended up with a stunning win over the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl. Brady was selected to the Pro Bowl, as he also would be in 2004 and ‘05. The Patriots won two more championships over the next three seasons, and he led the NFL with 28 TD passes in 2002 and 4110 yards passing in ‘05. In 2007, he passed for a NFL-record 50 TDs while also leading the league in passing yards (4806), completion percentage (68.9), yards per attempt (8.3), and passer rating (117.2). He was a consensus first-team All-Pro for the first time as well as league MVP and the Patriots went undefeated in the regular season – however, they were upset in the Super Bowl by the Giants. Brady’s 2008 season ended prematurely due to a knee injury in the opening game. He came back to throw for 4398 yards and 28 TDs in 2009 and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 492 [11]

Most attempts, game – 44 vs. Baltimore 10/17

Completions – 324 [9]

Most completions, game – 30 at Pittsburgh 11/14

Yards – 3900 [8]

Most yards, game – 369 at Chicago 12/12

Completion percentage – 65.9 [5]

Yards per attempt – 7.9 [5]

TD passes – 36 [1]

Most TD passes, game – 4 at Detroit 11/25, vs. NY Jets 12/6

Interceptions – 4

Most interceptions, game – 2 vs. Baltimore 10/17, at NY Jets 9/19

Passer rating – 111.0 [1]

300-yard passing games – 4

200-yard passing games – 10

Rushing

Attempts – 31

Most attempts, game - 5 (for 6 yds.) at Miami 10/4

Yards – 30

Most yards, game – 13 yards (on 3 carries) at Buffalo 12/26

Yards per attempt – 1.0

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points - 6

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff vs. NY Jets)

Pass attempts – 45

Pass completions – 29

Passing yardage – 299

TD passes – 2

Interceptions – 1

Rushing attempts – 2

Rushing yards – 2

Average gain rushing – 1.0

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP

Pro Bowl

Patriots went 14-2 to finish first in the AFC East and gain the top playoff seed in the conference while leading the NFL in scoring (518 points) and touchdowns (65). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to New York Jets (28-21).

Aftermath:

Brady had a seventh Pro Bowl year in 2011, leading the AFC with 5235 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, and a 105.6 passer rating. The Patriots won another AFC title but again fell short against the Giants in the Super Bowl.

--

MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

[Updated 2/8/14]

MVP Profile: Michael Vick, 2010

Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles

Age:  30

8^th season in pro football, 2^nd with Eagles

College: Virginia Tech

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 215

Prelude:

Vick came out of college early and the Atlanta Falcons traded for the first overall draft choice in 2001 to get him. Brought along slowly as a rookie, he displayed an outstanding throwing arm and quick release, as well as tremendous running ability, but also plenty of rough edges. Taking over the starting job in 2002, Vick passed for 2936 yards and 16 TDs, rushed for 777 yards with a league-leading 6.9 yards per attempt, and was selected to the Pro Bowl while the Falcons, coming off of three straight losing seasons, went 9-6-1 and qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card. A broken leg limited him to five games in ’03, but Vick rebounded with two straight Pro Bowl seasons and the Falcons advanced to the NFC Championship game in 2004. While he became the first quarterback to rush for a thousand yards in 2006 (1039), his attitude and willingness to learn the fine points of his position came into question, and it all came crashing down when his involvement in a dog-fighting ring led to his suspension and eventual imprisonment – he was cut loose by the Falcons and missed two full seasons as a result. Signed by the Eagles to back up veteran QB Donovan McNabb in his return to pro football in 2009, Vick looked rusty and was typically used on Wildcat plays. With McNabb traded after the season, it was anticipated that Vick would back up Kevin Kolb in 2010, but when Kolb was knocked out of the opening game, Vick played well and was named the starter by Head Coach Andy Reid.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared in 12 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 372

Most attempts, game – 44 at Chicago 11/28

Completions – 233

Most completions, game – 29 at Chicago 11/28

Yards – 3018 [20]

Most yards, game – 333 at Washington 11/15, at Chicago 11/28

Completion percentage – 62.6 [11]

Yards per attempt – 8.1 [4]

TD passes – 21 [16]

Most TD passes, game – 4 at Washington 11/15

Interceptions – 6

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Dallas 12/12

Passer rating – 100.2 [4]

300-yard passing games – 3

200-yard passing games – 10

Rushing

Attempts – 100

Most attempts, game - 11 (for 103 yds.) vs. Green Bay 9/12, (for 34 yds.) vs. NY Giants 11/21

Yards – 676

Most yards, game – 130 yards (on 10 carries) at NY Giants 12/19

Yards per attempt – 6.8 [1]

TDs – 9 [9, tied with Brandon Jacobs]

100-yard rushing games – 2

Scoring

TDs – 9

2-pt PAT – 1

Points – 56

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff vs. Green Bay)

Pass attempts – 36

Pass completions – 20

Passing yardage – 292

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 1

Rushing attempts – 8

Rushing yards – 32

Average gain rushing – 4.0

Rushing TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

NFL Player of the Year: Bert Bell Award
NFL Comeback Player of the Year: AP

Pro Bowl

Eagles went 10-6 to finish first in the NFC East while leading the conference in scoring (439 points) and touchdowns (49). Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Green Bay Packers (21-16).

Aftermath:

The Eagles underachieved in 2011 and Vick suffered through an injury-plagued season, although he ended up passing for 3303 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 589 yards, becoming the all-time rushing leader among NFL quarterbacks (5219 yards to date).

--

MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

[Updated 2/8/14]

2010: Foster’s 231 Rushing Yards Propel Texans to Win Over Colts

The season-opening game at Houston’s Reliant Stadium on September 12, 2010 matched the host Texans against the defending AFC Champions, the Indianapolis Colts. Houston was coming off of a 9-7 record in ’09, the franchise’s first winning season. Under offensive-minded Head Coach Gary Kubiak, QB Matt Schaub had a Pro Bowl year and had an outstanding receiver to throw to in WR Andre Johnson. However, the running game had been disappointing due to injuries on the line and the dropoff in performance of second-year RB Steve Slaton. Undrafted rookie RB Arian Foster (pictured above) had started the season on the practice squad and played well when given an opportunity late in the year, giving him the chance to take over the starting role in 2010.

The Colts, under Head Coach Jim Caldwell, were a steady and successful team that was coming off of a Super Bowl loss to the New Orleans Saints after going 14-2 during the regular season. QB Peyton Manning had yet another MVP year and the club appeared to be solid on both sides of the ball. Moreover, Indianapolis had an overall record of 15-1 against the Texans and had won the last six games between the division rivals.

The Texans started off fast as they scored on their first two possessions on field goals of 30 and 49 yards by Neil Rackers to take a 6-0 lead after a quarter of play. The third drive, which extended into the second quarter, culminated in the first touchdown of the game as Schaub threw to WR Kevin Walter for 22 yards. The TD was set up by back-to-back completions of 23 yards to WR Jacoby Jones and 21 yards to Johnson.

However, on Houston’s next possession and following two runs by Foster that gained 17 yards, Schaub was intercepted by DB Melvin Bullitt, who ran 19 yards to give the Colts good field position at the Texans’ 35. Indianapolis took full advantage as Manning, passing on every down, completed five of seven passes that ended with a 14-yard touchdown throw to WR Reggie Wayne. Houston’s lead was cut to 13-7.

Following a three-and-out possession by the Texans, the Colts took over at their own 35 with 3:50 remaining in the half. Converting a fourth-and-two play along the way, Indianapolis moved methodically down the field. A 26-yard Manning completion to WR Pierre Garcon got the ball down to the Houston six yard line, and Adam Vinatieri kicked a 20-yard field goal to cut the Texans’ lead further to 13-10 at halftime.

Houston started off the second half with a 15-play, 66-yard drive that featured Foster carrying the ball 10 times for 49 yards, including a one-yard touchdown. The Colts, now down 20-10, drove to the Texans’ 27, but Manning was sacked for a seven-yard loss by defensive ends Mario Williams and Jesse Nading, pushing Indianapolis out of field goal range. The resulting punt went into the end zone for a touchback and Foster started off the Houston possession with an 11-yard run that put him over 100 yards for the game.

The Texans’ drive stalled at the Indianapolis 42 and, following a punt, Manning completed four straight passes that moved the Colts 40 yards to the Houston 46. However, on a pivotal play, a deep pass to Garcon that gained 32 yards ended with the wide receiver fumbling and Houston CB Glover Quin recovering, giving the ball back to the Texans at their nine yard line.

Foster immediately took off on a 42-yard jaunt and, after Steve Slaton ran for 13, followed up with an 11-yard carry up the middle and then a 25-yard run for a touchdown. In short order, instead of the Colts closing the margin, the Texans had now extended it to 27-10.

Manning again filled the air with passes on the ensuing 12-play drive, hitting WR Austin Collie three times and Wayne and TE Dallas Clark twice apiece. The second completion to Clark was for 10 yards and a TD that, with the successful PAT, made it a ten-point game. However, an attempted onside kick failed as Walter recovered for the Texans.

Once again Houston kept the ball on the ground, which meant Foster carrying six times for 41 yards that included an eight-yard touchdown. With the clock now down to just under two minutes to play, the result was virtually sealed, although Manning completed a deep pass to Collie that resulted in a 73-yard touchdown.

While it was once again a ten-point game, Nading recovered another onside kick attempt by the Colts to snuff out any possible threat. Houston was able to run out the clock and come away with a 34-24 win.

The Colts outgained Houston (463 yards to 355) but the breakdown of rushing to receiving yards showed a significant contrast. The Texans rushed for 257 yards while Indianapolis ran the ball just 10 times for 44 yards and passed for the rest. Each team suffered two sacks and one turnover apiece.

Arian Foster’s breakout performance was the biggest story as he set a new club record with 231 yards on 33 carries and scored three touchdowns. Matt Schaub went to the air only 17 times, with 9 completions for 107 yards, and had one TD as well as one interception. Andre Johnson led the receivers with three catches for 33 yards.

For the Colts, Peyton Manning completed 40 of 57 passes for 433 yards and three TDs, suffering no interceptions. Austin Collie (pictured below) caught 11 passes for 163 yards and a TD and Dallas Clark also had 11 receptions, for 80 yards. Reggie Wayne gained 99 yards on 7 catches that included a score. RB Joseph Addai accounted for all of the team’s rushing statistics and contributed a further 6 catches for 29 yards.


“At halftime, we talked about the key to the game being the most physical team and our offensive line,” said Houston’s Coach Kubiak. “That's what you want as a coach. You want those guys walking the sideline saying, 'Run the ball, coach’.”

Things did not go as well for the Texans the rest of the year. While the offense was proficient in both running and passing the ball, the defense collapsed and ended up ranking 30th in the league. Houston finished at 6-10 for third place in the AFC South. Arian Foster continued to perform very well, however, as he led the NFL in rushing with 1616 yards on 327 carries (4.9 avg.) with 16 touchdowns.

The Colts won the division with a 10-6 record but struggled at times due to injuries and lost in the Wild Card playoff round to the Jets. Peyton Manning led the league in pass attempts (679) and completions (450) and ranked second in yards (4700), TD passes (33, tied with Drew Brees of the Saints), and completion percentage (66.3).