Shark's Sunday MVPs, Week 17

The Patriots pulled it off, the undefeated season... It won't mean a thing if they don't win it all though! I called the perfect season and records months ago and said that New England would win it all back in August, way before things all REALLY started. The odds are stacked in Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s favor for another Super Bowl victory but one loss now and they are done – the perfect season means nothing if the Patriots loose. Congratulations to the New England Patriots and the first 16-0 season in NFL history. The regular season is officially in the books after Sunday’s battles. The Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins played their way into the post season with big-time performances and too bad so sad in Cleveland. At least the Browns won 10 games. Who had that picked to start the season? Not Jon Kitna … It was raining cats and dogs as well as touchdowns in Washington D.C. Sunday as Clinton Portis and Santana Moss combined for three touchdowns in the 27-6 victory over NFC leading Dallas Cowboys. Portis had 104 yards on 25 carries including two big touchdowns. Moss had 115 yards on eight catches including a 42-yard back breaking touchdown snag.

The Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks will need to rebound quickly after blowing their week 17 games. Jacksonville sat most of their big guns in the 28-42 defeat against Andre Davis and the Houston Texans. Seattle played their starters for most of the game but still got slammed in the shoot out against the Atlanta Falcons. Seattle lost 41-44 but did have excellent offensive games from Nate Burleson and Maurice Morris. Chris Redmond and Alge Crumpler hooked up for two scores and Atlanta finished their dismal season on a high note. Matt Moore and DeAnglo Williams stole the show for Carolina as Jeff Garcia patiently watched on the sideline, waiting for next Sunday’s Wild Card showdown against the New York Giants.  

Here are the top six performances from Sunday's action and Shark's Sunday MVP.

1.    Shark's Sunday MVP - Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals – Fitzgerald had his best game of the season and in the process earned his first appearance on the Shark’s Sunday MVPs. Fitzy’s big game propelled the Cardinals to their first non loosing season in nine years. The NFC Pro Bowl receiver added to his lofty numbers with 11 catches, 171 yards and two touchdowns, giving him 10 on the year. Fitzgerald ended the season ranking first in the NFC with 100 receptions and 1,409 yards receiving.

2.    Chad Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals – Sunday may have been Ocho Cinco’s last game in a Bengal uniform and like a true entertainer, he did not disappoint. Johnson had four receptions, 131 yards and two touchdowns, including a sweet 70-yard catch and run. Johnson could wind up in Miami, Tennessee, Philadelphia or even San Francisco depending on the dollar signs and team chemistry. Johnson finished third in the NFL with 1,440 yards receiving and had 93 receptions and eight touchdowns, bettering 2006’s numbers.

3.    Devin Hester, Chicago Bears – The dynamic and electrifying Hester ran wild in Chicago Sunday as the Bears blasted the playoff hopeful New Orleans Saints 33-25 ending their season. Hester broke his own NFL record with six total return touchdowns after he returned a 64-yard punt in the beginning of the third quarter. Hester now has 11 returns for touchdowns in his career and is just one off the all-time mark. The amazing thing about Hester is he has reached 11 returns in just 31 career games. Hester also had a dramatic 55-yard touchdown catch that he caught over the out stretched arms of two Saints defenders. This year Hester had four punt-return touchdowns and two scores on kickoffs. Last year he had five total, three on punts and two on kickoffs - not counting the one to start last year’s Super Bowl.

4.    Andre Davis, Houston Texans – Davis was the man Sunday and showed that he is one of the league’s best kickoff return specialists. The former NCAA track star became only the seventh man in NFL history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns. Davis had a 97-yard first half and 104-yard third quarter opening return that single handily beat the upstart and playoff bound Jacksonville Jaguars. Davis also added one reception for 20 yards and ended the season with 33 receptions for 583 yards and three touchdowns. Davis finished tied for first in the NFL with Leon Washington with three kickoff returns touchdowns. Not bad for someone that started just one game in 2006.

5.    Chris Redmond, Atlanta Falcons – Redmond engineered one of his best games of his NFL career and in the process lead the dismal Atlanta Falcons to a key, momentum building week 17 win. Redmond went 17-of-27 for 251 yards and four touchdowns including three fourth quarter scores that sealed the deal. "I'm proud of these guys, because this has obviously been a tough season, but nobody quit and I knew they wouldn't," Redman said. Look for Redman to be one of the quarterbacks that the Falcons keep around for next year after proving his worth. Redmond has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,079 yards with 10 touchdowns and just five picks in four games started.

6.    Antrel Rolle, Arizona Cardinals – Fitzy wasn’t the only Cardinal ballin Sunday. Rolle has finally broken out and ended the 2007 season on a tear. In the last seven games the former first round draft pick had 32 tackles and five crucial interceptions. Sunday, Rolle had two interceptions and a key interception return for a touchdown - Rolle now has three interception returns for touchdowns.

Honorable Mention

•    Tom Brady, New England Patriots – The NFL’s MVP ended the season with a record setting performance. Brady etched his name in the record books going 32-of-42 for 356 yards and two record breaking touchdown strikes. Brady ended the season with 4,806 yards passing and an astounding 50 touchdown passes. At one point Brady looked good for 60 tosses but tough defenses and mother-nature slowed that dance down. You have to tip your hat to the 50 though, what a season.
•    Pierre Thomas, New Orleans Saints – Rookie Pierre Thomas played like a man on a mission Sunday and almost lifted the Saints to a come from behind victory in windy Chicago. Thomas had his best game as a pro leading the Saints in both rushing and receiving. Thomas had 20 rushes for 105 yards and 12 receptions for 121 yards, including a late fourth quarter 11-yard touchdown grab. Thomas ended the season with 252 yards rushing and a touchdown on 52 attempts, averaging 4.8 yards per carry.
•    O.J. Atogwe, St. Louis Rams – Atogwe has been the Rams single best defensive player this year and should have been selected to the NFC Pro Bowl squad. Atogwe had 4.5 tackles and added his NFC leading eight interception. The Rams need to get O.J. locked up for a long term deal, quickly.
•    Randy Moss, New England Patriots – Moss is back on the Shark’s Sunday MVPs after breaking the great Jerry Rice’s all-time NFL record. Moss had six grabs for 100 yards including touchdowns, 22 and 23. Reception six and touchdown 23 pushed the Patriots past the upset minded New York Giants Saturday night.
•    DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers – Williams stole the show Sunday and in the process may have solidified his spot as the Panthers 2008 starter. Williams had 121 yards on 20 carries, including two timely touchdowns as the Panthers ended their season hot and defeated the playoff bound Tampa Bay Bucs 31-23.
•    Morten Anderson, Atlanta Falcons – The ageless wonder Anderson went three-for-three Sunday and added five extra points in the all important season ending win. The first ballot Hall of Famer was as accurate as ever this year, hitting 25-of-28 field goals for an 89 percent mark, the best of his career. Don’t be surprised if Anderson gets an extension from the Falcons.

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