Most Valuable Player: Tom Brady, New England.
How couldn't it be? Aesthetically speaking, Brady's seemingly effortless command of New England's complex offense was a joy to watch as he shattered the NFL's single-season record for touchdown passes. If the Patriots win the Super Bowl, I have no idea what he can do for an encore.
Brett Favre threw for 4,155 yards and 28 TDs during the regular season. ( / Getty Images)
Comeback player: Brett Favre, Green Bay.
Criteria for this award isn't well defined. Some voters believe it should be given to a standout player who recovered from a major injury like Seattle defensive end Patrick Kerney (NFC-high 14.5 sacks) or Dallas linebacker Greg Ellis (12.5). Others will select those who rebounded from sub-par seasons. Favre, New England wide receiver Randy Moss and Cleveland running back Jamal Lewis fit that bill.
I'm of that ilk.
Besides the All-Pro tackles (see below), I struggled with this choice more than any other on the ballot. There were significant questions surrounding Favre and Moss entering the season. At 37, Favre seemed on the decline after two consecutive mediocre campaigns. Moss' play also had slid in recent years and there were serious doubts he could fit into New England's team-first environment.
Favre's return to star form — especially at age 38 — was one of the NFL's great stories in 2007. But how can Moss' NFL-record 23 touchdown catches be ignored?
Fortunately, a fellow NFL writer offered me a Solomon-like solution. Because Brady was my MVP choice, I could vote Favre as comeback player and Moss for offensive player of the year without slighting either. Done.
Big-hitter safety Bob Sanders means everything to the Colts defense. ( / Getty Images)
Defensive Player of the Year: Bob Sanders, Indianapolis.
Forty-one other players were credited with more tackles — including one of his teammates (linebacker Gary Brackett) — and he doesn't rank among the league leaders in sacks or interceptions. Yet arguably no player means more to his defense than Sanders. He was the key to Indianapolis finishing with the NFL's third-ranked unit.
Sanders also was helped by no other defender turning in a tour de force campaign. Remarkably, none of the top six finishers in last season's balloting — Jason Taylor, Champ Bailey, Shawne Merriman, Brian Urlacher, Ray Lewis and Trevor Pryce — may place this year.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota.
Peterson's late-season slide kept me from naming him an All-Pro running back. But he was the NFC's leading rusher and unstoppable at times, as evidenced by his NFL-record 296-yard performance against San Diego.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Willis, San Francisco.
Willis' 11-tackle performance in San Francisco's season-opener was a harbinger of things to come. He was credited with double-digit stops in nine more games, including a 20-tackle outing in Week 16 against Tampa Bay.
All-Pro Team (Number of selections allowed in parenthesis)
OFFENSE
Quarterback (1): Brady.
Running backs (2): LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego; Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia.
Tomlinson was a shoe-in as the NFL leader in rushing (1,474 yards) and rushing touchdowns (15). Westbrook received the nod over Peterson because of production and consistency. Westbrook led all running backs in receptions with 90 — Peterson only had 19 — and set a franchise record with 2,104 yards from scrimmage.
Fullback (1): Tony Richardson, Minnesota.
San Diego's Lorenzo Neal received a long look, but he missed the final three games with injuries. Richardson blocked well for two productive running backs (Peterson and Chester Taylor) while serving as a tutor to the former.
Wide receivers (2): Moss; Terrell Owens, Dallas.
Owens can be considered the NFC's version of Moss. After several years as a malcontent, he entered the season under heavy scrutiny and responded with a conference-high 16 touchdown catches despite missing the finale with a high ankle sprain. Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Larry Fitzgerald and T.J. Houshmandzadeh also were worthy contenders.
Tight end (1): Jason Witten, Dallas.
This was truly a toss-up between Witten and Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez, who led all NFL tight ends in receptions with 99. I gave the edge to Witten because he made more impact plays and his 15-reception effort in a 28-27 comeback victory over Detroit was one of this season's great individual efforts.
Tackles (2): Flozell Adams, Dallas; Walter Jones, Seattle.
Despite on-going struggles with false starts — which might be attributable to a hearing impairment in his right ear — Adams generally smothers opposing defensive linemen. And while his play dropped slightly because of shoulder problems, Jones did nothing in 2007 to hurt his future Hall of Fame candidacy.
The AP encourages voters to choose a left and right tackle. But there is no right tackle that ranks in the same echelon as Adams, Jones, New England's Matt Light or Buffalo's Jason Peters. In fact, Adams and Jones wouldn't have gotten the nod in a season with stronger tackle play.
Guards (2): Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota; Leonard Davis, Dallas.
Considering how salaries escalated for free-agent guards last off-season, who could have thought Hutchinson would be a bargain when receiving a $16 million signing bonus to join the Vikings in 2006? A devastating run-blocker, Davis has proven Arizona made a huge mistake by forcing him into a left tackle role during much of his six seasons with the Cardinals.
Center (1): Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis.
While Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is known for his pre-snap histrionics, don't underestimate Saturday's importance in reading defensive fronts and making adjustments at the line of scrimmage. Outstanding technique and a low center of gravity also allow the 6-2, 295-pound Saturday to handle larger defensive tackles.
Kicker (1): Rob Bironas, Tennessee.
Bironas had an NFL-high 35 field goals — including a league-record eight against Houston — and made 25 of 27 attempts from 30-plus yards. He also ranked third in touchbacks with 16.
Kick Returner (1): Devin Hester, Chicago.
Denver's Mike Shanahan isn't the only head coach who should be second-guessed for kicking to Hester. Hester finished with an NFL-record six returns for touchdowns and is well on his way to being considered the best of all-time in that role.
DEFENSE
Defensive ends (2): Jared Allen, Kansas City; Patrick Kerney, Seattle.
Allen and Kerney finished one-two in sacks but that isn't the only thing that separated them from the pack. Allen's high-energy play proved he is worthy of a big-money contract extension, while Kerney also forced five fumbles.
Defensive tackles (2): Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee; Pat Williams, Minnesota.
Suspended for five games in 2006 after stomping on Dallas center Andre Gurode's head, Haynesworth showed better discipline this season and was simply unblockable at times. Williams spearheaded the NFL's top rush defense (74.1-yard average) but may soon cede the role of being Minnesota's top run-stuffer to fellow defensive tackle Kevin Williams.
Outside linebackers (2): DeMarcus Ware, Dallas; James Harrison, Pittsburgh.
Ware led all NFL linebackers in sacks with 14 and blossomed in the revamped 3-4 defensive scheme installed by coach Wade Phillips. The Steelers didn't miss the departed Joey Porter thanks to Harrison, who had 8.5 sacks and finished tied for second in the NFL in forced fumbles with seven.
Inside linebackers (2): Willis; Lofa Tatupu, Seattle.
In his third season, Tatupu developed into arguably the NFL's best all-around linebacker. He had 109 tackles and was outstanding in coverage with four interceptions and nine passes defensed.
Cornerbacks (2): Asante Samuel, New England; Marcus Trufant, Seattle.
While he sometimes pays for gambling in coverage, Samuel had six interceptions despite most offenses trying to avoid throwing in his direction. Trufant has flourished under the tutelage of first-year Seahawks defensive backs coach Jim Mora. Trufant ranked third in interceptions (seven) and fourth in passes defensed (22). Like Samuel, Trufant is set to cash in during the off-season as an unrestricted free agent.
Safeties (2): Sanders; Sean Taylor, Washington.
Yes, the Taylor selection was partially influenced by a desire to honor his memory. But Taylor also was playing at an All-Pro level before his November death.
Punter (1): Andy Lee, San Francisco.
Lee (41.0) and Oakland's Shane Lechler (41.1) became the first qualifying punters in NFL history to finish with net averages of 40-plus yards. I gave the All-Pro nod to Lee for two reasons: Lee had to kick in trickier winds during home games at Monster Park and he maintained almost an equal average while logging 32 more punts than Lechler.
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