STATE YOUR CASE: Which player deserves NFL Rookie of the year?
ROBERT GRIFFIN III
by jason borba
staff writer
Robert Griffin III is the NFL Rookie of The Year. Period. The enormous expectations placed on the shoulders of the young rookie quarterback were met and even exceeded during his rookie year.
RGIII led the Redskins to their first division title in 13 years, and their first playoff appearance since 2007. Over the years Redskins fans have seen their team fail year after year, but this year RGIII gave them hope for a brighter future.
In 2012 the Redskins rocketed from the bottom of the NFC to NFL relevance with the passing and running ability of their star quarterback. Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson- RGIII’s main competition for ROY- were drafted into franchises with recent success.
The Seattle Seahawks made the super bowl in 2006 and had a string of playoff appearances from 2003-10.
The numbers RGIII put up also speak for themselve. He finished the a quarterback rating of 102.4, which was good enough to finish third in the league. He finished the season with 20 touchdown passes which was lower than both Luck and Wilson, but RGIII only threw five interceptions. Luck finished with 18 and WIlson had 10.
Along with his passing ability RGIII can flat out run even if it’s only on one good leg. He finished with 815 yards on 120 attempts, and tacked on nine touchdowns. The 815 yards rushing by RGIII placed him in the top 20.
All the numbers point to RGIII, but if the numbers aren’t good enough look at where the Redskins were one year ago and where they are today.
– jborba@aggiemail.usu.edu
@JBorba15
RUSSELL WILSON
by Eric junglbut
copy editor
The fact that Russell Wilson is the sole remaining member of the rookie three still active in the playoffs should be the only excuse I need to convince you that he is the quarterback most deserving of the 2012 Rookie of the Year Award. But just in case you still need some more convincing, hear me out.
Wilson got an earful from the media when he entered the NFL Draft last year. He was considered too short to be a good quarterback and many thought he would pursue a career in the MLB. He ended up being picked in the third round by the Seahawks, but their signing of Matt Flynn from the Packers added to the idea of Wilson becoming another NFL nobody.
Instead, Wilson became just the opposite. He beat out Flynn for the starting job and led the Seahawks to the playoffs for the second time in three years – this time with a winning record. The team’s success cannot be completely attributed Wilson, however. His receiving corps is talented, his running back Marshawn Lynch lives up to his nickname, and the defense has given him ample opportunities to score. Still, Wilson’s cool pocket presence and ability to break down and run has put his team within two wins of a Super Bowl berth and has shown his true leadership skills.
Yes, Andrew Luck turned the Colts around, and RGIII did the same for the Redskins. But Luck’s knack for engineering late-game comebacks ran out against Baltimore and RGIII’s injuries prove he is too risky a player. Wilson utilized the weapons around him to set a once-laughable organization in the right direction.
– ej.jungblut@gmail.com
Twitter: @TheJungleButt
ANDREW LUCK
by curtis lundstrom
sports editor
Russell Wilson is the popular choice among Aggie faithful for fairly obvious reasons, but Andrew Luck is the rookie of the year. Here’s why:
The Stanford grad took a team that was 2-14 last season and led them to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth. He threw for 1,200 more yards than any other rookie quarterback and was the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards and win 10 games.
And that’s where the records start. Other rookie records Luck owns after his stellar season include six 300-yard passing games, the single-game passing record and seven game-winning drives.
The numbers support his performance, but it’s his seven game-winning drives – most by any starting quarterback since 1970 – that scream rookie of the year to me. Luck kept his team in games with his composure in pressure situations and found ways to win.
Not to mention that Luck accomplished all of that without Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano, whose battle with leukemia kept him off the sideline for the entire regular season.
Luck’s biggest fault is turnovers. He had 18 interceptions and five fumbles this season. It’s a concern, but when you combine that he was hit and hurried more than any other quarterback in the league with the fact that he is indeed a rookie, it helps.
He’ll learn to more effectively take care of the football as he gains experience in the league, and if his offensive line gives him protection, watch out.
– curtislundstrom@gmail.com
Twitter: @CurtisLundstrom