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Awards Watch: Week 8
1. Matt Ryan, Falcons (last week: 1). Firmly cemented his status as the front-runner with a stunning performance against the Eagles. He was 22-of-29 for 262 yards, three TDs, no interceptions, and a 137.4 rating -- against an Eagles team that had never lost under coach Andy Reid the week after a bye. Oh, he also leads the only unbeaten team.
2. JJ Watt, Texans (3). The second-year defensive end had a bye last week, but he remains the league's most disruptive force, with a league-high 9.5 sacks, 10 pass deflections and two fumble recoveries.
3. Peyton Manning, Broncos (NR). Take away the first quarter of the Atlanta game and he has thrown for 17 touchdowns and only one interception, with five consecutive games of 300 yards or more. His 33 completions of at least 20 yards are a league high, as is his 109.0 rating.
1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers (2). The reigning MVP ranks No. 1 with 21 TD passes and a 69.0 completion percentage, is No. 2 with a 107.9 rating and has thrown just four interceptions.
2. Arian Foster, Texans (3). He's proving that workhorse backs are not extinct. He leads all runners with an average of 24.0 carries a game, is first with nine rushing scores and ranks third with 94.1 yards rushing per game.
3. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (NR). The burly QB has put the team on his back and has it contending for the division title. He has thrown 14 TDs with only three picks. He has put up better statistics before, but it's possible he's playing as well as he ever had.
1. J.J. Watt, Texans (1). See MVP.
2. Charles Tillman, Bears (2). His position is cornerback. His role is playmaker. He is tied for the league lead in both defensive touchdowns (two) and forced fumbles (three), and consistently has been strong in coverage.
3. Tim Jennings, Bears (NR). Not to be upstaged by his teammate on the other side, the cornerback leads the league with six interceptions, is No. 1 with 19 passes defensed and last week scored on an interception return.
1. Robert Griffin III, Redskins (1). He can throw. He can run. He has poise and maturity. Now if Washington could put together some wins.
2. Andrew Luck , Colts (2). He can throw. He can run. He has poise and maturity. Now he's putting together wins -- two in a row and three of four.
3. Alfred Morris, Redskins (3). See Alfred run. The sixth-round pick leads all rookie running backs with 717 yards rushing and five touchdowns. His five carries of at least 20 yards also ranks first among rookie running backs.
1. Chandler Jones, Patriots (1). The defensive end leads all rookies in sacks (six) and forced fumbles (three). He also ranks 10th with 33 tackles.
2. Casey Hayward, Packers (NR). Green Bay regularly seems to find a young corner who steps in as a rookie and performs well, and Hayward is the latest. The Vanderbilt alum leads all rookies and is tied for third in the league with four interceptions. He also has 25 tackles.
3. Bobby Wagner, Seahawks (NR). Seattle is ranked fifth in total defense, and Wagner, a starter at middle linebacker, leads all rookies with 62 tackles, trying him for 13th most in the league. He also has a sack.
1. Mike Smith, Falcons (1). Sunday at Philadelphia was supposed to be a test for the Falcons. They aced it -- just as they've aced every other test -- to remain the league's only unbeaten.
2. Tom Coughlin, Giants (2). The defending Super Bowl champions have won six of their last seven. More impressively, they find a way to answer when challenged in the fourth quarter.
3. Lovie Smith, Bears (3). His team is tied for the league's second-fewest losses (one), and his defense scores seemingly as often as his offense.
Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated Followers of the NFL have long relied on Jim Trotter for his dogged reporting and astute insights. Trotter joined Sports Illustrated as a senior writer in September 2007. Before that he spent nearly 18 years at the San Diego Union-Tribune, where he climbed the ladder from preps reporter to lead NFL writer. He spent nine years covering the San Diego Chargers, who did not have a winning record or reach the playoffs in his first eight years on the beat. The team finally ended the drought in 2004, after which Trotter began covering the league at large. Trotter cites three stories as the most memorable of his SI career: a 2007 piece on the death of Sean Taylor because, "It allowed us to examine his life beyond the stereotypes that had been attached to him"; a 2011 feature on Tim Tebow and the Broncos, whose run to the playoffs was nearly as indescribable as it was improbable; and a 2012 piece on the remaking of the Raiders following the death of longtime patriarch Al Davis. Born in San Francisco, Trotter graduated from Howard University in 1986 with a degree in communications and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee. In addition to his SI duties, Trotter has made appearances on numerous national media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, ESPN, NFL Network, and The Jim Rome Show. He also has been a guest on radio shows across the country. Trotter resides in San Diego.