Tom Brady Named AP Offensive Player of the Year

The league’s Most Valuable Player added The Associated Press 2007 Offensive Player of the Year honors to his collection Tuesday, easily outdistancing his main weapon on the unbeaten New England Patriots, Randy Moss .

Indeed, of the four players who received votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL, three were Patriots. Brady, of course, led the way, just as he did through the first 16-0 regular season in league history.

And it’s been a rewarding season for Brady, the first New England player to be chosen MVP and now the first Patriot to win Offensive Player of the Year. He collected 35½ votes to 12½ for Moss. Wes Welker, the Patriots’ other starting receiver, got one, as did Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre.

Brady, an eight-year veteran who’s already a winner of three Super Bowls, threw for 50 touchdowns, beating Peyton Manning’s league mark by one. He also threw 23 of those TD passes to Moss, lifting the receiver past Jerry Rice’s record of 22.

New England scored 589 points and 75 TDs, both records. Brady’s precision — a 68.9 completion percentage, 117.2 passer rating, just eight interceptions — and yards passing (4,806, 383 more than runner-up Drew Brees of New Orleans) made him a natural choice for his second award in less than a week.

 This Saturday night the Patriots take on Jacksonville in the second round of the playoffs. The Patriots are seeking the second perfect season in league history; only Miami, 17-0 in 1972, has gone through the regular schedule and the postseason unbeaten.

Since Favre won Offensive Player in 1995, only two quarterbacks have taken the award: Manning with his record-setting 2004 season, and now Brady in surpassing Manning’s achievement.

Ohio State(Big Ten) show colors, again

    For the second consecutive year, the Buckeyes(and Illinois) showed the country just how overrated the Big 10 is. Taking nothing away from LSU and USC, who according to the AP are split National Champions, but plain and simple don’t buy into Big 10 hype. Yes Michigan won, but without the emotions and motivation of departing coach Lloyd Carr, they loose.

As expected last night Ohio State came out pissed and put 10 up early. But as good teams do LSU weathered the storm and settled down as the Buckeyes emotions fizzled out. Putting up 31 unanswered points to be exact. Same situation last year when Ted Ginn Jr. returned the opening kick for a TD, and then Florida eventually took control and handled OSU easily.

-Thorne Perun