Ron Jaworski on Reggie Bush- Rookie of the Year

[Assani Fisher]

I think that most of you around here know my general philosophy regarding the NFL and how I feel like stats are a bit overrated since so much goes into them(offensive philosophy, quality of supporting cast, etc.). Rather than blindly follow the stats I try to WATCH as much football as possible and analyze players that way.

But obviously I can't watch every game, and obviously there are a ton of people out there who are better scouts than I. So what I try to do is to find a few people whose opinions I greatly trust. Some examples might include Chris Landry(yahoo sports), the footballguys staff, and I've even recently started to read FO a bit more even though I'm still not completely sold on their philosophies.

Anyway, on TV my favorite analysit has to be Jaws. For one, hes a former QB so he instanly has credentials there. But not just that- hes also very analytical and well spoken, and you can tell that hes usually not biased(unless its the Eagles, but even then he admits it). Perhaps what I like most about him is that so many of his comments being with a phrase like "Well when studying film I found that...". So many analyists on TV today just seem to be arguing without really knowing what they are talking about.

Anyway, on to the point of my post:

I didn't see it myself, but I read on footballguys that this morning on SportsCenter they asked Jaws who his rookie of the year was. He replied that it was easily Reggie Bush because when watching the games you could see how much the game changed when he was on the field. Jaws basically said that even though the numbers don't show it, Bush had the most impact.

Now let me be clear- I'm not necessarily agreeing with him. In fact, if you had asked me yesterday I would've definitely said that Vince Young was the ROY and that MJD was the best RB of the rookies this year. However I greatly respect Jaws, and I usually will give his opinion of game film great respect- many times if I feel one way after watching a game and he feels another, I will instantly begin to re-assess my opinions.

So I just wanted some commentary on this. Would anyone else agree that Reggie Bush was the ROY? And for the record, I've already seen all the stats and I already realize that MJD's stats are far better, so no need to point that out.

[lmatth]

I think the main reason is his versatility. He can do SOOOO many things on the field. Young opens up that Tenn. offense in several ways, but having Bush coming out of the backfield allows the Saints to constantly disguise the offense, thus making the play calling options limitless. The offense that the Saints have put together late in the season is due to the fact that they are a double threat (running and passing) and the passing game isn't isolated to a short game / big play game. They can control all aspects of the field.

[zer0]

I couldn't justify giving Bush the award over guys like MJD or Young because of what he "could" do over what they "did" do.

[Green Kool Aid]

[ QUOTE ]
I couldn't justify giving Bush the award over guys like MJD or Young because of what he "could" do over what they "did" do.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with this.

Assani---I think a better argument would be taking Bush over the other two going forward, but I still think young quarterbacks who win football games are just too valuable.

[Assani Fisher]

btw, I'm not trying to bash MJD at all, but here was a post on FBGs that I found interesting:

Here are his stats in Jags wins:

CODE
+----------+-------------+--------+----+
| WK OPP | RSH YD | RECYD | TD |
+----------+-------------+--------+----+
| 1 dal | 2 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 pit | 2 4 | 6 | 0 |
| 5 nyj | 13 59 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 phi | 21 77 | 20 | 0 |
| 9 ten | 8 56 | 29 | 0 |
| 11 nyg | 9 45 | 16 | 1 |
| 13 mia | 5 46 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 ind | 15 166 | 15 | 2 |


The first two wins he had nothing to do with. The Jets, he ran up stats in garbage time in a 41-0 game. He didn't score against Philly or Tennessee, and against the Titans, had just 5 yards in the first half, only getting playing time after they were up 20-0. Against the Giants he scored a 3-yard TD with the Jags up 16-10 late in the fourth; they would have won with a field goal. Against Miami, he had 8 yards going into the fourth quarter, and scored a TD when they were up 17-7.

In fact, in all their wins this year, Jones never scored a TD when they were behind, and only scored a TD when they were tied once (in the Indy game, at 0-0). You can legitimately give MJD credit for Jacksonville winning the Indy game, but most of his stats were racked up in losses, or in garbage time in wins. Certainly you can't credit him with winning even as many as three games.

[Russ M.]

[ QUOTE ]
I think that most of you around here know my general philosophy regarding the NFL and how I feel like stats are a bit overrated since so much goes into them(offensive philosophy, quality of supporting cast, etc.). Rather than blindly follow the stats I try to WATCH as much football as possible and analyze players that way.

[/ QUOTE ]

Weren't you basing your argument around Vick being an elite QB based solely on his fantasy points?

[kyleb]

I would take Bush going forward, but MJD is definitely the ROY.

[JupiterUWG]

ive seen jaws take marcus mcneill for ROY several times

[Assani Fisher]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think that most of you around here know my general philosophy regarding the NFL and how I feel like stats are a bit overrated since so much goes into them(offensive philosophy, quality of supporting cast, etc.). Rather than blindly follow the stats I try to WATCH as much football as possible and analyze players that way.

[/ QUOTE ]

Weren't you basing your argument around Vick being an elite QB based solely on his fantasy points?

[/ QUOTE ]

no, never. I did briefly mention in one thread that Vick was the #2 QB in my FF league this year, but I have never ever said anything close to that.

[NozeCandy]

It sucks Colston got injured. What do you think the odds would have been at the beginning of the year that the Texans would have the defensive ROY and the Saints would have offensive ROY and NEITHER would be Williams or Bush?