These are the picks for the 2002 season. The bold represents the team selected to win. Games in red represent the Upset of the Week. At the bottom, The weekly and overall records for the season appear at the bottom. These picks are based purely on winners and losers with no consideration from the spread. The spread is used only to determine upsets for the Upset of the Week.
This Saturday, the Heisman Trophy will be awarded to the best college football player for 2002. This year, there is no player that was heads and shoulders better than his peers, so there's no obvious choice. The fate of the candidates rest in the hands of the voters.
The Heisman award is a subjective honor. There aren't any minimum requirements the athletes must achieve in order to be eligible for the trip to the Downtown Athletic Club. It's just a matter of accumulating the best assortment of stats to impress voters.
But that only gets one an invitation. Ultimately, media members and former Heisman winners select the winner. They weigh accomplishments differently. A running back gaining over 2,000 yards might be a difference-maker. Or playing quarterback, the most cerebral position in football, is judged favorably over other positions. Fulfilling more than one role, like being a quality kick/punt returner as well as a standout wide receiver, might be treated like extra credit. All that is known is that there are no standards set for voting.
The only rule is that the winner is judged on his accomplishments of the past year. So to University of Miami, Florida quarterback Ken Dorsey, going 38-1 for your career means nothing. Otherwise, winner will be based on some, likely more, of the criteria below:
Success: This player should be on a winning team and played a big role in the team's success. Certainly, there's only so much one player can do, evidenced by wide receiver Charles Rogers of Michigan State and Arizona State defensive end Terrell Suggs. Both shined, but for losing programs. Only once did the Heisman go to a player on a losing team.
Health: Yes, one may finish the race, but if one stumbles, they will fall behind, unlikely to recover. The truth is, stats are stats, and the bigger the numbers, the better your chances. There's nothing wrong with missing the second half of the game, but you better had put up some decent numbers while in the game. Maurice Clarett falls victim because he didn't play in a few games this year and played very sparingly in a couple others.
Team MVP: If he isn't the most important player on the team to begin with, then they aren't a Heisman candidate. As good as Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was, the Buckeyes were able to win without him when Clarett couldn't play. U of Miami is an interesting situation. Running back Willis McGahee was the best player this year, but would the Hurricanes be playing for the National Championship if quarterback Ken Dorsey wasn't around? Miami has depth at the RB position, so maybe McGahee's production was replaceable.
Consistency: The player must set a standard and live up to it weekly. Under this category, Penn State running back Larry Johnson is penalized because he came on late, rushing for 1,396 in his last four games. His previous six games produced 619 yards. University of Southern California quarterback Carson Palmer came on late as well, but he had good numbers in the first half of his season already. Iowa State quarterback Brad Banks doesn't have the big numbers Palmer and Dorsey have, but finished the season as the highest rated quarterback in the country as proof of consistency. There are exceptions, though...
Quality: All finalist likely can post career bests against Silicone Valley Institute of Software College. But what about conference games or against highly ranked teams? Dorsey was steady all year long, but didn't perform at his best against Florida State (44.4 completion percentage, two TDs, two Ints), and his four touchdown performance against Florida was virtually offset by three picks. Nittany Lion Johnson gets demerits for running roughshod over Northwestern, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan State. It dilutes the 2,015-yard season, especially considering he came up very short against Iowa (58 rushing yards), Michigan (78) and Ohio State (66). Banks was at his best against Michigan, Purdue and Penn State, completing 63 percent of his passes in those three games for 709 yards, nine TDs and only two interceptions. Palmer and McGahee made strong arguments for their chances. McGahee punctuated his ability to step up with his six-touchdown performance against Virginia Tech in the season finale. Palmer did the same, tearing up Notre Dame in the season finale and conference foes through the season.
Weighing the criteria above, it would between McGahee or Banks. Forced to choose one, I'd side with Banks because, like I said, it's a subjective vote. I'm a big fan of underdogs.
Baltimore at Houston - W
This is called finding the silver lining. Despite managing a pathetic 47 total yards of offense, the Texans can hang their hat on the fact that, offensively, they played a very efficient game. The offense will unproductive this week, but the result won't be the same. Call it a systematic shutdown by the Ravens.
Carolina at Pittsburgh - W
T.V. cameras caught Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart shaking the hand of Tommy Maddox on the sideline during the loss to Houston. Stewart was consoling him, but was also thinking if Maddox keeps up the poor play, he'll be back in, if not starting, in no time. The Steelers survive the Panthers attack.
Indianapolis at Cleveland - W
This is a match-up of two former first pick overall quarterbacks. Cleveland's Tim Couch can see for himself what he was supposed to become. Indy's Peyton Manning outperforms Couch in a solid Colts win.
Jacksonville at Cincinnati - W
Jaguars head coach Tom Coughlin put the loss squarely on the shoulders of kicker Danny Boyd for a poorly executed squib kick. But wasn't it Coughlin who brought Boyd in after giving Ritchie Cunningham the boot? So is it really Boyd's fault? Coughlin will take credit for the Jaguars win, but it's more likely that the Bengals lose the game.
Minnesota at New Orleans - L
Looks like Christmas is coming early for N'Orleans. The trade of running back Ricky Williams likely will net a first round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. If I'm quarterback Aaron Brooks, I'd be concerned because N.O. drafted Williams' eventual replacement, Deuce McAllister, calling it a "best player available" selection. Brooks could be next to be replaced. As for the here and now, the Saints outscore the Vikings.
N.Y. Jets at Chicago - L
If injuries haven't plagued the Bears enough this season, two more starters went down on Monday and will miss the rest of the season. The roster is so thin that Chicago signed a couple of paramedics to the active roster. A fully loaded Jets team blazes the Bears.
Oakland at Miami - W
We all know that the surviving players from Miami's 1972 undefeated Super Bowl team annually pops open a bottle of champagne when the last undefeated team loses their first game of the season. Now former quarterback Dan Marino is sitting by a well chilled bottle, hoping Oakland's Rich Gannon doesn't break the single season passing record set by Marino. Gannon's chances will take a blow as the stingy Dolphins defense grounds the Raiders passing game and anchors a Miami victory.
San Diego at Buffalo - L
Contrary to his normal behavior, S.D. head coach Marty Schottenheimer said that he has a few plays designed for former Buffalo quarterback and current Chargers backup Doug Fluite. One play is a re-enactment of the Bills quarterback controversy that led to Flutie's release with Drew Brees playing Rob Johnson. The Chargers won't play around as they silence Buffalo.
Seattle at Atlanta - L
Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick already has a pair of game shoes on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame from his 173-yard rushing performance. Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck offered his high tops from this past weekend to the Hall, but the sneakers were rejected. He reasoned their importance comes from rushing for more yards than Vick did last week (62 yards to 15). Head-to-head, Hasselbeck and Seattle won't be able to keep up with Vick and the Falcons.
Tampa Bay at Detroit - W
According to Lions president Matt Millen, the team is on schedule for their eventual return to a contending team. It's a five year plan. But he didn't say when the plan begins. The Buccaneers are well on their way towards the playoffs and the Lions won't stop them.
Washington at Philadelphia - W
Watching recent tapes of Philly's offense makes Redskins head coach Steve Spurrier pull his hair out. The Eagles keep winning (This Sunday included) with back-up quarterbacks while he can't find a starter out of his three.
Kansas City at Denver - L
Give a lot of credit to K.C. head coach Dick Vermeil. He pulled his running back, Priest Holmes, out of the game when it was well in hand instead of padding Holmes' stats who in a tight race for the league's rushing crown. Vermeil will need Holmes for the whole 60 minutes as the Chiefs pull off the Upset of the Week.
Dallas at N.Y. Giants - L
Already short-handed, literally, the Giants will be down wide out Ron Dixon, who was suspended one game, and Herman Moore left Gotham as well, disappointed in never being activated from the practice team. Unable to create offensive balance, the Cowboys upend New York.
Green Bay at San Francisco - L
Imagine. San Fran's Terrell Owens, the wide out infamous for his Dallas Star display the last time he was in the Lone Star State, managed to not piss off the locals. Owens depresses plenty of Green Bay fans as T.O. helps the 49ers to another win.
Arizona at St. Louis - W
'Zona fans had their hearts in their throats in overtime. Not from the turnover negated by a Detroit penalty. Nor was it during the game-winning kick. The Cardinal fans breathed a sign of relief when kicker Bill Gramatica walked off the field. He didn't injure himself during the post-field goal celebration like he did last year. It's easy math: St. Louis + quarterback Marc Bulger = a Rams win.
New England at Tennessee - Monday Night - L
A buddy at work, critical of N.E. quarterback Tom Brady, moaned that Brady can't beat any good teams, pointing to the losses to teams with a combined 35-17 record. If that's true, then the Titans should win outright. I'll buck the trend and side with the Patriots simply because it won't be only Brady's play that puts New England on top.
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