Steelers Mid-Season Awards

Time for the Steelers Mid-Season Awards

It seems like everyone and their brother is handing out "Mid-Season Awards" now that we have exited week 8 of the NFL season.  I'm not about to give NFL awards, but I will go ahead and tell you who I think will have won the awards for the Pittsburgh Steelers at the halfway mark of the season.  Without further ado...Envelope Please...

PITTSBURGH STEELERS MID-SEASON AWARDS:
Offensive Player - Jonathan Dwyer - I realize that this award could have gone to Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace, or especially Heath Miller.  However, Dwyer has been the difference maker in the offense the past few weeks to get this team on the right track.  He is in charge of giving the offense balance, and has done that with 2 back to back 100+yd rushing performances.  For that, he gets my Offensive Player of the Mid-Season Award.

Defensive Player - Ryan Clark - This award could have gone to Lawrence Timmons, but there is no other defensive player that has been as good with little help as Ryan Clark.  Known as "Robin" while Troy Polamalu is "Batman", Clark has had to take center stage and be the leader of the secondary.  He has done that and then some.  He is flying around the field making tackles, breaking up passes...basically doing whatever it takes to help this team win.  For that, he gets my Defensive Player of the Mid-Season Award.

Rookie Player - Chris Rainey - I thought about giving it to Mike Adams, but Chris Rainey has more of a body of work in the first half of the season for me to give it to the big tackle from Ohio State.  Chris Rainey is starting to settle into his role on the team and is now becoming more than a decoy.  Rainey has proven to be explosive in space and has had several big kick returns that have switched the field position battle in the Steelers' favor.  For that, he gets my Rookie Player of the Mid-Season Award.

Biggest Surprise - Keenan Lewis - At one point in the pre-season it was a toss up who would be the cornerback that would be on the opposite side of Ike Taylor.  Now, it seems evident why Keenan Lewis won that job.  Keenan Lewis has had several big plays in the last few games, and his great plays are beginning to outnumber the bad plays.  Keenan Lewis is a big reason why the secondary is performing at a high level right now.  He is playing well in the run game, as well as pass coverage.  Keenan Lewis is a HUGE surprise for the Steelers so far this season.

Biggest Disappointment - Troy Polamalu / Isaac Redman - I know you can't help injuries, but its hard not to say that both of these players have been disappointments this season.  Isaac Redman has played more than Troy, but the man who was supposed to carry the torch for the Steelers' running game until Rashard Mendenhall returned might be facing street clothes when all RBs are healthy.  Troy is one of the best safeties the NFL has seen in the last 15 years, but is he turning into Bob Sanders?  Troy is showing signs of being injury prone, and whenever he comes back from injury he never has the same "burst" that made him such a special player.  Both of these players have been disappointments to me thus far this season.

MVP - Ben Roethlisberger - Who else would have won this award?  The Steelers are the team they are because of #7.  He has kept them in every game that they've played this season, and this was before the Steelers found a running game.  Big Ben is a top 5 QB in my opinion, and I know I'm not alone with my views on that.  If he stays healthy (thats a big if, but the OLine has been doing a great job keeping him clean so far) then the Steelers are a Super Bowl contender...no matter what ANYONE says.  Big Ben is the heart and soul of the Steelers, and that is why he is the Mid-Season MVP.