It's all Aaron Rodgers all the time as Maxim chats with sports guru Drew Magary of Deadspin and Kissing Suzy Kolber about the hits and misses of the 2011 football season as we reach (okay, pass) its midpoint.
Maxim: Since we discussed the lockout last week (and look where that went) I wanted to do a midseason report. . . a week late.
Drew: Okay. Most midseason reports are a week EARLY
And then I'm like, they've only played seven games
WEEK 8 IS NOT MIDSEASON.
Maxim: And three weeks ago we'd be discussing the failed Tebow experiment. When it's actually kind of a cool experiment.
Drew: It's KIND OF cool. It's cool when it's a game between two awful teams and you need a bit of novelty.
It's not cool when the Broncos face a winning team and will get murdered.
Maxim: But man, 2 COMPLETIONS.
Drew: I know! I wanted him to finish with 0 so badly.
Maxim: I wanted him to finish with 0...and still win. That might be unprecedented.
Drew: Agreed. They showed John Elway on the sideline and he looked like someone was forcing him to watch a rape.
Maxim: So....biggest surprise of the first half, individual player edition? Cam Newton?
Drew: Has to be Cam. He's been fantastic. Dalton has been great, but I think everyone expected Cam to struggle more just because Dalton already ran a pro attack.
Maxim: Do you think Dalton and Mike McQueary were separated at birth?
Drew: Oh, so ALL gingers look alike to you eh? THASS RAYCESS!
Maxim: Some of my best friends are ginger!
Anyway, the Niners have to be the biggest surprise as far as teams go, but is Harbaugh that good, or was Singletary that bad?
Drew: Singletary was that bad. Singletary was clearly a screamer without a real plan.
I think Harbaugh also deserves credit for being the first college coach to succeed since... when? Like, Denny Green?
It's been a LONG time. You deserve some kind of prize for that.
Maxim: Aaron Rodgers has to be the closest thing to a midseason MVP we've seen, like, ever right? I mean, Brady in '07 was close, but Randy Moss was having a career year as well, and on the same team.
Drew: Yup. They don't even need to vote.
Rodgers is so far past everyone that I dunno how they lose if he stays healthy.
He's much better than Brady right now
Maxim: You know, if the season ended today he'd set the single season QB rating mark by TEN POINTS?
Drew: I know! Impressive even if that rating is weird and meaningless.
Maxim: Biggest disappointments then? Eagles?
Drew: EAGLES. Not even close.
Maxim: They not only disappoint on a macro level (3-6) but they disappoint every game! How can you blow that many fourth quarter leads?
Drew: And they disappoint in such Andy Reid ways. It's like this whole season has been a constant reminder: "Hey! Andy Reid is your coach!"
They could have 50 Laser Jesuses on the roster and he'd still fuck it up.
Maxim: Are the Colts the only team still in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes?
Drew: Yes. Their schedule is brutal, so I can't see any team overtaking them.
Maxim: Because the Vikings, Panthers and Rams are all 2-7 and have young QBs.
Drew: I think the Skins sneak into the top 3. They have what it takes to lose out.
Maxim: Most disappointing player has to be Chris Johnson, right? Or am I just thinking in fantasy terms?
Drew: I'd say him and probably Vick. And Philip Rivers
Rivers, you thought, was kind of reliable. And he hasn’t been. He's been just dreadful.
Maxim: If Rodgers is MVP, who is you defensive player of the first half?
Drew: Probably one of the Niners LBs. Or maybe Jared Allen, but I'm biased.
Maxim: Revis has been pretty solid. But you’re right. Allen is amazing.
Drew: Allen has had his best season and it's going to waste.
Maxim: Think he'll break Strahan's fake sacks record?
Drew: No. Players always slow down from record paces. Just look at Brady and Welker. Teams adjust, which SUCKS, because for once, I'd liek to see a 6,000 yard passing season.
Maxim: Who do you think is the best RB so far?
Drew: Adrian Peterson., and It's not close.
When Peterson's career is over, he'll have gotten the maximum possible amount of yards he could have gotten. He leaves no yards to be had.
You see other runners miss a hole or go down too quickly, and Peterson always finds the hole and takes the run to its last possible point.
That's why he's a Hall of Famer.
Maxim: I'd argue that the Vikings and Pats are the only teams with a top 5 player on both offense and defense, which is ironic given their records.
So, next year, will people stop thinking I'm weird for taking Rodgers in the first round of my fantasy draft?
Drew: I almost took him #1. I took Foster instead. And Foster is good but I still kinda regret my choice.
Maxim: I just felt like there are enough good enough RBs out there to wait til the second round.
Drew: RBs are utterly fungible.
Look at Peterson. He's the best in the universe and the Vikes are still 2-7
It's a passing league, which means all you need is for your RB to occasionally keep the defense honest. QBs are all that matter. Ever.
Maxim: And hence...Andrew Luck?
Drew: Right.