When every team had reached the halfway mark of its 2014 season, one name stood out in the race for The Associated Press NFL awards: Arizona coach Bruce Arians. Will Compton Titans Jersey .The other seven honours, including the new assistant coach award, should provide a mad scramble heading toward January.Measuring performance through the first eight games can be a valuable tool in predicting which teams and individuals will be busy in January.Still, things often change as the weather gets colder, the schedule gets shorter and the pressure ramps up.Some would argue, though, that Arians deserves top coaching honours regardless of how his Cardinals fare the rest of the way. They have the NFLs best mark through eight games despite a bunch of injuries and living in the rugged NFC West.How are the Cardinals 7-1 after missing their starting QB for three games and, at one point in the season, being down six of last years starters in the front seven? asks Jenny Vrentas of The Monday Morning Quarterback and one of 50 panel members who vote for the awards in January. The first reason is good coaching. Arians hasnt let his team make any excuses and has taken control of the formidable NFC West at midseason.Of the half-dozen AP voters asked in an informal survey, all six selected Arians as Coach of the Year so far.As for the APs newest award, for assistant coaches, Arians defensive co-ordinator, Todd Bowles, received lots of support.Bowles is winning, somehow, without Daryl Washington, Karlos Dansby, John Abraham and Darnell Dockett, not to mention lesser injuries this season for Calais Campbell and others, says Don Banks of SI.com.USA Todays Jim Corbett favoured Dallas defensive co-ordinator Rod Marinelli, whose unit has played far better than many thought it was capable of doing.Another intriguing race is shaping for Comeback Player of the Year. Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin, Cowboys linebacker Roland McClain, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston, Texans running back Arian Foster and Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer got mentions.Most of them are coming off injury-shortened seasons, while McClain flopped in Oakland and walked away from the game twice in Baltimore.His plan to take a one-year deal with the Eagles instead of trying to hit it big on the market will pay off this coming off-season, Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports says of Maclin.Just as with Coach of the Year consideration, the top defensive player award appears to have been a runaway through the halfway point of the schedule. While Houston and Denver LB Von Miller have stood out, too, Texans DE J.J. Watt has soared highest.Its incredible to think a player as consistently dominant as him can be a part of a team thats lost 17 of its last 23 games, Garafolo notes.The NFLs most disruptive defender does it all, adds Banks. He has the sacks, the touchdowns (three, one each via interception, fumble return and reception), the fumble recoveries, the passes defenced and the tackles for loss to make this race no contest in 2014.There figures to be a 16-game contest for Offensive Player of the Year, which quite often is earned because of statistical performance. That could give Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray the nod over the likes of quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck and Tom Brady, and receivers Antonio Brown and Bears RB Matt Forte.The Cowboys running backs streak of eight consecutive 100-yard games ended on Sunday, Vrentas says, but with 1,133 rushing yards so far this season, Murray alone has amassed more yards on the ground than 28 NFL teams.More than 28 teams — try 32 — have had rookies making an impact already. Thats the pattern of the NFL nowadays thanks to the salary cap and the way the passing game has become dominant.So the top two rookie awards are, well, very much up in the air.Not surprisingly, Bob Glauber of Newsday favours a receiver and a cornerback. Glauber pinpoints for Offensive Rookie of the Year Panthers wideout Kelvin Benjamin, who already has 40 catches for 589 yards and five TDs. His choice for Defensive Rookie of the Year is Chicago CB Kyle Fuller, already a starter with three interceptions.Others to consider halfway through the schedule on offence include Bills WR Sammy Watkins, Saints WR Brandin Cooks, Eagles WR Jordan Matthews, Cowboys guard Zach Martin, Packers centre Corey Linsley and Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon.Other defensive contenders range from Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley to Rams DT Aaron Donald to Browns CB Justin Gilbert to safeties Ha Ha Clinton-Dix of Green Bay, Deone Bucannon of Arizona and Jimmie Ward of San Francisco.Maybe even one of the outstanding rookie kickers — Arizonas Chandler Catanzaro and Philadelphias Cody Parkey — or punter Tress Way or Washington will get recognized.As for the most recognizable award, MVP, quarterbacks usually dominate the conversation. But Murray and Watt certainly have become major parts of the discussion.Corbett, Vrentas and Banks favour Brady.Brady has stats that are comparable to Peyton Manning, and just convincingly outplayed him head to head in Foxboro, Banks says.Glauber likes the five-time MVP Manning, as does Garafolo.I almost went Andrew Luck here, but thats probably a reaction to the down game Manning had in New England followed by Luck and the Colts thrashing the Giants the next day, Garafalo says. Manning has been outstanding once again and his arm strength seems to have gotten even better. Lucks numbers are gaudy and hes been very good, but hes not wrong when he points out there are areas he can clean up.Most intriguing would be if Watt gets strong support for MVP, an award that has gone to just two defensive players: Alan Page (1971) and Lawrence Taylor (1986).Eight-year, $108 million contract extension hasnt led to any complacency, Glauber says of Watt. Just the opposite, the guy goes a million miles an hour on every play.___Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Harold Landry Jersey . He just didnt expect them to be this good. Darrun Hilliard scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Villanova to a dominating 77-59 victory over Georgetown on Saturday, preserving the Wildcats hopes of a No. Bennie Logan Titans Jersey . Anaheim Ducks Reassign D Colby Robak to Norfolk Admirals (AHL). - Team Website D Eric Brewer (foot) removed from injured reserve. http://www.authenticshoptitans.com/ . In sunny and almost windless conditions, the Swede shot four consecutive birdies on the front nine on his way to a 68 and went 9 under for a one-shot lead over Englands Lee Slattery and two over Paraguays Farbrizio Zanotti (68). INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers bench didnt provide much in Saturday nights 97-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Danny Granger, Luis Scola, C.J. Watson and Ian Mahinmi combined to shoot just 4 of 18 for 16 points. None played more than Watsons 18:33. "Weve got to figure out something to get a better rhythm with that group," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. Maybe the arrival of Andrew Bynum will help. Hours after the Pacers signed the free-agent centre for the rest of the season, Indiana overcame an early deficit and held off the Nets to improve to an NBA-best 22-2 at home. Bynum wasnt in the arena -- Vogel said before the game that the mercurial big man had returned to Cleveland and hadnt had a chance to meet his new teammates yet. But Indianas All-Star starter, Paul George, isnt concerned about Bynums reputation. "I think it increases our chances (of winning a championship)," George said. "A lot of teams have three centres. With us only having two, him being one of the best ones out there, its a no-brainer to go after a talented guy like that." The Pacers (36-10) eked out the win despite a season-high 24 turnovers that Brooklyn converted into 36 points. "We didnt play a great game," Vogel said. "Weve got to get under control." George and Roy Hibbert both had 20 points for the Pacers, who swept the four-game season series. Lance Stephenson, left out of the All-Star game despite leading the NBA in triple-doubles, added 14 points for Indiana. David West had 17 points and George Hill scored 10. "Weve got to be a little more patient. Were swinging for the fences a little too much in terms of trying to make some tight interior passes as opposed to making the simple play," said West, who had a game-high seven assists. Shaun Livingston scored a season-high 24 points for the Nets, who couldnt hold an early seven-point lead against the Eastern Conference leaders. Joe Johnson, an All-Star selection, spent much of the night dueling with Stephenson and scored 16 for Brooklyn, which has lost three straight since starting January with 11 wins in 12 games. "We play 82 games through the season and youre going to have your ups and downs, and hopefully youre ready come playoff time," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. Stephenson, unhappy he was left off the All-Star team, had words at times with the Brooklyn bench. "I could care less if its personal," Johnson said. "He needs to talk it over with the coaches. Ive got nothing to do with it." Paul Pierce scored 15 points, Deron Williiams added 13 and Kevin Garnett had 12 for the Nets, who were coming off a 120-95 loss at home to Oklahoma City on Friday night. Rashaan Evans Titans Jersey. "The guys were active tonight and we got our hands on some balls and we turned them over," Kidd said. "We didnt capitalize as well as we wanted, but definitely an improvement from what we did the night before." West scored seven points in the fourth quarter, hitting five of six free throws to help the Pacers hold on. "David always comes through when we need him most," George said. "He shines in those moments. He really picks us up in those moments." Brooklyn tied the score at 76 on Livingstons two free throws with 10 minutes left, but Hibbert converted a three-point play and Indiana led the rest of the way. Livingston pulled Brooklyn to 85-83 with 5:10 to play, but after an extended Indiana possession, Stephenson hit two free throws after being fouled by Johnson, then Hibbert slammed home a dunk. The Nets wouldnt go away, though. Hill hit one of two free throws with 18.6 seconds to play for a 94-90 lead before Johnsons 3-pointer with 8 seconds left made it 94-93. West then hit two free throws, rebounded Pierces missed 3 and hit one more free throw to make it 97-93. Williams hit a 3 with 0.4 seconds left, and the game ended after Scola threw the inbounds pass off Pierces back. "The one thing we said was, Dont throw it out of bounds," Vogel said. "We said, Throw it anywhere where it hits them or us." Brooklyn took advantage of a sluggish start by the Pacers to lead by seven points three times in the first quarter, the last on Johnsons short jumper that put the Nets ahead 13-6 with 7:28 to play in the period. The Pacers took their first lead at 19-18 on Georges 3-pointer. Livingston hit two jumpers and Johnson added another to put Brooklyn back ahead 24-19, but Indiana closed the quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 25-24. Neither team could build a lead greater than four points in the second quarter, and the lead changed hands six times, with five ties. Georges driving layup with 6 seconds to play gave the Pacers a 46-45 halftime lead. The Pacers outscored Brooklyn 12-2 over the first 3:36 of the third quarter, building a 58-47 lead and prompting a timeout by Kidd. Brooklyn responded with a 19-9 run to pull to 67-66. Indiana scored the next five points, but Alan Anderson hit a 3-pointer, Mason Plumlee made one of two free throws and the Nets trailed just 72-70 entering the fourth. NOTES: The Pacers improved to 32-1 when leading after the third quarter. ... Indiana missed four of its first seven shots. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '