The Houndie: Week 13
The highest honor in the NFL.The Houndie is an award formerly known as the Buckeye NFLer of the Week. After 2 years of existence, we searched for a catchier name, so with the help of a well placed typo and the ensuing 11W comments, the current title was created.
We start things off this week down in Miami, where the receiving duo of Ginn and Hartline put up normal numbers for them, but both played a pivotal role in Miami’s 22-21 comeback win over New England.
Ginn caught 2 balls for 34 yards and returned 4 kicks for an average of 26 yards. However, his long return of the day was 51 yards, right after Brady threw an 81-yard TD to put NE up 21-10. The return set Miami up at their own 48, where they went on to kick a FG 7 plays later. On that drive, Hartline drew a PI penalty on 3rd and 4, good for 37 yards to the Patriots 9. H-line then caught a TD pass later in the 3rd, to draw Miami to within 21-19, he ended the day with 4 catches for 41 yards.
Another solid WR effort came from Santonio Holmes, who caught 8 for 149 yards and a 34-yard TD in Pittsburgh’s inexcusable 27-24 home loss to the Raiders. Holmes moved up to 7th in receiving yards and now sits 14 yards away from his first career 1,000 yard season. He has already caught a career high 64 passes on the season. For the victorious Raiders, Jay Richardson was credited with a solo and assisted tackle.
Brian Robiskie finally had a somewhat productive day, catching 4 passes for 69 yards in another Browns loss, while fellow rookie Beanie Wells carried the rock 13 times for 28 yards in Arizona’s 30-17 win over Minnesota.
In Carolina, Chris Gamble registered 4 solo stops and 2 assists, while also intercepting a Josh Freeman pass with 18 seconds remaining. Na’il Diggs chipped in with 2 solo stops in Carolina’s 16-6 thrilling win over Tampa Bay. Sticking with defense, Little Animal once again lead the Rams in tackles, this week going for 9 solos and 3 assists in St. Louis’s 17-9 loss to Chicago. Even though the Rams are 1-11, JL has been a bright spot and now sits 8th in the league with 97 tackles, 5 behind rookie leader Brian Cushing. Meanwhile in KC, the veteran Mike Vrabel got 5 tackles.
Last week’s winner, Donte Whitner had 6 total tackles in Buffalo’s 19-13 loss to the Jets on Thursday night. Sadly, the Gun Show once again did not record any stats in the Jets win. In Monday night’s game, AJ Hawk shadowed Todd Heap most the night and recorded 3 solo and 4 assisted tackles, while also making a sick interception off Joe Flacco in the 4th.
This week’s winner though, might also win the year-end perseverance Houndie, is Malcolm Jenkins for undefeated New Orleans Saints. Jenkins had 9 solo tackles, the second straight game he has lead the Saints in tackles, as NO came back to win at Washington, 33-30 in overtime. Jenkins didn’t see much playing time in the first 10 weeks, but has been making the most of his injury-related chance in the last 3 weeks, making 24 of his season’s 34 tackles. This is obviously his first Houndie.
man, i hate to do this, but
“Washington’s Jason Campbell, frequently picking on first-round draft pick Malcolm Jenkins, completed 30 of 42 passes for a career-high 367 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Thomas had seven catches for a career-high 100 yards and two touchdowns”
i reluctantly do this, but the integrity of the houndie must be preserved
I know Campbell had a career day and Jenkins got picked on, therefore I was reluctant to give it to Malcolm, but I couldn’t give it to Holmes since the Steelers lost and he was the only other candidate. I know where you are coming from, but I think the integrity of the Houndie is safe, since Malcolm is on an undefeated team and has lead the Saints in tackles 2 straight weeks, even though teams maybe picking on him a bit, he is finally seeing some significant PT and will get better as the season rolls on.
I’ve been lurking here for a long time and don’t generally comment on blogs I follow, but I feel like I have to point out the prior awards that contradict your explanation that you “couldn’t give it to Holmes since the Steelers lost.”
You handed it to little animal in week 11 and 5 this season(if I didn’t screw up my quick Houndie research), both times in a loss. I know that playing on a garbage team isn’t going to give him a shot otherwise, and that seemed to be the reasoning you were using in giving him the award those two weeks, but it set a precedent that a win isn’t exactly a necessary component of the award.
Not that I think Jenkins is undeserving. It’s your award to give, and it’s something I look forward to reading every week. Just wanted to bring it to your attention.
Thanks Philly, you’re right, we gave it to JL in 2 separate losses and normally try to give it to a winning performance. I guess another aspect is trying to give the award to multiple players throughout the season, recognizing what they have done recently or just that week. Jenkins is one of my recent favorites and I have been waiting for him to put up some stats, so he can win the award. Perhaps this award was given to him based on the fact he is finally playing and he’s lead the team in tackles 2 straight weeks, regardless of how much he got burned, they’re still winning. Holmes could win the award 6-8 a year if we didn’t spread it around a little bit.
you know we’re just trying to keep ya honest corey… although i probably would’ve gone with tone this week (career high in yardage), i understand the quandry with giving it to a guy in a losing performance.
I still don’t think Jenkins is a true corner. I’ve been wrong plenty of times before and I may very well be here but he just isn’t fast enough. I do think he could be a bad-ass free safety or even a strong safety. Love the guy but I think he’s out of position.
BTW, “Tearbow” in the Poll question is awesome!!
cosign
If you can’t give it to someone in a loss, then the right choice was made.
I am pulling for Gerhart to win the Heisman. I love watching this kid play. He broke the PAC 10 rushing touchdown record. Gerhart, not OJ, Marcus Allen, or Reggie Bush, but Gerhart owns the PAC 10 rushing touchdown record.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVf_74OGjDE
I don’t know… watching that video, Gerhart had some great hits and push, but he had some *huge* holes to run through. Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player absolutely dominate a game like Suh did again Texas, and I’d love to see a defensive guy win it.
Yeah, but Gerhart made a shit-load of holes also. One play vs. ND, a WR who was blocking for him was shoved into him by opposing DB and BOTH players bounced right off him like fly’s hitting a windshield. Saying that Gerhart just had good blocking is a tad erronious. There’s no denying this kid was the best player in CFB this year.
I’ve watched more of Gerhart, and as iball stated, he makes his own holes without issues. I haven’t watched much of Suh, other than their loss to Texas. I can’t give it to a guy for one game, I don’t know how he faired the rest of the season. Gerhart broke a legit confrence record, where there were legends playing before him.
Should have given it to Hawk–that pick iced the game for the Packers.
So, are you saying he had an “ice-pick”?? (dodges tomatoes)
So does anyone think UC could go after Fickell?
I think Fickell as a DC to Notre Dame is more probable than UC as head coach….I think UC will want a proven head coach, someone who has done it before…Fickell isn’t even the sole caller of defensive plays at OSU…yes, he is a good recruiter with Ohio ties, but Marky D. and now Kelly have built this UC program into a BCS bowl contender and possible MNC contender and the UC people will not sacrifice the continued success on someone who doesn’t have the experience…I would say look for a mid-major coach with Ohio ties to come in and take that job if/when Kelly goes to ND
If it isn’t official yet, I say that Brian Kelly should definitely not go to Notre Dame.
1) too high expectations for a program that makes it difficult for top talent to get in. Why would anyone want to go there if they can easily get into Florida or Ohio State. Plus the songbirds are much nicer!
2) They are losing the only talent they have with Clausen and Tate. Cinncinnati has Zach Collaros and Kelly can bring in just as much talent as ND.
3) Graveyard of coaches. Can anyone seriously say that the last 3 head coaches have been successful since they got shit canned from ND. Davies, Willingham and now Weis. Even Holtz didn’t fare well after he left.
4) There is a reason Urban Meyer said no to ND and went to Florida and is staying in Florida. I think it would be wise to learn from him.
don’t be stupid and make it automatic that OSU is the only decent program in the state.
There’s one huge reason to go too. $$$$$$$$$$ They’ll pay him way more than he gets at UC and Charlie Weiss was able to bring in really good recruiting classes, he just had no way to coach them on defense. Notre Dame still lands great talent. They have just had 3 coaches in a row who were inept at developing the talent on both sides of the ball. That being said, I’m not so sure Brian Kelly is the man who can do that either.
I don’t think anyone is assuming Ohio State is the only good program in Ohio. This is 2 years in a row that Ohio has had 2 teams in a BCS bowl. Poor conference or not you have to be good to lose what 3 games in 2 years? Do I think he’d be silly to leave just based on talent? Yeah, UC will have a much better team next year. Notre Dame is losing the best players on the team. Will I blame him if he goes? No way, he’s going to go from 2ne rate facilities and being “little brother” to finest facilities there are, a recruiting base that is sspread all over the US, and a fat paycheck.
Honestly, win or lose, JL deserved the Houndies. I’ve watched most of the Rams games (provided they’re not blacked out…) and they’ve been slipping further and further into the gutter of the NFL for the past few years. The Rams have no defensive tackles. Their best DT has been on the IR since the beginning of the season. The best LB the team had was Will Witherspoon and they traded him to Philly before the midway point of the season. The two linebackers supporting JL right now consist of a former Mr. Irrelevant recipient, and a cast off from Green Bay. On a team that should be 0-12, JL has been one of two bright spots on the team, the other being Steven Jackson.
It also doesn’t help any that the defense spends about 99.9% of the game on the field because of the offense’s inability to get a first down.
JL has been solid, and its been awesome, because most of St. Louis wanted the Rams to grab Mauluaga.