Week 17: 9-6 (60%) / Season: 158-84 (65%) / Scott Picks: 6-8-1 (1-0)

Welcome everybody to the first annual Take it to the Bank NFL Awards (previously known as the Double Coverage NFL Awards). This season has been crazy with offenses reaching new heights and some well-established teams reaching new lows. The NFL unveils the AP awards during the playoffs, but we at Juiced Sports think a few hours after the end of the season is appropriate. The categories are the same as the AP’s but runner-ups will be named as well. Take it to the Bank will be back next season and we hope you have enjoyed our weekly pick-torial (get it?). With the draft coming up in just a few months, the column will turn into weekly offseason notes and a bunch of mock drafts for your reading pleasure. So stick around as we hit the fun part of the downtime between play. Without further ado, here’s the 2011 Take it to the Bank Awards.

NFL MVP: Aaron Rodgers / QB / Packers

There comes a time in the NFL where there is a player that no one expects of him to be a star or make an impact anywhere for his team. Countless times, we have seen players who make a difference despite being a drafted late in the NFL Draft and being expected to not do anything for his team.

Guys like Terrell Davis, Terrell Owens, Robert Mathis and so many other guys have made an impact with their teams despite being drafted late in the NFL Draft or not being drafted at all.

Then there are some players who did nothing in their first year and made some impact in their second year. Nobody is really like that, but there is someone that comes to mind who is exactly like that. Fellas, let me introduce you to Johnnie Lee Higgins.

Coming out of Texas-El Paso, he was drafted in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He didn’t make any amount of impact in his first season of playing due to the fact some people doubted him. He was small, too, being 5′11″ and 185 pounds.

In his first season, he recorded six receptions for only 46 yards. It wasn’t good, not good at all. He did receive some time in punt-returning as he notched 103 yards. But that wasn’t all good either because every punt return was averaged for about five yards.

It’s just horrible to see that. But yet, he was a third-round pick and nobody really expected anything out of him. It is sad to see things like these happen in the National Football League.

Now it was time for the crucial second season. It was time for Johnnie to prove he was worthy of being on Oakland Raiders’ roster. He is the future receiver for this offense. He is the target for not only JaMarcus Russell, but the future of the return the black as well.

Entering into weeks one and two the 2008-09 NFL season, nothing came out of Higgins. Just nothing at all for number 15. We then trip on a rock into week three of playing with a brown ball.

Here we see Higgins making his first ever impact for not only the Oakland Raiders, he had to do it for himself and proving to all NFL fans that he is an NFL player that deserves respect in this league.

Although Raider fans weren’t happy in the 24-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Higgins created a spark for Oakland as he showed what he can do as he provided an 84-yard touchdown. It truly showed that Higgins deserved to be drafted by the Raiders.

However, it was only one catch he recorded for the Raiders that game. Despite that, it showed that Higgins was going to get playing time this year. And he did coming into next week recording four catches for 35 yards. The week after that, he only had one catch for 35 yards.

Basically, it wasn’t that all surprising in the two games after the 84-yard touchdown game. People were thinking it was somewhat rather disappointing actually.

Coming into week seven of NFL football, the Raiders beat Brett Favre and the New York Jets, 16-13. Higgins did not take part in that astonishing win, but did take place in the rushing, recording an 18-yard run.

All we know is that he was getting shots at playing, but not enough to prove he’s a star. Coming into the 29-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, it became more of disappointment as Higgins reeled in two catches for only 16 yards.

His statistics were getting lower and were getting less surprising. What Higgins had to do now was be nothing less than legendary. That was his goal.

But that goal never came until week twelve of NFL football when he came and made an amazing return for a touchdown in the Raiders 31-10 rout against the Denver Broncos. In week 14, he finally had shots on the receiving end of play.

He had placed two catches for 22 yards. Although you may think it’s not good at all, it was a start of something new as next week showed how Higgins rolled.

In the 49-26 loss to the New England Patriots, Higgins had three catches for 66 yards, including an exciting play for Raider fans that witnessed the amazing 56-yard touchdown by Higgins. The exciting play displayed Higgins’ speed and concentration.

Higgins was truly nothing less than legendary in the last three games of the 2008-09 season, resulting a 2-1 record the Raiders themselves as well. Higgins also had three touchdowns in his last three games also.

In the 27-16 win over the Houston Texans, Higgins had three grabs for 56 yards and one touchdown. In the last game of the season, Higgins had a career-high in catches with six, along with 52 yards and a touchdown.

Yep, it was definitely nothing less than legendary for Higgins.

He had 22 catches for 366 yards and four touchdowns that year. What was better is that every catch was averaged for about 17 yards, which is solid. He was also well known in his return abilities, notching 842 yards in kick returns and 570 yards and three touchdowns on punt returns.

It was truly an exciting thing to see, although I did observe from many stat sheets of Higgins that he only started three games. So having those stats while only starting three games is truly an honor actually.

So that brings to what is going to happen next year in the 2009-10 season. The Raiders recently just got Darrius Heyward-Bey, who looks to be a helpful and speedy receiver for JaMarcus Russell. There is also the tall, fast, and indestructible Chaz Schilens and the exciting Zach Miller.

It also adds up with Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden, and Michael Bush leading the way in the running game. Right now, the Raiders have a lot of targets on offense and Higgins takes big and key role in all of it.

He can return the ball, he can run, he can catch, he can just about anything you want him to do. Although Heyward-Bey can do that, the hands have to improve. I have to admit, Higgins is better than DHB, and I hope some people have to agree with that.

And also, have any of you NFL fans ever seen highlights of him? Remember that 56-yard touchdown against the New England Patriots. That was truly an amazing play. And seriously, what about that 90-yard touchdown against Seattle?

You can’t deny that. Higgins has been making a name for himself and I think he already has in Oakland. Can he make it bigger? Can he be Mr. Hot-Shot? We’ll see next year.

So when you watch the Raiders play, NFL fans, grab a beer and watch out for Johnnie Lee Higgins next year.

SCOTT JACOBS

You know them.  You do.  You just don’t know them, know them.

You’ve heard their name.  You’ve laughed at their futility.  You’ve wondered aloud if they have the worst owner in professional sports.  You know them.  You just don’t know them, know them.

You’ve heard about their great wide receiver tandem, the one who’s set, and the one who’s upset.  You’ve seen Kurt Warner, you know his name.  You know they don’t win, and you’ve been told they had one playoff victory before this post-season started.  You know their struggle.  You make fun of their fans.  It’s not exactly ‘chic’ to be a die hard Cardinals supporter.  You’ve seen them let go of their good players, only for them to then become great players.  You’ve seen them screw up drafts.  You’ve looked at their partying backup quarterback and his rowdy pictures.  You know them.  You just don’t know them, know them.

But in the next two weeks, be prepared for your formal introduction to the Arizona Football Cardinals.  The team that history has spit on, and that success has damned.  The team that moved from city to city to city looking for fans that love them, and a stadium that could comfortably house them.  You’ve heard their name.  You’ve seen pictures, and maybe even read about them in the papers.  But you’ve never been exposed to them like this.  And for good reason.  Sans this season, the Cardinals were considered a joke.  They’re hardly ever on national TV, and outside of Arizona they rarely make national news.  But you’re familiar with them.  Because they lose.  They lose a lot.  They’re the Chicago Cubs of the NFL, only they’re not beloved.

But starting this week you will see more segments, read more articles, and watch more videos of the Arizona football Cardinals then you ever could have imagined.  The sad sack Cardinals.  Cause now they’re good.  Dare I say ‘Super.’ I’ve been following them for years.  When I say that they are the invisible team of the NFL if there ever was one I do not joke.  They’re hardly even the top show in their own state.  The Dallas Cowboys still have a huge fan base in the Valley of the Sun.  But forget that, it’s all moot now.

The Cardinals are in the Super Bowl.  The Cowboys, well, they aren’t.  So sit back, grab a cold one, and enjoy the ride.  It’s an Arizona Cardinals tour, and you’re invited.  Hands and feet inside the vehicle please.  We’ll be leaving the station now.  Here we go.

The Cardinals are old. They’re really, really old.  How old?  Try 1918. That’s when they began play in not Arizona, not St. Louis, but Chicago. And they weren’t the Chicago Cardinals then.  Nope, they were the Racine Cardinals.  Yup, the Cards are 90 years young.  They’re the oldest team in the NFL. Of course, they didn’t start in the NFL.  Nope.  Their first two seasons were in the APFA.  And contrary to their losing history, the Chicago Cardinals actually had a winning season their first year of play.  They were 6-2-2. After two years in the APFA, they joined the NFL. Cost of admission to the new league: $100.

The Cardinals won 11 games in 1925.  They won 11 games in 1948.  They won 11 games in 1975.  And that is it.  Three times in 90 years, the Cardinals franchise has won 11 games in the regular season.  Three!

Charles W. Bidwell, Sr. bought the Cardinals for $50,000 in 1932, and his family has owned the team ever since.  Interestingly enough he was actually a vice president of the Chicago Bears at the time of the sale.  If you’re keeping score at home, he left the powerhouse Bears to join the sad sack Cardinals.  Yup, he dropped a pot of gold, to go search for pennies. Under his first year of ownership the Cardinals… lost.  They finished 2-6-2, and it started one of the most unsuccessful stretches for a professional sports team in the history of human civilization.  I’d like to say I’m kidding.  I’m really not.

In 1959 the Cardinals played their final season in the Windy City.  And did you know: their final win came against the Steelers. 

From 1932-1945 the Cardinals were awful.  They had one winning season (1935), and a lot of other years that were just plain atrocious.  In back to back seasons (1943-1944) in which they lost 20 games… and won none.

Because of World War II, the Cardinals had to merge their team with– you guessed it– the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1944.  The moral: even a historically brilliant franchise like the Steelers can suck, if you merge them with the Cardinals.  That team went 0-10.  But they did have a cool name: Card-Pitt.  Did you know that?  Because I’d be willing to bet you won’t hear it mentioned once this week.

In 1947 the Cardinals went 9-3, and won their first (and only to this date) NFL championship.  They raced out to a 14-0 lead over the Philadelphia Eagles, and then held on for a 28-21 victory. Elmer Angsman cemented the win with a 70 yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Bidwills probably thought this would be the first of many championships for the Cardinals franchise. It hasn’t uh, worked out that way as history might suggest.

Interesting side note: then Cardinals owner Charles Bidwill actually died in April, before Chicago was able to win the NFL Championship.  Amazing, when you think about it.  Chicago was terrible for most of his 15 years as owner.  He suffered through what was at the time, the longest losing streak in NFL history at 29 games.  Finally, the Cards became good, and won it all, and he didn’t live long enough to see it. Fitting in a way if you sum up the Cardinals and their mostly nightmarish franchise history.

The Cardinals were on the verge of back to back championships in 1948 after finishing 11-1, but it wasn’t meant to be as the Eagles got their revenge and beat Chicago 7-0. Steve Van Buren scored the game’s lone touchdown for the Iggles on a five yard rush in the fourth quarter.  Ever since that day, the Cardinals never came close to sniffing a championship up until this year.

In 1959 the Cardinals played their final season in the Windy City.  And did you know: their final win came against the Steelers.  See, these teams have quite a history.  Pittsburgh was the last ever team to lose to Chicago. After that, the Cardinals freefalled to six straight defeats, culminating in a 2-10 season, and a ninth losing season in 10 years.  They fought the Bears, and the Bears killed them.  Chicago, contrary to the belief of others only has room for one football team.  That team is the Bears.

So in 1960, the Cardinals took their act to St. Louis.  Another interesting fact: the Dallas Cowboys, arguably the Cardinals biggest nemesis, started play that very same year.  St. Louis’ first win even came against those very Cowboys 12-10.  In 1962 Cardinals owner Violet Bidwill passed away, and the team was passed on to her kids.  The team owner changed, but the losing didn’t.  The Cardinals threatened to bolt to a new home in 1987 amidst dwindling attendance figures.  After Bill Bidwill let it be known he was going to move the team,he began receiving death threats.  It got so bad that he couldn’t even attend the final few home games.  The Cards were off to Arizona after 27 years in St. Louis.  The Rams moved to St. Louis to replace them eight years later.

And that brings us to the here and the now.  Since 1988, Arizona has had two winning seasons: 1998 and 2008.  They had never been to the Super Bowl until now, and since 1960 they’ve made the playoffs an astonishingly pathetic five times.

But none of that matters now.

Because the team that once merged with the Steelers is now playing them for a world championship.

Funny how things work out.