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Sunday wasn't Charles Woodson's best day. He got beat a few times in coverage, part of an awful performance by a Green Bay defense that had a good year before this late meltdown.While individual honors are often set aside by guys who have just seen their season end, Woodson can be very proud of what has come his way. Tuesday, he was named the Associated Press 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. It's not as cool as a win Sunday would have been, but it's a deserved honor for Woodson, who spent the entire regular season helping elevate the Packers to new heights on defense.
It's usually difficult to measure a defensive player's impact in numbers, but not in this case. Woodson had an out-of-this-world season in virtually every area of defense.
He had a hand in over 80 tackles, was credited with 21 passes defensed, tied for the NFL lead with nine interceptions, forced four fumbles, and scored three defensive touchdowns.
Woodson received 28 out of 50 votes for the award, easily outpacing New York Jets shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis, who had 14. Revis made his name not as much by making plays or showing versatility. Instead, he consistently shut down the best receivers in the game, including twice against division rival Randy Moss of the Patriots.
Woodson didn't just cover receivers. When Dom Capers took over as defensive coordinator, he knew he had a special player, and he wanted to make sure his best defensive asset was able to be a factor all over the field. Woodson was used as a "typical" cornerback, locking down receivers with excellent fundamental coverage. He also covered guys in the slot, served as a rover in the middle of the defense, and was effectively deployed for blitzes off the edge.
It was a part of Woodson's game that served him very well, not only on the field but also when it came to winning this award. His wide array of impacts made his contributions seem to dwarf those of Revis, who was used exclusively as a cornerback. The Jets felt differently than the Packers, with New York deciding that Revis was better off concentrating on his coverage and being the best at that, rather than moving all over the place.
The reality is that Woodson has his defensive coordinator to thank for this honor, as well as those who voted. Had Woodson and Revis both been used the same way, there's no telling how the voting would have gone. Instead, Capers' defense was a perfect fit for Woodson's skill and savvy, and it all added up to one of the best statistical performances you'll see out of a cornerback.
Besides Revis, Denver end Elvis Dumervil, the Saints' Darren Sharper, and Vikings defensive end Jared Allen received votes.
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