It’s not often the No. 1 and No. 2 pick in the NFL draft go on to win the NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards.
It had only been done twice in the 43-year history of the award before Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and Broncos linebacker Von Miller accomplished the feat last season.
On Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, Newton and Miller — Nos. 1 and 2 in the 2011 NFL Draft — will face off.
“Him being No. 1 and me being No. 2, I definitely want to win,” Miller said. “And I’m sure he would say the same thing, too. I’m Cam’s biggest fan, but Sunday, I definitely want to win.”
In 2011, Newton’s 14 rushing touchdowns were an NFL record for a quarterback, and he became the first player in league history to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 500.
Miller, meanwhile, has compiled 20.5 sacks in his first 23 games in the league. On Sunday, he could become the only Bronco to surpass 21 sacks in his first two seasons in the NFL. In 2012, he is tied for first in the league in tackles for loss with 17 and is tied for second in sacks with nine.
With the No. 2 pick in the 2011 draft, Head Coach John Fox and the rest of the Broncos personnel staff spent time analyzing several players as they prepared. Fox remembers thinking that Newton was a “terrific talent,” but snatching Miller with their pick has worked out exactly how they had hoped.
“We had to react to what Carolina did in front of us, but we felt like we were going to get a good player at that No. 2 pick and we’re really pleased with who we took,” he said.
Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera said the decision to take Newton over Miller was “very close.”
“If certain things had come up and allowed us to, then we would most certainly look at Von and say ‘Wow, this kid’s a special football player. He’s got some great ability,’” Rivera recalled. “He deserved to be picked where he was by Denver. The young man is a heck of a football player.”
Looking back, Miller wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m happy to be a Bronco,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to change it for anything else.”
But after the game, he hopes to leave with a little bit of Carolina blue.
“Hopefully we can switch jerseys or something,” Miller said.
Tags: Cam Newton, Rookie of the Year, Von Miller
To follow up on oldsouth and DB discussion last blog:
Gray Caldwell says:
November 8, 2012 at 9:59 am
OK, question for all of you. Since you’re running your own scoring contest, do you still want me to post updated standings of the official one?
If so, I can post it today. If not, it’ll just be phased out and you guys can run your own shop.
Let me know.
Thanks,
Gray
So please do so you all, voice your opinion in this blog for Gray if you want to keep being able to enter your predictions in the official scoring contest, killerkod and I already did so in a previous blog.
This was my take:
baylinorcrush says:
November 8, 2012 at 11:29 am
Gray:
That would be a HUGE disappointment if you stopped the contest, the blog one is based on the total points scored adding both teams’ score, Vegas style, not who is closest to actual score, nothing alike, please keep it going, yours is like the original version and many love it best.
Repost from last blog:
Where’s the link to Gray’s contest???????????????
I must be invisible….
I can see you Bay. LOL Watching the Colts game?
The team shaving their heads to honor the coach….that is stuff that will carry a team a long way.
Here’s the link OSS
http://promos.denverbroncos.com/contests/entryform/199
Please continue it!! Even my wife is into it as she ask me each week how did I do. Then she ask what was my final prediction when we are done watching the game.
Gray, please keep running your contest. It’s girl is going to get it right at some point! And I don’t play BT’s!
“November 8, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Cat – and if our favorite gimpy dynamic duo could quit dropping the ball…. maybe 75%? And what if we cut out the ATL game where Manning and receivers were out of sync?
I just can’t help but wonder….Tebow gets O- Line protection as a lefty….
……. & his receiving core could actually catch a ball…….
Yeah, I know…but Tebow wasn’t the only one needing to get up to speed…and if I hear another talking head give all the credit to the defense……urghhh!”
DB, you want to do this?
LOL – sure!
It won’t do any good to post your prediction now if Gray isn’t going to keep it running!
Rather now is the time to make your voice heard right here like mello and cat just did.
And no, not watching the Colts DB, other things going on.
They have officially been throwing with each other for 7 months and 20 days.
Ryan Clady plays LT for a right handed quarterback. In a conventional offense. Orlando Franklin was a rookie last year and he was asked to protect the QBs blindside after the BYE week. And he was asked to protect a mobile QB. I think he did a pretty good job. Our offensive line received an award last week. I have told you for months that a major reason that Peyton picked the Broncos was because of our Oline, but you continued to berate it and say how terrible it was. You never take into account that this offense has changed three times in one and a half seasons and yet they’re right now being touted as perhaps the best in the league. Patience.
Last year I was regularly asking Bay to educate me on why so many of Tebow’s passes were dropped. I was content to blame Tebow because it seemed like all of his receivers were doing it. But now you look at Royal in SD….dropping a 1/3 of his passes. Decker and DT are dropping about 25% between them. Willis remains a drop King. Stokely is now catching the disease though not as high a percentage. To me…an NFL receiver should miss only one or two passes a season of the type that hit hands or body.
Gray, that should say “this girl”… iPad issues
No – I’ve always thought the potential was there. I recognized that they were young and needed good coaching. I’m excited about our O-Line – still don’t think McCoy has a clue as to how to teach ‘em up.
should have known not to post it late on the earlier blog so here it is again. Please keep the game score contest going Gray, I’m sure there are many like me that enjoy both contests. In fact next to the actual Broncos game it’s the highlight of my Broncos week
Colts up 10- 0.
*official game score prediction*
I think this game will be a shootout with the Broncos winning 38-27
DB, I understand that they’re dropping passes and I don’t like it either. I wasn’t on here last year, so I can’t speak for other people. However, I do see that Demaryius and Decker have elevated their game this year. And that is largely due to Peyton Manning’s ability to get the ball to his receivers. Tebow struggled to get the ball to his receivers much more than Peyton does and sometimes, at least in my opinion, the receivers at times were almost shocked last year when they got the ball and then they’d drop it. Tebow played what? 8 games?
All of last seasons receiving yards:
Thomas: 551
Decker: 612
8 games this season so far:
Thomas: 756
Decker: 612
McGahee had 1,199 yards rushing last year and he has 620 right now, on target for 1,240 if he keeps doing what’s he’s doing.
We are a much better offense this year and you can’t deny it. Stop playing what if and enjoy this.
Oops! LOL I messed that up.
All of last seasons receiving yards:
Thomas: 551
Decker: 612
8 games this season so far:
Thomas: 756
Decker: 583
I always thought one of the reason for so many drops last year was Tebow being a leftie and the receivers not used to the ball spinning backwards.
But the biggest one overall no matter who is throwing it is receivers trying to look for extra yardage before they secure the ball, hence taking their eyes off the ball before it is in their hands, that’s just poor technique, kind of like defenders going for the strip and the turnover and therefore missing the tackle all together.
Poor technique for the sake of garnering more glory.
A selfish way to play in reality.
It’s today’s way, no more love for the fundamentals, it’s all for flash and dash.
Bay, do you think they’re improving at all? I do think working with Peyton is helping them and now they’re getting comfortable with what he expects.
Well, Tebow was definitely held back and used conservatively – but the difference really was protection by O-Line – (Tebow held the ball too long on pass plays – rookie o-line had trouble with the lefty roll-out…Orton never had a solid pocket either) and Tebow didn’t need to pass as much. Much of the success came from option success.
I think you may have something there Bay. I wonder if the coaching emphasis is on YAC instead of the tuck and control of the nose of the ball. IE – fundamentals. Hmmm?
Gotta go pick up my daughter. Ill be out for a few.
They are improving, but slowly as far as ball skills because they let their emotion take over too much, specially Decker, they are still two very young pups who need to tone done the enthusiasm and thirst for bigger plays than they really are just a tat, and that will only come with experience, the hormones tapering off a bit will help too, LOL.
KEEP IT RUNNING Gray……
DB, I see your point, but at the same time these guys are playing LIGHTS OUT right now. I don’t think we can do lain about should’ve beens when we have what we have right now. And Tebow was sacked a lot of times because he broke out of the pocket and Orlando and Clady can’t see out the back side of their heads!!! They had no idea where he was going or what he was doing because he was so unprediticabe, which made him great and bad at the same time.
*complain and not do lain! LOL
Bay, you’re right. But I think we all forget sometimes that these guys haven’t had consistency either and the first year that DT STARTED the first game of the season without an injury was THIS year. I guess I have patience because I see it coming together.
Yes, it’s now all coming together at Dove Valley, I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone arguing with that other than a few Tebow disciples.
The scorned ones, LOL.
Niiiiice… I like that! The scorned ones.
It sure has been enjoyable. Did you hear some guy on ESPN today say that Peyton plays terrible early so he can “rescue” the team at the end of the game? Seriously? That guy has NO idea who Peyton Manning is!!!
Broncos Country:
Make up your minds!! On the scoring contests! I say run Gary’s rules—makes more sense to me! But the bickering is stupid! We are half way through the season and have two scoring prediction contests that are confusing unless you go back to preseason!! For those of us not participating while all you are trying to get it the contest settled. The rest of us want to move on (Then again I do not participate!!) So scroll on down and keep the chaos going. I say screw it!! We have a game to play this weekend vs. a good team! I am more interested in if we can adjust to keeping containment on Cam on the outside. We have two great pass rushers in Doom and Gloom. They must force feed him inside to Vickerson and company first and Woodward slamming the inside.
ILMSDB!!!
Long Live The Neck!!
Good Luck to all in the scoring!!
Just me.
FTR
FTR chill… There is no bickering. Gray just wanted to know if we wanted to do both.
Correct, absolutely zero bickering has been had about that, but it is confusing I’ll give you that FTR, and Gray is confused himself and is thinking if someone else already does it why should he? That’s why it’s important to tell him what he runs is completely different than what Turtle does. Can’t say I didn’t see some kind of problem arising out of running both contests though. Once the site took it over it would of been best to drop the bloggers one IMO. We’ll see, hopefully we can keep having both….
Anyway I just e-mailed Gray and hope he will stick with it. over and out.
Colts up – 17/3 we are into the second half. I’ll have to go back and see highlights of what I missed.
FTR – no controversy/ bickering….100% agreement that Gray ought to continue the official scoring contest. Chill… LOL…like the little lady says!!! and join in the contest!!!
Oops – pick six – Colts 24 / 3
Don’t mess with BT’s game…I’m doing better in that one. Haha
Ok I am sorry about “bickering” comment! But I have been reading and there is confusion on who is winning witch contest!
It’s been explained several times the differences in the contests!! Why did Gary ask us? It’s too confusing to run two contests –It takes a great deal of time and effort to run one let alone keep explaing two. Ask Bay!! He started it and it ran great with his rules, which I understand or in line with Gary’s! Not to diss BT but common!! @tlcat I am sorry if you think I need to chill!! I am cold as Ice! Just want to beat Cam Newton not win a scoring contest!!
Just me!
FTR
I do not join in on scoring contests!! I am sorry I said anything.
And dont tell me to Chill never was hot!
Peace out!!
FTR
It is all lighthearted FTR. You didn’t say anything wrong either. You just gave us an opportunity to comment.
Peace!!!
Jags with a TD….Gabbert out. Henne scores.
Colts up 24 / 10
“And Tebow was sacked a lot of times because he broke out of the pocket and Orlando and Clady can’t see out the back side of their heads!!! They had no idea where he was going or what he was doing because he was so unprediticabe, which made him great and bad at the same time.”
LOL – good description!
oh oh oh ….Luck gets smacked already into a slide. Somebody is gonna fork out some cash. He’s just a kid…he bounced right up.
FTR I want to beat Newton too, but the scoring contest is fun and I think both should stick around!!
DB, I’m so glad you kind of agree with what I said right there!
Andrew Luck is amazing. Broncos and Colts got the best they could out of this deal. No joke.
SPEAKINg OF CONTESTS!!! Don’t forget to make your predictions for this week!!! If I were an odds maker here’s my Line…
Over/Under is 51.5 and I’ll take the Broncos at -5.5 (or for the layman it would be simply 29-23)
I think there is plenty of room for everyone, and short of the remedial scoring used in the site version they are pretty much identical!!!
Nice work tonight by the Rook! He’s going to be Real good for a Real Long time! I would have hated to been a Colts fan having to let Manning loose (can you imagine as a Broncos fan how you would of felt if we would have had to cut Elway!?!) Must be real nice to just plug in another Superstar, has to ease the pain right?