Kerney deserves scrutiny

KIRKLAND, Wash. – Despite his presidential name, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Baraka Atkins is no politician.

He’s the son of a politician.

So who better to start campaigning for Patrick Kerney than the offspring of former Sarasota, Fla., mayor Fredd Atkins?

“The first thing you have to look at is his statistics,” Baraka Atkins said when asked to provide evidence for Kerney as a candidate for the NFL’s defensive player of the year.

That’s the easy part. Kerney’s body of work this season includes a league-leading 13 1/2 sacks, which is not only three short of the franchise record but is also the same total that Miami’s Jason Taylor had on the way to defensive-player-of-the-year honors last season.

Kerney has three three-sack games, which is one short of the league record that the New York Giants’ Lawrence Taylor set on his way to being named the NFL most valuable player in 1986.

Kerney ranks sixth on the team with 58 tackles – no Seattle defensive lineman had more than 46 last year – and has been credited with 26 quarterback hits.

On several levels, Kerney is being considered a serious candidate for the NFL’s annual award for defensive player of the year. Nationally, he’s being mentioned alongside players like Indianapolis safety Bob Sanders, Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison. San Diego cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who didn’t become a starter until Week 10, should also receive consideration because of his league-high 10 interceptions.

Kerney has 6 1/2 more sacks than any of those players, and he’s led his team to a bigger statistical turnaround. The Seahawks’ defense ranked 19th in both yards allowed and points allowed last season but has improved to 13th and fifth, respectively, in 2007.

It’s not just about Kerney’s numbers.

“He’s playing well toward the end of the year, when the games really, really count,” Seahawks defensive lineman Ellis Wyms said. “He’s been having big game after big game when we were fighting for a playoff spot. He kind of carried us.

“He’s picked it up when it matters, and not everybody can do that.”

While Atkins might have the political genes, Wyms knows a lot about defensive-player-of-the-year awards. As a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, he watched teammate Derrick Brooks win the honor in 2002.

Wyms said he sees similarities in what Kerney has done this season.

“It all comes down to making big plays,” Wyms said on Thursday. “Derrick, during his run, he made interceptions at big times. I also remember one game where Derrick made a big-time tackle of (New Orleans running back) Deuce McAllister on fourth-and-1 to seal the game. Plays like that win games for you.”

There are two major factors working against Kerney, neither of which is of his own doing.

First, the Seahawks don’t get as much publicity as Indianapolis, Pittsburgh or Tennessee because of geography. Playing on the West Coast hasn’t afforded much publicity to the former Atlanta Falcon, so Kerney’s play has gone largely unseen.

Then there’s the so-called Pro Bowl factor, which stems from playing on a defense that includes three other players headed to Hawaii.

Past Seahawks to have been named NFL defensive player of the year – safety Kenny Easley in 1984 and defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy in 1992 – were far and away the most productive players on Seattle’s defense. Kerney, meanwhile, is on a defense that includes three other Pro Bowl starters who could be deserving of the same player-of-the-year honor: middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, outside linebacker Julian Peterson and cornerback Marcus Trufant.

Tatupu is the undisputed leader of Seattle’s defense, but even he can’t argue with Kerney’s candidacy.

“He’s got a great chance,” Tatupu said of Kerney winning the annual award.