ESPN's Joe Theismann answers five key questions after Week 9 -- the midway point of the 17-week NFL season:

Who is the MVP of the NFL season's first half?

	Raiders QB Rich Gannon has thrown 11 touchdowns and just one interception this season.

Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon is the MVP so far -- he's done more for his team than anyone else. Two other top candidates play for the St. Louis Rams: quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk (the last two league MVP winners: Warner in 1999, Faulk in 2000).

Warner has great numbers (he's completing 68 percent of his passes, with 14 touchdown tosses). But he's surrounded by such incredible speed at the skill positions. Gannon has to play at such a high level each week -- if he doesn't, the Raiders don't have a chance at winning.

I look at the MVP award this way: If you take a player away from his team, how good would that team be?

If you take Warner away from the Rams, they still have Faulk. Take Faulk away, and they still have a Trung Canidate. But I believe that if you take Rich Gannon away from the Raiders, they are no better than an 8-8 team.

Who has done the best coaching job of the first half?
Three coaches stand out to me.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has done a terrific job -- and probably the best overall so far. Who would have thought the Patriots would be 5-4 ... without Drew Bledsoe, but with a man named Brady (Tom Brady, that is) at quarterback.

Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren has done an excellent job with such a young team, especially on offense -- an offense that showed how effective it can be in a 34-27 win over the Raiders on Sunday night.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid has done a good job of dealing with high expectations and guiding Philly to the top of the NFC East. Often coaches are recognized for rejuvenating teams that were not expected to succeed, but we also need to give credit to coaches who labor under high expectations and still are able to deliver. That's what Reid has done with the Eagles.

Who is the best rookie of the first half?
Of all the rookies, Chicago Bears running back Anthony Thomas has contributed the most to his team's turnaround season.

If he continues at his current pace, the A-Train is on track for better than 1,100 yards on the season. He has rushed for 580 yards on 127 carries (an average of 4.6 yards per carry), with four touchdowns.

San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson had a strong start, but Thomas is the clear choice at the midway point.

Which team is the biggest surprise of the first half?
The New England Patriots, by far.

When the season started, the Patriots faced some harsh realities. Due to a suspension, they were without Terry Glenn, their best wide receiver (who has been like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). The running game was a major question mark. Then, quarterback Drew Bledsoe went down with a serious injury in Week 2.

Since then, Antowain Smith has emerged as a go-to running threat. And backup quarterback Tom Brady has led the Pats to a 5-2 record in his seven starts (5-4 overall).

Belichick has done a fantastic job with the Patriots, and they have been the biggest surprise of the season.

Which team is the biggest disappointment of the first half?
The Minnesota Vikings -- they are too talented a team to be in fourth place in the NFC Central with a 3-5 record.

The Vikings have been incredibly inconsistent -- beating the Packers easily one week (at home) and then getting blown out the next two weeks by the Bucs and the Eagles in games that should not have been difficult to get up for (both games were on the road, but still...).

Losing running back Robert Smith to an early retirement has really hurt the Vikings. They haven't been able to generate big plays in the ground game.

The death of offensive lineman Korey Stringer certainly affected Minnesota over the summer. But at the time, I asked this question: Will the Vikings use his death as an excuse or as a rallying point? I don't believe the Vikings want to use his death as an excuse for their sub-.500 record.

The schedule will do Minnesota no favors in the coming weeks. The Giants visit the Vikings on Nov. 19 on ABC's Monday Night Football (9 p.m ET). Then the Bears visit on Nov. 25 on ESPN's Sunday Night Football (8:30 p.m. ET). Next comes a trip to Pittsburgh on Dec. 2. The Titans loom after that.

A game analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football, former NFL QB Joe Theismann won a Super Bowl and a league MVP award. He reviews the NFL each week for ESPN.com in Cup o' Joe.