It’s that time of the year again. The time when the dust has settled in the NFL and teams and players alike have started to show their true colors. We have had a large enough sample size to get an understanding of who’s legit and who’s already quit (sorry, Lions fans). Many players are making strong cases for themselves to come away with end-of-season awards. So I figured let’s jump the gun a little bit and give some mid-season awards (one week early, but close enough).
This is my list, all opinion backed by some statistics. If you disagree with a winner, that’s fine, although your choice is probably incorrect (kidding… kinda). The season is still young, so these awards are bound to change as the season progresses. But for now, these players can bask in the glory I am giving them.
There are a few rules to my winners. First off, quarterbacks cannot win every offensive award, no matter how much I just want to hand Mr. Brady all the hardware and move on. Also, for variety’s sake, no player can win multiple awards. Simple enough? Let’s get to the winners.
Most Valuable Player: Tom Brady
Man, I really wanted to create some controversy and pick Andy Dalton for this spot. He would have had my vote if not for his disappointing Week 7 game against the Steelers. I tried to fight the easy way out and pick someone not named Brady, but he made that impossible. Brady, the New England Patriots’ future Hall of Fame signal caller, won the MVP award in 2007 and 2010, and seems well on his way yet again. He is currently second in the league with 2,410 passing yards and comes in at number one in passing touchdowns, touchdown-to-interceptions ratio, and passer rating (20, 20:1, and 115.8, respectively). Most importantly, Brady has led his team to a 7-0 record as they sit comfortably atop the AFC East and are tied for the top record in the league. Brady has won countless awards, but I’d like to think this one means a little something extra to him.
Runner-up: Andy Dalton, Bengals QB
Offensive Player of the Year: Devonta Freeman
Falcons second-year running back Freeman started the season number two on the depth chart, which is hard to believe. After getting a chance in Week 1, Freeman has absolutely exploded onto the scene, putting up ridiculous numbers. Coming in as a relative unknown, Freeman leads the NFL in rushing yards, with 709, and rushing touchdowns, with 9. A fantasy football megastar, Freeman has also helped lead his team to a 6-2 start, which already totals the amount of wins the Falcons had in their 2014-15 campaign.
Runner-up: Julio Jones, Falcons WR
Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt
A year after becoming the first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, Watt has shown no signs of slowing down. The Texans’ All-Pro defensive end is an athletic freak, and his numbers back that up. Watt is currently tied for the league lead with 8.5 sacks, made even more impressive due to the fact that he rarely faces anything less than a double team, with many teams even throwing three blockers in front of Watt. Watt is second among defensive lineman with 40 tackles, and is a force to be reckoned with in the running game. In the Texans’ 3-4 defense, Watt is versatile enough to line up both outside at his normal end position and move inside to defensive tackle. As J.J. continues to dominate the league, many coaches ask themselves, “Watt will slow him down?” (I had to, sorry.)
Runner-up: The entire Broncos defense
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Todd Gurley
Todd Gurley has turned himself into a rookie phenom running back for the St. Louis Rams. Gurley had high expectations coming out of Georgia, despite suffering a torn ACL his junior, and final, year in college. He was the first running back taken off the board back in April at pick number 10, and missed the entire preseason and the beginning of the regular season. Gurley has certainly been making up for lost time. Since being healthy enough to start in Week 4, Gurley has rushed for at least 128 yards in each contest. He leads all rookie runners in rushing yards and is tied for first with three touchdowns. His 575 yards on the ground are good for fifth in the NFL, and he leads the league with a 6.1-yard average per rush. Despite his limited sample size, Gurley might have more upside than any player in the league.
Runner-up: Amari Cooper, Raiders WR
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Eric Kendricks
The Minnesota Vikings selected UCLA star Kendricks in the second round of the 2015 draft, a move that will probably get a few scouts a raise. The middle linebacker is making an immediate impact for a surprisingly stellar defensive unit. The Vikings have given up the second-least amount of points per game, and rank seventh for the least amount of yards given up. Kendricks is fifth amongst rookies with 42 tackles and tied for first with 4 sacks. Kendricks is a big part of the reason why the Vikings find themselves sitting pretty with a 5-2 record.
Runner-up: Ronald Darby, Bills CB
Coach of the Year: Ron Rivera
The Carolina Panthers are 7-0. 7-0! A team that many “experts” considered a run-of-the-mill team were not supposed to be this good. The Panthers even lost their biggest offensive threat, WR Kelvin Benjamin, to a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. Despite this, Rivera somehow has his team first in their division and off to the best start in franchise history. Rivera has put together a smart offensive game plan, getting a lot out of his no-name receivers. Rivera went back to his ‘85 Bears roots and is playing smashmouth football, with his team currently leading the NFL in rushing yards per game. Rivera is a players’ coach, and knows how to get the most out of each one of his guys. Rivera is showing the country why he is one of the top up-and-coming coaches the league has to offer.
Runner up: Marvin Lewis, Bengals
Comeback Player: Carson Palmer
Palmer was off to the best start of his career last year, leading his Cardinals to an 8-1 record and winning each of the six games he started after missing the first three weeks with a minor injury. Then his world fell apart. Palmer tore his ACL in the knee that he had badly injured early in his career, and many wondered if it would be the last time he would put on pads. After making a successful recovery, Palmer, at age 35, came back for his 13th season, and is again proving that age is only a number. He came back from a devastating injury to now be fourth in the NFL in passing yards, with 2,386, and tied for first in touchdowns, with 20. Palmer is running one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league, and has his team first in their division, with a 6-2 record.
Runner up: Chris Johnson, Cardinals RB
