NFL: Awards Watch at the Halfway Point

As we pass the halfway mark for the NFL season, playoff pictures are starting to take shape, and award races are coming closer and closer to the wire. More and more evidence is available now, and our wild and crazy uninformed predictions become slightly less wild and crazy.

So with that being said, here are my slightly less wild and crazy picks for the big NFL postseason awards.

 

MVP- Peyton Manning

It’s not with an exclamation point anymore, but the MVP is still Peyton’s award to lose. Number 18 still leads the NFL in passing yards, touchdowns and passer rating, all by relatively large margins. The former Colt is still on pace for NFL records in yards and touchdowns, and he has done nothing in 2013 to suggest he won’t reach both marks. Although his astronomical pace has come back down to earth, Peyton Manning is playing the best football of his life, perhaps anyone’s life.

So far, Peyton Manning has thrown for 2919 passing yards on 71.2% completion rate, and 29 touchdowns to 6 interceptions.

-On the radar: Drew Brees, Calvin Johnson

It’s business as usual for both of these guys this season.

If I’m being honest, there a handful of quarterbacks with legitimate cases for second place in the MVP race, including Rodgers, Rivers, Brady and even Andy Dalton as of late. Drew Brees benefits from two things, however: his team has quietly been dominating their competition, boasting a 6-1 record, and a reputation that precedes him. While his pace isn’t the best Brees has done in the past, he’s still every bit of an MVP as Manning or any of the big ticket quarterbacks in the NFL.

Then there’s Calvin Johnson. After a relatively slow start, Megatron exploded against Dallas, catching 14 passes for 329 receiving yards, the third highest receiving total in NFL history. But that’s the norm for the seven-year vet, who’s been breaking records like they’re earbuds. Quick notes on Megatron: through seven games in his record breaking 2012 season, Megatron had 638 receiving yards. This season through seven he has 821. Also, no wide receiver has even won an MVP.

 

Offensive Player- Calvin Johnson

Sure, MVP voting sometimes translates to the quarterback on the best team. But you can’t possibly convince me that Calvin Johnson isn’t the best offensive player in the NFL right now. He simply can’t be stopped. He’s a matchup nightmare, and even triple teams can’t stop him, as Cincinatti can attest.

Really, there’s nothing more to say. The previous generation had the pleasure of watching the Michael Jordans and Wayne Gretzkys of the sporting world. Our generation will be defined by players like Calvin Johnson.

-On the radar: LeSean McCoy, Reggie Bush, Jamaal Charles, Peyton Manning

A trio of outstanding running backs joins Peyton Manning as Megatron’s main competition.

First off, LeSean McCoy leads the NFL in rushing. He was already one of the league’s most dynamic backs prior to the marriage between him and Chip Kelly’s system in Philly. The thing about Reggie Bush and Jamaal Charles, however, is their ability in the receiving game. McCoy does a little of that too, but Bush’s and Charle’s contributions are on winning squads, and that hurts McCoy a little bit. Jamaal Charles especially has been stellar, leading the NFL with 1018 yards from scrimmage. McCoy and Bush aren’t far behind with 1017 and 853, respectively.

 

Defensive Player- Robert Mathis

Really, it’s easy to feel justified picking anyone on the Kansas City defense, and no one would fuss about it one bit. It’s deserved, but let’s just assume they all take votes away from each other, and go with an equally impressive player this year in long-time Indy man Robert Mathis. The NFL leader in sacks with 11.5, he’s playing the best football of his career, as 11.5 already ties a career high. With nine more games to go, that total can only get gaudier. If he keeps it up, he’ll enter historic territory and be in a position to chase Michael Strahan’s single season record at 22.5. He is on pace for it at the very least.

-On the radar: Tamba Hali/Justin Houston, Richard Sherman, Alterraun Verner

The aforementioned Kansas City defenders (minus the equally deserving candidates of Dontari Poe and Eric Berry) are joined by a pair of cornerbacks. One of them is already a household name in the NFL, while the other is enjoying a coming out party.

Chiefs Linebacker Tamba Hali has nine sacks on the season and four forced fumbles, tied with Rams defensive end Robert Quinn for the NFL lead. On the other side of Hali, Kansas City also boasts Justin Houston, who has 11 sacks to his name. If the Chiefs defense keeps up its production, either of these guys could be sporting some hardware come awards time.

In the secondary, both Seattle’s Richard Sherman and Tennessee’s Alterraun Verner have been stellar at the cornerback position. Both have four interceptions on the season, but Verner’s NFL-leading 13 pass deflections on the season look pretty solid compared to Sherman’s 8. Sherman is obviously much higher profile, and that may work against Verner when the votes start getting counted.

 

Off.Rookie- Eddie Lacy

Of all the impressive rookies in the NFL this season, none have distinguished themselves more than former Alabama Crimson Tide standout Eddie Lacy.

He leads all NFL rookies with 446 rushing yards, and if not for missing a couple games, that total could be much higher. Since week five, Lacy has not had a game of less than 22 carries and 82 rushing yards. His mere presence in the Green Bay backfield spoils a team that already sported Aaron Rodgers and a load of downfield passing.

-On the radar: Terrance Williams, DeAndre Hopkins, Andre Ellington, Gio Bernard

Dallas’ Terrance Williams leads all NFL rookies with 444 receiving yards, shying him just above Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins at 416 yards. Washington’s Jordan Reed, San Diego’s Keenan Allen and New England’s Kenbrell Thompkins deserve special mention as far as pass catchers go, but Hopkins and Williams are in the best position to get enough production to catch up to Eddie Lacey.

Some other running backs to distinguish themselves: Arizona’s Andre Ellington, Cincinatti’s Gio Bernard (both have displayed excellent pass catching, which is something Lacy hasn’t quite done yet) as well as St Louis’ Zac Stacy. Still, none of these guys have done what Lacy has done just yet.

 

Def.Rookie- Sheldon Richardson

On my quarterly awards watch, I raved about how Kiko Alonso had all but won the award already, barring a huge coming out from someone else. At the time, that was true, but someone else has stepped up to dethrone the Buffalo Bills backer.

Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson is playing beyond his years, playing an impressive defensive tackle. Really, his performance is the main reason the Jets defense has reemerged as an elite unit, showing us what an incredible talent up front can do for a defense, as evidenced by other household names, such as Ndamukong Suh and Geno Atkins. Richardson has been that guy for the Jets, and I think that’s enough to overcome Alonso’s obscene production.

-On the radar: Kiko Alonso, Tyrann Mathieu

Of course, Alonso is still in the discussion. He trails only Vontaze Burfict and Sean Lee for the NFL lead in total tackles at 81, and his 4 interceptions still ties him for the NFL lead. However, his sack and tackle for loss totals have somewhat stalled, hinting that he may not be the impact player we thought he was. Still impressive, he’s not out of the conversation just yet.

Arizona’s Tyrann Mathieu still is in the conversation as well, notching another interception in the Atlanta game despite returning to the less-impactful nickel corner slot with the return of Rashad Johnson from injury.

 

Coach of the Year- Andy Reid

Quadrupling your team’s win total from the previous year is enough to turn some heads. Even Kansas City fans couldn’t have expected such a quick and dynamic turnaround after the hiring of Andy Reid, who has not lost since becoming the Chiefs head coach. The meat of their schedule is coming up so we’ll see just how for real this Chiefs team is, but Andy Reid has done an impressive job with this team and deserves all the credit in the world.

-On the radar: Sean Payton, Chuck Pagano 

Sean Payton’s team is an authoritative 6-1, and Chuck Pagano’s team has defeated the impressive threesome of the Broncos, 49ers and Seahawks in 2013. Their achievements just pale in comparison to Reid right now, but they deserve some props as well.

 

Comeback Player of the Year- Sean Lee

After playing only six games in 2012, Sean Lee has been the embodiment of impact for the Dallas Cowboys this season. While their defense has struggled as a whole, Sean Lee has kept his head on and been a true leader for the Cowboys. The four year pro has four interceptions (like everyone else it seems) returned for an NFL-leading 174 yards, as well as 81 combined tackles. That’s tied for second in the NFL.

-Alex Smith, Darrelle Revis

Alex Smith has been good and his team is winning, and Darrelle Revis has done what Darrelle Revis does (albeit for an 0-7 team). Neither of them have the “it” factor that Lee has, however.