NFL midseason-ish awards: Darnold’s rise to MVP and a surprising Browns rookie | NFL

MVP

Sam Darnold, QB, Seahawks. With apologies to Jonathan Taylor, we all know how this story goes. MVP doesn’t stand for Most Priceless Participant anymore. It stands for Most Priceless Quarterback on a 12-win crew with a pleasant storyline. That offers us three frontrunners: Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye and Darnold.

Stafford is on the type of run that might see him clinch the award by the tip of the yr. However proper now, Darnold is the decide.

Some puzzled why the Seahawks would voluntarily step off the sturdy, predictable basis that was Geno Smith and on to the rollercoaster of Darnold. Was Darnold’s breakout in Minnesota for actual? Why ditch Geno moderately than beefing up his supporting solid? It felt like an pointless gamble. You didn’t have to squint to seek out the takes that, after transferring on from Smith, DK Metcalf and their offensive coordinator, the Seahawks had made loads of high-profile strikes however hadn’t fastened their underlying flaws. And but, 10 weeks in, John Schneider appears just like the uncommon govt who was in a position to outthink the room.

Including Darnold has reworked the Seahawks from a feisty crew into one of many two finest within the league. Darnold has been sensational – not good, not serviceable, however one of the best participant on the league’s Most worthy place. He leads the league in QBR and big-time throw charge (9.0%). Nobody has ripped as many high-level throws down the sphere below strain. Stafford and Maye have been glorious at driving the ball down the sphere, however they’ve additionally had the luxurious of open targets extra usually than Darnold. Darnold has confronted the next strain charge on deep targets and the next share of tight-window throws total.

It’s the aggression that stands out. Darnold hasn’t met a protection he isn’t eager to shred. At this stage of his profession, he’s seen every little thing defenses will throw his approach and has all of the solutions. He’s roasted the blitz at a league-leading charge and has an virtually excellent passer ranking when stored clear within the pocket.

At 7-2, the Seahawks have the championship system. Their protection is buzzing. They’ll rating on lengthy drives or with chunk performs. And their quarterback has grow to be an elevator moderately than a passenger. He has stepped into a brand new spot and reworked his profession for the second season in a row. The 2 upcoming duels with Stafford will form the MVP race. However for now, Darnold has the sting.

Offensive Participant of the 12 months

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts. That is how the voters cleanse their conscience: they hand the “runner-up MVP” trophy to the non-quarterback they neglected. If Saquon Barkley didn’t win the most important prize final season, Taylor is unlikely to smell it this go round. His marketing campaign would be the regular OPOY story: dazzling manufacturing, speeding at a historic tempo and sealing his crew a prime seed for the playoffs.

It’s arduous to divvy up credit score for the Colts’ offense between Shane Steichen, the offensive line, Daniel Jones and all of the crew’s playmakers. However Taylor’s efficiency in Berlin final week proved that Indy’s renaissance runs by means of him – actually. He’s on monitor for 26 speeding touchdowns and inside putting distance of LaDainian Tomlinson’s of 28, set within the 2006 season. He’s the engine of the Colts’ assault, the uncommon operating again who alters the geometry of the protection. And as soon as the ball is in his arms, he’s doing as a lot harm after contact as he’s earlier than it. With out Steichen, the road and the specter of the cross, Taylor’s numbers is probably not as gaudy. However his after-contact numbers show that he’s the participant that binds collectively Steichen’s imaginative and prescient.

Defensive Participant of the 12 months

Myles Garrett, Edge, Cleveland Browns. Let’s not overthink this one. The pool of candidates this yr is deep, however Garrett nonetheless lives in a rarefied air all his personal. In some way, he’s placing collectively essentially the most dominant season of his profession. He already has 11 sacks and 24 (!) run stops, whereas drawing extra consideration from opposing offenses than another edge-defender in soccer.

Complete gameplans are constructed to mitigate Garrett’s presence, from double and triple groups to how opponents devise their operating and passing methods. None of it has mattered. And the ripple impact of his presence has helped put Cleveland’s protection fourth within the league in EPA/play, regardless of having a dysfunctional offense. Positive, the Browns stink. However their document shouldn’t diminish what Garrett is doing. If something, it underlines it.

Offensive Rookie of the 12 months

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Why would a wise, productive receiver at Ohio State not be a hit within the NFL? That’s Egbuka in Tampa Bay. What the Bucs weren’t banking on was Egbuka’s big-play potential. He was supposed to fit into the offense as a Skilled Receiver, somebody blissful to do the soiled work to maintain an offense churning. As a substitute, they’ve hit on a super-duper star, who can threaten a protection in any respect three ranges. Egbuka is clean, sudden and a splash play ready to occur, averaging 16.9 yards per reception this season. He’s additionally grow to be the go-to goal for Baker Mayfield on third-downs, successfully shedding his “rookie” title halfway by means of his first season.

Defensive Rookie of the 12 months

Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns. Abdul Carter would be the favourite for this award, as a result of edge-rushers at all times are. Whichever rookie leads his class in sacks or interceptions usually walks away with the {hardware}, no matter their down-to-down influence.

However this yr ought to be completely different. You will have seen, however linebackers are again, individuals! Because the league tendencies again in the direction of the run recreation, defenses are planting heavier our bodies on the sphere. After a barren spell of draft lessons on the place, this yr’s crop has been a house run. Philly’s Jihaad Campbell is extra of a playmaker than Schwesinger and doubtless has the next profession ceiling. However Cleveland’s rookie has been the cleanest of the duo and has been a linchpin of an impressive unit from week one. Schwesinger is a springy linebacker who could make performs behind the road of scrimmage or in protection, one thing rookies at his place usually wrestle with.

The final pattern is that it takes three years for linebackers to settle. Throughout a virtually half-decade dry spell throughout the league, it’s been Fred Warner after which everybody else. Final season, Zack Baun appeared from nowhere to leap to Warner’s degree, switching from the sting to a standard linebacker position. However Campbell and Schwesinger have walked into the league from day one as in the event that they belong. Along with his 25 run stops and play-to-play consistency, Schwesinger takes it.

Coach of the 12 months

Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots. Typically, the coach of the yr award is a mea culpa. We’re sorry our preseason predictions about your crew have been flawed. However it’s completely different with Vrabel. Tennessee collapsed in his absence; New England rose in his picture. That’s not a coincidence.

The Patriots haven’t stumbled into an 9-2 document and a division lead. There hasn’t been a miracle quarterback increase or fluky turnover luck. What they’ve is Vrabel’s nice reward: construction.

Vrabel joined a hollowed-out franchise, restored order and has turned the Patriots into one thing formidable. This yr’s Patriots are “DTF”, not less than in keeping with Tony Romo. They’re powerful, disciplined, well-drilled and artistic on either side of the ball. If not for a weird five-turnover recreation towards the Steelers, they’d have began 10-1.

To suppose, six months in the past, they have been looking at a multi-year rebuild. Earlier than Thursday’s recreation with the Jets, the Patriots have been one in all solely two groups (together with the Rams) that have been within the prime 10 in each offensive EPA/play (eighth) and defensive EPA/play (eighth). You may level to the mushy schedule, however it’s not as if the Patriots entered the season as sure-fire contenders themselves. They usually have two of essentially the most spectacular wins this season, beating Buffalo and Tampa Bay on the street.

Vrabel’s fingerprints are everywhere in the turnaround. Nearly all of his offseason bets have paid off immediately. He remade the defensive entrance with the offseason additions of Milton Williams, Khyiris Tonga, Okay’Lavon Chaisson, Harold Landry and Robert Spillane, counting on a gaggle of gamers he labored with in Tennessee. Solely Williams is a blue-chip star, but the Patriots have the third-best cross protection within the NFL. They usually’ve accomplished so regardless of lacking their defensive coordinator, Terrell Williams, who was recognized with prostate most cancers in September. Vrabel has assumed a extra outstanding position with the protection. However he additionally entrusted 37-year-old Zak Kuhr, who additionally got here from Tennessee with Vrabel, with play-calling obligations in Williams’ absence.

Vrabel additionally made the decision to deliver again Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator, regardless of his apparent want to maneuver on from New England’s Belichick days. It’s been a masterstroke; McDaniels has helped unlock Maye’s potential and constructed a top-10 unit with out high-wattage expertise.

There are valuable few examples of franchises having such a pointy about-face in a single offseason with such an inflow of latest gamers and coaches. And all of these choices hint again to Vrabel.