The best of the bunch at halfway mark of season
Oh, the drama.
Each year on Super Bowl Eve, The Associated Press presents its individual awards for the NFL season. We’re only halfway through the 2020 schedule, impacted of course by the coronavirus pandemic, but it’s worthwhile to take a look at the front-runners in the various categories.
MVP >> This has become a quarterbacks award since the game and league rules skewed toward the offense. Only running back Adrian Peterson in 2012 has broken the QB string that goes back to Tom Brady’s first in 2007.
Several of the 50 media members who regularly cover the league and are on the voting panel point to passers this season, too.
“Russell Wilson has been the first-half MVP even if his stock might have dropped a little in the 44-34 loss to Buffalo in which he had four turnovers,” says John Clayton of ESPN 710 Seattle. “Still, Wilson is putting up some of the best numbers in NFL history.”
Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News goes with Ben Roethlisberger.
“I would have no problem going with Russell Wilson or Patrick Mahomes, either,” he says. “I just feel the Steelers are a most tangible example of how much a single player means to his team, when you compare what they were without him last season to what they are now. I know the same probably could be said of the Seahawks minus Wilson and the Chiefs minus Mahomes, but we’re witnessing it with Pittsburgh.”
Other voters in a modest sample mention Mahomes, Drew Brees and Josh Allen. Yep, all QBs.
COACH >> Not surprisingly with his Steelers at 8- 0, Mike Tomlin is lauded by Hall of Famer James Lofton and hall voter Rick Gosselin. Also intriguing is the support for Brian Flores and Matt Rhule.
“Matt Rhule and Brian Flores are my favorites, and I probably would lean toward Flores simply for the rebuild he has had since he got there, and the tough decision he made to change quarterbacks two games ago when the Dolphins were winning,” says Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. “But Mike Tomlin will get my vote if the Steelers can remain undefeated. Sean McDermott also deserves strong consideration.”
COMEBACK PLAYER >> Roethlisberger, who went out in Game 2 last season with an elbow injury, receives lots of support. So does the feel-good story of a year in dire need of one.
“Alex Smith,” notes Bob Glauber of Newsday, the president of the Professional Football Writers of America. “Based on football terms alone, it’s Ben Roethlisberger, who has returned from elbow surgery to lead the only unbeaten team at the halfway mark. But in human terms, it’s Smith by a mile. He could have left the game after suffering that gruesome leg injury in 2018, but overcame incredible odds to live out his dream and make it back.”
DEFENSIVE PLAYER >> One name dominates the sampling.
“They should rename this award The Aaron Donald Award,” Williams says. “He’s the best defensive player in football. The Steelers have about four players worthy of consideration, but that’s the problem: They have too many good players on that defense. I love watching
T. J. Watt play, and Myles Garrett is having a good year for Cleveland in something of a comeback for him. But unless Donald gets hurt, I just don’t see anybody overtaking him for this award.”
Watt and Garrett receive mild support behind the two-time winner of this award.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER >> Some years the MVP winds up winning here, too. So Wilson, Mahomes, Brees and Aaron Rodgers get some attention. But Gosselin suggests Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, who despite missing a game while injured leads the league in rushing (858 yards) and touchdowns (12). Lofton likes Tennessee’s hard-running Derrick Henry for the honor that went to New Orleans WR Michael Thomas in 2019.
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE >> Clayton likes Washington DE Chase Young, the second overall draft pick from Ohio State, and expects a big second half from Young.
Carucci goes for safety Antoine Winfield, Jr.
“The main Bucs talking point is, of course, everything Tom Brady does and doesn’t do,” Carucci says. “But Winfield is performing in ways that undoubtedly make his father, who was an exceptional NFL
defensive back for many years, very proud. At times, you think you’re watching the old man all over again.”
Lofton and Glauber peg Baltimore’s Patrick Queen.
“A late first-round pick of the Ravens, Queen has turned into a tackling machine and a worthy linebacker to carry on the Ray Lewis tradition,” Glauber says. OFFENSIVE ROOKIE >> Until Roethlisberger won this in 2004, no quarterback had ever been chosen. It’s a semi-regular thing now.
Through the halfway point, top overall draftee Joe Burrow of the Bengals and No. 6 selection Justin Herbert of the Chargers draw the mentions.
“Joe Burrow has done wonders to make the Bengals relevant,” Glauber says, “but Herbert’s ascent is impressive. With 17 touchdown passes and just five interceptions on a team whose defense finds new and ever-more heartbreaking ways to lose games, it’s Herbert who provides hope for the future.”
Not so, according to Clayton. “I’m leaning to Burrow over Herbert, but it’s a close race,” Clayton says. “Despite being on a team that has poor blocking and a bad defense, Burrow is completing 67% of his passes and has 11 touchdowns and 2,272 yards. But Herbert isn’t too far behind. Burrow knew going into the season he was going to be the starter. Herbert didn’t find out until close to the kickoff that he was going to play in Week 2.
“I’d say it’s a two-way race at the moment.
BILLS AT CARDINALS
A shootout in the Valley . of the Sun is highly likely. Arizona’s top-ranked offense is averaging 422 total yards and has had at least 400 yards six times. It’s defense has been filled with holes, though. Arizona’s Kyler Murray and Buffalo’s Josh Allen are the only two quarterbacks who have thrown for at least 15 touchdowns and run for at least five touchdowns this season.
CHARGERS AT DOLPHINS
Another enticing Kid QB matchup: L. A.’s Herbert, who went sixth in the April draft, one spot after Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa. Herbert has thrown for 10 TDs and only three interceptions in three road starts and has multiple touchdown passes and more than 250 yards in his past five games. But the Chargers can’t hold leads; their defeats are by a combined 24 points. Tagovailoa has won both of his starts since replacing Ryan Fitzpatrick. Miami has won four in a row, and for the first time since 1977 has scored at least 21 points in the first half of four consecutive games. Miami also has now scored at least 21 points seven successive weeks, the team’s longest such streak since 2001-02.
RAVENS AT PATRIOTS
The Ravens, who have never won a regular-season game in Gillette Stadium, have won 10 straight road games, the longest active streak in the NFL. Baltimore is allowing a league-low 17.8 points per game, has forced a turnover in 21 consecutive games, and has reached 100 yards rushing in 31 straight outings the third-longest streak in NFL history. Baltimore also has scored at least 20 points in an NFL-record 31 consecutive games. New England eked out a victory on Monday night at the winless Jets to snap a four-game slide.
BENGALS AT STEELERS
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (COVID-19 reserve list) will be in uniform for this 100th regularseason meeting. The Steelers have dominated the series in recent years,
winning 10 straight meetings and 13 out of 14, including playoffs. Cincinnati’s top overall draft pick, QB Joe Burrow, has 221 completions — the most by a rookie over the first half of a season. Protection of Burrow will be a key against the sack-happy Steelers. He’s been sacked once in Cincinnati’s two victories compared to 27 sacks in the other six games. The Steelers lead the NFL in sacks (32) and have at least one sack in 65 straight games, the second-longest streak in NFL history.
BUCCANEERS AT PANTHERS
Tampa Bay’s defense is ranked No. 1 against the run, allowing 75.3 yards a game. The Bucs also lead the NFL with 16 takeaways and are second with 29 sacks and 101 QB pressures. That doesn’t bode well for Teddy Bridgewater as the Panthers try to snap a four-game slide. They won’t have star running back Christian McCaffrey, who returned last week from a high ankle sprain that cost him six games, but hurt his shoulder late in a close loss at Kansas City.
JAGUARS AT PACKERS
The top and the bottom. The Packers, who lead the league in ball control (33:19 time of possession average) are 6-2 after going 7-1 through their first eight games last year. It’s the first time the Packers have started 6-2 or better in back-to-back seasons since 2001-02. Jacksonville started rookies at quarterback (Jake Luton), running back (James Robinson) and receiver (Laviska Shenault Jr.) in a loss to Houston. Jacksonville is the only NFL team to do that this season. .
TEXANS AT BROWNS
Folks in Cleveland remember Romeo Crennel, now Houston’s interim head coach. He was Cleveland’s coach from 2005-08 and guided the Browns to a 10-6 record in 2007, the team’s best mark since 1999. The Texans have won five straight in the series, with the last loss in 2007 to Crennel’s Browns. Cleveland will get running back Nick Chubb back after he missed four games with a sprained right knee. Cleveland’s rushing offense led the NFL before Chubb got hurt.
EAGLES AT GIANTS
Philly gets a bit healthy after a bye and has won eight consecutive games against the Giants, and 12 of the previous 13 in the series. The defense seems to be coming around for the Eagles, who lead — yes, lead — the NFC East. Receiver Golden Tate could return after being benched for comments about not having enough passes thrown his way. He had a TD catch against the Eagles last month.
WASHINGTON AT LIONS
QB Alex Smith’s courageous comeback continues when he makes his first NFL start since breaking his right tibia and fibula on Nov. 18, 2018. Smith has made two relief appearances this season because of injuries to starter Kyle Allen. Detroit has scored 19 more points than opponents in the first quarter and has been outscored by 62 points over the next three quarters.
SEAHAWKS AT RAMS
The NFC West is the league’s best division, and two of its powers face off when the first-place Seahawks visit the runner-up Rams. These teams have been a bit schizophrenic in 2020. Seattle can outscore most opponents, and it needs to weekly because it has the worst pass defense in the league, giving up 362.1 yards per game. Three quarterbacks have thrown for more than 400 yards against Seattle this season.