It’s polling season … in more ways than one. Thus, with the conventional and the creative twists, some midseason accolades:
Most Valuable Player: Todd Gurley. No, the Rams wouldn’t be the league’s only undefeated team without whiz kid coach Sean McVay. And McVay’s X’s and O’s wouldn’t work so well without the NFL’s most complete running back, whose league-high 1,151 yards from scrimmage surpasses the blazing pace from last year … when he could have been MVP.
Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number: Drew Brees. Check his birth certificate. The Saints quarterback, who finally threw his first pick on Sunday night and has completed an astonishing 77.4% of his passes, is playing like he’s 25 rather than 39. Overshadowed as he hits NFL career passing marks is that Brees has half a season to match his season best for rushing TDs (3).
Lifetime Achievement: Adam Vinatieri. He’s the NFL’s all-time leading scorer now, 2,550 points and counting. And by kicking in a dome for home games rather than occasionally through the snow in Foxborough, Vinatieri, 45, is like the guy who moved into a retirement home in Florida.
Offensive Player: Patrick Mahomes. In his first year as a starter, the Chiefs phenom, 23, is on pace to pass for 26,433 yards and 212 touchdowns (or something like that). The real league-leading numbers (2,526 yards, 26 touchdowns) obscure the fact that he’s 1-for-1 when throwing left-handed.
Defensive Player: Aaron Donald. Who needs training camp? After playing himself into gear (0 sacks after 3 games), the Rams’ defensive centerpiece has tallied his NFL-high 10 sacks over the past five games. Memo to L.A. owner Stan Kroenke: Pay the man some more. The dude is outplaying his new contract.
Super Sub: James Conner. Wondering whether out-of-the-box strategist Le’Veon Bell had the foresight to select his Steelers understudy for his fantasy team while weighing million-dollar possibilities during his franchise-tagged holdout. With three consecutive 100-yard rushing games, 9 TDs on the season and 31 receptions, Conner has done quite the impression of L-Bell.
Comeback Player: Deshaun Watson. The Texans have caught fire with five straight W’s and Watson, coming off a torn ACL, is looking like his multi-dimensional self again. Strikingly, robust candidates for this category, includes Watson’s teammate, some dude who goes by J.J.
Coach: Andy Reid. Still prowling the sidelines with his signature mustache, the Chiefs coach just continues to prove his worth as a certified offensive genius and developer of QBs. Maybe he’ll also prove that he can finally win a Super Bowl?
Belichick Protégé: Matt Patricia. Crowding the field of first-year NFL coaches is a former Bill Belichick player (Mike Vrabel) and a former long-time assistant of the hooded one (Patricia). Vrabel gets points for navigating Tennessee through the muck of Marcus Mariota’s early-season injury issues, but Patricia is the midseason pick due to the optics: He beat Belichick in a Lions romp to earn his first NFL win. As a bonus, he’s found running-game wheels in the Motor City.
Executive Impact: David Tepper. First, Tepper took advantage of market conditions (the disgraced Jerry Richardson had to sell ASAP) and got a steal of a deal in buying the Panthers. Yes, $2.3 billion is a steal, compared to the $3 billion-plus that some owners feel could have been fetched. And while the Ron Rivera-grounded Panthers have won their way into the playoff picture, they also bucked a certain NFL trend in signing socially conscious safety Eric Reid – for football reasons. That never would have happened if Richardson still owned the franchise.
Best Analyst: Troy Aikman. One game, one broadcast. Give me Aikman to break it all down. With all the buzz bestowed on other ex-Cowboys-turned-broadcasters, Aikman deserves his due for insight (including questioning strategies of his former team) and consistency over the long haul on Fox’s No. 1 team. And yes, he can bring his multi-dimensional play-by-play man, Joe Buck, with him.
Best Studio Analyst: Louis Riddick. ESPN has quite the rising star in Riddick, with his smooth transition from his personnel roles in NFL front offices. No, he doesn’t have the Hall of Fame credentials of many analysts. Consider: The former Pitt safety didn’t stick after being drafted in the ninth round by the 49ers (Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, et al) in 1991. Look at him now.
How Ya Like Me Now? Adrian Peterson. Raise your hand if you thought Peterson was washed up at 33. Instead, “All-Day” ranks fifth in rushing with 587 yards. Check out some of his single-game totals: 149, 99, 97. 120, 96. No way that Washington (which lost rookie Derrick Guice in preseason to a torn ACL) is leading the NFC East without Peterson – and without the hunch of VP Doug Williams that there was still something left in the tank.
Offensive Rookie: Saquon Barkley. Guess those pre-draft comparisons to Barry Sanders were not just a bunch of hype. Only Todd Gurley has racked up more yards than the Penn State product drafted No. 2 overall. In a season gone awry for the Giants (1-7), maybe Barkley will at least provide hope as a 1,000-1,000 performer.
Defensive Rookie: Derwin James. The Chargers’ first-round safety is some kind of versatile, providing pass coverage range, run-stuffing support and even pass-rush impact as a blitzer. With Joey Bosa yet to hit the field, look who’s tied with Melvin Ingram for the team lead with 3 ½ sacks? Also: Big ups to first-round Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport, making the jump from Texas-San Antonio with impact presence.
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