Predicting NFL Awards
The NFL Awards hold very little sentimental meaning relative to awards in other leagues. I bet you would struggle if asked to name the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year last season. What about the NFL’s MVP? (For the record, Todd Gurley was the OPOY and Tom Brady was the MVP last season.) That doesn’t mean I can’t try and prognosticate who I think will take home the NFL’s individual hardware for their performance in 2018. Here’s who I’ve got.
Offensive Player of the Year: Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints. Last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year will have a heavier burden this season, thanks in large part to Mark Ingram’s four-game suspension. I expect Kamara to seriously flirt with, and possibly surpass, 1,200 yards rushing and 1,200 yards receiving. If he can do that, there will be no offensive player in football worthier of this award.
Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns. The Browns were awful last season, but Garrett was far from the reason why. In eleven games a season ago, the freakish defense end tallied seven sacks. I expect the Browns to be improved and for Garrett’s production to increase substantially. For that, he will be on the short list for this award come season’s end.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Saquon Barkley, New York Giants. The Giants haven’t had a competent three-down running back since the days of Tiki Barber. With Odell, Evan Engram, and Sterling Shepard flanking the rookie tailback, I expect Saquon to have a rookie campaign similar to that of Ezekiel Elliott.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Bradley Chubb, Denver Broncos. There isn’t a better situation the rookie defensive end could have wound up in. Playing opposite Von Miller, Chubb will never see a double team and because of that he will absolutely torment opposing offensive lineman. If Chubb doesn’t accumulate 12-15 sacks this season I would be surprised.
Coach of the Year: Pat Shurmur, New York Giants. A lot of this has to do with exceeding expectations, and that is precisely what I feel the Giants will do. 2017 was a colossal disappointment in the Big Apple, but to say that team a season ago had the talent of a three-win team would be asinine. Things snowballed and Ben McAdoo lost complete control. If the Giants can push 10 wins en route to a playoff berth, Shurmur’s name should be on the forefront.
Comeback Player of the Year: Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts. This one isn’t that hard; Luck missed the entire 2017 season due to a shoulder injury. If he can approach who he was pre-injury, Luck could catapult the Colts from cellar-dwellers to the postseason. (J.J. Watt will have a nice season as well, but his value relative to Luck’s will be miniscule.)
Most Improved Player of the Year: Mitch Trubisky, Chicago Bears. Every year there is a second-year quarterback that takes a major jump and this year that quarterback will be Trubisky. Matt Nagy, the Bears first year head coach, will formulate a scheme that will allow the former Tar Heel to utilize his mobility, similarly to how Alex Smith was able to under Nagy’s tutelage in Kansas City. After this season, there will be no doubt, the Bears will have their quarterback of the future.
Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers. His team is subpar, but that won’t matter. Rodgers will lead Green Bay to the postseason and will do so while posting mesmerizing passing numbers. Tom Brady will be right there, as he always is, but Aaron Rodgers will show that he is the most talented quarterback the sport has ever seen.
