NFL Midseason Predictions: Awards

As we reach the halfway point of the regular season, the future of the 2014 NFL season is beginning to take shape. Certain players in the league have been extraordinary through Week 8, where the clear cut choice for MVP as of right now would be DeMarco Murray. Other players are certainly in the mix as well, including Peyton Manning, JJ Watt, and Andrew Luck. In this post, we will make predictions as to who will be taking home each of the seven awards on night before the Super Bowl.

Awards:
Most Valuable Player: RB DeMarco Murray: As of the halfway point of the season, DeMarco Murray has already recorded 1,054 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5.1 yards per carry. Murray is the main reason behind the Cowboys' massive turnaround, as he is on track to smash Eric Dickerson's single season by nearly 100 yards.

Offensive Player of the Year: RB DeMarco Murray: DeMarco Murray is on track to have one of the greatest seasons by a running back in NFL history. With the Dallas Cowboys atop the NFC East, Murray's performance has made them a serious contender for a postseason bid.

Defensive Player of the Year: DE JJ Watt: Through the first 8 games of the season, JJ Watt has recorded 7 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, 6 putdowns, and 2 total touchdowns (1 on offense, 1 on defense). These numbers are worthy of the MVP Award, yet I'm sure he wouldn't mind settling for Defensive Player of the Year.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: WR Sammy Watkins: While Sammy Watkins started off the season slowly, his past two games have been absolutely incredible, where he totaled 279 yards with 3 touchdowns. While it will be difficult to replicate such incredible performances, Watkins is bound to play to his true potential in the second half of the season.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: CJ Mosley: The Alabama alum has been spectacular though the past 8 games, already recording 76 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 2 interceptions. Mosley's well rounded season is likely to continue until Week 16, as he is certainly the strongest candidate for this award.

Coach of the Year: Chip Kelly: While Bruce Arians appears to be the front runner for this award as of right now, by the end of the season, we predict Chip Kelly to win Coach of the year Award. The Eagles are half a game behind the Cowboys, and though their schedule is not easy, Bruce Arians and the Cardinals will have a horrendously difficult schedule to end the season.

NFL Award Predictions 2013

Most Valuable Player: QB Peyton Manning: Does this come as a surprise to anyone? Peyton Manning shattered all types of records in 2013 in his second year in Denver, including the single season records for touchdowns (55) and passing yards (5,477). Manning's multiple weapons on offense helped him reach the third Super Bowl of his career. Manning has little competition this season for Most Valuable Player, even though running backs Jamaal Charles and LeSean McCoy both had great seasons.

Offensive Player of the Year: QB Peyton Manning: With the record breaking statistics that Manning put up in 2013, he is not only a shoe-in for MVP, but also Offensive Player of the Year. Most seasons, Jamaal Charles (1,287 yards, 5.0 yards per carry, 19 total touchdowns) would be a legitimate contender for Offensive Player of the Year, but Manning is not your average player, and 2013 was not your average season.

Defensive Player of the Year: LB Luke Kuechly: Not only did the Carolin aPanthers make the playoffs in 2013, but their star defensive player in Luke Kuechly quickly became the best defensive player in all of football. Kuechly led the league in sacks last season, and even though he did not achieve this feat two years in a row, his 156 tackles and 4 interceptions will likely win him Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: RB Eddie Lacy: With Aaron Rodgers on the sideline for the majority of the 2013 season, rookie running back Eddie Lacy was forced to step up and fill the void left by Rodgers, a former MVP Award recipient. Lacy rushed for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns, which will likely win him Offensive Rookie of the Year over wide receiver Keenan Allen (1,046 yards, 8 touchdowns).

Defensive Rookie of the Year: DT Sheldon Richardson: The New York Jets may have missed out on the playoffs in 2013, but their defensive line has become one of the best in all of football. The D-line, also nicknamed "Sons of Anarchy", was anchored by Sheldon Richardson, who recorded 77 tackles with 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

Coach of the Year: Andy Reid: After going 2-14 in 2012, the worst record of any team in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs hired former Eagles head coach Andy Reid. The Kansas City Chiefs did a complete 180, as they reached the playoffs, and even gave Peyton Manning and the Broncos a run for their money when it came to the division title. Kansas City's 9-0 start this season practically guaranteed Reid the Coach of the Year Award.

2013 NFL Award Predictions

Most Valuable Player: QB Peyton Manning: Peyton Manning's performance against the Baltimore Ravens last Thursday perfectly showed how lethal the Denver Broncos offense has become. Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas, and Eric Decker are bound to be Manning's favorite targets, and we predict Peyton Manning to throw for more than 50 touchdowns this year, breaking Tom Brady's record.

Offensive Player of the Year: QB Peyton Manning: If Manning is able to break Tom Brady's record of 50 passing touchdowns, he is a shoe-in for both MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. The Broncos offense was able to score 7 passing touchdowns against the Ravens defense, so imagine what they will do against a team like Jacksonville...

Defensive Player of the Year: DE JJ Watt: With the return of cornerback Darrelle Revis, the fight for Defensive Player of the Year will only become more competitive, but we see JJ "Swatt" winning this award for the second consecutive season. Watt was a sack away from breaking Michael Strahan's single season sack record in 2012, and even though we do not see Watt breaking the record in 2013, Watt's dominating campaign will win him this award once again.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: RB Eddie Lacy: Eddie Lacy is a thick, physical running back who will be used to take some pressure off of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. We predict Lacy's main competition to be Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin for this award, but in the end, Lacy will be the 31st running back to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: DE Ezekiel Ansah: Despite having just three years of experience playing football since he left Ghana, Ansah has too much raw talent to be sitting on the sidelines as a rookie. In his first preseason game, Ansah picked off Mark Sanchez and returned it for a touchdown. Big things are clearly in store for Ezekiel Ansah.

Coach of the Year: Sean Payton: The Saints have already taken down Atlanta in Week 1 of the 2013, so Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints are off to a great start. Brees is likely to surpass 5,000 yards yet again, especially if tight end Jimmy Graham is able to stay healthy. If the defense improves slightly, Sean Payton is a shoe-in for this award.

Comeback Player of the Year: CB Darrelle Revis: Despite all this talk about Richard Sherman being the best cornerback in the league, Revis remains the most dominant at the position. His new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ranked dead last in pass defense last season, so this organization is building the defense around their newly acquired cornerback. He will not disappointment. 

NFL Award Predictions: Most Valuable Player

     Finally, we have arrived to the most important of NFL awards to be handed out on February 2nd; the Most Valuable Player Award. Out of the many players to be analyzed, there are just three who we believe might take home the NFL's most prestigious award. Those final three players are Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson, and J.J. Watt. Be sure to comment, subscribe, or like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thenflreport! Also, subscribe to us on YouTube, where we create monthly highlight videos for some of the most exciting NFL players!

Adrian Peterson

QB Peyton Manning: One point in favor of Peyton Manning's MVP campaign has been his impact on the team he plays for. Indianapolis went from 10-6 to 2-14 during the year in which Manning was missing with a neck injury. Then, as he moved to Denver, the Broncos easily made the playoffs as the number one seed. Manning's ability to win makes him extremely valuable, but his statistics are not necessarily as mind boggling as Watt's or Peterson's.

DE J.J. Watt: Watt appears to be the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year, but unfortunately, it is extremely uncommon for a defensive player to win MVP. In fact, the last defensive player to win MVP was Lawrence Taylor in 1986. J.J. Watt would be a much more legitimate contender if he had snapped Michael Strahan's single season sack record. Sadly, Watt was unable to gain the two sacks necessary to break Strahan's record; however, Watt managed to rack up 81 tackles over the course of a single season, an extraordinary number considering Watt's role as a defensive end. That being said, Watt was also able to easily bat down passes, a skill that helped the Houston Texans defense disrupt opposing team's passing games. As I mentioned earlier, Watt is unlikely to win MVP due to his inability to break Strahan's record; therefore, the NFL will have to wait for another defensive MVP.

RB Adrian Peterson: Adrian Peterson proved over the course of 2012 that the running game is still alive and capable of making a dramatic impact on a particular team. In 2011, the Minnesota Vikings were 3-13, with little to no defense, and a star running back recovering from a very serious ACL injury. Adrian Peterson single-handedly led this team into the playoffs, where the highlight of his season took place in Week 17, where Peterson rushed for 199 yards against the Green Bay Packers, clinching a spot in the postseason. Although he was unable to break the single season rushing record, Peterson became the 7th running back to be a part of the 2,000 rushing yards club. Peterson's statistics, along with his importance to the Minnesota Vikings organization, ought to earn him the NFL Most Valuable Player Award.

Most Valuable Player Prediction: Adrian Peterson

2013 NFL Award Predictions

     February 2nd marks the date of this year's NFL award ceremony, where some of the league's biggest stars will come together on the eve of the Super Bowl to be praized for their tremendous play. Seven of the NFL's most valuable awards will be handed out to those most deserving: Most Valuable Player, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year. The NFL Report will discuss those who we believe are most deserving of these seven awards. However, we hope for you to comment on who you think deserves any given award. Be sure to comment, subscribe, or like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thenflreport! Also, subscribe to us on YouTube, where we create monthly highlight videos for some of the most exciting NFL players!