Mid-Season NFL Awards + Super Bowl Prediction

In an 18-week season, the mid-season point is now obviously a week later. While this is going into week 10 and one game has already been played for it, it still pretty much counts. It feels like the first half of the season has gone by so fast yet so slow at the same time. Today we will be predicting the award winners for each of the major awards along with some playoff predictions at the mid-season point. We will compare all of these to where we stood at the quarter-way mark.

Comeback Player of the Year

The Winner: Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys

For most of these award spots we will have multiple candidates but this one is far and away Dak Prescott and it isn't close. The Dallas QB has bounced back from the terrible leg injury he suffered last season in the best way possible and has his Cowboys looking like one of the best teams in the league. Expectations were high, but he is really exceeding them as well. 2045 yards, 18 TDs, just 5 INTs. He is an elite QB and has the CPOY locked up barring really another major injury.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

The Winner: Micah Parsons, Outside Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys

Another award race that feels pretty over already. Micah Parsons has been an absolute killer on the Dallas defense and is a big reason why they have turned it around on that side of the football so much this year. As an Outside Linebacker, Parsons has been asked to do everything on defense, and he has. He has 52 total tackles, 5 sacks, and 2 pass breakups. Those stats warrant DPOY consideration for LBs sometimes and to see Parsons doing it as a rookie makes it all the more impressive. As long as Parsons keeps the pace somewhat steady to this for the rest of the way, the award is really his to lose.
Quarter-season top 3: Patrick Surtain II (Broncos), Asante Samuel Jr. (Chargers), Parsons

Offensive Rookie of the Year

2. Najee Harris, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers

While some might be up in arms that I don't have just one guy in this race at this point, I just have seen to many good things lately from Najee Harris to rule him out. When the Steelers drafted Harris in the first round, I knew big things were to come. I've seen how the Steelers have featured RBs with his skillset in the past like Le'Veon Bell and I knew that we would get a lot of the same from Najee. That has reigned true as Harris (aside from Diontae Johnson) has really been the ENTIRE Steelers' offense this season. He's rushed for 540 yards and 5 TDs but also added 40 catches for 290 yards and another 2 scores through the air. He is one of the most well-rounded backs in the league already and still is in the ROY race to me.

The Winner: Ja'Marr Chase, Wide Receiver, Cincinnati Bengals

While it would take a major meltdown for Chase to lose this award throughout the final 8 weeks, there's always a chance. After lighting up the league for the first 7 weeks of the season, Chase has cooled off ever so slightly the last two weeks and has opened the door a crack for someone like Najee Harris to swoop in. Still, what we've seen from him for the most part is the makings of the best rookie WR season EVER. Chase has totaled 44 receptions for a whopping 835 yards and 7 TDs receiving. He is quickly developing into one of the best WRs in the league this quickly. I feel confident that Chase will run away with this one down the stretch but you can't say it's a completely forgone conclusion.
Quarter-season top 3: Rashawn Slater (Chargers), Mac Jones (Patriots), Chase

Coach of the Year

3. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers

Tomlin is consistently one of the best coaches in the league and has been for years. He could really have a case to win this any given year. That being said, I'll put him in this race for now, but I still don't see him actually winning it. Tomlin always has his Steelers in a playoff chase. They have a winning record every year no matter what. The Steelers started this season out of poorly but now sit a 5-3 with a good chance to get to at least 6-3 with a game against Detroit tomorrow. Somehow, someway, Tomlin keeps getting it done. He deserves so much praise.

2. Mike Vrabel, Tennessee Titans

At this point in the season (which still has so much to change), this really feels like a two-man race. Vrabel and the guy we will get to in a second. The Titans coach continues to show he is one of the best in the game. A known motivator with a ton of grit, he has had his Titans beating some of the best teams in the league on a weekly basis. It is incredibly impressive. Even after losing Derrick Henry who is one of the most valuable players in the league, Vrabel and his team did not miss a beat the following game as they thrashed the LA Rams. We will see how things shake out down the stretch, but Vrabel's coaching has been A+ so far this season.

The Winner: Kliff Kingsbury, Arizona Cardinals

The unlikely rise that we've seen from Kingsbury is one of the most fascinating stories in the sport. Fired as a college coach a few years back, the Cardinals brought him in as their HC basically off the street. You will almost never see a hire like that. Since then, he's been nothing but impressive, especially this season as at this point, his Cardinals have the best record in the NFL at 8-1. This team has beaten good team after good team and could easily be 9-0 without a bad miscommunication to end the Packer game. Even in a game without Kyler Murray, his Cardinals still rolled. They are legit and he is in the drivers seat for this award.
Quarter-season top 3: Matt Rhule (Panthers), Kingsbury, Brandon Staley (Chargers)

Offensive Player of the Year

2. Jonathan Taylor, Running Back, Indianapolis Colts

A guy who has come on so hot since the quarter-season mark is Jonathan Taylor. He has quickly ascended into the elite tier of RBs and currently looks like the best RB in football (with Derrick Henry injured). The Colts have been carried by this man as he makes it look easy week after week. I don't think anyone anticipated this much of a breakout for the young second-year back out of Wisconsin. He's already rushed for 821 yards and 8 TDs along with 23 catches for 293 yards and another TD. He's bound to lead the league in rushing by the end of the season and also currently leads the NFL in total scrimmage yards. He has been so unbelievably good and has a real chance to catch our current no. 1 by the end of the year should he start to falter.

The Winner: Cooper Kupp, Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Rams

For now, Cooper Kupp is the easy winner for this award. He is having one of the greatest starts to a season for a WR in NFL history. Who saw it coming either? Kupp has already 74 catches for 1019 yards and 10 TDs. We are only halfway done with this season. Could he hit the 2000 yard mark and 20 TDs? Calvin Johnson came the closest to 2k but didn't hit it, if Kupp does, does he maybe even win MVP? We don't know the answers to most of these questions but what we do know is that this is one of the best starts for a wideout ever. He is running away with this award.
Quarter-season top 3: Deebo Samuel (49ers), Kupp, Derrick Henry (Titans)

Defensive Player of the Year

3. JC Jackson, Cornerback, New England Patriots

One guy that has been one of the most underrated players in the league for the past few seasons is "Mr. INT" aka JC Jackson. Jackson had been overlooked for many years as he wasn't even the CB1 on the Patriots due to Stephon Gillmore, but since Gillmore had been injured and then eventually traded to Carolina, he is finally showing the world what he's made of. Jackson currently has 5 INTs, 31 tackles, 12 pass deflections, and a TD on defense. Those are All-Pro numbers for an entire season but keep in mind that's what he's done through just HALF. That is absolutely crazy. The 12 pass breakups is insanely impressive that is CB production we rarely see. I am not sure if he will be able to overcome the other 2 guys ahead of him on the list for the actual award, but he should be a first-team All Pro CB this season if he keeps this up.

2. Myles Garrett, Edge Rusher, Cleveland Browns

Garrett was no. 1 at the quarter-season mark, and there is a good argument for him still to be, but we personally like one guy just a tiny bit better. It's obviously still anyone's award to win so don't count him out in any way. Garrett currently leads the NFL in sacks with 12 which puts him in an amazing spot to potentially break 20 or even the sack record at 22.5. Along with his whopping 12 sacks through just 9 games, Garrett also has a pass deflection and 12 tackles for loss. He is a freak of nature and has a really really good chance of taking home the hardware.

The Winner: TJ Watt, Edge Rusher, Pittsburgh Steelers

Does TJ Watt FINALLY get his well-deserved DPOY? I don't know if I've seen a more impactful singular defensive player since prime JJ Watt than his brother TJ. Watt is everywhere and always impacting the play. If he doesn't get the sack then he's at least applying pressure. A perfect example was the Seahawks game where Watt won it for them. Multiple key third down sacks and the game winning forced fumble. What he has done in Pittsburgh is second to none. He is insane. He has 11.5 sacks which is just .5 less than Garrett and he's only played in 7 games, not 9. He also has 3 forced fumbles and 4 pass deflections. Watt really deserves this.
Quarter-season top 3: Bobby Wagner (Seahawks), Trevon Diggs (Cowboys), Garrett

MVP

3. Cooper Kupp, Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Rams

We talked about him earlier so I won't say much more, but the numbers he's put up for a WR are hall of fame like this season. If there was ever a season where a WR could win MVP it would be this year. There is no clear favorite right now and if the Rams can keep winning behind Kupp leading the way, he will have a real case to take home the biggest award in the sport.

2. Kyler Murray, Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals

At the quarter-season mark, Murray was our guy for this award. He falls ever so slightly just a few weeks later. Murray hasn't really been worse or anything, he's still been killing it, but he didn't have his best game in the loss to the Packers in primetime and then he missed last weekend with injury and could miss another this weekend. The dual-threat weapon has amassed 2276 yards, 17 TDs, and 7 INTs passing with another 147 yards and 3 scores on the ground. The young gunslinger is the QB of the team with the best record in the league but will need to return from injury ASAP to regain his top spot he has held for much of the season in the MVP race.

The Winner: Tom Brady, Quarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Brady is inevitable. At age 44, one of the oldest players to ever start at QB in the NFL, he's still slinging it like he's 26. Brady is currently the MVP favorite at the mid-way point in the season...in 2021. It's just insane. The things he keeps adding to his resume are otherworldly. I really don't know how to describe it anymore. This is the greatest football player you will ever probably see, just marvel at it. He's thrown for 2650 yards, 25 TDs, and just 5 INTs. Those yardage totals are second most in the league this year while the TD passes are 1st. He's on pace for 50 TDs at age 44. I don't know what to say anymore. If Brady wins MVP this year, he may just be the best pro athlete across any sport ever.
Quarter-season top 3: Josh Allen (Bills), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Murray

Super Bowl Prediction

Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Buffalo Bills

At this current moment, my Super Bowl prediction is the Tampa Bay Bucs going back to back as they take down the young and hungry Bills. This was such a tough call to make. There are so many teams right now that I feel have a great shot to win it. The league is so wide-open this year it's crazy. I could see the Bucs, Bills, Ravens, Rams, Titans, Cowboys, Packers, Chargers, Cardinals, Seahawks, Browns, maybe even others winning it still. It's insane how wide open the league is and it's bound to set up for a wildly entertaining post-season. I think the well-rounded nature of the Bucs and being led by Tom Brady gives them the advantages they need to go on a run through the NFC and then the Bills at the big game. The Bills have been struggling right now but they will get back on track. They have the best defense in the league and possibly the best offense when at best. I think the Bills or the Ravens have the two best shots to go all the way in the AFC and one of them will but lose to the Bucs at the end.
Super Bowl MVP Prediction: Tom Brady 🐐