This week marks the quarter mark of the NFL season and things are starting to sort out. We’re seeing who are the surprises and disappointments.
We’re also starting to get a clear picture of what players and coaches are in line for the major post-season awards. Each week in Awards Watch, we look at three candidates from Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year. At this point, we’re no longer focusing on results from a given week.
We’re to a point where we can look at a body of work and that provides better evidence than a single-game performance. Here’s a look at this week’s Awards Watch.
Most Valuable Player
Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson drew serious consideration for this spot, but it would be almost criminal to leave Brady off this list because he’s always a contender for this award. He’s having a flawless season. The Patriots are 3-0 and Brady has thrown for seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes is the favorite, but you never can count Brady out.
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott wasn’t in the top three in this category, but it’s time to move him up because he’s earned it. Prescott has the Cowboys off to a 3-0 start and their quarterback is playing extremely well and is second in the league with a 128.0 passer rating. He threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in an easy victory against Miami. Dallas’ schedule is about to get a lot more difficult and the next few games will show if Prescott really deserves strong consideration for this award.
Patrick Mahomes, QB Kansas City Chiefs
Back when Larry Bird won the NBA’s first three-point competition, he said, “This check has had my name on it for weeks’’. It was an arrogant statement by one of the biggest trash talkers in sports, but he had earned the right to say it. When Mahomes gets the Most Valuable Player Trophy after the season, he could easily say, “This trophy has had my name on it for months’’. That would be out of character for Mahommes, but he’s well on his way to earning that right as he leads the league with a 134.9 passer rating. Mahomes won the award last year and he’s on pace for an even better season this time around. Mahomes is on pace for 437 completions, 6,373 yards, 53 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Offensive Player of the Year
Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
We’ll see if Allen can stay in contention all year. But, right now, he belongs on the list. He leads the league with 404 receiving yards and also has three touchdowns. What works against him is that the Chargers are 1-2. For Allen to get serious consideration, he’s got to keep putting up big numbers and the Chargers have to start winning games.
Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
Why are the Vikings 2-1? A good defense and Cook. It’s certainly not because of Kirk Cousins. The Vikings are doing the smart thing and keeping the ball out of Cousins’ hands as much as possible. But they’re getting it to Cook a lot. He’s rushed for over 100 yards in all three games and has 375 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. He also leads the league in total yards from scrimmage.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson was on the list for MVP last week, but we’re going to drop him just one notch this week. That’s only because the Ravens lost for the first time this season. The loss was a close one to Kansas City, so there’s no shame in that. Jackson didn’t play poorly, but his numbers weren’t as good as the first two weeks. He didn’t throw a touchdown, but ran for one. Still, on the season, he’s thrown for seven touchdowns and has not been intercepted.
Defensive Player of the Year
Devin McCourty, S, New England Patriots
McCourty makes his debut on this list mostly for one reason. He leads the NFL with three interceptions (one in each game). Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he plays for the undefeated Patriots, who have only allowed 17 points all season.
Shaquil Barrett, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Never heard of this guy? That’s OK. You’re not alone. But you should start getting to know Barrett because he’s leading the league in sacks with eight. That’s already more than he had in any of the five previous seasons when he was in Denver. He had four sacks in Sunday’s loss to the Giants. And he’s doing it all without the presence of the injured Jason Pierre-Paul, who was supposed to be Tampa Bay’s main pass-rushing threat. But Barrett is probably a long shot to win this award unless he finishes with about 20 sacks and Tampa Bay turns into a winner.
Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
We all knew it was coming. After being silent in the first two games, Donald erupted in the victory against Cleveland. He was a dominant force in the middle and recorded his first sack of the season. This could be the start of a hot streak. Donald remains the favorite to win this award, mainly because he’s won it each of the last two years.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland Raiders
Jacobs almost slipped out of the top three after rushing for only 44 yards on 10 carries in a loss to Minnesota. But it should be remembered that Jacobs was playing with a groin injury. It also should be remembered that he was solid in his first two games and should do good things going forward. Coach Jon Gruden came out this week and firmly said the Raiders have to get Jacobs, who has only one reception, more involved in the passing game.
Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Murray is coming off his worst game of the season. He threw two interceptions in the loss to Carolina and passed for a career-low 173 yards. It’s not like Murray has been terrible overall. He’s thrown for 830 with four touchdowns and three interceptions. But he’s a victim because the rest of his team is terrible.
Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
Arizona’s Kyler Murray had been in the lead for this award for the first two installments of this column. But Jones leapfrogged him with a spectacular first career start in Sunday’s victory against Tampa Bay. Jones threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for two touchdowns. Murray had been the favorite because he was the No. 1 overall pick and came with lots of hoopla. But the Cardinals are 0-2-1 and falling off the media radar. Jones plays in the league’s biggest media market. If he plays even reasonably well the rest of the season, he’s the favorite to win this award.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Darnell Savage, S, Green Bay Packers
Savage has been the model of consistency in Green Bay’s 3-0 start and is a big reason why the defense is much improved last year. In Sunday’s victory against Denver, he was in on five tackles. For the season, he has one interception and one forced fumble. If Savage can produce some more big plays, he’ll become a strong candidate for this job.
Devin Bush, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s been a dismal 0-3 start for the Steelers. But perhaps the play of Bush has been the biggest (maybe the only?) bright spot. In Sunday’s loss to San Francisco, he led the team with 11 total tackles and came up with two fumble recoveries. For the season, he has 29 total tackles, including 19 solo tackles.
Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers
Bosa had perhaps the brightest moment of his young career in Sunday’s victory against Pittsburgh. With less than a minute remaining, Bosa knocked All-Pro left tackle Alejandro Villanueva on his back. Bosa then got hold of quarterback Mason Rudolph and DeForest Buckner came in to finish the sack and forced a fumble. That play sealed the game.
Coach of the Year
Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers
All appears well in Green Bay again. The Packers are 3-0 and the memories of last year’s disaster with former coach Mike McCarthy are pretty much gone. LaFleur seems to have the respect of the locker room and quarterback Aaron Rodgers seems to be relatively happy.
Kyle Shananan, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are coming off a close win against the Steelers. At 3-0, they’re one of the league’s biggest surprises. Plus, they’re guaranteed of remaining undefeated this week because they have a bye.
Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
The Bills beat the Bengals on Sunday to run their record to 3-0. They’re one of the league’s biggest surprises and McDermott and his staff are doing a great job. That’s why McDermott has moved into the top spot for this award. But his stay here might be short. He faces one of the biggest games of his career Sunday when the Bills play the undefeated Patriots. If McDermott wins that one, he’ll be the clear frontrunner for this award.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
