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Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen greet each other after a game in 2022. But who leads the way this season?Photograph: Julio Cortez/AP
Let’s roll out the red carpet for the midseason-ish awards. A quick note, these awards are based on what has happened through eight weeks. They’re not projections on how the awards race will stack up at the end of the year.
Offensive player of the year
Nominees: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles; Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings; Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals; Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens.
Did even the Ravens think adding Henry would go this smoothly? The ageless back is on track to crack 2,000 at 30 years old. After a wobbly opening week against the Chiefs, Henry has run over and around every defense he has faced. He leads the league in rushing yards, yards from scrimmage, touchdowns and has tacked on the longest run of the season for good measure. The only player with more explosive rushes than Henry this season is … Lamar Jackson.
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Typically, a team adding a veteran running back is the kind of move that draws offseason column inches but fails to move the championship needle. But Henry has helped the Ravens reimagine their offense around Jackson, making the team more viable for a deep postseason run.
Jackson is still the key Jenga block. Without Henry, the Ravens could still put together an excellent offense. Without Jackson, they would be in trouble. But pairing the two together has pushed Baltimore’s offense to a new level. They have the most distinctive and effective running game in the league; teams accustomed to generic ground attacks look shell-shocked when they face the Jackson-Henry tandem.
Somehow, pairing the best downhill runner in the NFL with the league MVP has been better in reality than it was in theory.
Winner: Henry
Defensive player of the year
Nominees: TJ Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers; Brian Branch, Detroit…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-midseason-ish-awards-josh-081011245.html
Author : The Guardian
Publish date : 2024-10-31 08:10:11
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