2022 Season Awards Tournament: MVP, ROY, DPOY, COY (NFC North)
Each year, I go division by division and nominate who I believe is each team's candidate for the major NFL awards and then we discuss/declare who the division's major award winner is for the season…and that player goes onto the divisional Final Four with a chance to go to the Super Bowl/Finals for a chance to be declared my seasonal award winner.
We go division-by-division each day, then to the Final Four for each conference, then the finals to name our winner the day the NFL announces their winners. *And my choices are usually different up and down the line in each category, so enjoy a different take on the NFL awards.
*MVP (any position)
*Coach of the Year (any coach on the staff, not just the head coach)
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2022 Season Awards Tournament: MVP
NFC North
MIN: WR Justin Jefferson
DET: QB Jared Goff
GB: WR Christian Watson
CHI: QB Justin Fields
Justin Fields had a helluva turn in production midseason, but it did not translate to wins. He didn't carry the team, but he shined individually.
The Packers started taking off when Watson emerged. Prior to that this GB team was kinda dead. But Watson wasn't better than Justin Jefferson, playing the same position. Watson was really good, but Jefferson was a single-handed wrecking ball that seemingly won games on his own.
Jared Goff was fantastic, and the QB position is so critical -- but Jefferson was so dominant with many highlight moments, and some stunning game winning plays…we have to give the nod to a WR over a QB, as rare as that is.
NFC North Winner = WR Justin Jefferson, MIN goes on to the NFC Final Four.
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2022 Season Awards Tournament: Rookie of the Year
NFC North
MIN: OL Ed Ingram
DET: DE Aidan Hutchinson
GB: WR Christian Watson
CHI: LB Jack Sanborn
Ingram started 18 games, which is impressive for a rookie…but he graded poorly/below average in blocking for Minnesota in 2022.
Jack Sanborn could've won this, but he didn't get his chance to play until halfway into the season then got hurt/gone at the end of season. Really promising season/future though.
Christian Watson was terrific, once he got going. He was a very slow start, then was his team's #1 WR/weapon. Watson has an argument, but Aidan Hutchinson started right away and started every game and played well enough against the pass and run.
NFC North Winner = DE Aidan Hutchinson, DET goes on to the NFL Final Four.
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2022 Season Awards Tournament: Defensive Player of the Year
NFC North
MIN: CB Patrick Peterson
DET: DE Aidan Hutchinson
GB: CB Jaire Alexander
CHI: SAF Eddie Jackson
Eddie Jackson was having a hell of a year, but he got hurt and was gone for the season after Week 12.
Jaire Alexander had a very good year, but not his best year statistically/metrics-wise…and the Packers pass D was not menacing this season either.
Patrick Peterson wasn't a total shutdown like his younger days, but he had one of his better seasons in a while…and was the only thing that could stop anyone in the 2nd-half of the season for Minnesota. Za'Darius Smith was my other Vikings' option but he started out white hot and then faded away in the 2nd-half.
Aidan Hutchinson had a really solid season, but he was not surreal or ‘wow'.
Four solid options, no one stands out clearly. For the way Detroit was one of the best defenses down the stretch with Hutchinson getting 9.5 sacks and 3 picks (odd for a DE) this season -- we'll lean Hutch.
NFC North Winner = Aidan Hutchinson, DET goes on to the NFC Final Four.
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2022 Season Awards Tournament: Coach of the Year
NFC North
MIN: HC Kevin O'Connell
DET: HC Dan Campbell
GB: HC Matt LaFleur
CHI: HC Matt Eberflus
Matt LaFleur had a terrible season, but his coordinators were so bad that I just went with LaFleur…just to write about what a terrible job he did. He's an anti-COY.
Matt Eberflus deserves credit for starting to clean house on the roster a little…instead of trying to make that mess work. But he's certainly not the COY for this division.
Kevin O'Connell had a marvelous run, and a great season. You can point to all those close/late game wins and say that the Vikings were lucky -- but they still won. The Vikings definitely outperformed most expectations.
Dan Campbell started out (1-6), and it looked like he might not be a good enough head coach, try hard as he might…trying to ‘will it' to happen as he might. However, the Lions turned as a team in Week 9 and won eight of their last 10 from there despite all kinds of defensive injuries.
I respect what O'Connell did…but I'm floored with what Campbell did down the stretch. By the end of the season, the Lions were better than the Vikings -- so, I give the award to Campbell.
NFC North Winner = Dan Campbell, DET goes on to the NFC Final Four
