2022 Season Awards Tournament: MVP, ROY, DPOY, COY (NFC Final Four)
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
NFC East: QB Jalen Hurts, PHI
NFC West: QB Geno Smith, SEA
NFC North: WR Justin Jefferson, MIN
NFC South: QB Tom Brady, TB
We have to rule out Tom Brady quickly, as he definitely did not end on a high note in his NFL career. Who wins the QB battle remaining? I so respect Geno for his 2022 season, I really do…it’s shocking. But Jalen Hurts is so much better, as was his team’s performance with him.
What about Hurts versus Justin Jefferson? If you were starting an NFL franchise from scratch, and this was your first pick decision -- Hurts or Jefferson, who would you select? I know who I would…
NFC Champion = Jalen Hurts, PHI goes on to the tournament finals.
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2022 Season Awards Tournament: Rookie of the Year
NFC
NFC East: OL Tyler Smith, DAL
NFC West: QB Brock Purdy, SF
NFC North: DE Aidan Hutchinson, DET
NFC South: CB Alontae Taylor, NO
Interesting mix of options/positions here…
I’ll eliminate Hutchinson first, as the least impactful of the group. Nice season but he wasn’t a ‘wow’ player/rookie, to me.
Alontae Taylor was terrific as a shutdown corner in 2022 but Tyler Smith got thrown into an even more difficult spot -- starting left tackle, and he started every game of the season and had nice blocking grades/metrics. So, Smith or Brock Purdy?
I have to go Purdy…not only for the position (QB) but for the legendary performance. (8-0) in games he finished with 16 TDs and 3 INTs in those 8 starts. What Purdy did in the 2022 season is stunning. Coming from 3rd-string and forced into action midseason. When Dak Prescott won a bunch of games as a rookie, he was a starter Week 1 and was with the starters all summer. Purdy was a near practice squad QB in his rookie summer.
NFC Champion = Brock Purdy, SF goes on to the tournament finals.
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2022 Season Awards Tournament: Defensive Player of the Year
NFC
NFC East: CB James Bradberry, PHI
NFC West: CB Tariq Woolen, SEA
NFC North: DE Aidan Hutchinson, DET
NFC South: CB Carlton Davis, TB
Hutchinson had a solid year, but he’s over his head in this group.
So, it comes down to the three corners. Carlton Davis had a nice season but not anything like Bradberry and Woolen’s. So, Bradberry v. Woolen for the finals.
Both had excellent years and have great cover numbers…very close call strictly on metrics. However, Woolen had 6 picks (Bradberry 4) and Woolen made more tackles and missed less tackles…and he shut down some top WRs. He’s really quite amazing. The winner is a rookie…who shutoff an entire side of the field.
NFC Champion = Tariq Woolen, SEA goes on to the tournament finals.
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2022 Season Awards Tournament: Coach of the Year
NFC
NFC East: HC Brian Daboll, NYG
NFC West: HC Pete Carroll, SEA
NFC North: HC Dan Campbell, DET
NFC South: iHC Steve Wilks, CAR
Wow…a powerhouse lineup of candidates. Even Steve Wilks shouldn’t be scoffed at…but in this heavyweight group, Wilks goes bye-bye.
Daboll-Carroll-Campbell…three amazing turnaround stories. Any of the three deserve the award for the league. I’m going to go with a mild-shocker and give the nod to Dan Campbell, for two reasons…
1) NYG and SEA started hot and cooled a bit down the stretch. Detroit started (1-6), and it looked like another typical disaster year for the Lions…and then Detroit won eight of their final 10 games.
2) If there were a round robin tournament with NYG-SEA-DET, after Week 18, a mini-playoff…I would take Detroit to beat both NYG and SEA. Down the stretch/by the end of the 2022 season…it was the Lions as the best team of these three, so for that reason, I award it to Campbell.
NFC Champion = Dan Campbell goes on to the tournament finals.
