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, but usually offense)
**Coach of the Year (any coach on the staff, not just the head coach)
NFC FINAL: 2023 Season Awards Tournament: MVP
NFC East Winner = QB Dak Prescott, DAL
NFC West Winner = QB Brock Purdy, SF
NFC North Winner = QB Jordan Love, GB
NFC South Winner = QB Baker Mayfield, TB
Just like in the AFC, it’s four QBs vying to go to the finals...
I’m eliminating Dak Prescott first, because while he had a nice season...I know from my Fantasy work in-season that Dak took advantage of a gift schedule midseason to compile numbers. Dak was good, but not as good as the other three here.
Jordan Love is also out...and up-and-down season until the last few weeks, where he locked in and snuck the Pack into the playoffs. Love was important but not better than the final two QBs here.
Brock or Baker? Baker had a great comeback season for sure, but he played in a weak division that they barely won. They wouldn’t have won if not for Baker. However, Purdy led his team to the #1 seed in the NFC and put up better numbers than Baker doing so. More wins, better stats...coming off serious arm surgery...it’s insane to think Purdy could be/should be leading the team in back-to-back Super Bowls right now.
NFC FINAL Winner = QB Brock Purdy, SF
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NFC FINAL: 2023 Season Awards Tournament: Rookie of the Year
NFC East Winner = CB Deonte Banks, NYG
NFC West Winner = WR Puka Nacua, LAR
NFC North Winner = OL Darnell Wright, CHI
NFC South Winner = DL Calijah Kancey, TB
You can see from the options here, it’s gonna be a no-contest...Puka Nacua gets the nod.
Who would be the runner up? I’d likely give it to Kancey because he was such an impact just being on the field, the pressure he provided, the blocking the offense had to scheme on him. Wright and Banks are a distant 3rd in the race.
NFC FINAL Winner = WR Puka Nacua, LAR
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NFC FINAL: 2023 Season Awards Tournament: Defensive Player of the Year
NFC East Winner = LB Micah Parsons, DAL
NFC West Winner = DL Aaron Donald, LAR
NFC North Winner = DE Montez Sweat, CHI
NFC South Winner = CB A.J. Terrell, ATL
It was a good year for Terrell, not a great year...let’s toss him out and pick between the three DLs.
Aaron Donald had a very nice season and is always needing to be planned for by opposing offensive coordinators...but he is starting to fade a bit. We’re going to ‘pass’ on Donald and choose between Parsons and Sweat.
The most impactful defensive player that I saw all season...it might be the stretch of time where Sweat was working with the Bears (traded by Washington)...dominant in all phases. I’m going to honor Sweat’s work here because Parsons was more just rushing the passer every snap...but Sweat was working in all phases for what became one of the best defenses in the 2nd-half in 2023...Chicago finished way better than Dallas did.
NFC FINAL Winner = DE Montez Sweat, CHI
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NFC FINAL: 2023 Season Awards Tournament: Coach of the Year
NFC East Winner = HC Mike McCarthy, DAL
NFC West Winner = HC Sean McVay, LAR
NFC North Winner = HC Dan Campbell, DET
NFC South Winner = O-C Dave Canales, TB
The HC options are pretty strong here, so we toss Dave Canales to start.
Mike McCarthy either got very lucky or didn’t do bad this year...he took over the offense, and the O performed better. He won the division. He had a solid season, but McVay-Campbell are better candidates.
A very impressive season for Sean McVay. Taking a team that looked like a rebuild in the offseason and had them playing some of the best ball of the season down the stretch. What he did with rookies and reclamation projects was astounding.
Dan Campbell did a great job as well. Won the division, going away. But this defense was dying at the end of the season, and it helped that Minnesota lost Kirk Cousins, or we don’t know how this might have finished. Down the stretch, I didn’t see Detroit playing the best in the NFL...or their own division. But the Rams were as good as any team down the stretch. I give the nod to McVay.
NFC FINAL Winner = HC Sean McVay, LAR
The winners in each category move on to the ‘Super Bowl’ finals to determine the FFM named winners for 2023 season.
