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.
We also have FFM’s Ross Jacobs’ nominees by team, by division, by conference and his eventual winner to share along with my nominees and winners.
Two notes on the voting:
*MVP (any position, but usually offense)
**Coach of the Year (any coach on the staff, not just the head coach)
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NFC Final Four: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: MVP
NFC East Winner = QB Jayden Daniels, WSH
NFC West Winner = WR Puka Nacua, LAR
NFC North Winner = QB Jared Goff, DET
NFC South Winner = QB Baker Mayfield, TB
Right off the jump, we can eliminate the WR/Puka...he missed several games and while he was important/great, he was not close to being as important as any of the three QBs up for the award.
There is a case for any of these three candidates to be the NFC MVP. Baker and Goff had almost identical numbers this past season, but of those two I’d lean Goff because he has more wins and less turnovers...using that as a deciding factor.
Goff v. Daniels? It’s quite a debate. Daniels had less wins and lesser passer numbers but then add in the rushing numbers and it’s pretty close to equal total yards and TDs. Goff was the bigger winner of games, but Daniels had much lesser surroundings (O-Line, RBs, etc.) to do what he did. Both teams would be nowhere without these two QBs.
I’m going to give it to Goff for the win streak in-season, for the big Week 18 win over the Vikings in that massive-stakes game, and while Daniels numbers were good over the final 3-4 weeks of the regular season...Goff was putting up epic numbers.
NFC Final Four Winner = QB Jared Goff, DET is going on to the NFL Finals.
*Ross Jacobs votes:
NFC North – Jared Goff
NFC East – Saquon Barkley
NFC South – Baker Mayfield
NFC West – Puka Nacua
NFC – Saquon Barkley
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NFC Final Four: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: Rookie of the Year
NFC East Winner = QB Jayden Daniels, WSH
NFC West Winner = DE Jared Verse, LAR
NFC North Winner = LB Edgerrin Cooper, GB
NFC South Winner = RB Bucky Irving, TB
This won’t take long...I almost gave Jayden Daniels the NFC MVP nod, so he’s certainly going to get the ROY award over this good but nowhere close to JD group.
NFC Final Four Winner = QB Jayden Daniels, WSH...goes on to the FFM/NFL award finals.
*Ross Jacobs votes:
NFC North – Evan Williams
NFC East – Jayden Daniels
NFC South – Bucky Irving
NFC West – Jared Verse
NFC WINNER – Jayden Daniels
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NFC Final Four: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: Defensive Player of the Year
NFC EAST Winner = CB Quinyon Mitchell, PHI
NFC WEST Winner = DL Leonard Williams, SEA
NFC North Winner = DB Brian Branch, DET
NFC South Winner = LB Lavonte David, TB
This is kinda crazy...this list...the names...doesn’t feel right...seems like I may have missed someone? But it is the divisional rep list for 2024.
First out, Lavone David. Fine season. Great player/HOFer. Not the best of this group in 2024. I don’t think a traditional linebacker could win this.
Let’s eliminate one of the DBs...Quinyon Mitchell was really good for a rookie season, but Brian Branch had another great season -- great cover metrics, great tackler, generates turnovers. Branch is just always in front of my eyes during games, watching ALL of them. I normally favor a shutdown corner over a slot type corner, but Branch is a definite exception.
Branch v. Williams? Williams had a great year, but there have been so many times watching games live and on tape this season that Branch has just stood out -- I am going with Brian Branch.
NFC Final Four Winner = SAF Brian Branch, DET goes onto the FFM/NFL Finals.
*Ross Jacobs votes:
NFC North – Kerby Joseph
NFC East – Zach Baun
NFC South – Jessie Bates
NFC West – Julian Love
NFC – Zach Baun
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NFC Final Four: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: Coach of the Year
NFC EAST Winner = HC Dan Quinn, WSH
NFC WEST Winner = HC Sean McVay, LAR
NFC North Winner = HC Dan Campbell, DET
NFC South Winner = HC Dave Canales, CAR
Wow, a powerhouse group of candidates. Any one of them could win this, truly...and, yes, Dave Canales has a very good case for Coach of the Year.
BUT...I’m going to give the award to Dan Campbell. Why? Besides having the best record of this group, I am going to honor him for changing the way coaches coached games later in the season. Campbell has been the best ‘go for it’ HC the NFL has ever seen...and now the meek coaches of the past are dipping their toe in the ‘go for it’ mindset...and Dan Quinn did a cannonball into the pool on it...a pool designed by Campbell.
NFC Final Four Winner = HC Dan Campbell, DET is going on to the finals.
*Ross Jacobs votes:
NFC North – Dan Campbell
NFC East – Vic Fangio
NFC South – Liam Coen
NFC West – Sean McVay
NFC – Dan Campbell