Daily Short #128, January 11th, 2017: 2017 PFWA On-Field Awards Ballot
presented by the Dental Offices of Wendy Swantkowski, DDS
The Absolute BEST in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial Area
Now Accepting New Patients --- 281-293-9140
As some of you may know, I am the New Media Chairman for the Pro Football Writers of America, serving my fifth and likely last season in the role. Today was the final day of balloting for on-field awards for the 2017 regular season. Here is my ballot, please grab your most rotten tomatoes for hurling and read on ...
Most Valuable Player: Carson Wentz, QB PHI - He was looking like a shoe-in to win league MVP before getting hurt and the Eagles certainly haven't looked like anywhere near as much of a threat since the injury. Wentz is so much fun to watch and has turned into everything I've optimistically hoped for since his 2016 Senior Bowl week.
Offensive Player of the Year: Carson Wentz, QB PHI
Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Donald, DL LA - I've known since his Senior Bowl that he was set to be an absolute star. While the Rams run defense was not the best this season, Donald was an unbelievable player on his own not only in fitting up the run but also in being the most productive interior pass rusher in the league.
Rookie of the Year: Alvin Kamara, RB NO - It's really hard to choose who has meant more to their team: Alvin Kamara or his teammate Marshon Lattimore, but I'll lean Kamara simply because he's one of my favorite players in the league to watch play the game.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Alvin Kamara, RB NO
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Marshon Lattimore, CB NO - Between Jalen Ramsey, Xavier Rhodes, Tre' White and Lattimore, the league is flush with great young secondary talent right now.
Comeback Player of the Year: Keenan Allen, WR LAC - Many were concerned that Allen wouldn't be the same guy following his season-ending 2016 knee injury (especially given the additions in the passing game that the Chargers have made in recent years) but Allen went on to finish top 4 in both receptions and yards for the regular season.
Most Improved Player of the Year: Jared Goff, QB LA - The answer here could actually be his teammate Todd Gurley who we rejuvenated in a major way in moving from the Jeff Fisher "middle school offense" of 2016 to McVay's high-powered and exceedingly smart scheme.
Coach of the Year: Sean McVay, LA - Continuing on the theme from above, McVay made one of the quickest offensive turnarounds anyone has ever seen. He turned the Rams from the most putrid team ever to the most exciting one in the league, saving great players like Todd Gurley, Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins from having to wallow in obscurity and leveraging properly the the terrific talents under-the-surface of Goff and rookies such as Cooper Kupp.
Executive of the Year: Jeff Ireland, Assistant GM, NO - A man who I've always thought was a crappy GM in Miami (which he was) and sort of a dick for asking prospects ridiculous questions (Dez Bryant's mom being a prostitute ring a bell?) was the architect of one of the best drafts we've seen by any team in basically the current century if we're basing on Year 1 results. Ireland's 2017 haul included my offensive and defensive rookies of the year along with players who made significant impact early like OT Ryan Ramczyk, S Marcus Williams and DL Trey Hendrickson among others. Make no mistake, he's not the official GM but he is the heartbeat of the scouting department. This was much more Ireland's draft than it was Mickey Loomis'.
Assistant Coach of the Year: Jim Scwartz, DC PHI - Old coach "Gym Shorts" is going to be a hot head-coach name following a two-year turnaround in Philly that has returned the unit to one more reminiscent of ferocious Eagles defenses we've seen in the past.
ALL-NFL TEAM (Offense and Defense)
Offense:
NFL Quarterback (vote for one): Carson Wentz, PHI
NFL Running Backs (vote for two): Todd Gurley, LA and Le'Veon Bell, PIT
NFL Wide Receivers (vote for two): Antonio Brown, PIT and Deandre Hopkins, HOU
NFL Tight End (vote for one): Travis Kelce, KC
NFL Center (vote for one): Brandon Linder, JAX
NFL Guards (vote for two): Zack Martin, DAL and David Decastro, PIT
NFL Offensive Tackles (vote for two): Joe Thomas, CLE and Joe Staley, SF
Defense:
NFL Defensive Ends (vote for two): Calais Campbell, JAX and Demarcus Lawrence, DAL
NFL Defensive Tackles (vote for two): Aaron Donald, LA and Fletcher Cox, PHI
NFL Outside Linebackers (vote for two): Chandler Jones, ARI and Ryan Kerrigan, WAS
NFL Inside/Middle Linebacker (vote for one): Luke Kuechly, CAR
NFL Cornerbacks (vote for two): Jalen Ramsey, JAX and Marshon Lattimore, NO
NFL Safeties (vote for two): Harrison Smith, MIN and Earl Thomas, SEA
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM (Offense)
Rookie Quarterback (vote for one): Deshaun Watson, HOU
Rookie Running Backs (vote for two): Alvin Kamara, NO and Kareem Hunt, KC
Rookie Wide Receivers (vote for two): Cooper Kupp, LA and JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT
Rookie Tight End (vote for one): Evan Engram, NYG
Rookie Center (vote for one): Pat Elflein, MIN
Rookie Guards (vote for two): Dan Feeney, LAC and Ethan Pocic, SEA
Rookie Offensive Tackles (vote for two): Ryan Ramczyk, NO and Garrett Bolles, DEN
presented by the Dental Offices of Wendy Swantkowski, DDS
The Absolute BEST in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial Area
Now Accepting New Patients --- 281-293-9140
As some of you may know, I am the New Media Chairman for the Pro Football Writers of America, serving my fifth and likely last season in the role. Today was the final day of balloting for on-field awards for the 2017 regular season. Here is my ballot, please grab your most rotten tomatoes for hurling and read on ...
Most Valuable Player: Carson Wentz, QB PHI - He was looking like a shoe-in to win league MVP before getting hurt and the Eagles certainly haven't looked like anywhere near as much of a threat since the injury. Wentz is so much fun to watch and has turned into everything I've optimistically hoped for since his 2016 Senior Bowl week.
Offensive Player of the Year: Carson Wentz, QB PHI
Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Donald, DL LA - I've known since his Senior Bowl that he was set to be an absolute star. While the Rams run defense was not the best this season, Donald was an unbelievable player on his own not only in fitting up the run but also in being the most productive interior pass rusher in the league.
Rookie of the Year: Alvin Kamara, RB NO - It's really hard to choose who has meant more to their team: Alvin Kamara or his teammate Marshon Lattimore, but I'll lean Kamara simply because he's one of my favorite players in the league to watch play the game.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Alvin Kamara, RB NO
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Marshon Lattimore, CB NO - Between Jalen Ramsey, Xavier Rhodes, Tre' White and Lattimore, the league is flush with great young secondary talent right now.
Comeback Player of the Year: Keenan Allen, WR LAC - Many were concerned that Allen wouldn't be the same guy following his season-ending 2016 knee injury (especially given the additions in the passing game that the Chargers have made in recent years) but Allen went on to finish top 4 in both receptions and yards for the regular season.
Most Improved Player of the Year: Jared Goff, QB LA - The answer here could actually be his teammate Todd Gurley who we rejuvenated in a major way in moving from the Jeff Fisher "middle school offense" of 2016 to McVay's high-powered and exceedingly smart scheme.
Coach of the Year: Sean McVay, LA - Continuing on the theme from above, McVay made one of the quickest offensive turnarounds anyone has ever seen. He turned the Rams from the most putrid team ever to the most exciting one in the league, saving great players like Todd Gurley, Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins from having to wallow in obscurity and leveraging properly the the terrific talents under-the-surface of Goff and rookies such as Cooper Kupp.
Executive of the Year: Jeff Ireland, Assistant GM, NO - A man who I've always thought was a crappy GM in Miami (which he was) and sort of a dick for asking prospects ridiculous questions (Dez Bryant's mom being a prostitute ring a bell?) was the architect of one of the best drafts we've seen by any team in basically the current century if we're basing on Year 1 results. Ireland's 2017 haul included my offensive and defensive rookies of the year along with players who made significant impact early like OT Ryan Ramczyk, S Marcus Williams and DL Trey Hendrickson among others. Make no mistake, he's not the official GM but he is the heartbeat of the scouting department. This was much more Ireland's draft than it was Mickey Loomis'.
Assistant Coach of the Year: Jim Scwartz, DC PHI - Old coach "Gym Shorts" is going to be a hot head-coach name following a two-year turnaround in Philly that has returned the unit to one more reminiscent of ferocious Eagles defenses we've seen in the past.
ALL-NFL TEAM (Offense and Defense)
Offense:
NFL Quarterback (vote for one): Carson Wentz, PHI
NFL Running Backs (vote for two): Todd Gurley, LA and Le'Veon Bell, PIT
NFL Wide Receivers (vote for two): Antonio Brown, PIT and Deandre Hopkins, HOU
NFL Tight End (vote for one): Travis Kelce, KC
NFL Center (vote for one): Brandon Linder, JAX
NFL Guards (vote for two): Zack Martin, DAL and David Decastro, PIT
NFL Offensive Tackles (vote for two): Joe Thomas, CLE and Joe Staley, SF
Defense:
NFL Defensive Ends (vote for two): Calais Campbell, JAX and Demarcus Lawrence, DAL
NFL Defensive Tackles (vote for two): Aaron Donald, LA and Fletcher Cox, PHI
NFL Outside Linebackers (vote for two): Chandler Jones, ARI and Ryan Kerrigan, WAS
NFL Inside/Middle Linebacker (vote for one): Luke Kuechly, CAR
NFL Cornerbacks (vote for two): Jalen Ramsey, JAX and Marshon Lattimore, NO
NFL Safeties (vote for two): Harrison Smith, MIN and Earl Thomas, SEA
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM (Offense)
Rookie Quarterback (vote for one): Deshaun Watson, HOU
Rookie Running Backs (vote for two): Alvin Kamara, NO and Kareem Hunt, KC
Rookie Wide Receivers (vote for two): Cooper Kupp, LA and JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT
Rookie Tight End (vote for one): Evan Engram, NYG
Rookie Center (vote for one): Pat Elflein, MIN
Rookie Guards (vote for two): Dan Feeney, LAC and Ethan Pocic, SEA
Rookie Offensive Tackles (vote for two): Ryan Ramczyk, NO and Garrett Bolles, DEN
