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2020 NFL Awards - AFC Edition - Episode 101
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Crowd cheers. He settle. Hello and welcome back to the on the board podcast. This is episode a hundred and one of the show. Feels a bit weird to say, kind of surprised I got episode a hundred, but very grateful the same time. Today we are back to talk about the NFL. We haven't talked about the NFL too much since the playoffs began. I haven't been watching it. Well, I've been watching but I haven't been into it as much. As you know, the festivities of January and Australia of kind of taken over in the beautiful weather and stuff like that's been a bit of a distraction. So I'm I've been more focused on the cricket but I'm back here today to discuss the NFL. There's only one game less of the season. That's the super bowl between the Kansas city chiefs and the Tampa Bay buccaneers. But today we're going to be addressing all the other matches that have been played, and by doing that I mean will be discussing the NFL awards, or I think they call the NFL honors, in the official awards ceremony. So we're going to today. We're going to do the AFC. So we're going to discuss the offensive MVP the AFC, the defensive a MVP, and I'll fensive rookie MVP, a defensive rookie MVP, and then we'll discuss some other awards like coach of the year, signing of the year, match of the year, etc. Etc. So the way I'm going to do it as I'm going to go division by division and kind of use that as a bit of a way to create a nominations list and then we're going to discuss who the overall or winners in the conference and then in the next episode that I will be filming straight after this but it will be released maybe a day later, I will be doing the NFC. So if we're going to get straight into it, we will be discussing the offensive MVP of the AFC. So I'm going to go division by division, as I said, for each award discussed the nominees from that division and then, you know, sort of pick an overall winner. So starting with the AFC east, there actually wasn't too many offensive weapons when you think about the jets, the Patriots and even the dolphins this year. So it really only left one team to give us at their candidate, and I've actually it was a fifty really between Steph on digs and Josh Allen. It's always tough in a great quarterback wide receiver duo. Is it more the throwing or is it more the catching? But in this certain combination, no disrespect to Josh Allen, but I'm going with Steph on digs as the AFC east offensive MVP and therefore he is my number one, my first nominee for their AFC MVP. He had the most receptions in the League with a hundred and twenty seven, most receiving yards with one thus five hundred and thirty five, third most first downs of any for any receiver and in my opinion he was the third best receiver in the league this year, behind Davante Adams and tyree kill. He just did it all really, if you watch them, similar in the way Davante Adams does it, and also Michael Thomas of last year used to do it, the defense is basically know he's getting the ball but they just can't really stop it. And with the other talent they had on that bill's offense, they couldn't really like triple teaming and that was enough for him to basically dominate every single match he played in. He turned into one of the signings of the year, but we'll talk about that towards the end of the episode. He is certainly in the conversation for that one. Coming from Minnesota last year. And Yeah, he's always shown potential, but in a too wide receiver dominant system with Adam thiel and, he was always will not necessarily the secondary player, but thel and often stole the headlines when he could have been hat you know, in the headlines The whole time if he was just on his own, he was...
...playing that well. But I think now he's gone to Buffalo, a team that historically hasn't had the greatest of offenses in the last, you know, fifteen to twenty years, and he's really stolen the show and he's I think he's elevated Josh Allen's game to the next level. Josh Allen has a lot of raw talent, but I think he needed some skill around them to really turn him into a, you know, a top ten, top six quarterback in the league, and I think he's done that in my opinion. But yeah, honorable mentioned to Josh Allen in my rankings I had him finishing as the sixth best quarterback of the year, which is certainly no mean feat. I think it's his third year, so it's pretty impressive to think how good he's going to become. But yeah, for me, step on Diggs is the offensive MVP candidate from the AFC east. Moving on to the AFC north, I've gone with Nick Chubb. It's actually another one where this was kind of tough. There weren't too many outstanding candidates in this division, but I went with Nick Chubb. Third most yards per game of any running back in terms of rushing. Fourth most rushing yards protempt second most out of our be's. I think Kylamari and Lamar Jackson had more, but that's pretty not really a fair comparison. He average to rushing td every game he played. He only played twelve matches, had twelve rushing touchdowns and he had the seventh most rushing guards and the whole league, and that is with only playing twelve matches. So I'm not really taking into account that he only played twelve matches, as that's kind of unfair to the guys who played all the matches, because it's not there for he missed time. But yeah, pretty incredible year from Nick Chub. I remember at the start of this year when we were on with Pilch, he regular guest on the show. He said that he thinks Nick Chubb was one of the most underrated offensive players look after last year and when we're talking about the NFL top hundred, he reckons he was like a top twenty player in his opinion, and I think you definitely showed that this year. Hebably, if you gave everyone the same amount of carries with the same Olne, I think Nick Chubb would come out with the best results. If I'm honest, I think he is the best quality rusher in the League, and that's a big call and I'm not sure if it's completely true, but that's just my gut feel. Absolute Style and him, along with his good mate cream hunt. They obviously Baker Mayfield out a pretty good year after a Tumultra's two thousand and nineteen, but they are really the reasons why the browns had such a good season, and especially at the back end of it. So Nick Chub is the AFC north offensive MVP nomination in my opinion, but honorable mention goes to cream hunt. He was right by Nick Chubb's side most game and wasn't far behind in most starts. The AFC south, this is this division was actually stuck this year. Last year I think it was as good, and this year there was a lot of standout performances. But we all know who the AFC south offensive MVP nominee is, and that's Derrick Henry. Most rushing yards in the NFL for the second year in a row, I believe, maybe third year. I think it was just second year. He had over twozero yards, which was, I think, five hundred yards ahead of the next best. Most rushing yards per game in the NFL, most rushing touchdowns, most rushing first down. So yeah, he couldn't really break any more stats if you tried. Yes, he got more volume than I think any other running back. Had A lot of attempts, but that's not his fault. When he's running as well as he is, why when you keep giving in the ball? So I think that's a fair call to make him the AFC south offensive MVP nominee. The honor mentions for this is a long list. You Got Ryan Tannehill had another great year. Deshawn Watson, he had the most passing yards of the season. Jonathan Taylor had a very impressive year and his first year in the NFL. Aj Brown broke out as we were expecting after a strong debut season last year. James Robinson was an absolute shock of an undrafted rookie. He had a great year.
Philip rivers was another one, and Brandon cooks, just to round out that list, all had very impressive years in the AFC south as a pretty impressive division this year, even if teams like the Texans and Jacks didn't have the best record. And then, to finish it off, the AFC west offensive MVP. I can't lives. Actually tempted to give this to Tyre kill, but you can't really not go with Patrick Mahomes, can you, three game winning drives, straight fourth quarter comebacks, most passing yards per game, second most passing yards in total. Just another freak here from P mahomes. Going to be interesting to see if he wins the MVP. I'm not sure if you will all talk about that in the NFC episode as well. Him and Rodgers are neck and neck in my will. Not really in my opinion, but a most people's opinion, I think. But yeah, mahomes. He looks like he's going to be a star in this league for a long time now. There are a few people questioning whether it was maybe just an early career fluke, but he's shown us. I think three is in a row now, so I don't think we can say that anymore and he's just a star started quarterback that we can we can start to expect this really every year. So yeah, he had another absolute freaky honorable mentions here go to Tyre kill, Travis Kelcey, Darren Mool and even Josh Jacobs. They all had pretty impressive years. So if we're going to look at those nominees, we've got Stephan Diggs, child Henry and Mahomes. I think Chub's the clear fourth out of that and then I'm going to have to say digs is probably the number three. Just buy. But like, I know it's harsh, but just by virtue of being a wide receiver they're usually less less important in games. Like, I'm sure I'm sending offending a lot of people there, but I think it's hard not to go with P my homes. Yes, Derrick Henry was by far the most dominant running back and next to probably dowd and cook. There wasn't really anyone else even close to the CO conversation there. I think I'm going to have to go with Patrick Home Mahomes, just because the impact he had on the chiefs this year likely going to lead them to another super bowl. Will see that in about a week's time. And also just the quarterback position. Yes, it annoys me how much importance is put on it, and especially in terms of MVP awards, but it does make sense. They do touch the ball every single play, unlike every any other position, so it is by far the most important position on the field. So I think it's fair patting mahomes. When's the AFC offensive MVP award? Now moving on to the Defensive Mvp Award for the AFC, I'm going to do the same system roll through the divisions. If we're going to look at the AFC's first. Once again, not too many options in this one, if I'm honest. The AFC east, they had some solid teams but not too many star started players. But this was easy choice. Save you on Howard. Most interceptions on the season with ten, most passes defended with twenty. He had a bit of a down year last year, but he went back to his career best form really that you was so dominant within around two thousand and seventeen, two thousand and eighteen, and yeah, he just showed that he's probably one of, if not the best quarterbacks in the league. They signed by and Jones in the offseason, so you thought maybe more less importance was going to be put on his lockdown roll and they were going to be more of a tender. But I think if anything, that allowed Howard to kind of be a bit riskier in some of his play and he really stood out this year as one of the best players on that dolphins team and in the AFC in general. So he is definitely the defensive candidate for Defensive Mvp out of the AFC east. Shout out, though, to Jordan poyer. I think I think it's Brian Poyer, but then I'm getting confused with Brian Hoyer. But yeah, Jordan Poy are had a pretty good season for the buffalo bills as well. AFC North Defensive Player of the year. I don't think this is any debate really. Actually, there is a few good...
...players in this one. I can't say that with such confidence, but Tj what for me, outside linebacker from the steelers, most sacks in the year out of the whole NFL with fifteen, most tackles for losses out of the whole NFL with twenty three, and most qb hits in the whole NFL with forty one. So three pretty important stats, especially when it comes to pass rushing, and he's leading the NFL on them all. So pretty hard enough to have him in here. I do think tackles for losses is seriously underrated staff because it tackles. Attack for a loss is essentially the same as a sack. It's just a running back, not a quarterback. So the fact that he's leading the sacks and tackles for losses, that's pretty impressive and for me he's the clear candidate out of the AFC north. Big shoutouts, though. Tomlin Humphrey had a really impressive year. Think he had eight force fumbles, which is pretty incredible, and yeah, he just put on a clinical year. Miles Garrett as well. He was very impressive once again. Twelve sacks, eighteen qb hits, ten, ten tackles for a loss, for force fumbles, so he had another wrecking year for the browns and step on to it also had another pretty good year. Moving into the AFC south, there's a little bit less to choose from here. There's a lot of depth in the AFC south defensive ranks, but not necessarily that certified gun. I've actually gone with probably a lesser known player, but Joe Showberts, linebacker of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He just had really well rounded stats. Nothing really jumps off the paper. He was at the eleventh most tucked solo tackles on the year with eighty four. And Yeah, you just had a really impressive year, very well rounded. As I mentioned. Six tackles for a loss to false fun bulls, three interceptions. You just, you know, tick to every box in terms of every stat and yeah, without him I'm not sure how bad that Jacksonville defense could have gone because he was really carrying them. He was a signing this year, so yeah, he will talk about him in signings of the year definitely later. Honorable Mentions in the AFC south, similar to offense, they have a lot of depth in that division. Jj Wat had another very good year. I can't lie. I thought he was kind of passed his best, especially after the injuries he'd had, but this year he was well and truly dominating games again. Seventeen qb hits, fourteen tackles for a loss. Darius Leonard Similar. He was out for most of the last year with an injury, but he came back and was one of the best linebackers in the COMP Kenny Moore was great, deforest Buck, now Zack Cunningham and Malcolm Butler. Is it Malcolm Butler? Yeah, not sure why I'm getting confused with that. But yet the cornerback from the Tennessee Titans. They all had very good years. And the AC west to finish off. This was definitely the weakest division in terms of defense. I'm the only guy worth mentioning is Justin Simmons Really, but he was one of the lower ranks defenders. I had mentioned for this award. He was top five interceptions in the NFL, top twenty four solo tackles, but yeah, nothing outstanding from him, just pretty well rounded. Similar to show. But so he continued to be one of the better safeties in the league and I remember that clutch interception. Was it against the charges? Maybe? I can't remember. They had a game come down to the way maybe as the Falcons, I'm not sure, but he saved the game. Yeah, that's just what he does. So he is the final nominee. But overall I'm going to have to go with for why can't light? It's not even close to me. It's Tj what to lead the league in those three, three of the most important defensive stats. That for him to lead lead the League in that. And I'm telling you what, he does not just lead them, he absolutely obliterates everyone in those in those stats, I think qb hits, he was like had ten more than the next best. Tackles for a lost, he had like five more. So yeah, he's an absolute wreck, rd Tj Watt, and he is deserving of the AFC defensive player of the year.
All right, now into the rookie awards. Offensive Rookie. I actually do not have any rookie nomination from the afcs. No one was really worth mentioning. Only ones I can really think of Zack Moss, but he didn't really have a great year tour. He didn't play too often, and yet Damien Harris did a little bit for the parts, but that's all I can really say. So I'm not going to put anyone up from that division in the AC north. I've actually gone and chase KLAYPAL. Quite a few good options in this division in terms of rookies, but he had nine receiving touchdowns. He was thirty first and receiving arts, which doesn't sound incredible but for a rookie that's pretty impressive. Second Round Pick and yeah, he definitely exceeded expectation and he gave some nice depth to that Pittsburgh receiving care. Honorable Mentions go to t higgins and JK Dobbins. O. Both had very good years, and especially Dobbins. He came home very well, but t higgins was also pretty impressive all year and I think if Joe Burrow didn't go down, he might have been nominated for this award. Next up got the AFC south defensive rookie, MVP offensive rookie. Sorry, and we will be going with Jonathan Taylor. This is this was a tough one actually. I think James Robinson seasons been a little bit under talked about and under appreciated, if I'm honest, considering the situation he was in in Jacksonville and just as an undrafted rookie, was pretty incredible. What he was able to do. But Jonathan Taylor, third most rushing yards and the competition. Third most first downs as a rush up, fifth most yards per game. He was the second round pick. We were pretty high on him on this podcast. We thought it was going to be pretty good and he turned out to be even better than me thought. So he started the season pretty slow but he came home real strong and was a big reason why the colts ended up making the playoffs and made a good fist of it to be honest. So yeah, he's definitely the offensive rookie candidate from the AFC south from the AFC west. Yeah, look, not much of a battle here. It's Justin Herbert. Sixth most passing yards in the NFL, fourthmost yards per game, three game winning drives. He was the sixth pick out of Oregon, so you would suggest that means he has pretty higher hopes. But I think people were surprised how early he went and we're probably thinking, especially converted to borrow and to it, that he was by far the third option there. But going into the next season it looks as if he might be the best of the three, but we'll see how that ends up going. The honorable mentions in the AFC west, probably Clyde Edwards Hill there and Jerry Judy. Both are pretty sold seasons. Nothing outrageous from those two. Bit Pretty Handy. And then so the nominees are Jonathan Taylor, Justin Herbert's chase and chase claypool. Chase Claypool is certainly the third out of those two, out of those three, but I'm going to have to go with Jonathan Taylor. Yes, you started the season slowly. He didn't have the most outrageous yards protempt but he came home really, really strong and yet just looks like he's going to be a certified r Bey one for the colts for a long time. So yeah, I think they're backed really good one. They're just like Justin. Herbert had it insane year and quarterback is definitely more important than running back. But yeah, Jonathan Taylor had a pretty incredible year, so I'm going with him. May Be controversial, but yet defensive rookie of the year. Once again there was no candidate from the AFC east. No one played enough game started. My criteria was you had to have it started twelve or more games in your position to qualify. So no one qualified in the AFC east. In the AFC north, Patrick Queen was the quizt clear standout linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens. First Round pick. So he had quite high expectations. But he just slotted into that...
...awesome defense and really didn't miss a beat. Started every single game. Pretty well rounded starts, nothing jumping off the page, but he was well. We'll talk about it, but he's probably this click candidate from this side of the ball. Julian Blackman is the AFC south candidate, safety from Indianapolis Colts. You didn't have an outstanding year, but there he was the best of what was available in the AFC south for me to choose from. Had A couple interceptions of force fumbull and but he played a lot of games and for a third round pick he looks like he's going to be a pretty good pick up. And then in the AFC west, Kenneth Murray. Haven't heard too much about him, but linebacker from the charges. He was a first round pick. But yeah, once again and probably just best of a lot. Very well rounded starts like Blackman, but nothing really outstanding. But for me the defensive rookie of the AFC is clearly Patrick Queen. He was by far the better option out of him, Kenneth Marie and Julian Blackman, but those two definitely had serviceable seasons, so nothing to worry about from those two very good years. Right. That runs off the awards in terms of the player awards. Now I'm going to just run through the general awards. So coach of the year, coach the year, I went through a team by team and just compared their performance from last year to this year, because I think that's one of the best ways to think about how a coach is done, whether they've improved or not, and by doing that I've come out with two main options, Brian Florez and Sean McDermott. Kevin STFANCY's probably stiff to miss out, to be honest. He might win the actual award, but for me Shan McDermott what he the bills were pretty solid team last year but then they became absolute well beats this year and weren't too far away from making the Super Bowl. So I think he definitely deserves a shoutout. But for me the winner of coach of the year in the AFC is Brian Florez. He was probably more talked about last year than this year in terms of one of the best coaches, but he still took Miami from five and eleven to ten and six, which is pretty impressive, especially considering half the year was with a rookie quarterback. He turned the Miami Defense into one of the best defenses in the competition. They were single handedly winning some games, for example. We saw that against the rams, and they had plenty of injuries to deal with, but he just kept evolving and finding place to do roles, for example, and they're running back slot. Coming into the season it look like it was going to be Jordan how Howard, and that Braider ended up being miles gas can turn into a beast. He got injured and they found SALV on armed. He became a beast and he got injured and they just kept kept finding new players to fill the position. And that's the kind of thing that they were doing all years. So yeah, I think Brian floors is a worthy winner of coach of the year. Gave me the year. I'm giving it to the ravens versus the browns. Think it was a Monday night football game week fourteen. The Ravens beat the Browns forty two. This is the famous game where people think Lamar crapped his pants, but I'm still not sure if he did or not. Lamar rush for a hundred and twenty four yards from only nine attempts, so he was back to his two thousand and nineteen best there ravens had five rushing touchdowns, the browns had for making it nine overall, which I think I can't remember. It was the best most ever or the most in a long time, but it was certainly something you don't see every day. And Baker Mayfield through for three hundred and forty three yards in one of his best games of the year. It was just back and forward. I remember Lamar came out after he's poo break, some would call it, and first nap he just set up a touchdown. So yeah, it was just really good attacking NFL, really and then top five signings of the year. This was a tough one. It's tough to take into account the value side of things, but I'm going to start. I've actually...
...only got oh yeah, no, idea. Five is sor number five. I'm going to forest buckner. He came from San Francisco. I don't think he played all sixteen games. I think he played twelve or thirteen or something, but he had a pretty good year. Not probably up to the same lofty heights as he did the niners, but maybe just because us in a smaller market team in Indianapolis, but he had a very good year. So that was a good trade from the colts. Another good pick up from the colts was Philip rivers in free agency. I was very against this move. I thought it was pretty negative play from the colts, but he ended up leading them to the playoffs and I think he made them a lot better team than most other quarterbacks could have. So Fair play to Philip Rivers. Number three, I think this guy probably didn't talked about much this season, but I think he actually had a really good year. Yes, he's catching throws from one of the best quarterbacks in the competition, but brandon cooks. Yes, he was playing second fiddle to will full a bit. Even after will fuller got suspended, Cook still managed to still wrack up really good numbers against quality opposition and I think he was back to some of his finest form this year after a few dawn years with the rams. Number two, I'm going with Joe Schobert. As I mentioned, he was my candidate for defensive player of the year from the AFC south. The Jackson Bille linebacker came from the Browns, I believe, in free agency and he had a really impressive season. I think he's got like a five year contract as well, so he's going to be a lock, locked in, certified starter for that Jackson Bille Defense, which is what they need at the moment with little stability going in any position in that side. And then number one, I've got my step on Diggs. I don't think it was too tough. In my opinion, he was third best wide receiver of the year. And yes, now that you know that my Minnesota Got Justin Jeff's as part of this trade, it makes the deal look less valuable, but just the fact that digs was a top quality wide out. Yes, Jefferson looks like he's going to be a freak as well, but you have to say to the bills that's a pretty impressive pickup. And yes, so he is the number one signing for me. All right, that's all I've got for you today. A really appreciate you tuning in and listening. If you've got any thoughts or you have any disputes really with my calls, feel free to comment them or Dmme on Instagram let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you. And yet tune in for the next episode coming out tomorrow, on the same thing, but the NFC, and I'm sure we'll have more NFL and other sporting content to come in the near future. But for now, thanks for listening, thanks for watching. I'll see soon. Cheers,.
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