ITH 2020 NFL Honors Picks

As Super Wildcard Weekend kicks off this Saturday, it’s hard not to reminisce about everything that’s led up to this point. The 2020 NFL regular season will definitely be one to remember. Whether it’s for good or bad reasons is completely up to whoever’s reading this, but to each their own. With that being said, looking back at this season, some performances really stand out more than others. Whether it’s Derrick Henry rushing for over 2,000 yards in a single season, Davante Adams catching 18 touchdowns after missing two games, or Xavien Howard notching double-digit interceptions for the first time since Antonio Cromartie did it in 2007; football fans and members of the cognoscente can now sit down and really debate over who deserves what honor over the other. Who is the defensive player of the year, rookie of the year, comeback player of the year? More importantly, who’s the MVP? Some of ITH’s top bloggers and reporters offer their takes on who’s walking out of the upcoming NFL Honors with the hardware:

NFL MVP

Juan Pablo Guarin-Camargo: “This award is already sitting on Aaron Rodgers’ mantle, along with his other two. Josh Allen is the only other person I can make the argument for here, especially since the only elite weapon he has is Stefon Diggs. But Rodgers has been so much more consistent than Allen; setting franchise records and taking the one seed away from everyone else in the NFC. And at the tender age of 36? I’ll take the Rodgers rate, Jake from State Farm.”

Richie Dordas: “Despite not getting the credit he deserved early on, there is no way you cannot say Aaron Rodgers is the MVP. Rodgers had arguably his greatest year ever, throwing 48 touchdowns to only five interceptions, completing 70.7% of his passes, and totaling a rating of 121.5. Adding to that, the Packers finished with a 13-3 record and earned the number one seed in the NFC. Rodgers is head over heels the MVP of the league and it is not close.”

Micah Jimoh: “In a year where six QBs went over the 35 touchdown mark, Aaron Rodgers stood head & shoulders above the others with a career-best 48 passing TDs (T-5th all-time). The 37-year-old guided the Packers to the top seed in the NFC, an achievement that’s even more important with the NFL’s expanded postseason bracket. For most of the season, Rodgers was neck-and-neck with Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes, but during the final stretch, the 16th year signal caller separated himself from the pack. Rodgers in December & January: 1199 YDS, 17 tot TDs, 1 INT, 131.9 RATE, 76.6 COMP%, 5-0 record.”

Jacob Keppen: “For about 14 weeks of this season, my vote for MVP was Patrick Mahomes. With his stellar play over the last few weeks of the season, Aaron Rodgers earned my vote for MVP. He was lights out over the last two months of the season, with 27 touchdown passes to only 3 interceptions. He led the league this year in passing touchdowns with 48, passer rating with a 121.5 rating, completion percentage with an insane 70.7%, all while leading his Green Bay Packers to a 13-3 record and a first-round bye. He was the best player on the best team and deserves MVP.”

Offensive Player of the Year 

Juan Pablo Guarin-Camargo: “Derrick Henry stiff-armed his way to this award. Nevermind the fact that he’s the basis of Tennessee's offense, or that he’s the first back since the late 60’s to lead the NFL in rushing yards, carries, and rushing touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. The fact that he needed 223 rushing yards going into a must-win week 17 game vs Houston to reach 2,000 yards on the season, and he cranked out 250 yards and two touchdowns to boot? Henry got paid this off-season, but looking at the numbers, it can be said he’s severely underpaid in Nashville.”

Richie Dordas: “When you run for over 2,000 yards and post the fifth-most rushing yards in NFL history, you will easily be considered an offensive player of the year. RB Derrick Henry followed up a dominant 2019 with an even more dominant 2020. Henry finished with 2,027 rushing yards and 17 TD’s on 5.4 yards per. He also had three 200-yard games and had 100 or more yards ten times this season. An even crazier stat is that if you just counted his divisional games, he would still finish ninth in rushing. Running backs usually go overlooked in the MVP conversation, but Henry should be getting some votes for the year he put together.”

Micah Jimoh: “The MVP is a QB award, but when you rush for 2,000 yards while acting as a catalyst for an 11-win team, you have to get some kind of hardware. After last year’s dominant regular season and incredible postseason, few could’ve predicted Titans RB Derrick Henry becoming even better at running the football. He became more dominant as the season wore on and it reached the point where people were expecting him to reach 2,000 yards with one game left. Keep in mind that he had 223 yards to go… he got 250.”

Jacob Keppen: “I am going to stick with Aaron Rodgers here for the same reason I chose him to be MVP, he was the best player and was on the best team. Rodgers had arguably his best season as a pro, with a career-high in passing touchdowns, completion percentage, and QBR. Rodgers also only had 5 interceptions this year. Rodgers has, in my opinion, been easily the best offensive player in football this season.”

Defensive Player of the Year

Juan Pablo Guarin-Camargo: “Since 2012, this award was dominated by trench players, including a six-year stretch where defensive ends held the award (JJ Watt 3x, Robert Quinn, Khalil Mack, & Calais Campbell). 2019 was the first time a defensive back won the award since 2009, with Stephon Gillmore getting it over Aaron Donald and TJ Watt. This year, the DB’s take the award again, but it’s another AFC East corner in Miami’s Xavien Howard; the first player since Antonio Cromartie to notch double-digit interceptions in 13 years. A shutdown corner in his own right, it’s about time Howard got some respect on his name.”

Richie Dordas: “While this award was an extremely close battle, DE T.J. Watt edges out CB Xavien Howard in my book for DPOY in 2020. While Howard is deserving, Watt took over games for the Steelers and was a huge part of their 11-0 start. The Steelers edge rusher set a career-high with 15.0 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. Both led the entire NFL. He also had 55 pressures and 41 QB hits, harassing the quarterback almost every time he dropped back. Watt is a game-wrecker and will look to wreck the game against the Cleveland Browns in the wild card round of the playoffs.”

Micah Jimoh: “After possibly getting snubbed for the award last season, TJ Watt went the Michael Jordan route and “took it personally”. Anchoring the league’s #3 rated defense, Watt led the league in sacks with 15, bringing him to 42.5 over the past three seasons. Watt also paced all defenders in tackles for loss with 23; nobody else even had 20. He was even great when dropping back in coverage, picking up seven passes defensed on the year.”

Jacob Keppen: “Aaron Donald is still the best defensive player and football, and still deserves to be recognized this year as such. The Rams are one of, if not the best, defensive units in football. They lead the league in total yards given up, as well as points. Teams cannot score against L.A. and the biggest reason why is Aaron Donald. He had a phenomenal 13.5 sacks this season, to go alongside 4 forced fumbles. This is coming from a defensive tackle who is lucky if he’s only double-teamed on a play. Donald on film does everything for the Rams and is still the best defensive player in football.”

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Juan Pablo Guarin-Camargo: “Justin Herbert blew up onto the NFL scene in a way no one expected. Labeled a draft project by ‘experts’ who criticized his decision-making and pocket awareness, Herbert blew all doubters away with what he accomplished in LA. Whoever ends up as L.A.’s next head coach will have a great foundation in Herbert to build their team on.”

Richie Dordas: “While QB Justin Herbert will most likely receive the award, the true offensive rookie of the year is WR Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings. In his rookie season, the LSU product had 88 catches for 1,400 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. His yardage totaled for fourth in the league and also broke Anquan Boldin’s record for most rookie receiving yards in a season. Jefferson has the chance to be a dominant force in the NFL and nobody is even talking about him.”

Micah Jimoh: “Although Justin Herbert went buck wild after replacing Tyrod Taylor, I would barely lean towards Vikings rookie Justin Jefferson for the award. The Chargers continued their annual tradition of losing nearly every winnable game possible while the Vikings actually managed to hang around in the playoff picture for a while. With both of them setting rookie records (Jefferson for REC YDS and Herbert for Pass TD), choosing between the two is basically splitting hairs. You can’t go wrong either way.”

Jacob Keppen: “It is extremely hard for me to argue against Justin Jefferson for Rookie of the Year this year. He was overall one of the best wide receivers in football this season. He broke the record for receiving yards by a rookie, finishing the season with 1400 yards to go along with his 7 touchdowns. Jefferson, despite not starting all season, established himself as a premier weapon in the NFL.”

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Juan Pablo Guarin-Camargo: “Guys like Chase Young, Antoine Winfield, and Patrick Queen are going to get all the attention here because they’re on playoff-bound teams. But this year’s recipient is actually on a team that had no real play-off aspirations, to begin with. Carolina’s Jeremy Chinn has more than outperformed every other defensive rookie in his class (outside, possibly, Young). Notching 117 total tackles (leads all rookieS), an interception, and two forced fumbles and recoveries. Both on back-to-back plays. Both went for defensive touchdowns.”

Richie Dordas: “He was not a notable player drafted and not many people knew his name coming into the season. Now, everyone should pay attention to Jeremy Chinn. Chinn became the player that everyone wanted Isaiah Simmons to become, a swiss-army knife. Chinn had a whopping 117 tackles from the safety position while forcing three turnovers. Against the Vikings, Chinn famously scored defensive touchdowns on back-to-back plays. While it is a different position and extremely high standards, the Panthers might have found their new Luke Kuechly in Chinn.”

Micah Jimoh: “Chase Young was really the favorite for this award since before the draft, so him not winning would’ve been a massive disappointment. Jeremy Chinn gave him a serious run for his money for about three-quarters of the season, but ultimately, the pass rusher from Ohio State should walk away with the honor. Young recorded a sack in four of the last six games of the season, a span in which the WFT went 4-2 and locked up a playoff spot they had no business getting. Even when off the field, Young brought an energy few could match, just see the video from Week 16 when Taylor Heinecke was forced to step in for Washington.”

Jacob Keppen: “It’s the boring pick, but Chase Young is still the right pick. From day one Chase Young has looked like he belonged in the league. He has been a force rushing the passer, getting into the backfield consistently. He has also been a top run defender, recognized as PFF’s top-graded rookie run defender. He finished with 7.5 sacks, and had a sack in three of his last four games. You don’t need stats to measure up how good Young has been, just watching Washington play and he’s a tremendous force at defensive end.”

Comeback Player of the Year

Juan Pablo Guarin-Camargo: “This was always Alex Smith’s award to lose. Suffering a compound fracture in 2018 vs the Houston Texans was just the start of this journey for the 15-year vet. 17 surgeries, nearly dying from a deadly bacteria, being inches away from amputation/never walking again, let alone never playing football again; he came back from it all. Hats off to Ben Roethlisberger & Rob Gronkowski for what they pulled off this season, but 2020 belongs to Mr. Smith, down in Washington.”

Richie Dordas: “As soon as he stepped foot on the field, QB Alex Smith won the comeback player of the year award. Smith went from almost losing his life from a gruesome leg injury to making a full recovery and becoming the starter of a playoff team in 2020. His numbers will not wow you, but the fact that he is playing gets him the award right there. The fact that he is succeeding is the cherry on top.” 

Micah Jimoh: “Alex Smith. Need I say more? Fine. After nearly dying from a leg injury, Smith returned almost two seasons later to post a 5-1 record as a starter and save Washington from the sinking ship of Dwayne Haskins. Is there even another answer?”

Jacob Keppen: “Alex Smith never should have played another down of football. There was a time where it looked like Alex Smith would never have a normal life again. It looked like he might not even survive a bad bacteria infection, much less walk again. And yet, Alex Smith defied the odds and managed to start games this season. No matter what division they won, Alex Smith came back from a life-threatening injury to win his division and lead his team into the playoffs. That is easily the comeback player of the year, and the comeback player of the decade.”

Coach of the Year

Juan Pablo Guarin-Camargo: “In 20 years under the ‘leadership’ of Dan Snyder, Washington has become a premiere laughing stock in the NFL. It took an abysmal coaching job, inept front office work, and a loss in literal loss of identity for Snyder to think ‘Yup, I don’t know what I’m doing.’ Enter Ron “Riverboat” Rivera, a coach known for his no-nonsense attitude, who helped reform the Carolina Panthers from a basement-dwelling franchise to a Super Bowl contender during his nine years there. Given ultimate autonomy over team operations (For reference, see Bill Belichick), Rivera instituted a culture change in Washington, jettisoning anyone he deemed a cancer to the locker room (no pun intended there). Playing in the NFC (L)East, Rivera has led Washington to their first division title since 2015 with a 7-9 record. Now, can he lead them to their first playoff win since 2005?” 

Richie Dordas: “For the better part of two decades, the Cleveland Browns have been the laughingstock of the NFL. Now, under head coach Kevin Stefanski, the Browns are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Stefanski led the Browns to an 11-5 record, focusing on a run-based offense with a complement of the play-action pass. Stefanski deserves this award not only because of the Browns playoff appearance and the 11-5 record, but the ability to put QB Baker Mayfield in positions to succeed. Mayfield vastly improved from his dreadful 2019 season, increasing his touchdowns and decreasing his interceptions. The future is bright in Cleveland and they finally have a coach that can lead the pack.”

Micah Jimoh: “This year, there are probably more serious candidates for the Coach of the Year award than in any other season in recent memory. Personally, I’m going to have to go with Bills HC Sean McDermott. After three years without a playoff win, the Buffalo Bills exploded, posting a 13-3 record and grabbing the second seed in the AFC. Josh Allen went from one of the most inaccurate QBs in football to a legitimate MVP candidate in just one offseason. The defense was also in the top half of the league, finishing 13th in yards and 16th in scoring. After being a laughingstock for the better part of two decades, many are now viewing Buffalo as a squad that can knock off Patrick Mahomes and the mighty Chiefs.”

Jacob Keppen: “The Buffalo Bills have been a mediocre team for the better part of two decades. Now, in 2020 Sean McDermott has transformed them into a championship contender. After going 10-6 last year and finishing 2nd in their division, Buffalo captured the AFC East title with a 13-3 record. McDermott’s Bills have become an offensive juggernaut, ranked second in both points and yards. Josh Allen has become one of the top quarterbacks in the league. The defense finished in the better half of the league, finishing 13th in yards and 16th in scoring. For what Sean McDermott has been able to do with this Bills team, he deserves Coach Of The Year.”

-By: Juan Guarin-Camargo, Micah Jimoh, Richie Dordas, & Jacob Keppen