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Can we acknowledge how hilarious it is that the NFL has set aside a whole separate night in which people are supposed to heap praise upon players? This awards show has been going on for some time, but the effect and what it draws is comical at best. Finally, a night for professional athletes.
At any rate, in a setting that will promise minimal drama and debate at best, we must still decide who will take home the individual hardware of the league. Can anyone take Most Valuable Player away from Tom Brady? Is there a case to be made for Offensive Rookie Of The Year other than the Saints' Alvin Kamara?
As history has shown (drum roll): probably not.
Here's hoping for a surprise!
WCG makes it's picks for the NFL Awards.
Most Valuable Player: Tom Brady, Patriots
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Robert Zeglinski: It's going to be Brady, sadly. Thinking of you Carson Wentz!
Lester Wiltfong Jr.: Brady
Sam Householder: Brady
Jack Silverstein: Brady
Jeff Berckes: Brady
Jacob Infante: Brady
Ken Mitchell: Brady
Andrew Link: Wentz (Eagles)
Patti Curl: Mitchell Trubisky, Bears
Offensive Player of the Year: Todd Gurley, Rams
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Robert Zeglinski: 2000 yards from scrimmage. Six yards a touch. The NFL's leader in touchdowns scored with 19. No one else deserves this except Gurley.
Lester Wiltfong Jr.: Gurley. Had the Steelers' Antonio Brown played a full 16 games, he would have given Gurley a run for his money.
Sam Householder: Gurley
Jack Silverstein: Brady
Jeff Berckes: Gurley
Jacob Infante: Gurley
Ken Mitchell: Gurley
Andrew Link: Kareem Hunt, Chiefs
Patti Curl: Jordan Howard, Bears
Defensive Player Of The Year: Calais Campbell, Jaguars
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Robert Zeglinski: If we're going off who had the best defensive individual season, then it's the Cardinals' Chandler Jones and it isn't close. But the Jaguars' team success helps Campbell a bunch.
Lester Wiltfong Jr.: Campbell
Sam Householder: Aaron Donald, Rams
Jack Silverstein: Campbell
Jeff Berckes: Donald
Jacob Infante: Campbell
Ken Mitchell: Khalil Mack, Raiders
Andrew Link: Jalen Ramsey, Jaguars
Patti Curl: Akiem Hicks, Bears
Offensive Rookie Of The Year: Alvin Kamara, Saints
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Robert Zeglinski: In all honesty, how are you going to touch a player who had 1,500 scrimmage yards and averaged six yards a carry? It's Kamara by a mile. Wow, can't believe Ryan Pace didn't keep his third rounder to draft him. Amazing!
Lester Wiltfong Jr.: Kamara over Hunt was close for me, but that 6.1 yards a carry is special.
Sam Householder: Hunt
Jack Silverstein: Kamara (with apologies to the Bears' Tarik Cohen)
Jeff Berckes: Kamara
Jacob Infante: Hunt
Ken Mitchell: Kamara
Andrew Link: Kamara
Patti Curl: Cohen
Defensive Rookie Of The Year: Marshon Lattimore, Saints
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Robert Zeglinski: I can't remember a more special rookie season for a defensive back than Lattimore. The NFL is blessed with transcendent young talent on the back end for some time.
Lester Wiltfong Jr.: Lattimore
Sam Householder: Lattimore
Jack Silverstein: Lattimore
Jeff Berckes: Lattimore
Jacob Infante: Lattimore
Ken Mitchell: Lattimore
Andrew Link: Lattimore
Patti Curl: Eddie Jackson, Bears
Comeback Player Of The Year: Keenan Allen, Chargers
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Robert Zeglinski: Come back from an ACL tear to be third in the league in receiving yards? Yeah, this is your award in Allen.
Lester Wiltfong Jr.: Allen
Sam Householder: Rob Gronkowski, Patriots
Jack Silverstein: Gronkowski
Jeff Berckes: Allen
Jacob Infante: Allen
Ken Mitchell: Gronkowski
Andrew Link: Allen
Patti Curl: Kyle Fuller, Bears
Coach Of The Year: Sean McVay, Rams
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Robert Zeglinski: Doug Pederson of the Eagles isn't the best coach in the NFL. But, he was the best in 2017. Why? He turned Wentz into an MVP-caliber quarterback. He took the Eagles to the top of the NFC too. Then after losing Wentz, still took them to the Super Bowl with Nick Foles: highlighted by beat down of the league's top defense in the Vikings to get there.
Lester Wiltfong Jr.: Pederson, who deserves kudos for keeping his team together after losing their quarterback.
Sam Householder: Mike Zimmer, Vikings
Jack Silverstein: Bill Belichick, Patriots
Jeff Berckes: Sean McVay, Rams
Jacob Infante: McVay
Ken Mitchell: McVay
Andrew Link: McVay
Patti Curl: Bears outside linebackers coach, Brandon Staley. For the name.
Bonus: Does Brian Urlacher get into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot?
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Robert Zeglinski: Urlacher deserves to, but no. I think too much politics and asinine principles involved in an archaic voting process keeps him out.
Lester Wiltfong Jr.: Urlacher has the numbers and passes the eye test. If he doesn't get in, the system is broken.
Sam Householder: No.
Jack Silverstein: Yes! You already know.
Jeff Berckes: I’ve been on this all year and nothing has changed my mind: Urlacher's absolutely going to make it in.
Jacob Infante: Yes.
Ken Mitchell: Yes!
Andrew Link: No.
Patti Curl: Yes.
WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Andrew Link; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Robert Zeglinski; Like us on Facebook.