NFL Midseason Awards

Published

It might seem like the NFL season started just yesterday – or last year, depending on how firm of a grasp you have on "time" in 2020. However, the halfway point of the season is upon us. 

And what better spot than midway through the season to hand out some awards? The First Things First crew of Jenna Wolfe, Nick Wright, Brandon Marshall and Kevin Wildes did just that on Thursday. 

So, without further ado, let's get to some hardware:

BEST TEAM

Brandon's thoughts: "It's the Chiefs. They're the most complete team in the NFL right now. They're actually better this year than they were last year."

Nick's thoughts: "You know who has the No. 3 scoring defense in football? Those Kansas City Chiefs ... You know who still has far and away the best player in the NFL? Those Kansas City Chiefs."

Kevin's thoughts: "I'm going to go off the board here and say the Bucs' offensive line ... This is like a little miniature team. Actually the MVP of the league and the best team ... It's the reason for Tom Brady's success. It's the foundation of the whole team."

MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM

Brandon's thoughts: "There's something special that happens in an NFL locker room: It's called accountability. You've gotta call guys out to keep this thing on track, and Bill Belichick ⁠— the GOAT, the greatest of all time ⁠— hasn't gotten it done, whether as the head coach or the general manager."

Nick's thoughts: "At the end of this year, Wildes, I think some folks are going to be like, 'Well, Dak got hurt.' This team was a mess and was in free-fall before Dak got hurt. So for me, it's the Cowboys."

Kevin's thoughts: "I'm not sure the Falcons are that bad. I'm really disappointed in them, but if you look at the way they lost it's like, 'Huh – not only are they not bad, the Falcons are actually pretty good!'"

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Brandon's thoughts: "It's Russell Wilson. This guy is so good that he makes being good look boring. It's just Mr. Consistent. This isn't a trend, this isn't a fad."

Nick's thoughts: "It's Patrick Mahomes. He's on pace for 42 touchdowns and two interceptions ... If in the next game he throws five interceptions, he'll tie Russell Wilson in that category."

Kevin's thoughts: "I'm just tired of quarterbacks getting all the MVPs. I want to go back to like, Barry Sanders getting the MVP, that's why I have Derrick Henry. Here's a fun fact for you: ... [The Titans] are 16-1 when Derrick Henry runs for over 100 yards."

ROOKIE OF THE (MID)YEAR

Brandon's thoughts: "Antoine Winfield Jr. It's not a sexy pick, but this guy's playing lights out. He's dependable, reliable. He is an amazing football player."

Nick's thoughts: "I have been so impressed by Justin Herbert. I understand they keep losing these big leads, but that's not his fault. Fifteen touchdowns, five picks ... I think he's been excellent."

Kevin's thoughts: "I'm going Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and here's why I like him: 572 yards on the ground, two touchdowns, kind of fell off. He's also catching the ball ⁠— 204 yards catching, which is impressive."

BEST HIGHLIGHT

Brandon's thoughts: "DK Metcalf ... This dude clocked 23 mph on what would have been a pick-six. You just don't see this. Look at the knee drive. Usain Bolt can't beat this guy in a 40 [yard dash] or even 100 or the 200."

Nick's thoughts: "I'm also going to go with DK Metcalf, but a different DK Metcalf play ... This should never be a touchdown. This is a six-yard gain. Four Niners have the angle on him and he just casually beats them to the sideline. ... This guy is a marvel."

Kevin's thoughts: "Some people are going to say that the Daniel Jones long run was actually a lowlight. But for me, it's the highlight and I think that's going to save Daniel Jones' job at some point. Daniel Jones is straight-up mobile."