NFL Honors Predictions: Can anybody catch Aaron Donald?
By Erik Lambert
The NFL honors race went from a fun sideshow to outright war as players slug it out on the stat sheets for supremacy for the top awards.
There are a few no brainers already in place but a number of them remain up for grabs including some of the most prestigious. Will quarterbacks reign supreme at MVP again? Can anybody challenge the current king at Defensive Player of the Year? How good is this rookie class? All of those questions and more will be answered. Per usual one must start at the top with the ever controversial Most Valuable Player award.
MVP: Patrick Mahomes (QB, Kansas City Chiefs)
There is no doubt that the singular reason the Chiefs are a top AFC team and threatening to win homefield advantage is that of Mahomes and that passing game. He has 3,923 yards, 41 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions in 12 games. He’s just the second quarterback in history to throw for 40 or more in his first year as a starter and could break the single-season record of 55 set by Peyton Manning if the pace holds up. Given how average their defense is, this award is his to lose.
Closest threat – Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams. The entire Rams offense is great but there is no doubt that it doesn’t go without Gurley. He’s their lynchpin. Not only does he have 1,175 rushing yards. He also has 46 catches for 474 yards with 19 touchdowns total. Remember there are still four games left to play. Those are just absurd numbers. With L.A. on the cusp of locking up the top seed in the NFC, his claim for that award is strong.