Full Green Bay Packers Awards at Halfway Point of 2014 Season
We’re officially at the halfway point of the season.
The Green Bay Packers are halfway to 10 wins, which is good enough—more often than not—for a playoff spot. But, with the Detroit Lions at 6-2, 10 wins might not be good enough for the Packers’ fourth straight NFC North championship.
Let’s take a look at Green Bay’s award winners at the midpoint of the 2014 campaign.
Most Valuable Player
Winner: Aaron Rodgers, QB
Aaron Rodgers is a legitimate contender for the league’s MVP award, so it’s no surprise that he’s the Packers' most valuable player eight games into the season.
Despite two interceptions last week—both of which bounced off his receivers’ hands—Rodgers’ 1.2 interception percentage is tied for the second-best in his career, and his 113.6 passer rating is second behind Peyton Manning.
Simply put, without Aaron Rodgers, this team really doesn’t have a great chance to win. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are a great wide receiving duo, and there’s a decent level of talent on the defense, but Rodgers is the straw that stirs the drink and makes the Packers what they are. He has been since he took his first snap as the starting quarterback in 2008.
Runner-up: Jordy Nelson, WR
Offensive Player of the Year
Winner: Jordy Nelson, WR
When Jordy Nelson signed his four-year, $39 million extension in the offseason, Packers fans were relieved—Aaron Rodgers No. 1 target had been locked up.
But I don’t think anyone envisioned how important Nelson would be thus far.
With no legitimate threat at tight end, an inconsistent running game and a new No. 3 wide receiver, Nelson has stepped up in a big way. He’s top-six in the NFL in the three big receiving categories (receptions, yards, touchdowns) and doing it, despite opposing defenses rolling coverage his way.
In this fantastic piece from ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky, the former Green Bay Press-Gazette reporter breaks down the most unstoppable play in football: the back-shoulder fade to Nelson from Aaron Rodgers.
Runner-up: Randall Cobb, WR
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner: Mike Daniels, DL
A look at Daniels’ stats on NFL.com does not blow you away—24 tackles, 2.5 sacks and no passes defensed, interceptions or forced fumbles.
But, Daniels is not defined by the stat sheet.
Per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Daniels is third on the team in hurries (12) behind Clay Matthews (18) and Julius Peppers (18). Daniels’ 21 stops—solo defensive tackles made which constitute an offensive failure—are tied for the team lead with A.J. Hawk.
What I love most about Daniels is his intensity. He is never satisfied. More than that, he’s pissed off.
A third-year pro, Daniels said this offseason that "he is done being one of the 'young guys' on the team" and instead looked forward to taking more of a leadership role in 2014.
He talked the talk, and now he’s walking the walk.
Runner-up: Julius Peppers, LB
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Corey Linsley, C
Most fans probably expected to see Davante Adams here. When I thought “offensive rookie of the year,” I thought I was going to put Adams here, too.
But, can you think back to a time this season when you worried about the center position?
What a way to start your NFL career if you’re Linsley—at first, you’re fighting for a starting position in training camp, but the guy you’re competing with (J.C. Tretter) has a year of seasoning on you, and he’s all but won the job.
Then, Tretter goes down, and you’re the guy. First opponent? The defending Super Bowl champs in the most hostile environment in football.
And Linsley held his own. Maybe Bruce Irvin’s prayers helped.
In the seven games since, Linsley has been a rock. Per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Linsley has not allowed a sack this season. He’s PFF’s fourth-ranked center (6.9). Meanwhile, Green Bay’s 2013 center, Evan Dietrich-Smith, who signed a four-year, $14.25 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason, has PFF’s fourth-worst grade at center (minus-7.9), allowing one sack, one QB hit and seven QB hurries in 443 snaps.
Give me the fifth-round rookie six times a week and twice on Sunday.
Runner-up: Davante Adams, WR
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Winner: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S
From a limited bunch, the only real choice here is Clinton-Dix.
Whereas the Packers' safety position was a huge weakness in 2013—curse you, M.D. Jennings—the trio of Clinton-Dix, Micah Hyde and Morgan Burnett have played excellent football in 2014, aside from the New Orleans Saints debacle.
Clinton-Dix can play the deep middle, and he’s not afraid to fly down and lay the wood in run support. He’s Green Bay’s third-leading tackler (behind Burnett and Hawk), per Pro-Football-Reference.om and has tallied a sack, interception, fumble recovered and three passes defensed in eight games (two starts).
Runner-up: Mike Pennel, DL
Comeback Player of the Year
Winner: Aaron Rodgers, QB
Not much of a contest here. The 10-year pro is having one of his most efficient seasons to date after a broken collarbone wiped our nearly half of his 2013 campaign.
Runner-up: Randall Cobb, WR
Most Improved Player of the Year
Winner: Letroy Guion, NT
Packers fans didn’t know quite what to expect with Guion. He came from the Minnesota Vikings, so we hated him. When Minnesota signed him to a $9 million extension in 2012, we laughed and called him overpaid. And when they released him earlier this March, we laughed again.
Green Bay signed Guion to provide depth on the defensive line. He was not signed to be a starter, hence the one-year deal worth just less than $1 million. But when B.J. Raji was lost for the season, Guion moved to the top of the depth chart as the Packers' starting nose tackle.
Now, Guion’s not going to garner any defensive player of the year votes, but he’s been a serviceable starter, and that’s more than any Packers fan expected.
Runner-up: Mike Daniels, DL
Most Disappointing Player of the Year
Winner: Brad Jones, LB
The “winner” tagline is a misnomer here—Jones is not a winner.
He lost his job early in the season due to a mixture of injury (quad) and poor play, and the Packers have received serviceable play from his two replacements, Jamari Lattimore and Sam Barrington.
Jones was particularly awful in run defense, and his penalties came at the most inopportune times. He was once a decent contributor for this defense, and it’s always a good story when a seventh-round pick can earn a second contract, but he’s just not a good football player anymore.
Runner-up: Jarrett Boykin, WR
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