Lamar Jackson and Dan Campbell lead Solomon Wilcots’ NFL Regular Season Awards
I want to start, first of all with the Coach of the Year. I don't think there's any other coach who is more deserving than Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions. He has led a team that had a lot of expectations coming into the 2023 season.
Coach of the Year: Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
All they did very first game of the season. Week one has gone to the world, to Arrowhead Stadium and take out the Kansas City Chiefs. And from then on they just continued to field the expectations that were placed upon them before the start of the season. And they were high expectations and they didn't do anything to let us down.
They even exceeded those expectations. The Detroit Lions, as they get ready to head into the NFC title game against the San Francisco 40 Niners, have had nine games this season where they've scored 30 points or more, and three games where they've scored over 40 points. So it's a juggernaut of an offense. The resurrection of quarterback Jared Goff.
I think it can be completely, completely credited to what he has received from his head coach Dan Campbell. So Dan Campbell deserves a lot of credit. He deserves to be the coach of the year for the 2023 regular season.
MVP: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Now, how about the MVP award? It's clear. I think it's unanimous. The MVP award is going to go to Lamar Jackson, at least my MVP award for the Believing Big podcast.
And look, he plays in another city in the AFC North Division. But you got to give him credit for what he's been able to accomplish. He's had career highs in passing yards, career high, and completion percentage even better than what he did when he won the MVP in the 2019 season. There's no doubt that Lamar Jackson is deserving of a unanimous vote for the MVP award for 2023.
Offensive Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey
Now, Offensive Player of the Year, Christian McCaffrey, of course, GMC checked in with his second 2000 yards, 2000 yard performance from scrimmage for the second time in his career. That's right, over 2000 yards from scrimmage, both rushing and receiving as a combination for the second time in his career. Remember when he had a thousand yards rushing, doing both rushing and receiving in the same season?
But now he gets the accumulative number combined total of over 2000, both rushing, and receiving from scrimmage. Phenomenal player there's no doubt led the NFL in rushing and led the league in all-purpose yards tied for the most touchdowns with 21. He checks all the boxes can run it can catch it can throw it if you make them and listen when it comes to creating yards after the catch.
Just phenomenal in terms of what he was able to do. Tops in the NFL in that category as well. So he is the Offensive Player of the Year for 2023.
Defensive Player of the Year: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
Defensive Player of the Year. You know, it's T.J. Watt. Here's a guy who gets to the quarterback as much as anyone. And he did lead the league in sacks with 19, even though he didn't play in the final game of the season, he ended up having to leave that game and then did not play in the playoffs.
So. But he led the league with 19 sacks. Incredible. Because he's able to force fumbles. Incredible because he's able to find the ball. Even had an interception this season. But he was tops in the league with a 39% pressure rate. The ability to pressure the quarterback leads to what we say. Pressure leads to picks. You get interceptions on the back as a result of the pressure that he provides on the front end. Ladies and gentlemen, T.J. Watt, is the defensive player of the year for the 2023 season.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
How about the Offensive Rookie of the Year? I don't think there's any doubt that it is C.J. Stroud, the rookie quarterback from the Ohio State University. Once I read his story, I became a huge C.J. What faith what he go through as a high school kid early in life?
Some of the things he had to overcome. And then to come in and set NFL records, passing yards for a rookie. The number of pass attempts before he threw his first interception, was 991 pass attempts. He would end up throwing five interceptions on the season. Just incredible in terms of what he's been able. This guy has had five touchdown passes in a single game this year, which is an NFL rookie record and just incredible, over 4000 yards as a rookie.
I think says a lot about his prowess, about his ability. It's about his talent. C.J. Stroud, the Offensive Rookie of the Year. And I don't think anyone would go against that now.
NFL Comeback Player of the Year: Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
Comeback Player of the Year. Are you kidding me? It's Joe Flacco. Now, I know it kind of fizzled out. You knew it would. His second trip to Houston didn't turn out so well, but he went four and one in his first five starts.
Look, he was straight off the couch and then went on to have four straight games, over 300 yards passing. To get the Cleveland Browns back into the playoffs. And it was clear when he arrived their playoff hopes were dead on arrival. All Joe Flacco did was step in and connect with Amari Cooper to create record-setting performances and resuscitate. That's right.
Revived the playoff hopes for the Cleveland Browns faithful. So you got to give him a lot of credit. He led the Browns to their second playoff appearance in 21 years. Just an incredible job by Joe Flacco. I hope he's back with the Cleveland Browns. I hope they don't send him back to the couch. But if he does go back to the couch, he's going back with the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award for 2023.
This post is transcribed from the latest Bleav in Bengals podcast
