WASHINGTON — This is one of the most fun NFL Wraps of the year — the Midseason Report. In years past, I’ve simply reviewed the first half of the season. This year? I’m raising the stakes by getting on record with some predictions for the season’s second half. You may call them bold. I simply call them prophecy.
This continues though: No Redskins. For the second straight year, they’re actually meeting expectations. Plus, George Wallace is all over that.
Who has disappointed? Who is playing way above expectations? And what do we watch out for in the season’s final eight weeks?
Let’s get to it.
(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
AP Photo/Matt Dunham
Most Surprising Team: Dallas Cowboys
In August, I picked Dallas to win seven games this season. The Cowboys needed only half the season to accomplish that. Their 7-1 record is surprising enough, but the way they’re winning is even more stunning. Led by rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, the Dallas offense is in the midst of a franchise-record six-game streak of 400+ yard outputs and their defense ranks in the top 10 in yardage and top five in points allowed. As much as I hate to say it, this is the best and most balanced team in the NFC.
Honorable mention: Basically the rest of the NFC East, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons
(AP Photo/David Richard)
AP Photo/David Richard
Most Surprising Player: Lorenzo AlexanderAs I pointed out two weeks ago, the former Redskins’ Swiss Army knife has gone from career special teamer and marginal starter to one of the league’s most productive pass rushers. No one has more than his 10 sacks and three forced fumbles and his sudden impact has attracted some very high praise. There have been other surprises this season, but none are more substantial or more pleasant than this one.
Honorable mention: Jay Ajayi, Matt Ryan, Jamison Crowder
(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
Most Disappointing Team: Carolina Panthers
Talk about a Super Bowl hangover. Carolina already has five losses in 2016 after dropping only two games all of last season. The Panthers are currently showing signs of improvement during their two-game win streak, but their pass defense has been abysmal and still has yet to adequately replace Josh Norman. With the defense down and Cam Newton taking an unholy beating, Carolina seems destined for a .500 finish in a division they used to dominate.
Dishonorable mention: Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Most Disappointing Player: Blake Bortles
Bortles was supposed to be the engine that drove Jacksonville back to the playoffs. Instead, he’s driving the Jaguars into the ground. Bortles continues to throw picks at a high (and laughable) rate, already registering 10 interceptions at the season’s midway point. Last year, he offset the high number of picks (18) with an even higher number of touchdowns (35), but this year’s 14-10 ratio isn’t cutting it. Furthermore, scoring just 19 points per game and failing to complete 60 percent of his passes to some very good, young targets like Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Julius Thomas is almost as bad as Jacksonville’s uniforms.
Dishonorable mention: Brock Osweiler, Todd Gurley
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ezekiel Elliott
I was tempted to make a case for both Elliott and teammate Dak Prescott to share the award, since one likely isn’t as successful without the other. But if we really split hairs here, Dak probably doesn’t play as well as he does without Zeke in the backfield churning up a league-leading 891 yards at 5.0 yards per carry, along with 7 TDs. Three players in NFL history have had 875+ yards, 7+ TD in their first eight career games: Eric Dickerson, Adrian Peterson, Ezekiel Elliott. ‘Nuff said.
Honorable mention: Prescott, Carson Wentz
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
AP Photo/Ron Jenkins
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Joey Bosa
Apparently, some things are worth the wait.
Bosa ended his lengthy holdout just before the start of the regular season and a hamstring injury delayed his debut even further. But in five games this season, he’s already got four sacks and seems poised to help the Chargers stay competitive in a very good AFC West.
Honorable mention: Karl Joseph, Jalen Ramsey
(AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)
AP Photo/Joe Mahoney
Offensive Player of the Year: Julio Jones
A QB can’t win this award every year, right? Jones is the perfect candidate to switch things up in 2016: His 970 receiving yards are the league’s best, he’s got a 300-yard performance to his credit and has topped the 100-yard mark in five of his nine games. Did I mention his 19.0 yards per catch is the best among receivers with at least 25 catches? This year, Julio is Spanish for “best receiver in football.”
Honorable mention: Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Ezekiel Elliott
(Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images
Defensive Player of the Year: Von Miller
This choice is based on what I think will happen in the season’s second half, rather than what’s already happened in the first half. Miller’s 9.5 sacks are second only to Lorenzo Alexander, but the latter is dealing with a hamstring injury while the reigning Super Bowl MVP has a track record for playing well late in the year.
Honorable mention: Alexander, Marcus Peters, Landon Collins
(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)
AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File
Coach of the Year: Jack Del Rio
If there was any question before (and there wasn’t), Sunday night’s statement win over Denver basically locked this up. Del Rio has brought the Raider Way back to the Bay Area, and the Silver and Black’s 7-2 record (with wins over his former teams in Jacksonville and Denver) beats even my high preseason expectations for Oakland. If the defense can build on that prime-time bullying of the defending champs, this is going to be a tough team to beat in January.
Honorable mention: Andy Reid, Jason Garrett, Dan Quinn
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)
AP Photo/Ben Margot
Comeback Player: DeMarco Murray
After last year’s high-priced no-show in Philadelphia, many (myself included) thought Murray was done. His rebirth in Tennessee is stunning; he’s the league’s second-leading rusher, averaging a full yard per carry more than he did last year (4.6), and is on pace to score a career high 16 TDs (he’s also found pay dirt in four straight games). A 28-year-old running back with an injury history putting up numbers like this gets my vote.
Honorable mention: Jordy Nelson, Kelvin Benjamin
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
MVP: Tom Brady
Do I really need to show my work on this one? Brady missed the first four games and has showed no rust in the four games since: His 133.9 QB rating is the league’s best and he’s got 12 TDs and no picks. He’s on a mission to avenge his wrongful suspension and New England has probably lost for the last time this season.
Honorable mention: Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford
(AP Photo/Bill Wippert)
AP Photo/Bill Wippert
SECOND HALF PREDICTIONSSaints go marching into the playoffs.
New Orleans is 4-4 and still in the mix for the NFC South title, only two games behind Atlanta. The back half of their schedule doesn’t look as bad as it did when the season started: Broncos, Panthers, Rams, Lions, Cardinals, Bucs (twice) and Falcons. Every game outside of Denver is winnable and a 6-2 finish all but locks up a spot. Saints go 10-6 in a season where everyone thought Drew Brees and company were done.
Philly and Minny will not.
As I pointed out in this week’s NFL Recap, the Eagles’ remaining schedule has no real breaks. Their easiest game (on paper) is against 3-4-1 Cincinnati and the rest of the NFC East is looking down on them. Meanwhile, the Vikings’ previously vaunted defense has given up 21 points per game during this three-game losing streak and the offense still couldn’t find a running lane with Google Maps. Wins against the Jags and Bears would be expected, but not a given the way they’re playing now. Don’t be surprised if Philadelphia and Minnesota both go from undefeated in the season’s first month to under .500 in the New Year.
It’s the beginning of the end for the Aaron Rodgers-Mike McCarthy tandem in Green Bay.
At 4-4, Green Bay is in the middle of the pack in the middle of the season for the first time in seven years. The only thing Aaron Rodgers is spelling correctly this season is L-O-W. I didn’t buy into the Packers preseason hype, but I still considered them a playoff team. If the latter ends up being wrong — or Green Bay goes one-and-done — Rodgers may be spelling D-O-N-E regarding his head coach.
Browns avoid 0-16 with a win over Baltimore. Cleveland guarantees they won’t go winless and I believe them. There’s a reason only one team has done it; it’s just too hard to do at the professional level. It would be delicious irony if their lone win came in Baltimore Thursday and catching the hated Ravens on a short week might just be their last best chance. If not, Hue Jackson may have to wait until December for his first win when the Browns host his old friends in Cincinnati or perhaps the following week in Buffalo.
(AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Rob Woodfork is WTOP's Senior Sports Content Producer, which includes duties as producer and host of the DC Sports Huddle, nightside sports anchor and sports columnist on WTOP.com.
