NFL Midseason Awards: Which stars have shined brightest thus far?

It’s hard to believe the 2014 NFL regular season is already halfway over.

We now have a sufficient sample size to hand out the fake hardware, so let’s do it.

Most Valuable Player: QB Aaron Rodgers, Packers

Runner-up: Philip Rivers, Chargers

When Rodgers tweaked his hamstring on Sunday night, robbing him of his mobility, the Packers offense looked stagnant. Fortunately, he’s expected to recover soon and this bodes well for Green Bay’s offense which had rattled off 36 points per contest in a four-game win streak, during which Rodgers posted 13 touchdowns and no picks. Peyton Manning narrowly misses out on runner-up due to a couple uncharacteristically poor picks early on and Denver’s defensive dominance helping keep some comfortable margins.

Offensive Player of the Year: DeMarco Murray, Cowboys

Runner-up: Antonio Brown, Steelers

Murray has shattered Jim Brown’s record of consecutive 100-yard outings to start a season (and counting) and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing tally at the halfway mark. Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson each won OPOY in their 2K seasons and Murray doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. He’s even added 239 through the air, good for third among running backs. Murray is the driving force behind the NFL’s most surprising success: the 6-2 Dallas Cowboys.

Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Watt, Texans

Runner-up: Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants

Watt owns a few iconic, game-swinging moments and countless acts of physical domination. Houston gets by with an OK secondary and mediocre linebacking corps because Watt blows up the trenches and harrasses quarterbacks, altering the offensive attack with his mere location to start every play. There were understandable worries about how Watt’s use would transition from Wade Phillips to Romeo Crennel, and those questions will probably be answered with a second DPOY award. According to Pro Football Focus, Watt’s 23 quarterback hits are followed by a runner-up of nine at his position.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Sammy Watkins, Bills

Runner-up: Zack Martin, Cowboys

The merciful benching of E.J. Manuel and sneaky-competence of Kyle Orton has been one the 2014 NFL season’s most pleasant surprises. This receiver class projects to be historically great and Watkins still stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Whether it’s the extremely clutch moments like setting up the game-winner in Detroit and scoring game-winner against Minnesota—or the dominant performance last Sunday in the Meadowlands, an upstart playoff contender in the AFC filters through their electric rookie receiver. Martin gives Dallas their third “hit” on first-round offensive linemen in recent years and deserves a nice dinner for Murray’s OPOY award.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: C.J. Mosley, Ravens

Runner-up: Aaron Donald, Rams

Donald has helped transform the Rams defense into a nasty unit to run against, shutting down LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore and Marshawn Lynch in consecutive games before a Week 8 that got away. However, Donald misses out by not getting a majority of the snaps until a few weeks ago. Mosley has earned PFF’s No. 1 grade among inside linebackers thus far and has been instrumental in the Ravens return to the top 10 in run defense, a spot that still seems so natural for them years after Ray Lewis obliterated lanes.

By the way, Ravens PR is currently trolling hard for Steelers week. I’ll allow it.

Comeback Player of the Year: Von Miller, Broncos

Runner-up: Jeremy Maclin, Eagles

Miller suffered an ACL tear in Week 16 last year and now ranks second in sacks. Even though no one should’ve had much doubt of Miller’s return to dominance, it still counts. Jeremy Maclin may ride the human-interest angle to the award—coming back from both unique and severe ailments over the years to replace DeSean Jackson and then some. This makes a worthy runner-up, but I’m taking the guy who instantly reclaimed his throne as the best at his position.

Coach of the Year: Bruce Arians, Cardinals

Runner-up: Bill Belichick, Patriots

Arians has remained aggressive even in the most trying moments, including the third down deep in Cardinals territory that led to the game-winning 75-yard touchdown Sunday against the Eagles. Calling the “Seam (Dig and Up),” as Bleacher Report’s Matt Bowen diagrams in his weekly film study, led to one of the several gutsy throws Arian has dialed up this season.

The Cardinals have gone two quarterbacks deep for a big chunk of the season and even three deep in Denver when Logan Thomas subbed for the injured Stanton, yet the Cards have still thrown just one interception on the season. Credit also due for allowing defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to be super-aggressive, blitzing as much as anyone in the NFL to help offset the spate of injuries Arizona has suffered on defense.

Executive of the Year: John Elway, Broncos

Runner-up: Trent Baalke, Niners

It’s easy to credit Peyton Manning for the Broncos’ success. The stars brought in on relatively cheap contracts aim to win a championship right now while Peyton’s still around. But you have to give Elway credit for bringing in Manning, which in turn helped lure superstar vets like DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward.

Even smaller signings like Emmanuel Sanders—three years for $15 million, or Jeremy Kerley money—are popping off as missing elements for this squad. Denver might have both the NFL’s best offense and best defense at this moment. A tip of the cap to Elway for coaxing Manning and then adding the most complementary pieces.

About Thomas Emerick

Merry freelancer. NFL Lead Writer at The Sports Daily, Contributor to Sporting News. May have also seen my work at USA Today, Bleacher Report, Pro Football Focus and the late AOL FanHouse. VT grad. I am also an avid diabetic.

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