NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Michael Thomas edges Lamar Jackson for offensive player of the year



Michael Thomas caught 149 passes, breaking Marvin Harrison’s 17-year-old league record by six catches. It was just enough to win Thomas offensive player of the year.

He beat out Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey for the award. Jackson is expected to win the MVP award later Saturday night.

Thomas received 19 votes to 17 for Jackson and 12 for McCaffrey. Russell Wilson and Patrick Mahomes each received one vote.

A receiver had not won the Associated Press’ offensive player of the year award since 1993 when Jerry Rice won his second. The Hall of Famer also won the award in 1987. That’s the only seasons in history a receiver has claimed offensive player of the year.

Thomas’ 149 catches went for a league-best 1,725 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

 

Stephon Gilmore is the defensive player of the year



The Patriots aren’t in Miami for the Super Bowl, but one of the team’s players picked up an award at the NFL Honors show the night before the Chiefs and 49ers square off for the title.

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore has been named the defensive player of the year.

Gilmore was named a first-team All-Pro for the second straight season for his work in helping the Patriots win another AFC East title. He led the league with six interceptions and also posted 53 tackles and one fumble recovery over the course of the regular season.

Gilmore was named on 21 of the 50 ballots. Cardinals edge rusher Chandler Jones got 14 votes and Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt was named 10 times.

He is the first defensive back to win the award since former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was honored for his work in the 2010 season. Polamalu is expected to pick up another honor on Saturday as one of five players elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, although there’s been no confirmation of his election at this point.

 

John Harbaugh named AP coach of the the year



The Ravens were obviously well-coached this year.

John Harbaugh was just named AP NFL coach of the year.

The Ravens went 14-2 this season, earning the top seed in the AFC behind quarterback Lamar Jackson and an offense which was by no means conventional, but which was perfectly suited to their personnel.

He joins offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who won the assistant coach of the year honors moments ago.

Harbaugh won with 27 1/2 of the 50 votes, followed by Kyle Shanahan (14 1/2), Matt LaFleur (3), Mike Tomlin (2), Sean McDermott (2), and Sean Payton (1).

 

We have a SB winner it's the KC Chiefs 31 San Fan 20 there QB is Quite impressive even though he was kinda off it seemed at times

 

Anyone else feel Mahomes didn’t really deserve MVP?

 

Nobody stood out enough to take it from him.

 

I know on this board, Andy Reid gets shit on a lot, but now that he finally has a Super Bowl under his belt, is he legitimately a Hall of Fame candidate? I honestly think that was the missing ingredient from his resume.

 

He was HOF already with his 221 wins. Now he is first ballot.

 

Couldn’t give it to Shanahan, so...

 

That's kind of what I meant by how he got shit on a lot. I think the thing people held over his head was "choking" in the big game (however you define that as a coach). I think he's there. Making it to the Super Bowl with 2 different franchises is impressive.

 

Wasn’t the most dominant performance but I’ve seen guys get it for less.

 

How about the not calling a TO at the end of the first half. That was mind numbingly dumb IMO. Wasted almost a minute. Shanahan gotta be better than that.

 

Like Brady over his WRs.

It was either Mahomes or Damien Williams. I'd say Williams but he selfishly scored a TD to pad his stats when he should have slid down for game. Mahomes played like shit most of the game and then stepped up late but it had more to do with the high tempo and his WRs getting mad open. For those reasons I think it should have gone to Williams by default but there was really no one that really stood out, outside Kyle Shanahan.

 

I think he went 7 of 10 for 95 yards and 2 tds in the 4th. Not great stats for the game but he played big when he needed to.

 

I agree and that's the key. Team trailing and he took the bull by the horns late and put it away. MVP well deserved.

 

As did the Kansas City defense in the 4th quarter. They got the stops that they had to have, and Mahomes took care of business. Great win for the Chiefs.

 

First time ever that a team overcame three 10+ point deficits in one postseason...No lead is safe against Patrick Mahomes.

 

No way man. Scoring the TD was the right move. Make it 2 scores. Chiefs couldn’t kneel down if it was just a first down. And it’s the Super Bowl. Can’t rob a dude of that highlight that will go down in history. That was a great run. No way selfish.

 

Won’t argue that at all.

 

You were expecting him to be a brilliant decision maker?