Zulgad: Who are the Vikings offensive and defensive MVPs? It’s time for mid-season awards

[purplefaithful]

The Vikings enter their bye week with a 6-2 record and a 1.5-game lead on Green Bay (4-3) in the NFC North. Although taking anything for granted in the NFL is dangerous, this division appears to be the Vikings’ for the taking.
So what has made the Vikings tick this season? Here are some first-half awards for Mike Zimmer’s team:

Offensive MVP: Case Keenum has done a nice job of stepping in for the injured Sam Bradford. Adam Thielen is fourth in the NFL with 48 catches and second with 627 receiving yards.
But considering what the Vikings saw last season from turnstile left tackle T.J. Clemmings, the choice for this award is newcomer Riley Reiff. Signed to a five-year, $58.75 million free-agent contract in March after five seasons in Detroit, Reiff has played 539 snaps this season without allowing a sack, according to Pro Football Focus.
He plays the most important position on a unit that was incompetent for much of last season but was rebuilt by general manager Rick Spielman and has given up only 10 sacks this year. That is tied for the third fewest in the league.
Reiff, who will receive $26.3 million in guarantees over the first two years of his contract, is a huge upgrade on Clemmings and a significant improvement on Matt Kalil. Offensive linemen often get overlooked but in this case there’s no overlooking what Reiff has meant to the Vikings so far.
Defensive MVP: The Vikings defense is filled with impact players, but we’re going to go with safety Harrison Smith.
After not having an interception last season, Smith leads the Vikings with three this year and sets the tone for a defense that is ranked fourth in the league in points given up (16.9 per game). Smith, in his sixth season, is third on the Vikings with 43 tackles and has 1.5 sacks, four tackles for a loss and six passes broken.
Runners-up would like nose tackle Linval Joseph, who dominates in the middle of the line, defensive end Everson Griffen, whose 10 sacks are tied for second in the NFL, and cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who, for the most part, is left alone by opposing quarterbacks because he’s so good in coverage.
Best addition: This goes to Reiff for the reasons stated above but also gives us a chance to recognize free-agent right tackle Mike Remmers. The Vikings left tackle play was so bad last season that we forget the right tackle play was pretty pathetic, too. Remmers, signed to a five-year, $30 million contract that includes $10.5 million in guarantees, has helped to stabilize the position.
Top rookie: Running back Dalvin Cook was a difference-maker for the Vikings’ offense before his season ended in Week 4 when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. With the second-round pick out, we’re giving the award to third-round selection Pat Elflein. 
Most improved: Trae Waynes had solid stats last season with three picks and 11 passes broken up, but he has been even better this season with two interceptions and eight passes defensed in eight games.
The 11th-overall pick in the 2015 draft, Waynes was brought along slowly by Zimmer, but he has developed into a reliable corner who gets a ton of work because opponents don’t want to throw toward Rhodes’ side of the field. When Waynes does give up a reception, he is a solid tackler, something that is often a lost art in today’s game.
Comeback player: Whether Anthony Barr simply didn’t work hard enough or was battling an injury, the linebacker had a noticeable and disturbing drop in production last season.
The big question was if Barr would rebound this year. So far he has and that’s a reason why an already very solid defense has been that much better in 2017.
The ninth-overall pick in the 2014 draft, Barr is second on the Vikings with 46 tackles. Six of them have been for losses and he also has broken up five passes. When Barr is on top of his game, he causes headaches for offenses. Two weeks ago against Baltimore, Barr had a season-high 11 tackles, broke up a pass and was dominant for much of the game.
Biggest disappointment: This would have to go to 2016 first-round pick Laquon Treadwell, who is fifth on the Vikings with 12 receptions for 142 yards and no touchdowns. If Treadwell were a late-round pick, or had been signed as a free agent, his frequent lack of production wouldn’t be a big deal but given he was a first-round pick it’s looking as if we soon can call him a bust. Treadwell isn’t reliable and his lack of speed makes it impossible for him to get separation from defenders.
Runners-up would include free-agent wide receiver Michael Floyd , 
Running back Latavius Murray, signed as a free agent from Oakland, also has not made the expected impact. 
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/1...on-awards/

[Guest]

I think Anthony is easily the defensive key to the rest of this season.  I think a while back Zim said he was the key to this defense. Think about it

2014 he had flashes of brilliance and so did the D
2015 he became more consistently good, so did the defense 
2016 he started out hot then injuries, bad play, he fell off big time and so did the team
2017 maybe his best play to date, and so far Zim’s best defense to date

His ability to shadow QBs that make big plays with their legs is the key to us reaching the promise land. On passing plays, his run blitz is like another DE out there and if he must drop back into coverage, hes doing exceptionally well at it this year. 

Look at the contenders, Philly, Seattle, Carolina and what was Green Bay. His ability to shadow Wentz, Wilson and Cam prevents them from making that one or two big plays that could be the difference in winning and losing.   

For the pocket passers, Ryan, Brees, Cousins, he can focus on either blitzing or dropping into coverage, covering their dynamic RBs out of the backfield.  

Its only when we face a QB that is a threat to make big plays in the pocket and with his legs, do we struggle. . . aka Stafford maybe Dak.   Those are the two teams I am not interested facing in a do or die game

[Guest]

@Skodin said:
I think Anthony is easily the defensive key to the rest of this season.  I think a while back Zim said he was the key to this defense. Think about it

2014 he had flashes of brilliance and so did the D
2015 he became more consistently good, so did the defense 
2016 he started out hot then injuries, bad play, he fell off big time and so did the team
2017 maybe his best play to date, and so far Zim’s best defense to date

His ability to shadow QBs that make big plays with their legs is the key to us reaching the promise land. On passing plays, his run blitz is like another DE out there and if he must drop back into coverage, hes doing exceptionally well at it this year. 

Look at the contenders, Philly, Seattle, Carolina and what was Green Bay. His ability to shadow Wentz, Wilson and Cam prevents them from making that one or two big plays that could be the difference in winning and losing.   

For the pocket passers, Ryan, Brees, Cousins, he can focus on either blitzing or dropping into coverage, covering their dynamic RBs out of the backfield.  

Its only when we face a QB that is a threat to make big plays in the pocket and with his legs, do we struggle. . . aka Stafford maybe Dak.   Those are the two teams I am not interested facing in a do or die game

I posted elsewhere that my bromance with Barr has been re-kindled and now burns passionately and brightly lol! But I hate to think of this D without Dirty Harry, XR or Linval either.

They are all so important.

Barr imo can make the most splash, but damn, it all starts with Linval in the middle too. 

[Guest]

At the risk of reigniting a debate about Laquon Treadwell, I'm not sure he qualifies as "most disappointing" because his rookie year didn't really make me expect anything. If anything, 12 catches and being on the field a lot is a bit better than I expected. Michael Floyd, OTOH, has only 3 catches in 4 games, and was an earlier 1st-round pick with 5 years of NFL experience...he could still come on, but so far he's disappointing.

But looking at the entire season thus far, IMO our biggest disappointments came in TC: Edmond Robinson and Datone Jones were both considered potential starters with breakout potential - but neither even made the team. Close by is Jayron Kearse - it would be nice to think he had developed enough to step in for Sendejo last week, given his enormous physical ability. 

[Guest]

@Skodin said:
I think Anthony is easily the defensive key to the rest of this season.  I think a while back Zim said he was the key to this defense. Think about it

2014 he had flashes of brilliance and so did the D
2015 he became more consistently good, so did the defense 
2016 he started out hot then injuries, bad play, he fell off big time and so did the team
2017 maybe his best play to date, and so far Zim’s best defense to date

His ability to shadow QBs that make big plays with their legs is the key to us reaching the promise land. On passing plays, his run blitz is like another DE out there and if he must drop back into coverage, hes doing exceptionally well at it this year. 

Look at the contenders, Philly, Seattle, Carolina and what was Green Bay. His ability to shadow Wentz, Wilson and Cam prevents them from making that one or two big plays that could be the difference in winning and losing.   

For the pocket passers, Ryan, Brees, Cousins, he can focus on either blitzing or dropping into coverage, covering their dynamic RBs out of the backfield.  

Its only when we face a QB that is a threat to make big plays in the pocket and with his legs, do we struggle. . . aka Stafford maybe Dak.   Those are the two teams I am not interested facing in a do or die game

Hard to pick out a MVP on the defense really.  By design, they are unselfish, do their job and play as a team.  EG never fails to mention that he gets sacks because everyone is doing their job.  Look at last week, Harrison made that play, but the QB stepped back, right into EG.

But I won't disagree with you on Barr.  I would put the MVP between Joseph and Barr.  The run stopping beast sets up the 3rd and long.  But as you mention, Barr is such a freak.  His burst and closing speed goes unaccounted for and QBs think they have time when they don't.  Watching him spy on a QB 5 yards deep and then Burst through the hole to sack or in Rodgers case just a critical hit.  Barr has been money in the run game this year as well, becoming a sure tackler where he really struggled last year.

Rhodes gets forgotten because he is ignored.  But taking away Adams, Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, et al, is so underrated.  Facing the best WRs on each team, he has give up 185 (?) yards total?  Antonio regularly gets that in one game. 

And one can't argue too hard about the authors choice of Smith.  He is the straw that stirs the defensive potion, moving all over, closing down running lanes and passing lanes.

[Guest]

And on offense, I think the entire line needs the MVP, but won't argue with the rock solid LT.  He seems to set the tone in that room, not much talk, but big statements on the field.  Elflein in close second IMO.  His protection calls can't be understated.  Berger really struggled in that last year.