The NFL handed out their awards on Saturday night and they were about as predictable as expected. The Green Bay Packers weren’t shut out, but they didn’t collect the big award.
After watching his team completely torch ours, it should be no surprise that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan beat out Aaron Rodgers for the league’s MVP and offensive player of the year awards.
Although playoffs have nothing to do with those awards, we got a first-hand glimpse — twice, in fact — of Ryan’s greatness in 2016. Unlike Rodgers, who only decided to show up when his team’s back was against the wall, Ryan was excellent throughout.
While Rodgers led the league with 40 touchdown passes, Ryan bested him in every other important statistical category. Ryan went for 4,944 yards, 38 TDs and seven interceptions. He averaged an amazing 9.3 per attempt and had a 117.1 rating.
Rodgers threw for 4,428, averaged 7.1 per attempt and had a rating of 104.2.
The good news, if you’re a Packers fan, is Jordy Frickin’ Nelson.
Comeback player of the year.
We had once surmised that Nelson might lose this award to Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell. However, when Nelson won both the Pro Football Writer’s and the Sporting News comeback player awards, that pretty much signaled he had it locked up.
What could you possibly say about what that guy did in 2016 after missing all of 2015? Nelson had 1,257 yards receiving and led the NFL with 14 touchdown receptions.
He also put everyone on notice (again). Don’t ever underestimate Jordy Frickin’ Nelson!
Well deserved, son!
Matty Ice deserved it….
Congrats to Nelson- great player w a great attitude…
This was indeed predictable. Ryan completely earned the award in every way. Top 5 all time QB rating is just the highlight. I know the article listed some things that Ryan beat Rodgers in but there were many others as well — he led his team to more wins, a better position in the playoffs, higher completion percentage despite throwing much deeper passes and having a good offensive line but one that was not as good as Rodgers’ was.
I feel sorry for anyone holding their breath for this award. There was no other player who could have been named. No one. And Rodgers was never in contention. There was no room for doubt. This site kept playing it up like Rodgers was a legit MVP candidate and I think a few swallowed that hook, line, and sinker. A quick look at stats and standings and no one would have considered it a possibility.
Congrats to Nelson, he deserved it.
You sad, sad little child.
Just out, Ted Thompson wins the most useless, awkward, stubborn, singleminded, overrated and overall fucked up gay GM in all of professional sports (for the 12th “straight” year)
That ^
The article also omitted important facts. Maybe they did not want to make it too obvious they were duping fans into believing Aaron was some kind of legit MVP candidate this year.
There are 50 votes. Aaron got two of them. Numerically that is expressed as a 2. By fraction it was 1/25th of the votes. Politically that means he is the Jill Stein of MVP candidates.
Aaron came in fifth! 5th! The 4th place vote receiver got THREE TIMES as many votes as Aaron! The winner had 12.5 TIMES as many votes! Also, one of the voters works at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and he just automatically gave his vote to Aaron. If Aaron were a Seahawk he never would have voted for him.
So Aaron had one vote locked up and then went out and earned one more vote out of the remaining 49!
So, essentially the article missed that Aaron was DESERVEDLY obliterated.