Who will be the NFL’s MVP? Top rookie? And ... who will win the Super Bowl?

Mark Craig of the Star Tribune has the projected postseason winners as the league prepares to kick off its 105th season on Thursday.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 5, 2024 at 12:11AM
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts runs in for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts hopes to lead the Philadelphia Eagles deep into the NFL postseason. (Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Most Valuable Player

Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles: Picking Patrick Mahomes to win a third one is too boring. And we all know this is really MVQ (Most Valuable Quarterback), so let’s double down on Hurts, the pick here last year, now that he has Saquon Barkley on his side.

Defensive Player of the Year

Micah Parsons, LB, Cowboys: Picking Parsons is boring because he’s the most talented defender on the planet, but who cares? Let’s double down on last year’s pick for one reason that might irk Vikings fans: Hate him or hate him some more, Mike Zimmer can still c-o-a-c-h.

Offensive Player of the Year

Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins: He had 1,481 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns through 12 games last year before getting hurt and losing this award to Christian McCaffrey. Don’t count the Cheetah out. Even if he did turn 30 in March.

Coach of the Year

Andy Reid, Chiefs: I’ll keep writing this until one of the best coaches in NFL history hopefully breaks from the pack of one-time NFL Coach of the Year winners like Matt Nagy and Jason Garrett: Poor overlooked and taken-for-granted Andy. In the past 11 seasons, he’s gone 132-51 (.721) with 16 playoff wins. He’s been to the last five AFC title games, won four of them, gone on to win three Super Bowls and … still has not won NFL Coach of the Year with a Chiefs team that was 76-100 (.432) with no playoff wins in the 11 seasons before it hired Reid a day after he was fired in Philly.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Xavier Worthy, WR, Chiefs: No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams has all the weapons at his disposal to win this award. But, sorry, just not going full buy-in on Williams. Worthy has the ultimate weapon (Mahomes) and the best coach (Reid) helping him.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Terrion Arnold, CB, Lions: The 24th overall pick from Alabama should feast off of Detroit’s pass rush.

Comeback Player of the Year

Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals: I’ll see your Kirk Cousins, your Sam Darnold and your old man Rodgers and raise you one Joe Burrow, who’s back after missing seven games with a torn ligament in his right wrist.

Most Pleasant Surprises

Four new playoff faces: The NFL will have at least four new playoff teams for the 35th straight season. Congratulations Seattle, Atlanta, Cincinnati and the LA Chargers. Condolences Green Bay, the Rams, Buffalo and Cleveland.

Biggest Disappointment

Deshaun Watson and the Browns: Old friend Kevin Stefanski won NFL Coach of the Year for the second time in four seasons while using four quarterbacks to get the Browns into the playoffs a year ago. Any native Northeast Ohioan worth his weight in heartbreaks will tell you that can mean only one thing: The Browns will miss the playoffs this season with Watson healthy and the rest of the AFC North reaching the playoffs.

Playoff Predictions

Wild-card games

AFC

No. 2 Texans over No. 7 Steelers

No. 3 Ravens over No. 6 Chargers

No. 5 Bengals over No. 4 Dolphins

NFC

No. 2 Eagles over No. 7 Seahawks

No. 3 Lions over No. 6 Buccaneers

No. 5 Zimmers, er, Cowboys over No. 4 Cousinses, er, Falcons

Divisional games

AFC

No. 3 Ravens over No. 2 Texans

No. 5 Bengals over No. 1 Chiefs

NFC

No. 3 Lions over No. 2 Eagles

No. 1 49ers over No. 5 Cowboys

Conference championships

AFC

No. 3 Ravens over No. 5 Bengals

NFC

No. 3 Lions over No. 1 49ers

Super Bowl LIX

Lions over Ravens

about the writer

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).

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