Worst MVP race EVER

[Brian wolf]

I get how you feel about Jackson racepug, but his style of play really blends with their defense and could win his second award.
He leads his teams to victory but for what he is earning, needs to win it all but we will see. Had another team tried to sign him, he might not be looking towards the playoffs but collective collusion from teams and Baltimore being determined to do it, gives him the chance to meet expectations. Could Flacco, the man he replaced, keep him from reaching the SB? Nice story for script editing ... haha

[NWebster]

Bland is doing something special on defense but it helps having Gillmore play well on the other corner side and Parsons getting after the passer. Watching Parsons, he has relentless ability, similar to LT but also like LT, isnt nearly the factor in stopping the run or coverage. He can absorb linemen though. If he had run-stopping skills similar to Wagner in Seattle, they might have to outlaw him.

TJ Watt is approaching his second 20 sack season like his brother, and Garrett and Bosa still get held alot. Aaron Donald has slowed down but the playoffs should pick him up, I believe ...

I've heard the Parsons LT comps for three years now and, while I think Micah is great and a game changer I still do not think he's LT. Three things LT did demonstrably better included separating the ball carrier from the ball (FF's) the numbers back this up and the film shows LT arriving at the ball carrier with a violence that Micah lacks. Related, on pass rush LT had speed-to-power, he wouldn't get gobbled up when a blocker got 2 hands on him he'd bounce the blocker back create space and then reset FF from the newly created space. Finally, I think LT was better in coverage going back or sideways on a back or TE out of the backfield, and his PD numbers back that up.

It's possible to be great without being the best ever and I think that's Micah. And I don't just poo poo recent players as I actually think Aaron Donald, who I don't particularly "like" as a guy is probably the best DT ever over Greene, Page, a Lilly and Olsen.

Against Micah, the rules make it more difficult to play with the violence that LT did, and perhaps he's just adjusted to be cognizant of not getting the inevitable 15 yard penalties that LT would today. And certainly the rules have even further skewed in favor of pass blocking over pass rushing perhaps making it difficult to separate from a lineman once engaged than it was in the 80's.

But I do not see Micah as LT unless he sees a meaningful increase in production and refinement of skills, which cannot be dismissed at his young age. But to me LT really was one of one.

[Brian wolf]

Great call Nick as usual ... Parsons like other great pass rushers gets held alot and has to keep developing as a total player, though he is somewhat, handcuffed. Its ridiculous some of the roughing the passer penalties.

I still believe Alan Page is the best pass rushing DT ever but Donald is right there and you wonder how much gas is still left in the tank. If the Rams could possibly rest him next week, the playoff game will be interesting. Speaking of pass rushers, with the Bills trying to take the division from Miami, we will see if Von Miller can step up his game ...

[JameisBrownston]

Lamar sure locked it up today. And CMC is hurt now.

[JohnTurney]

Lamar sure locked it up today. And CMC is hurt now.

I think that does it. CMC probably didn;t have a chance anyway, (becoming a QB award) but CMC may still be the OPOY. Think he takes it over Tyreek.

CMC wouldn't have played next week anyway ...

DPOY still pretty open ... 2-3 guys in there still

[Brian wolf]

For John Turney, Nick Webster or other defensive observers.
How good is rookie Kobie Turner for the Rams? It helps playing next to HOFer Aaron Donald but has he pulled his weight getting nine sacks or just cleaning up Donald's pressures? Still not bad for a rookie, also listed as NT ... Does he enter the discussion of DROY, or is the race mostly between Carter, Anderson, Branch or anyone else? I dont subscribe to PFF, so dont really know how the players are ranked, currently ...

[JWL]

For John Turney, Nick Webster or other defensive observers.
How good is rookie Kobie Turner for the Rams? It helps playing next to HOFer Aaron Donald but has he pulled his weight getting nine sacks or just cleaning up Donald's pressures? Still not bad for a rookie, also listed as NT ... Does he enter the discussion of DROY, or is the race mostly between Carter, Anderson, Branch or anyone else? I dont subscribe to PFF, so dont really know how the players are ranked, currently ...

I like Turner over Carter for the award. Turner has had more pressures than Carter. Turner has been solid against the run and pass. Sure, Donald helps just like Carter gets help from other good players on the Eags defensive line. The Eags have been slipping in the second half and the Rams are ascending. Sometimes these awards get won by a guy who was better in the second half of the season (Turner) than the guy who started the season better (Carter).

I doubt he'd win it, but Devon Witherspoon is another rookie who should get votes.

[JohnTurney]

For John Turney, Nick Webster or other defensive observers.
How good is rookie Kobie Turner for the Rams? It helps playing next to HOFer Aaron Donald but has he pulled his weight getting nine sacks or just cleaning up Donald's pressures? Still not bad for a rookie, also listed as NT ... Does he enter the discussion of DROY, or is the race mostly between Carter, Anderson, Branch or anyone else? I dont subscribe to PFF, so dont really know how the players are ranked, currently ...

Kobie Turner is very good ... he was good before the sacks came in the second half of the season ... but they did come in bunches. Oddly he's been double-teamed more than Donald ... part of that is playing the shade/2i.

I think Carter, Anderson and Turner are the top 3 ... Carter exploded, then faded. Turner is gaining momentum... Turner is more impressive on film, though. He had a very low center of gravity ... great hand usage ... great leg drive.


here are a few tweets I did on him ... shows leverage and power---there are quite a few more on another account I follow ...

All i can say is he's good. Don;t know if his surge late in year can put him on top, though
https://x.com/NFL_Journal/status/170108 ... 65668?s=20
https://x.com/NFL_Journal/status/170427 ... 59633?s=20
https://x.com/NFL_Journal/status/174249 ... 23457?s=20
https://x.com/NFL_Journal/status/170108 ... 65668?s=20
https://x.com/NFL_Journal/status/172126 ... 32280?s=20
https://x.com/NFL_Journal/status/172123 ... 88605?s=20
https://x.com/NFL_Journal/status/171620 ... 00476?s=20

[JohnTurney]

For John Turney, Nick Webster or other defensive observers.
How good is rookie Kobie Turner for the Rams? It helps playing next to HOFer Aaron Donald but has he pulled his weight getting nine sacks or just cleaning up Donald's pressures? Still not bad for a rookie, also listed as NT ... Does he enter the discussion of DROY, or is the race mostly between Carter, Anderson, Branch or anyone else? I dont subscribe to PFF, so dont really know how the players are ranked, currently ...

here is a NUT game, nose under tackle where Turner actually frees Donald for a sack. happened a couple of times this year.

2024-01-04_21-54-19.jpg (33.91 KiB) Viewed 2359 times

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[Brian wolf]

Thanks guys, some impressive plays. Turner and Donald will be coming for Darnold and double-digit sacks this weekend.