A quarter of the season is in the books, with dominant teams and players emerging from the fray as the narrative
Miye Oni Jersey of the 2015 campaign begins to take shape. Who has stood out thus far? Below I've listed my early selections for each individual award, based on what I've seen from Week 1 through Week 4:MVP: The reigning MVP continues to pick apart defenses with exceptional precision and execution. Rodgers leads the NFL with a 125.9 pa ser rating and has the fourth-best completion percentage (72.4) while sporting a stellar touchdown-to-interception ratio of 11:0. Most importantly, the are off to an impre sive 4-0 start and looking like the best team on the planet at the quarter mark.Contenders: , QB, ; , QB, ; , S, .Offensive Player of the Year: The fifth-year pro has been one of the most dominant playmakers on the field this season, despite battling through some . Jones is on track to become the NFL's next "Triple Crown" winner (the NFL leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions). Consider that he's at or near the top in all three categories ( with 38, in yards with 478 and in scoring grabs with four) even after notching just four catches for 38 yards on Sunday, though perhaps that limited output could be attributed to those injuries. Provided he stays healthy, Jones should continue fueling a high-octane attack that's firing on all cylinders under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.Contenders: , QB, ; , QB, ; , RB, .Defensive Player of the Year: The term "elite" is loosely to sed around when describing some of the top cover corners in the game, but it is time for Norman to enter the discu sion as one of the premier players at the position. The fourth-year pro (four) (two) while exhibiting exceptional ball skills, awarene s and instincts in coverage. Playing behind a ferocious pa s rush that forces quarterbacks into errant throws, Norman's swipe skills make him the front runner for this award at the quarter mark.Contenders: , OLB, ; , CB, ; , OLB, .Offensive Rookie of the Year: Credit coach Ken Whisenhunt for building the ' offense around the spectacular talent of his young franchise quarterback. The rookie has responded in splendid fashion by posting the NFL's fifth-highest pa ser rating (109.2) and a strong touchdown-to-interception ratio of 8:2. Most impre sively, Mariota has shown better-than-anticipated pocket poise and awarene s, resulting in a number of "splash" plays delivered from the pocket. The ' young star is performing like a savvy veteran early in
Mike Conley Jr. Jersey his first pro season, and he deserves this honor at this point.Contenders: , RB, ; , WR, ; , RB, .Defensive Rookie of the Year: The ' sensational cover corner has played at an all-star level as the CB1 in coordinator Bob Sutton's defense. He has challenged elite receivers at the line while also showing superb ball skills and awarene s in "off" coverage. Peters' willingne s to jump short and intermediate routes has produced a pair of interceptions, including that showcased his advanced awarene s and route recognition. The fearle sne s and production Peters has shown as the top dog in the ' secondary make him a good choice here.Contenders: , OLB, ; , CB, ; , DE, .Comeback Player of the Year: It is uncommon for a 30-year-old runner to lead the NFL in rushing, especially when that runner is a veteran back who spent almost an entire season away from the game. But Peterson routinely exceeds expectations, and he's once again become the most dominant rusher in the league. He already has notched a pair of 100-yard games, exhibiting his trademark speed, physicality and burst while shaking off the rust. With Peterson slowly finding his groove as a punishing playmaker, he's the overwhelming favorite to win the award.Contenders: , QB, ; , WR, ; , WR, .Coach of the Year: Dan Quinn, Atlanta FalconsThere is no disputing the energy and confidence Quinn has given the with his infectious personality. He has transformed the defense into a hardworking, ball-hawking unit that plays with fanatical effort from snap to whistle. Considering the fireworks produced by the -led offense and the ' surprising 4-0 start, Quinn is the frontrunner for the honor at this point.Contenders: Todd Bowles, ; Marvin Lewis, ; Mike McCarthy, .Follow Bucky Brooks on Twitter .
Aaron Rodgers Marcus Mariota top award races at quarter mark
