It’s been a tough yr in Foxboro.
Playoff hopes shot earlier than Thanksgiving, the worst nine-game begin to a season since 2000, each blue-chip expertise on the roster down with damage. Yet the Patriots persist.
And as they trudge by way of the midpoint of their newest marketing campaign, let’s hand out some {hardware}.
Here are the Herald’s midseason awards for the 2023 Patriots.
Most Improved Player
LB Jahlani Tavai
A punchline upon arrival two years in the past, Tavai is now a key cog in Bill Belichick’s entrance seven.
He is the one participant on the Patriots to report a sack, a compelled fumble and an interception to this point this season. He’s tied for third on the staff in tackles (54) and tied for fourth in go deflections, with corners Jonathan Jones and J.C. Jackson. Tavai flips from enjoying on the sting to enjoying off the ball like no different linebacker on the roster.
He’ll by no means attain a Pro Bowl, however Tavai has efficiently established himself as an NFL starter. He’s opened all however one of many Pats’ 9 video games this yr.
Breakout Player
TE Pharaoh Brown
Big-play Pharaoh Brown! Who may have seen this coming?
The journeyman tight finish might have lastly discovered a house in New England, the place his 170 receiving yards are already the second-most he’s ever recorded in a single season. Brown is answerable for the Pats’ longest go play of the yr, a 58-yard catch-and-run landing on the Jets, and three different explosive performs. Brown additionally ranks among the many staff’s greatest run-blockers.
“Pharaoh’s a big target,” Belichick stated final month. “He’s received good fingers. He’s executed a extremely good job of operating with the ball and securing the ball. A few these performs that you simply’re referring to, he received hit nearly as quickly as he caught the ball – not on the one towards the Jets, however on a few of these different performs – as quickly as he caught the ball, any person was proper there making an attempt to knock it away from him or knock it out of his fingers.
“He’s done a great job of securing the ball and picking up positive yardage after the catch. So, he’s been consistent doing that and it’s been a big help.”
Callahan: Bill Belichick is hurting his personal combat to maintain the Patriots locker room
Rookie of the Year
WR Demario Douglas
It took six weeks too lengthy for Douglas to see an everyday position within the Pats’ receiving rotation, however he is earned it. The sixth-rounder out of Liberty is the Patriots’ greatest separator and run-after-catch risk. He’s now being featured incessantly earlier than the snap in numerous motions, each as a decoy and to get a head of steam.
The truth the Dolphins double-teamed him on a key third down two weeks in the past says every part about his place throughout the offense. Douglas’ 24 catches and 277 receiving yards lead all Patriots receivers. He’s additionally carved out a task on punt return, with beginning returner Marcus Jones out for the season.
Bottom line: if the Pats want a bit of juice or an explosive play, Douglas is the perfect place to show.
Defensive Player of the Year
S Jabrill Peppers
Peppers’ stats do not bounce off the web page, however he leaps off the tape greater than any participant on the roster.
Peppers performs with an vitality and pressure the protection has sorely lacked this season. His hit on Raiders All-Pro receiver Davante Adams not solely compelled a turnover, however ought to end on season spotlight reels throughout the league. Peppers has additionally stepped in to assist exchange Devin McCourty, each as a frontrunner and a deep security.
On the season, he leads the Patriots with six go deflections. Peppers additionally has 54 tackles, a compelled fumble and one interception, which helped spark the Pats to an early lead of their Week 7 upset of Buffalo.
Offensive Player of the Year
LT Trent Brown
The huge man on the blind facet has been the Patriots’ greatest participant. Full cease.
Brown at the moment grades out because the sixth-best offensive sort out within the NFL at Pro Football Focus. He’s had a single recreation with a number of pressures allowed in go safety, by far the fewest amongst Patriots offensive linemen, per the Herald’s charting. And he is dominated as a run-blocker, rating seventh amongst all offensive tackles in ESPN’s run-block win fee.
For an O-line that is struggled this season, Brown is sort of single-handedly preserving one facet afloat. His missed recreation final Sunday was additionally his first absence of the final yr and a half. The 6-foot-8, 380-pounder is exhibiting up and exhibiting out.
MVP
WR Kendrick Bourne
Where would the Pats be with out him
Despite lacking many of the final 5 quarters with a torn ACL, Bourne nonetheless leads the Pats in receiving by greater than 100 yards and tops all pass-catchers with 4 receiving touchdowns. He ranks because the Eleventh-best wideout within the league by ESPN’s analytics that observe separation, catch problem and yards after catch. In shedding Bourne, the Pats misplaced their most constant playmaker, a trusted goal for Mac Jones and a significant piece of their locker room.
Bourne performed contained in the slot and out huge, catching passes brief, medium and lengthy. And he performed his greatest towards Pats’ greatest opponents, scoring touchdowns towards Miami, Buffalo and Philadelphia. That’s an MVP.
Source: www.bostonherald.com