It was a great week 17 Sunday in the NFL, and we got answers about who’s going to be in the playoffs, and also about who will win the individual awards that fans love to debate and bring up on social media. We also have gotten news of a couple head coaches being fired in New York and Tampa Bay.

There are a number of storylines going into the postseason and the off-season, but as the regular season comes to a close, let’s take a snapshot of the season as a whole, and reward the guys who made it a great year so far.

Most Valuable Player

Patrick Mahomes QB Chiefs

Mahomes has been special all season. He’s been electric. He has made plays that other quarterbacks do not think about making. He’s made those plays in primetime, on national television, in blowouts, in close games, and in comebacks.

The Kansas City Chiefs are the #1 seed in the AFC, and have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The main reason for that fact is Mahomes. Their defense has been below average all year, and he has carried the offense for most of it, especially after losing Kareem Hunt due to off the field issues. He threw for 50 touchdowns, becoming only the third person in history to accomplish that, and he did it as his first year as the starter.

He has the best arm in the National Football League, and is growing more accurate and poised by the day. His numbers speak for themselves. His team has the best record in the conference. He is the MVP, no question.

Offensive Player of the Year

Todd Gurley RB Rams

Over 1800 yards from scrimmage and 21 total touchdowns. In 14 games. He was dominant most of the time he was playing. He had one bad game against the Chicago Bears, but pretty much all skill position players have been shut down in Chicago in 2018.

Gurley was so spectacular this year, he was in consideration for the MVP award himself before the quarterbacks started to run away with it. His numbers would be even greater if he had been able to play in their last two games, considering C.J. Anderson had multiple touchdowns and over 100 yards in both games Gurley missed.

Gurley has already won this award, and he doesn’t want the individual awards, all he wants is team success. But until that happens, he is my OPOY.

Defensive Player of the Year

Aaron Donald DT Rams

Aaron Donald has been the best defensive player in the league for a few years now, and 2018 was no different. He finished with 20.5 sacks, only a couple shy of the single season record. He’s the first defensive tackle ever to record 20 sacks in a season.

Donald is another Ram who should very much be considered for the Most Valuable Player award. He is unblockable. If he is left one-on-one, he will beat the defender. If he is double teamed, he probably will still get close to making the play. If he is triple teamed, you may keep him in check, but there will be two or three more rushers to deal with.

He affects the football game in both the running and passing aspects. It is truly unprecedented what he is doing as an interior lineman with his sack numbers. If Mahomes didn’t throw for 50 touchdowns I really think Aaron Donald would be the MVP.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Darius Leonard LB Colts

As of press time, the Colts/Titans game has not finished, so I don’t have his final numbers, but Leonard will finish the season leading the NFL in total tackles. He has seven sacks through week 16. He has been a force all season for a very underrated Colts defense. I had no idea this unit would be this good in 2018, but Leonard is a huge part of why that is true.

It is unbelievable that Leonard wasn’t named to the Pro Bowl. He also had a lot of competition for this award, in my eyes beating out Denzel Ward of the Browns and Leighton Vander Esch of the Cowboys. He just barely edged out the talented safety in Los Angeles, Derwin James. If James is awarded this honor, I will have no problem with it, but I believe Leonard is more deserving.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Baker Mayfield QB Browns

If i would have written this before Sunday’s Browns game I would have chosen Saquon Barkley. Barkley has been special and worthy of all the accolades people have thrown his way. But Mayfield broke the rookie touchdown record previously held by Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson.

He has thrown 27 touchdown passes, and it only took him 14 games, since he did not start the first two, and didn’t come in until the second half of the third game this season. He was the only quarterback to throw over 300 yards against the great defense of the Baltimore Ravens, and he did it twice. He was the first overall pick for a reason, and he showed exactly why every week he was the starter.

He led the Browns to relevance for the first time this decade, and has given the city of Cleveland true hope for their football team.

To break a record held by Manning and Wilson is no small feat, and he should be proud of that. He should also be setting up space in his home to hold this award right next to his Heisman trophy.