The Midseason Eagles Awards: Which Birds Are Flying The Highest?
The Philadelphia Eagles have been dominant in the first half of the 2023 NFL Season.
Some will quibble with the fact that the defending NFC Champions did not look particularly sharp in the first few weeks of the season, as they seemed to stumble at times and look a bit discombobulated. That being said, Philadelphia has a new coordinator on each side of the football, numerous new pieces in the back end of the defense, and some natural regression of play.
As Week 9 concludes, the Eagles have the best record in the NFL, at a commanding 8-1. They look sharp, moving the ball consistently on offense through the air or on the ground. Their defense has had their struggles, but has had significant highlights as well, holding the high-powered Miami Dolphins to just ten offensive points in their Week Seven matchup.
We take a look at some of Philadelphia's best contributors in this fantastic first half of the season, and how they have influenced the team thus far.
Most Valuable Player - Jalen Hurts, QB
Jalen Hurts is the MVP of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023, thus far.
He narrowly edges out superstar wide receiver A.J. Brown, as he has weathered some adversity en route to an NFL-best 8-1 record. Hurts has thrown for 2,347 yards, 15 TDs, and 8 INT so far in 2023. His leadership and toughness have been a consistent beacon for his team, and he has made countless tough throws and out-of-structure plays that have left analysts in awe.
Hurts has been less of a factor on the ground, due in large part to an adjustment in his rushing aggressiveness. He is sliding earlier, which is likely to the relief of the coaching staff to ensure he is healthy for the postseason. Even withstanding his more conservative approach, Hurts has still totaled 316 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns. Furthermore, he has had an astonishing 39 first-down conversions, thanks in large part to the success of the "Brotherly Shove" QB sneak play that has been virtually unstoppable on short-yardage situations.
Hurts is even keel, tough as nails, and is showing the NFL that he will be a legitimate superstar signal caller for quite some time.
Offensive Player Of The Year - A.J. Brown, WR
I mean, we truly could have given A.J. Brown the MVP.
After an NFL record six consecutive games with 125 yards or more, the former Tennessee Titans receiver has truly arrived as a top-3 pass catcher in the league. Through just 8 games, he already has a mind-blowing 67 catches on 92 targets, for an incredible total of 1,005 yards and six touchdowns.
Brown is on pace to break the all-time season record for receiving yards. He continues to take over games when it matters, and be the most reliable pass-catching option for his good friend Jalen Hurts.
His contributions to the offense cannot be overstated. He is simply a nightmare matchup for any opposing defense, that have no answer for his combination of size, speed, and route-running capabilities.
Defensive Player Of The Year - Haason Reddick, EDGE
Haason Reddick has been truly clutch this season.
Despite a slow start to the season, in which the EDGE defender did not notch a single sack in the first three contests, the Eagles' superstar is starting to catch fire. Reddick has been utterly explosive from that point onward, racking up 7.5 sacks to go along with his eight tackles for loss on the season.
The Eagles' sack leader has found a way to end games with sacks, completely wreck the games against the run in the backfield, and just generally provide a presence that instills fear in opposing offensive tackles.
There is a great argument for Jalen Carter here, but Reddick gets the slight nod for now due to his game-wrecking plays in the fourth quarter.
Offensive Rookie Of The Year - Tyler Steen, OL
The Philadelphia Eagles' 2023 NFL Draft haul was laden with defensive contributors, and Steen was really the only player on offense who had a chance to contribute. The Alabama prospect was slated to be a backup and slide inside to a guard position.
His versatility is extremely attractive in Philadelphia, and his debut start in Week Nine was extremely solid. He showed the ability to play with leverage and angles in the run game, and will provide a solid link in this offensive line with Cam Jurgens dealing with a foot injury. When the starting right guard does return, Steen will still serve as a valuable backup option that can develop behind the starting five.
Defensive Rookie Of The Year - Jalen Carter, IDL
Jalen Carter is potentially the front-runner for the Defensive Rookie Of The Year. In fact, the Georgia rookie is not that much of a long-shot to take home Defensive Player Of The Year honours.
Despite playing just 46% of the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive snaps, Jalen Carter has made his presence felt consistently and just absolutely ruined offensive gameplays. He has an absolutely absurd 91.6 PFF overall grade and shows dominance snap after snap. He has racked up 4.0 sacks, five tackles for loss and two forced fumbles already in the season.
After his Week Seven performance against the Miami Dolphins, PFF's Dalton Wasserman that Carter's "season-long work is in the company of elite players such as Aaron Donald and Chris Jones".
I mean, that just says it all, doesn't it. The Eagles got the best player in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Stoutland University Graduate Of The Year - Jordan Mailata, OL
The Australian left tackle is perhaps the best offensive lineman in the NFL in 2023.
Mailata has been absolutely incredible, with an overall PFF grade of 86.9, which leads all tackles in the NFL. The 6'8", 365-pound behemoth has been a stalwart in the first half of the season, allowing just one sack according to PFF prior to Week 9.
Mailata has all the tools to become one of the best tackles in the NFL, and is certainly playing like it this season. As a result, he gets the nod for the best offensive lineman on this stacked starting five so far in 2023.
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