New England Patriots Award Winners Through 1st Quarter of the Season
While the New England Patriots are not in the mood to accept any awards due to their 2-2 record, including some fresh bruises at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, there are some players who are worthy of praise for the body of work that they've put on tape.
The usual suspects—Tom Brady, the offensive line—aren't bringing home any hardware at this point of the year. Through four games, they just haven't been worthy.
Consistent execution with a dash of game-changing plays is what Bill Belichick strives to get out of his players, so the same requisites will be applied when doling out the awards for offensive, defensive and special teams MVPs along with the offensive and defensive rookie of the year awards.
Defensive MVP: Dont'a Hightower
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Chandler Jones and Devin McCourty each have had good first quarters of the season, but Dont'a Hightower has been the best player on the New England Patriots defense and one of the top playmakers in the league. Hightower has become a household name due to his big hits, but he is much more than just a striker.
Through four games, the former first-round pick has 12 pressures and 12 stops, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). His positive rating against the run, in coverage and as a pass-rusher speaks to his versatility. Bill Belichick has been able to deploy him as an interior rusher, exterior rusher, inside linebacker and outside linebacker.
Hightower combines with Jamie Collins and Jerod Mayo to make up one of the best linebacker corps in the NFL.
Offensive MVP: Julian Edelman
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Without Julian Edelman, the New England Patriots could be looking at a 1-3 or even an 0-4 record. In his two victorious outings, Edelman has racked up 16 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown. He also has two rushes for 14 yards.
No other receiver has been able to put up that sort of production on a consistent basis. Defenses know that Tom Brady will be locking in on Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, but No. 11 still finds a way to get open.
Edelman's contributions aren't confined to just one phase of the game. His 10.9 yards per return has given the Patriots better field position than can be expected.
If Edelman is to continue his torrid pace—he is on track for 100-plus catches again—more weapons will need to emerge to keep defenses honest.
Special Teams MVP: Matthew Slater
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If there has been one New England Patriot who deserved to applauded for his performance in 2014, Matthew Slater is at the top of the list. Nobody in the NFL does their job better than Slater does in covering punts. His six special teams tackles more than double the next Patriot on the list.
Watching him get off the vice as a gunner on punt coverage is a thing of beauty. He uses great technique at the line of scrimmage, screams down the sideline with blazing speed and breaks down into tackling position with grace and poise. Most returners don't even have a chance.
As solid as Stephen Gostkowski has been—he is still a perfect 8-of-8 on the year—Slater's skills just can't be duplicated on this team.
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Offensive Rookie of the Year: Bryan Stork
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It is tough to find positives on the struggling Patriots offense, but help may be on the way in the form of some rookie linemen. Cameron Fleming hasn't been terrible—that is a compliment for a late-round rookie—at guard and as a third tight end, but Bryan Stork has been the best rookie so far.
After missing time due to an injury during training camp, he has been slowly integrated into the starting lineup at center. Seventy-seven snaps into his career, Stork is one of the few Patriots linemen to be sporting a rating close to positive, according to Pro Football Focus.
Stork hasn't been perfect—he needs some reassurance from Tom Brady at times—but his physical makeup and energy has been a welcome change on the offensive line. He has a dozen games to infect the rest of bearded brethren with positive energy.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Dominique Easley
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With defensive rookies only accounting for 196 total snaps through the first four games of the season, it is safe to say that pickings were a bit slim for this award.
That said, Dominique Easley—who has accounted for 104 of the 196 snaps—has made some highly athletic plays that resulted in a big change of momentum. Picking off a pass in Minnesota, rushing the passer from outside or in, Easley has made some splash plays.
Expect more of those in the future. It looks clear that his repaired knee has yet to afford Easley his preternatural quickness as of yet. Look for the former Florida Gator to have a big second half of the year as he finds his sea legs.
Stats and figures courtesy of NFL.com.
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