Patriots Award Winners Through First Half of 2014 Season

The New England Patriots have to be feeling a little bit better about themselves compared to when I handed out awards at the quarter pole.

A 2-2 record quickly became 6-2 with four straight wins over the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and Chicago Bears. They outscored their opponents by a combined 158-87, with a good portion of those points coming in garbage time.

Let's see who have made those six wins possible.

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: Darrelle Revis

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Previous Winner: Dont'a Hightower

Darrelle Revis can't live up to the other worldly expectations of some Patriots fans wanting him to never give up a catch, but he has certainly changed New England's personality and production on defense. The Patriots secondary currently ranks second in yards per game allowed through the air, ceding 210.9 yards per game. Only the Kansas City Chiefs (195.7) have given up less.

New England gave up 28 more yards per game in 2013, even with less stringent enforcement of illegal contact and holding penalties.

Logan Ryan, Kyle Arrington, Brandon Browner and Devin McCourty have all played a factor in the improvement as well, but Revis' ability to play man coverage has been the catalyst.

Dont'a Hightower and Chandler Jones are both deserving of this award as well—Revis has been the beneficiary of the pressure they create—but injuries have stunted their playing and dulled their edge. 

Offensive MVP: Rob Gronkowski

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Previous Winner: Julian Edelman

It is no surprise that Rob Gronkowski's improving health has run parallel to the surge in offensive productivity in New England. Tom Brady has long locked on to his big tight end, now it is starting to pay dividends.

Gronkowski currently leads the league in yards per route run among tight ends, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and trails only Demaryius Thomas when you include wide receivers. His blocking has improved as well, earning a positive rating from Pro Football Focus in each of the last three games.

Julian Edelman and Tom Brady have each had their times in the spotlight, but Gronkowski makes each of their jobs so much easier.

Special Teams Co-MVPs: Matthew Slater and Don Jones

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Previous Winner: Matthew Slater

Bill Belichick loves collecting special teams aces. Larry Izzo may have started the trend in New England, but Matthew Slater is continuing the legacy. Through eight games, he has been joined by Don Jones in covering kicks and punts at a high level.

Slater has picked up 10 tackles on special teams, while Jones has added seven. Even if Stephen Gostkowski or Ryan Allen don't get off their best kick, they know that the coverage will pick up the slack.

Gostkowski also deserves this award, but steady field-goal kickers are becoming commonplace in NFL cities not named Detroit.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Bryan Stork

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Previous Winner: Bryan Stork

Stork has battled injuries, penalties and a slew of competition at center, but he has come out of it all with the starting job. That alone shows the trust that the Patriots coaching staff and Tom Brady have in their young blocker.

Stork's enthusiasm—just watch him break the huddle—seems infectious and his energy seems to carry over to the rest of the offense when he hits the field.

Stork has excelled at pass blocking so far this year—he has earned a +1.1 rating through 127 snaps, per Pro Football Focus—but he still has room to improve as a run-blocker. As he gains more experience, look for his football IQ and desire to take him to the next level.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Dominique Easley

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Previous Winner: Dominique Easley

Easley is still winning this category by default. Zach Moore and Malcolm Butler have each earned positive ratings from Pro Football Focus, but at just 130 combined snaps, they haven't made a big enough contribution yet.

While Easley has been miscast at times—playing outside at 5-tech isn't his forte—due to injury, even his time on the interior hasn't been as productive as Patriots fans would have liked. He has totaled six quarterback pressures on 131 rushes.

As Easley's knee continues to regain strength, his production should follow. If his play makes an ascent similar to Gronkowski's, the Patriots defense could really take off.