Best Sports Stuff Right Now: MVPs, Army-Navy and Snitches!

With the NFL playoffs on approach and college football gearing up for bowl season, December makes for one of the best times of the year.

It’s almost intimidating knowing where to start when it comes to sports this month. Unlike many other things—such as, some would say, years with Jeff Fisher as head coach—more is always better when it comes to sports.

As names like Deshaun Watson and others vie for the Heisman Trophy and the NFL begins playoff runs, the typical away-from-sports happenings also continue to make waves.

As such, here’s a packed edition of the best sports stuff of the week.

David Johnson's MVP Push Continues

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson is borderline unstoppable.

Johnson put together a healthy season last year, yet his coaches didn’t exactly turn him loose with his 125 carries.

This year? All bets seem off. Through 12 games, Johnson has 228 carries for 1,005 yards and 11 touchdowns. Don’t forget another 64 catches for 704 yards and four more scores.

The Cardinals don’t appear headed to a Super Bowl, but it shouldn’t keep Johnson from the MVP discussion.

Klay Casually Drops 60

Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors certainly doesn’t lack for confidence.

Thompson dropped a 60-burger on the Indiana Pacers Monday in all of 29 minutes, so yeah, the above claim isn’t too outlandish.

We’ve known Thompson can score like this. What’s interesting is which member of the Warriors does it next, seeing as the NBA is simply the Warriors’ world.

James Harden's MVP Case

The globe seems to throw plenty of names around in the NBA MVP discussion.

For one reason or another, James Harden’s doesn’t come up as often as you’d expect (neither does his beard, based on the above).

For shame, too—Harden has his Houston Rockets sitting in the top five in the Western Conference while he averages 28.7 points, 11.6 assists and 7.6 rebounds per game.

Free of a guy named Dwight, Harden once again has the stat sheet stuffed at video game levels.

Kobe Comparsions Keep Making More and More Sense

Is Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan the next Kobe Bryant?

No way—he’s the next DeMar DeRozan. The USC product has developed into one of the most dangerous players in the league (he averages 28 points per game while primarily gunning from the mid-range) and models his game after Bryant.

The above quote comes from a profile by ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst, which breaks down DeRozan’s approach.

"In his early teen years, DeRozan began studying every Bryant move. At age 16, he met Bryant at a summer run at Loyola Marymount, and Bryant quickly took to him, offering his brand of vicious advice when they'd see each other. DeRozan swallowed it whole," Windhorst wrote.

Kobe fans might want to watch DeRozan closely, as they’d see the similarities.

Luck Awakens, Colts Hunt for Playoffs

It took longer than fans of the Indianapolis Colts would have preferred, but Andrew Luck came alive in Week 13.

Week 13, also known as just when the Colts needed it most. He tossed four touchdowns in a 41-10 romp against the New York Jets, getting the Colts back to 6-6 and flirting with the top spot in the AFC South.

One can’t help but wonder what comes next with a player as talented as Luck. His Colts have now won three of their last four and should his play from Week 13 continue, Luck could shake up the playoffs more than anyone would have dared predict even a week ago.

The Heisman Race Begins

Three quarterbacks, a wide receiver and one epic defender.

So goes the official Heisman finalists. Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, Watson out of Clemson and Baker Mayfield out of Oklahoma are the lucky quarterbacks with eye-popping stats to make the cut.

The defender, of course, is Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers, the versatile Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. At wideout, the deserving Dede Westbrook out of Oklahoma, by far Mayfield’s best weapon.

Who ends up winning? Hard to say, but the non-quarterback finalists don’t feel like obsolete members of the list this year. We'll find out who takes it home Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.

Marquette King Keeps Paving the Way for Punters

Oakland Raiders punter Marquette King is one of the best things going in sports today.

Come on—this guy celebrates after booting a punt. He even hit a dab recently after a punt against the Carolina Panthers (match that, Cam Newton).

Oh, and there’s also the above. Not only did King grab a penalty flag and dance with it, he then hilariously took to social media to point out the player who tattled on him.

King has the globe waiting to see what a punter does next, so feel free to call him a trailblazer at his position.

College Football Playoff Gets Set

Though Penn State and Michigan aren't too happy, the latest edition of the College Football Playoff still features some incredible matchups any fan should want to see.

In the Peach Bowl, the strong defense of the Alabama Crimson Tide will take on the high-flying Washington Huskies offense in what was formerly a dream matchup.

In the Fiesta Bowl, Watson's Clemson Tigers will clash with the Ohio State Buckeyes, a team fresh off dismissing Michigan in The Game.

Even better? The winner plays for a national title. While the system has its flaws, it's hard not to love what comes next.

Russell Westbrook's Historic Pace

It's time to be honest—Russell Westbrook might not be human.

That, or the NBA we all watch and consume is actually a video game.

First, many scoffed at the idea Westbrook could average a triple-double with Kevin Durant out of the way. He's at a 31.0/11.3/10.9 slash line. Second, many probably figured it wasn't sustainable.

Take a look at the above.

Westbrook is a stat machine and his Oklahoma City Thunder have 14 wins. The sky is the limit.

Snow, Bears Make Colin Kaepernick Historic

To say San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick had a bad day at the office in Week 13 would be the understatement to end all understatements.

In the swirling, snowy winds of the aptly named Windy City, Kaepernick went 1-of-5 for four yards while taking five sacks in a loss to the Chicago Bears.

The winter is indeed a harsh mistress for NFL quarterbacks.

Eric Berry's Tear-Wrenching Homecoming

For those who saw it, Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry put on a performance in Week 13 observers will never forget. 

Berry returned home to Atlanta for the first time as a pro and returned one interception for a touchdown and another for two points in a one-point win against the Atlanta Falcons.

Here's an apt summary, via Peter King of the  TheMMQB.com:

"

How incredible it was: In the 82nd game of his NFL career, Berry had his best performance, college or pro, and he had it in his hometown. It’s the first time he’d gotten to play as a pro in Atlanta. And he had this game nine miles from the cancer center where he was cured of lymphoma after he was diagnosed two years ago this month.

"

Kudos to Berry, who gave fans a late contender for sports moment of 2016. 

Utah, the Sleeping Juggernaut

Jim Mone/Associated Press

The Utah Jazz sit in the thick of the playoff hunt in the Western Conference but aren't often mentioned at all given the heavyweights of the conference. 

It's time to wake up to the idea of mentioning the Jazz, though, just in case.

Take a look at a note detailing when George Hill and Gordon Hayward take the floor together, courtesy of ESPN.com's Zach Lowe: "Side note: Utah has outscored opponents by 68 points in the measly 131 minutes Hill and Hayward have shared the floor this season—equivalent to a ridiculous plus-25 margin over 48 minutes. If this team can ever get healthy, watch out."

Maybe the Jazz never get these two on the floor together consistently enough for it to matter, but it's worth noting.

Gregg Popovich Drops Quote of the Year

Aaron Gash/Associated Press

Now the San Antonio Spurs? That's a team mentioned often. The Spurs look like one of the only teams capable of playing with the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference.

Head coach Gregg Popovich is another big reason. Always good for jokes, when Pop gets serious, it's important to perk the ears up and digest what he's saying.

The latest, according to Dave Zirin of The Nation:

"

Win the championship? I don’t know, but it’s not a priority in my life. I’d be much happier if I knew that my players were going to make society better, who had good families and who took care of the people around them. I’d get more satisfaction out of that than a title. I would love to win another championship, and we’ll work our butts off to try and do that. But we have to want more than success in our jobs. That’s why we’re here. We’re here so you’ll understand that you can overcome obstacles by being prepared and if you educate the hell out of yourself. If you become respectful, disciplined people in this world, you can fight anything. If you join with each other and you believe in yourself and each other, that’s what matters. That’s what we want to relay to you all: that we believe that about you or we wouldn’t be here.

"

There is little else to say here. The best in the business has done it again.

Bucks' Innovative Tall-Ball Approach

Aaron Gash/Associated Press

Small-ball lineups have taken the NBA by storm, and coaches around the league haven't been able to stop it effectively.

What comes next is an innovation from creative coaches more rolling with the tide than trying to swim against it.

Look at the approach by the intriguing Milwaukee Bucks, as captured by The Vertical's Michael Lee:

"

Milwaukee has decided that the best way to zag while every other team zigs is to go bigger. But not go bigger in a pounding, plodding way. Bigger with [Giannis] Antetokounmpo, a 6-foot-11 primary facilitator grabbing rebounds and beating the little guys down the floor for violent dunks, and bigger with versatile wings like 6-8 Jabari Parker, who would rather punish smaller foes inside than force them to come out to the perimeter.

"

So the Bucks are using size, but they have shifted said size to the backcourt. 

Innovative, and it just might work. Keep a close eye on the rising Bucks.

Army-Navy Takes Center Stage

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

In no way does college football take a break this week.

Bowl season doesn't necessarily kick off, but fans won't want to miss another classic matchup between the No. 25 Navy Midshipmen and the Army Black Knights Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.

Army boasts an incredible rushing attack that gains 5.6 yards per carry and has scored 37 touchdowns. Navy makes it a gritty war of wills thanks to its own rushing attack averaging 5.9 yards per carry to go along with 54 touchdowns.

The real winner no matter the results? Fans resting up before bowl season begins.