Raiders 2024 year-end awards: Top newcomer, best position group, most disappointing addition, more

The 2024 NFL season is behind us. So, let’s take a look back and hand out some awards. Some of which will be good ones. Some…not so much.

The 2024 NFL season is behind us. So, let’s take a look back and hand out some awards. Some of which will be good ones. Some…not so much.

This was an easy choice. Bowers is not just the Raiders top rookie, he is arguably the top rookie in the NFL. He is a long shot for Offensive Rookie of theYear due to the existence of Jayden Daniels, but there is a case to be made that he should win it due to the historic numbers he put up this seasons including rookie TE receiving yards record (1194), rookie receptions record (112), and Raiders franchise single-season receptions record.

He was added for nothing and without a lot of fanfare. The round seven rookie was waived by the Colts in their final roster cuts and claimed by the Raiders. He started seven games for the Raiders down the stretch and looks like he could be a solid foundational piece on this defensive line considering he has three years left on his rookie deal.

Butler set out this season to show he could be an every-down player and he did that. He stepped up with the loss of Christian Wilkins and was the Raiders’ best interior defender, finishing with five sacks and career-bests in tacckles (65), tackles for loss (8) and QB hits (10).

Jakorian Bennett was the midseason winner of this award, but he went down with injury and missed the latter half of the season. He too is probably worthy, but Butler held up all season long and is thus deserving of the award in the end.

Being that Chaisson had never had NFL success before this season, one could argue he’s not “coming back” from anything. But being that there aren’t any other candidates for this award, we’re going to stretch that a bit. He was a former first round pick, so at one time he was highly regarded. He just never lived up to it with the Jaguars. The former LSU star edge rusher had as many sacks this season (five) as he did his first four seasons combined.

Gardner Minshew is a close runner-up here. But after seeing the improved numbers across the board under Luke Getsy’s replacement Scott Turner, it was clear Getsy was a big part of the problem. Not a big surprise, honestly. He was coming off a terrible season with the Bears and wasn’t the Raiders first choice for the job. And somehow he was still a great disappointment.

They lost their top player Christian Wilkins five games into the season. And yet somehow still managed to step up and carry the load. The combo of Adam Butler, John Jenkins, and Jonah Laulu gave the Raiders some solid work both in run defense and pass rush. With some good late season flashes from Zach Carter as well. Should they bring back Butler, teaming him up with Wilkins and Laulu could give the Raiders a very formidable front.

You could also go with “Only good game” as the title of this award. That win in Baltimore looks more and more like a fluke the farther down the line we get from it. Their other wins were against two of the worst teams in the NFL (Jaguars and Browns), one who had Deshaun Watson starting and the other two with backup QBs (Jaguars and Saints).

Somewhat interesting their worst game came the week after their best one. Though there were many contenders for the worst game. But looking back, the one that stands out is the one that started the collapse.

It was their home opening loss to the Panthers in which they never led and Andy Dalton led offense to put up 33 points in the first 47 minutes. After the game, Antonio Pierce had his infamous reactionary press conference in which he called out unnamed players for making “business decisions.”

Shortly thereafter, Davante Adams came down with a sudden and mysterious ankle injury. Then demanded a trade and eventually was sent to the Jets. That’s also when Michael Mayer left the team and didn’t return for more than a month. The team was in shambles the rest of the way.

They would “win” the next game against the Browns, but anyone who watched it saw Deshaun Watson hand that game to the Raiders on a silver platter. Then they went on a ten-game losing streak.

Some of the lowlights from that streak include the Rams game where the Raiders turned the ball over four times, the first Chiefs game where the running backs averaged less than a yard per carry, the Steelers game where Pittsburgh rattled off 26 unanswered, the Broncos who had a 100-yard pick six and put up 34 unanswered, and the Bengals game when the Raiders gave up scores on the first five drives — four of which went for touchdowns — and allowed a season-high 41 points.

And that was just the first five games of their ten-game losing streak. They failed to reach even 20 points in any of the five games after the bye week while turning the ball over nine times.

He finished third in the league in gross punt average (50.8) and garnered a few All Pro votes.

Yes, the best rookie has also been their best offensive player and their lone First Team All Pro. Jakobi Meyers had his best season, but he wasn’t nearly on the level of Bowers who the Raiders offense ran through.

He won AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the team’s come-from-behind win in Baltimore in Week two. He battled ankle injury for several weeks, then injured the same ankle later in the season, sending Crosby to injured reserve. He was still named to the Pro Bowl and no other Raiders defender is approaching his talents.

Seattle Seahawks announce 2021 midseason honors

With the first half of the 2021 NFL year in the books, the Seattle Seahawks have now announced their midseason honors winners.

The Seattle Seahawks have their bye this week, just in time to mark the middle of the NFL season.  An annual tradition, the Seahawks have taken a look back at the first half of the year and issued their mid-season honors.

Without further ado . . .  here are your 2021 mid-season award winners!

Offensive MVP: Wide receiver DK Metcalf

Defensive MVP: Linebacker Bobby Wagner

Special Teams MVP: Linebacker/Fullback Nick Bellore

Best Rookie: Cornerback Tre Brown

Best Newcomer: Guard Gabe Jackson

Best Comeback Player: Defensive end Darrell Taylor

Unsung Heroes: Poona Ford, Al Woods and Bryan Mone

Best Play, Offense: Russell Wilson escapes and finds Freddie Swain in the end zone for a spectacular touchdown

Best Play, Defense: Quandre Diggs takes one from his old friend Matt Stafford

Best Play, Special Teams: Michael Dickson’s absurd double punt vs. the Rams.

Trend to build on in the second half: Ball security on offense

Trend to clean up in the second half: Poor finishing

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Seattle Seahawks announce 2019 Season Honors

After an impressive campaign that ended in the divisional round, the Seattle Seahawks have announced their 2019 Season Honors awards.

The Seattle Seahawks wrapped up their 2019 campaign with a loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs. Now that the year is officially in the books, Seahawks.com has announced its Season Honors.

Without further ado, here are the winners of the coveted awards.

Seattle Seahawks 2019 Season Honors

Offensive MVP: Quarterback Russell Wilson

Defensive MVP: Linebacker Bobby Wagner

Special Teams MVPs: Ugo Amadi & Nick Bellore

Best Rookie: Receiver DK Metcalf

Best Newcomer: Defensive End Jadeveon Clowney

Comebacker Player of The Year: Linebacker K.J. Wright

Best In-Season Acquisition: Safety Quandre Diggs

Unsung Hero: Center Joey Hunt

Most Improved: Defensive End Rasheem Green

Unexpected breakout season: Tight end Jacob Hollister

Best Play, Offense: Russell Wilson to Tyler Lockett for an (almost) impossible touchdown vs. the Rams

Best Play, Defense: Jarran Reed & Jadeveon Clowney team up for a defensive score against the 49ers

Best unexpected late-season development to arise from a bad situation: The return of Beast Mode

Trends to continue in 2020: Turnover differential, overall offensive efficiency & road success

Things to clean up in 2020: Defensive inconsistency & struggles at home

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