NFL Midseason Awards: MVP, Best Team and Top Coach

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From Outspoken With Dan Sileo

Joe Burrow Leads the Midseason MVP Discussion as John Harbaugh Earns Coaching Praise

At the halfway point of the NFL season, Joe Burrow stands out as the current MVP favorite. Josh Allen, Caleb Williams and Jordan Love also have strong cases, with Love flying under the radar while carrying the Packers.

Burrow’s performance in London highlighted what he means to the Bengals’ offense. He has scored approximately 20 touchdowns over his last four games and is passing at an exceptionally high level. Nearly every throw features precise ball placement, and he makes only one or two questionable throws per game. As a pure pocket passer, he is playing the position at the highest level right now.

The Bengals also appear to have the best path to winning the AFC North. The Ravens will struggle to compete without Lamar Jackson, while the Browns have started to come back down to earth. The Bengals-Steelers matchup on Sunday Night Football in Week 10 gives Burrow an opportunity to demonstrate his form on a major stage.

Burrow remains the favorite, but Allen, Love and Williams are in close pursuit, even after Williams threw four interceptions in his latest game.

There may not be one dominant team in the league. The Bengals have a strong case because of their current form and the improvement of their defense under Al Golden. The Buffalo Bills could also stake their claim if they find a way to beat Brian Flores’ defense on Monday Night Football. With Allen’s ability as a dual-threat playmaker, Buffalo’s offense could be considered the best in the league.

The Bengals and Bills are the leading teams right now. The 49ers also deserve consideration in the NFC, although their injury issues remain a concern. Those problems may eventually catch up with them, or Kyle Shanahan may simply be delivering one of the league’s best coaching performances. Skepticism will remain until the 49ers are as healthy as possible.

Shanahan deserves significant credit for his work, while Ben Johnson has done an excellent job continuing to build the Bears’ offense. However, John Harbaugh is the leading Coach of the Year candidate at this point.

Few expected the Giants to compete for the NFC East. Any preseason optimism depended on Jackson Dart taking a step forward, but he was lost two weeks into the season. With the team written off and Jameis Winston expected to take over, Winston produced a winning record in four starts. The Giants then moved to JJ McCarthy, who has continued his winning streak as a starter.

Harbaugh deserves credit for building the team, establishing an identity and making bold decisions. He benched Cam Scatabo one week, and Scatabo responded the following week with one of the best games of his career.

Todd Monken also deserves recognition. Nobody expected the Browns to hold a winning record at this stage, making their 5-4 mark impressive despite their recent decline. They may not make the playoffs, but Monken has them moving in the right direction and deserves more praise.