Philadelphia Eagles 2022 Regular Season Awards: The Best Of The NFC’s Best.
The Philadelphia Eagles have had a fantastic 2022 NFL Season.
Their NFC leading 14-3 record tells only part of the story. The Philadelphia Eagles won their first eight games, and 13 of their first 14. The team’s dominance was complete, on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, the Eagles were able to utilize their new found balance between running and passing attack, thanks in no small part to the elite development of their starting quarterback. Two of their losses came in Jalen Hurts’ absence, who made a formidable case for the NFL’s MVP award.
Defensively, the Eagles were fantastic. They led the NFL with 70.0 sacks, with a feared, deep pass rush capable of completely ruining the opposition’s game plans. Not only did it lead the league, but it was also just two short of the all-time season record. The Eagles also had 15 more sacks than any other team in the NFL this season. Simply dominant.
Moreover, Philadelphia had 27 takeaways, the fourth-most in the NFL this season. PFF ranked them third in overall defensive grade and first in pass-rushing grade with a stellar 88.6. Although the Eagles must improve their run defense, their scheme does encourage teams to run the ball and dink-and-dunk down the field, which often allows them to attack Gannon’s plays on the ground. They were by no means awful against the ground attack, ranking 14th in PFF grade in that area.
With all the team’s success, it is tough to credit just some individual players. Each member of the Eagles’ roster contributed to the fantastic achievement of the NFC’s best record.
Alas, we will try anyway. Here are my Philadelphia Eagles 2022 NFL Season Awards.
Comeback Player Of The Year – Brandon Graham
Just like a fine wine, Brandon Graham keeps getting better with age.
The 34-year-old edge defender had another dominant year for the Eagles. His career-high 11 sacks were his first time hitting double digits. Graham was a relentless force on passing downs, racking up an incredible 48 quarterback pressures from just 294 pass rush opportunities, according to PFF. Furthermore, Pro Football Focus credited him with a stellar overall defensive grade of 89.8, firmly galvanizing him once again among the elite trench defenders.
Graham made an emphatic return. He missed all but two games in 2021 with a torn achilles, and at the twilight of his career seemed to not have too much left in the tank. The Eagles prepared to retool the trenches, signing edge defender Haason Reddick and bringing back the largely disappointing Derek Barnett.
Fortunately, Brandon Graham returned to his former dominance. He was able to play fewer snaps, which may help him extend his career even further, and ensured he was fresh when he was on the field.
Graham firmly gets the nod of our comeback player of the year, for an elite year in which he galvanized his name into historic Eagles defenders.
Rookie Of The Year – Reed Blankenship
This one might be a little bit of a surprise.
Perhaps it is the delta between expectation and performance. Perhaps, it is the limited role of Nakobe Dean and the depth of the defensive line rotation that kept Jordan Davis’ snap count low. Or, just maybe, it was Reed Blankenship’s fantastic performance when asked to substitute for the injured superstar safety Chauncey Garnder-Johnson.
Nonetheless, Blankenship was sensational.
In his first significant action, the undrafted rookie was terrific. He played 35 snaps against the Green Bay Packers, notching six total tackles, an interception, and a pass defense. Blankenship continued to be solid in the secondary, finishing the season with an above 69 grade in every category on PFF.
Blankenship likely will have an opportunity to get more snaps in the 2023 NFL season, after a further year of development. The Middle Tennessee State product was a reliable tackler, missing just one of his 34 tackles on the year. He allowed just six catches on 11 targets and held opposing quarterbacks to a 66.9 passer rating. PFF also credited him with eight stops, which displayed a real ability for the youngster to get downhill fast and contribute in run support.
The future is bright for Philadelphia when even their undrafted rookies are becoming significant contributors in a deep roster.
The Stoutland University Award – Lane Johnson
This unit is ridiculous.
I mean, come on. All five starters were either Pro Bowlers or alternates. The trenches were a massive part of the Eagles’ offensive success, as they made the running game move and the passing game have the timing necessary to be executed.
And the best of them was Lane Johnson.
The veteran right tackle has been an absolute rock of consistency for years now. Johnson did not surrender a sack for the second straight season, and somehow only allowed just nine quarterback pressures from his side. Even more incredible, he didn’t even allow a quarterback hit. In 953 snaps on the perimeter.
Mind-blowing.
We don’t need to spend too long on this one. A ferocious run blocker, and literal wall in pass protection, Lane Johnson earned a Pro Bowl nod, which is the fourth of his career.
Offensive Player Of The Year – A.J. Brown
Let’s rewind to the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Eagles select Georgia Bulldog Jordan Davis 13th overall, after leapfrogging the Baltimore Ravens to trade up. In doing so, Philadelphia solidified its interior run defense with a mammoth trench player that has a sky-high ceiling.
Then, the Eagles packaged their other first-round selection (18th overall) with the 101st overall pick and shipped it to the Tennessee Titans. In return, they received superstar receiver, A.J. Brown. Upon acquiring the pass catcher, the Eagles secured him long-term, signing him to a 4 year, $100 million extension.
What a move that has been.
Brown set a single-season Eagles record for receiving yards in his first campaign in Philadelphia. Immediately, the chemistry between him and long-time friend Jalen Hurts was apparent. In Week 1, Brown had ten catches for 155 yards, bursting onto the scene and giving the Eagles the dominant receiver they had lacked. With the development of sophomore wideout DeVonta Smith, who also topped 1,000 yards this season, Philadelphia’s offense was almost impossible to stop.
Brown’s fourth campaign as a pro was his best yet, and he seemed to take a leap into the elite of the NFL. He ended the season with 88 receptions, 1,496 yards, and 11 receiving touchdowns. The former Titan made the Pro Bowl for the second time and ended the season with a marvelous 89.2 receiving grade from PFF.
Entering his fifth year next year, A.J. Brown has firmly established himself as an elite receiver in the NFL. For the Eagles, he will be a favorite target of Jalen Hurts for a long time to come.
Defensive Player Of The Year – Haason Reddick
This one had many candidates.
The Eagles’ defense has had many superstar performances this year. They became the first team in league history to have four double-digit sack defenders in a single season. Philadelphia was the most stingy pass defense in the NFL, allowing a league fewest 3057 yards through the air.
Their new acquisition James Bradberry paired with Darius Slay to make one of the most formidable cornerback tandems in the NFL. Their defensive line pinned their ears back and terrorized opposing quarterbacks, in a way that continued to completely turn games in their favor. The linebacker play of Kyzir White and emerging superstar T.J. Edwards was really solid, with the latter achieving a stellar 84.8 overall PFF grade.
Unfortunately, however, only one defender can win the award.
Haason Reddick gets the nod here. After signing a three-year, $45 million contract with Philadelphia in the offseason, the former Carolina Panther edge defender was expected to primarily contribute as a pass rusher. His previous two seasons, one year each as a member of the Panthers and Cardinals, had seen Reddick rack up 23.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, and 27 tackles for loss.
The 2022 NFL Season was even better. Reddick made his first Pro Bowl after wreaking havoc on opposing offensive linemen all year. He ended the season with 16.0 sacks, a league-leading five forced fumbles, and 11 tackles for loss. PFF credited him with a 90.0 pass-rushing grade and a phenomenal 68 total quarterback pressures.
Reddick’s dominance over the last three seasons is one of the more underrated stretches in the NFL. As he settles into a deep rotation on the Eagles’ defensive line, look for his comfort as a pass rusher to only improve.
Philadelphia has found itself quite the game-wrecker on the edge.
Most Valuable Player – Jalen Hurts
Wow.
Entering a make-or-break season, quarterback Jalen Hurts answered the bell. Many believed that the Eagles trading one of their first-round selections in 2022 for this year’s draft was an insurance policy for his development. Essentially, if Hurts did not show the necessary development in year three, the Eagles would use their two selections to move up and grab a premier quarterback prospect.
I think it is safe to say that Jalen Hurts dismissed that emphatically this season.
The Eagles’ signal caller had a remarkable year. Hurts ascended into the upper echelon of quarterbacks in the NFL, showing developmental strides that surprised almost everyone.
He ended the regular season with 3,701 passing yards, completing 66.5% of his throws and reaching the end zone 22 times through the air. He was reliable with the football, with just six interceptions.
Hurts was also a premier rushing threat. He had 760 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, as well as a blistering 67 first downs with his legs. Hurts’ quarterback sneak became one of the most unstoppable plays in the NFL, as he almost always bullied his way for a first down.
The third-year QB had an extremely successful season. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod, as well as earning an 85.9 PFF overall grade on the year. He became firmly entrenched as an upcoming star in the NFL and has galvanized himself as the Eagles’ franchise quarterback moving forward.
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