One-man avalanche Myles Garrett should be a rare NFL defensive MVP

Selecting a winner usually fits into one of three clichés: rewarding a reliable performer having a great year (kudos to Matt Ryan! ), proving the authenticity of a budding star, or verifying an old guy still has it.

It is logical. The quarterback is the most valuable player of all. They have an extraordinary degree of influence over the sport. In football, which is a physical real estate acquisition game with 22 moving elements, the quarterback is the only one who has the ball in his hand during each offensive play. There is no player that is more valuable than that at any other position.

When running back Adrian Peterson carried for over 2,000 yards in 2012, he became the first non-quarterback to win the MVP award. Lawrence Taylor, who won in 1986, was the last defensive player to win MVP. It was an alternative era. A kicker—A KICKER!—won the prize four years prior.

However, this season ought to mark a change. Across the board, offensive production is down. The preseason MVP favourites have all failed to live up to the hype. And those who haven’t gone above and beyond Brock Purdy don’t meet the requirements for an engaging story.

This is the season, if ever there was one, when the winner should be someone other than a quarterback.

After going through the usual suspects, none of them impress. Patrick Mahomes’ receiving corps has failed him. Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, and Jalen Hurts haven’t exactly performed up to preseason expectations, or they’ve been hindered by inconsistent play from others around them. Josh Allen’s turnover issues have caused him to drop out of the running. The rookie is CJ Stroud. Joe Burrow has a wound. Despite being playing some of the finest football of his career, Dak Prescott will be negatively impacted by the Cowboys’ record against the top teams in the league. Tua Tagovailoa, Purdy, and Jared Goff won’t be able to get over the perception that they are only the results of exceptionally talented