With the New England Patriots entering both their bye week and the midway point of the 2022 NFL season, it's time to hand out some hardware.
Here are our picks for the Patriots' midseason superlatives:
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
OLB Matthew Judon
Nine weeks in, Judon is a legitimate candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He leads the league with 11 1/2 sacks -- no one else has more than 8 1/2 -- putting him on pace to break Andre Tippett's single-season franchise record of 18 1/2 and challenge Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt's NFL record of 22 1/2. Judon also ranks in the top five in quarterback hits, tackles for loss and total pressures, powering a Patriots pass rush that's sacking opposing QBs at the second-highest rate thus far. The three-time Pro Bowler has been nothing short of terrific. But can he maintain it? That's the million-dollar question after he disappeared down the stretch last season.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE HALF
RB Rhamondre Stevenson
No Patriots player's stock has risen more this season than Stevenson's. The second-year pro quickly has developed into the best all-around back New England has boasted in years, leading the team in rushing yards while also ranking second in receptions behind only Jakobi Meyers. Stevenson and superstar Christian McCaffrey are the only NFL backs with 600-plus rushing yards and 200-plus receiving yards this season, and the former has impressed with both his ball security (zero lost fumbles since his NFL debut last season) and durability (snap rate over 70% in four of the last five games). Bill Belichick clearly loves what he's seeing from Stevenson, jumping at every chance to rave about the Oklahoma product. He's almost singlehandedly carried the Patriots' ground game of late with Damien Harris in and out of the lineup and the offensive line struggling.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE HALF
CB Jonathan Jones
There were a number of candidates worthy of consideration here, including fellow defensive backs Devin McCourty, Adrian Phillips and Jack Jones. But Jon Jones gets the nod because he switched to a new position during training camp and hasn't missed a beat. His surprisingly seamless transition from top slot option to starting outside cornerback has allowed the Patriots' secondary to weather the loss of Pro Bowler J.C. Jackson and remain one of the team's strongest position groups. Jones is coming off his most impactful game of the season, grabbing a pick-six and blocking a punt in a blowout win over the Indianapolis Colts.
ROOKIE OF THE HALF
CB Jack Jones
How good has Jones been this season? For the last several weeks, he's been Pro Football Focus's highest-graded cornerback. In the entire NFL. While he probably doesn't deserve that lofty title at this early stage of his career, the feisty Arizona State product quickly emerged as a difference-maker for the Patriots. In his first (and, to date, only) NFL start, he had a pick-six against Aaron Rodgers and forced and recovered a fumble. A week later, he made an acrobatic, leaping red-zone interception against the Detroit Lions. He's broken up at least one pass in four of the last six games and is in the conversation for Defensive Rookie of the Year, though fellow corners Sauce Gardner and Tariq Woolen have stronger cases at this point. Honorable mention goes to Brenden Schooler, who's been an absolute menace on special teams.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
DE Deatrich Wise
Who saw this one coming? A rotational player for his first five Patriots seasons, Wise has hardly left the field thus far in Year 6, trailing only McCourty in defensive snaps played. His 80% snap rate is nearly 25 percentage points higher than his previous career high, and he's been highly productive, already surpassing his personal best in sacks (5 1/2) and nearing it in total pressures (34). Wise also has taken on new responsibilities, including occasionally playing as a stand-up edge rusher and dropping into coverage, and has added necessary depth to the Patriots' pass rush -- all while serving as a team captain for the first time.
UNSUNG HERO
K Nick Folk
Folk's contributions have been especially valuable of late. He's a perfect 9-for-9 on field-goal attempts over the last two games, helping the Patriots win both despite an anemic offense that managed just two total touchdowns. Overall, the ever-reliable 38-year-old is 19-for-21 on field goals and 20-for-20 on extra points, on pace to top 90% in field-goal conversion rate for the third consecutive season.
BIGGEST SURPRISE
WR Kendrick Bourne
Bourne was the choice in this category last season, as well. But the circumstances of this selection are markedly different. After breaking out with his best season as a pro in 2021, Bourne's production and usage have dropped sharply this season. He began the year buried on the depth chart after a tumultuous training camp, and though his playing time has increased in the weeks since, his output has not. The energetic 27-year-old is averaging just 1.8 catches and 20.9 yards per game, down from 3.2 and 47.1 last season, and his yards-per-route-run average has plummeted from 2.01 to 1.21. The Patriots opted not to move Bourne ahead of last week's trade deadline. Can they get him more involved in the second half of the season?
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
QB Mac Jones
No, Jones' Year 2 regression has not been solely his fault. He's dealt with injuries; coaching turnover; questionable play-calling/game management; a hostile, Zappe Fever-infected home crowd; inconsistent receiver separation and at-times-awful O-line play. The Patriots have not set their promising young quarterback up for success. But Jones is not blameless, either. He hasn't looked nearly as sharp, poised and responsible as he was during his impressive rookie season, and his numbers are among the worst of any NFL QB. Entering Week 10, he's 32nd in passer rating, 33rd in QBR, 33nd in interception rate, 27th in EPA/play and 38th in PFF grade. Finding a way to get Jones and this offense back on track needs to be the Patriots' No. 1 priority during the bye week.
