6. Write 600 words or more on something about anything in the league that interests you. It could be related to statistics, a league issue that you take seriously, or a niche part of history that doesn’t fit neatly into either of the above categories. This must be directly related to the league, so don’t wax 600 words about your team’s participation on a Werewolf server or something.
With the awards update, there is now no more direct positional awards, and instead there are all pro teams. However, there are still awards like offensive player of the year, and defensive player of the year. Obviously everyone will have their own views on who got snubbed, but I believe there was one absolutely egregious error made by the awards team this time. Willie Miller may have just had the greatest season by a CB ever, and a LB who admittedly had a great season, but not the greatest season ever by a player at their position won defensive player of the year. Now this is something anyone could say, but now I will provide evidence (stats) to support my claim.
First we need to look at the seasons of every other CB to win the defensive player of the year award. There have been 5 seasons out of 36 where a CB has won defensive player of the year. These players are: Antoine Delacour in season 6, Dermot Lavelle in season 9, Arbin Asipi III in season 15, David Rector in season 26, and Rickie Vaughn in season 30. Now we need to look at where these seasons rank among the statistical performances among their positions today. Primarily we will be looking at interceptions, passes defended, and defensive TDs. If sacks/TFL/FF/FR are notable, they will be listed as well.
Antoine Delacour's performance in season 6 had 5 interceptions (tied for 88th all time), 26 passes defended (tied for 108th all time), and 2 defensive TDs (tied for 19th all time). A season that was one of the best cornerback seasons ever at the time, but has since been slightly diminished to a highly above average CB season today.
Dermot Lavelle's performance in season 9 had 8 interceptions (tied for 8th all time), 28 passes defended (tied for 74th all time), and 0 defensive TDs (tied for 638th all time). Having more interceptions and passes defended then Delacour, this performance improved in all aspects significant to a CB except for defensive TDs.
Arbin Asipi III's performance in season 15 had 9 interceptions (tied for 5th all time), 20 passes defended (tied for 295th all time), and 3 defensive TDs (tied for 5th all time). Having the least amount of passes defended so far was not a problem as Asipi had 9 interceptions, and 3 defensive TDs, both of which are currently tied for 5th, and 1 below the current league record.
David Rector's performance in season 26 had 7 interceptions (tied for 16th all time), 32 passes defended (tied for 34th all time), and 2 defensive TDs (tied for 19th all time). An absolutely tremendous CB season, and possibly better than all the previous seasons where a CB had won defensive player of the year.
Rickie Vaughn's performance in season 30 had 8 interceptions (tied for 8th all time), 34 passes defended, (tied for 23rd all time), 2 defensive TDs (tied for 19th all time), and 1 sack. Being tied for the second highest interceptions so far on this list, having the most passes defended, and having the only sack so far, I can confidently say this is the best CB season on this list so far.
Better CB seasons may have occurred before these, but Willie Miller just had a season to eclipse them all.
Willie Miller's performance in season 36 had 10 interceptions (tied for 1st all time), 45 passes defended (2nd all time, behind the all time leader by 1), 2 defensive TDs (tied for 19th all time), 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble.
I need everyone to understand the absolute magnitude of how impossibly great a season this is statistically for a CB. The current all time leader for passes defended has 46, and in that same season he had just 6 interceptions (tied for 38th all time) compared to Willie Miller's 10. No other CB has ever had 10 interceptions in a season, everyone that Willie Miller is tied with at 10 interceptions was a safety. No other CB has gotten anywhere near as many passes defended while also having that many interceptions. Only one other player has ever had at least 40 passes defended, and at least 8 interceptions in the same season, and Willie Miller far surpasses that season with his performance in season 36.
Willie Miller absolutely should have won the defensive player of the year award. I have listed every other defensive player of the year award winner who was a CB, broken down their seasons, and Willie Miller surpassed all of them, and also beat his next closest competition by a significant amount. No CB has ever had a season like this, and no CB likely will for a long time.
With the awards update, there is now no more direct positional awards, and instead there are all pro teams. However, there are still awards like offensive player of the year, and defensive player of the year. Obviously everyone will have their own views on who got snubbed, but I believe there was one absolutely egregious error made by the awards team this time. Willie Miller may have just had the greatest season by a CB ever, and a LB who admittedly had a great season, but not the greatest season ever by a player at their position won defensive player of the year. Now this is something anyone could say, but now I will provide evidence (stats) to support my claim.
First we need to look at the seasons of every other CB to win the defensive player of the year award. There have been 5 seasons out of 36 where a CB has won defensive player of the year. These players are: Antoine Delacour in season 6, Dermot Lavelle in season 9, Arbin Asipi III in season 15, David Rector in season 26, and Rickie Vaughn in season 30. Now we need to look at where these seasons rank among the statistical performances among their positions today. Primarily we will be looking at interceptions, passes defended, and defensive TDs. If sacks/TFL/FF/FR are notable, they will be listed as well.
Antoine Delacour's performance in season 6 had 5 interceptions (tied for 88th all time), 26 passes defended (tied for 108th all time), and 2 defensive TDs (tied for 19th all time). A season that was one of the best cornerback seasons ever at the time, but has since been slightly diminished to a highly above average CB season today.
Dermot Lavelle's performance in season 9 had 8 interceptions (tied for 8th all time), 28 passes defended (tied for 74th all time), and 0 defensive TDs (tied for 638th all time). Having more interceptions and passes defended then Delacour, this performance improved in all aspects significant to a CB except for defensive TDs.
Arbin Asipi III's performance in season 15 had 9 interceptions (tied for 5th all time), 20 passes defended (tied for 295th all time), and 3 defensive TDs (tied for 5th all time). Having the least amount of passes defended so far was not a problem as Asipi had 9 interceptions, and 3 defensive TDs, both of which are currently tied for 5th, and 1 below the current league record.
David Rector's performance in season 26 had 7 interceptions (tied for 16th all time), 32 passes defended (tied for 34th all time), and 2 defensive TDs (tied for 19th all time). An absolutely tremendous CB season, and possibly better than all the previous seasons where a CB had won defensive player of the year.
Rickie Vaughn's performance in season 30 had 8 interceptions (tied for 8th all time), 34 passes defended, (tied for 23rd all time), 2 defensive TDs (tied for 19th all time), and 1 sack. Being tied for the second highest interceptions so far on this list, having the most passes defended, and having the only sack so far, I can confidently say this is the best CB season on this list so far.
Better CB seasons may have occurred before these, but Willie Miller just had a season to eclipse them all.
Willie Miller's performance in season 36 had 10 interceptions (tied for 1st all time), 45 passes defended (2nd all time, behind the all time leader by 1), 2 defensive TDs (tied for 19th all time), 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble.
I need everyone to understand the absolute magnitude of how impossibly great a season this is statistically for a CB. The current all time leader for passes defended has 46, and in that same season he had just 6 interceptions (tied for 38th all time) compared to Willie Miller's 10. No other CB has ever had 10 interceptions in a season, everyone that Willie Miller is tied with at 10 interceptions was a safety. No other CB has gotten anywhere near as many passes defended while also having that many interceptions. Only one other player has ever had at least 40 passes defended, and at least 8 interceptions in the same season, and Willie Miller far surpasses that season with his performance in season 36.
Willie Miller absolutely should have won the defensive player of the year award. I have listed every other defensive player of the year award winner who was a CB, broken down their seasons, and Willie Miller surpassed all of them, and also beat his next closest competition by a significant amount. No CB has ever had a season like this, and no CB likely will for a long time.