Maye v Stafford for MVP and Aaron Rodgers getting flattened: NFL end of season awards
With the Super Bowl on the horizon, we pick the outstanding players and moments from the season just goneDrake Maye struggled through a blizzard as the New England Patriots dragged themselves past the Denver Broncos and into the Super Bowl.But he endured, holding on to execute in the critical moments, as he had done against the Houston Texans the week before.New England’s victory over Denver came down to two plays.The arm was off the table in the wind and snow, so Maye’s athleticism came to the fore with a 28-yard scramble up the middle as he sensed the orange sea parting just enough for him to dart the Patriots into chip-shot territory and a 10-7 lead in the third quarter.Then Maye put the Broncos to the sword with a rogue audible.
He again took off running, this time for a game-sealing first-down, outfoxing Denver by not telling his offensive line he was going to ignore his coach’s call for a stretch run and keep it,The vision to see the opportunity – and the confidence to then make it happen – was special,Of course, the MVP is for regular season performance, and doesn’t include the playoffs,So the argument over whether Matthew Stafford’s league-leading total yards and touchdowns make him the better MVP candidate is legitimate, but only if you like one-yard throws to Davante Adams on the goalline,Maye has better numbers in many other areas, including completion percentage (72%), QBR (77.
1) and yards per attempt (8.9).Those numbers speak to a 23-year-old with the maturity to vault his team from 4-13 last season to the Super Bowl this time around.If the Patriots prevail in Santa Clara, Maye will be at the heart of the matter, finding the path through the Seattle Seahawks’ smothering defense.In the NFC championship game, the Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua raised a question: what if the Alien v Predator films were good? If you lose sight of Smith-Njigba for a split second you’re already done for, such is his speed and ability to separate.
Nacua is as versatile as they come, able to beat you 100 different ways, running through defenders at will.Fittingly their stat sheets were almost identical last Sunday: Smith-Njigba had 10 catches for 153 yards, while Nacua had nine for 165 yards (each player also grabbed a touchdown).Both are under 25, so hopefully we have many more years to see them push each other to even greater heights.Three cheers for the NFC West.Myles Garrett enjoyed arguably the greatest year from a defensive player in NFL history by delivering the most sacks ever in a regular season (23).
This was no flash in the pan: Cleveland’s formidable defensive end is the only player to make at least 12 sacks in six successive seasons.It’s a shame that the Browns’ dysfunction means Garrett has never played for a Super Bowl contender – although, of course, he had a chance to force his way out.It is easy to let significant moments in your life fade as the years roll by.Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton brought the memories flooding back for me.In November he was diagnosed with cancer; a few days later he played in his team’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
I’m not comparing manning the Guardian’s sports desk to tackling a marauding running back, but when I faced the same diagnosis eight years ago I wanted to get straight back to work too.Singleton’s resilience was inspiring – he missed only one game for the Broncos after his surgery.The strength of mind and spirit lit a fire in me, as NFL.com writer Chris Wesseling had when he shared his battle with cancer on the Around the NFL podcast.So cheers, Alex, for a wonderful reminder of Chris’s huge heart.
One he so readily shared with me during a drunken rampage through London to celebrate my recovery.I only wish Chris had been as lucky as the two of us.Cam Skattebo, who else? The fun-loving running back brought a spark to the New York Giants amid a volatile season.There was even some hope of success at MetLife Stadium when the Giants thrashed the Philadelphia Eagles 34-17 and Skattebo’s nonstop energy almost single-handedly brought down the Super Bowl champions.The rematch would quickly deliver a bitterly cruel blow as Skattebo dislocated his right ankle and fractured his fibula, cutting short what had been the most joyous reminder that the NFL shouldn’t take itself quite so seriously.
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Jameis Winston takes the cake for the sheer cheek of a trick play touchdown reception from receiver Gunner Olszewski.Poor Derrick Barnes had some explaining to do in Detroit after he let the veteran quarterback make an easy grab before casually walking through a flimsy tackle for the score.The 11-6 Chicago Bears won the NFC North for the first time since 2018 and their first playoff game since the 2010 season thanks to the big coach energy of Ben Johnson.If, like me, you are slightly distracted by Johnson flexing like a maniac in this clip, then “good, better, best.Never let it rest.
‘Til your good is better and your better is best” is your new mantra.A shirt is optional.“Of all the players I have ever negotiated with, Michael Parson is as savvy and knowledgable and understanding of his financial business relative to football as any player I have ever been around,” said the Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, after trading away defensive end Micah Parsons to the Packers.Jones’s subtext: I’m annoyed that playing for the Cowboys isn’t dazzling enough to let me bully one of the NFL’s biggest stars into signing a deal below his market value so I’m going to say his name wrong.Classy.
Jones’s inept trade, powered by an incredible sulk, blew up Dallas’ already undermanned defense leaving them well short of the playoffs.Green Bay’s $188m star would have mixed it up in the postseason had he not sustained a torn ACL in December.Aaron Rodgers has just thrown a 68-yard touchdown to put Pittsburgh ahead 31-30 in Cincinnati with two minutes left in their Week 7 matchup.The 41-year-old is jumping, fist pumping and bounding to celebrate with his fellow Steelers.Only his 311lb left tackle wants to join in.
As they reach the sideline, Broderick Jones delivers a blindside hit, knocking his quarterback flat on his face.Slightly off script for a left tackle.Rodgers then rolls over, attempts a shove as he gets back to his feet while raging at Jones for getting to the quarterback.Rodgers lamented to Jones in a text, “I love your energy.But also I’m 41.
You can’t be out there tackling me like that,” Jones wryly disagreed postgame: “If he throws another touchdown on Sunday I might tackle him again,”
UK unlikely to join a US attack on Iran – but may help Gulf states if Tehran retaliates
Britain is unlikely to assist the US in an attack on Iran but a deployment of RAF Typhoons to Qatar last week signals a willingness to help regional allies if Tehran tries to widen the conflict in retaliation.A first strike on Iran is unlikely be in line with the UK’s interpretation of international law, but British forces could become involved if there is a need to help Qatar or other regional allies in self-defence.Last week, the RAF’s 12 Squadron, a joint Typhoon unit with the Qatari air force, moved from Lincolnshire to the Gulf state, while the US built up a substantial military presence for a possible attack against the Iranian regime.British sources said the squadron’s forward deployment was “at the request of the Qataris” – to help protect the country, home to the largest US airbase in the region, from any drone and missile counterattack.Earlier this month, Iran warned that US bases in the region, often also home to small numbers of British personnel, would be targeted in retaliation if Donald Trump bombed the country in support of Iranians protesting against the regime
What agreements have been made during Starmer’s trip to China?
Keir Starmer will be pleased that he has secured several agreements to mark his visit to Beijing and by the warm tone of President Xi Jinping’s remarks about his government. However, No 10’s announcements do not put a figure on the value of the deals, and there does not appear to be a big bundle of investments worth billions by Chinese or British firms, which prime ministers have usually tended to hold up as a sign of success. These are the agreements secured by the UK so far.This is probably the biggest coup from the trip. Visa-free travel for Britons to visit China for under 30 days will allow holidays and business trips to take place without the usual bureaucracy
Xi didn’t really see a point to Kier’s visit – but hey, let a hundred flowers bloom | John Crace
Let’s face it, this was never going to be a meeting of equals. Keir Starmer had been desperate to squeeze in a trip to China for some time. Another country to tick off his list and he always feels a lot better about himself when he’s abroad. Less noise from his unhappy MPs. Plus he loved the pomp and ceremony that came with it
Starmer announces visa-free travel to China after talks with Xi in Beijing – UK politics live
Keir Starmer has secured a deal on visa-free travel to China for UK citizens during his visit to Beijing, PA Media reports. PA says:Those visiting the country for less than 30 days will no longer need a visa under the agreement, Downing Street has announced.It will apply to those travelling to China for business and as tourists and brings the rules for UK visitors in line with those from 50 other countries including France and Germany.The change will not come into effect immediately, but Beijing is understood to have committed to unilateral visa-free entry for UK citizens with a start date to be confirmed.British passport-holders currently need a visa to enter mainland China
Shamima Begum is a blot on Sajid Javid’s copybook | Brief letters
Reading your interview with Sajid Javid, with its account of juvenile theft from slot machines, the beatings he received from his father (which Javid himself now recognises as abuse) and the official leniency that he says changed his life, it’s hard to believe that this is the man who, on spurious national security grounds, took away Shamima Begum’s British citizenship for choices she made, or pressures she was put under, as a child.Mark de BrunnerBurn Bridge, North Yorkshire Re Adrian Chiles’s item (Is the wayward apostrophe in WALE’S LARGEST VAPE SHOP a sign of the times?, 29 January), while on holiday in Northumberland last year I visited a delightful cafe that sold various local crafts including handmade “Christma’s card’s”.Jane MarshLondon My mother regarded duvets (Letters, 28 January) as a “continental affectation”. For her, bed-making was all about the neatness of the hospital corners.Sue WallaceThame, Oxfordshire Why not have the World Cup in the US (A World Cup boycott over Trump? Football’s hypotheticals cannot be dismissed any more, 22 January)? They had the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and Fifa has already given a prize to our dictator!Kay KellerSchenectady, New York, US Sincere thanks for making my day last Friday
Nigel Farage meets UAE ministers and drums up donations on Dubai trip
Nigel Farage has paid a visit to Dubai to build diplomatic relations with United Arab Emirates ministers and drum up donations for Reform UK from wealthy expats.The two-night trip was his second visit to the Gulf state in two months, after a £10,000 trip hosted by Abu Dhabi to attend the Formula One grand prix.Farage’s ability to secure an audience with foreign government ministers is a new development, as his diplomatic ties have previously been largely with Donald Trump’s US administration.Speaking at a GB News event, Farage said he had had a “very good interview” with an unnamed UAE minister on Wednesday.One of those present at the event was the UAE industry minister, Sultan Al Jaber, who is also the chief executive of the state oil company Adnoc and a former chair of the UAE’s national media council
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