With one quarter of the NFL season complete, there are clear front-runners for at least three season-ending awards. But that doesn’t mean anything has been decided yet. Here are a few contenders who shouldn’t be overlooked. Offensive MVP
Obvious candidate » Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay
Don’t rule out » Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Tennessee
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Rodgers has a full complement of players after winning the Super Bowl with more than a dozen backups. Hasselbeck, 36, is doing what Donovan McNabb was expected to do in Washington last year. The 12-year veteran, despite joining a new team, losing main option Kenny Britt and having a less-productive Chris Johnson, is fourth in the NFL in passer rating (104.7) and seventh in completion percentage (66.7) for the 3-1 Titans.
Offensive rookie
Obvious candidate » Cam Newton, QB, Carolina
Don’t rule out » Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta
With 11 catches for 127 yards in the Falcons’ 30-28 win over Seattle last weekend, Jones was named rookie of the week. He also took over the lead in receptions among first-year players with 24, proving that it just might have been worth it for Atlanta to trade five picks to nab the Alabama junior fifth in the draft. With 342 receiving yards, Jones has 30 more than his biggest contender to keep the heat on Newton, Cincinnati receiver A.J. Green (19 receptions, 312 yards, two TDs).
Coach of the year
Obvious candidate »
Jim Schwartz, Detroit
Don’t rule out » Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco
With a stacked roster of top picks, Schwartz had to get the most out of them eventually. Harbaugh, who made the move up the peninsula from Palo Alto in the offseason, hasn’t needed anywhere near that amount of time to turn around the 49ers (3-1), who haven’t had a winning season since 2002. Could he finally be the coach to get the most out of Alex Smith and get a team to buy in without undressing? He has so far, and in the worst division in the NFL, that means the door is wide open for the postseason.
– Craig Stouffer
