NFL midseason awards: Allen, Gibbs, Watt and Reese lead roundup at season midpoint
On 12 November 2026, as the NFL season reached its halfway point, a midseason awards roundup singled out Josh Allen, Jahmyr Gibbs, TJ Watt and Arvell Reese among the league’s standout performers.
The review contrasts several MVP candidates, spotlights breakout contributors and notes team surprises through eight or nine games of the campaign. Joe Burrow is described as a frontrunner for MVP for his style, precision and mental steadiness, while Josh Allen is characterised as the most thrilling quarterback weekly despite a reportedly weaker supporting cast. Off the field, Tom Brady’s work as a broadcaster is praised and he is quoted describing a Dak Prescott pass as a "piss missile" and saying, "There was some deli meat given out by Drake Maye today," after the Green Bay Packers beat his former team.
On the MVP debate, the piece argues that Allen’s weekly production has been box office and that Buffalo sit top of the AFC at 7-1 largely because of his passing and powerful runs. It notes Allen has a weaker supporting cast than Joe Burrow and other contenders and includes the line "imagine what he could do with Ja’Marr Chase as a teammate" to underline that point.
Jahmyr Gibbs is presented as the leading running back at midseason, listed as the NFL leader in total yards with 1,132 and joint leader in total touchdowns on 11 while having played one fewer game than some rivals. The article cites his game-winning, second-half display against the Minnesota Vikings at the start of November and praises his three-down impact and receiving skills.
TJ Watt’s contribution to the Pittsburgh defence is detailed, noting he led the league in sacks before the Steelers’ bye week and already has 7.5 sacks this season compared with 7.0 in 14 games last season. His season-opening effort versus the Atlanta Falcons—three tackles for loss, two sacks and two quarterback hits—is highlighted, as is his first pick-six, described as a point-blank interception of Cooper Rush returned for a score.
Seattle’s inconsistencies are examined alongside receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s production; Smith-Njigba is said to account for 50% of Seattle’s receiving yards, the highest share recorded in the past 10 years, and is noted as the fourth player in the Super Bowl era to record 100-plus yards in seven of his first eight games to start a season. The Seahawks are described as 5-4 with a deep injury list, a downtrodden Sam Darnold quietly outplayed by backup Drew Lock, and a defence not matching last season’s level; both quarterbacks are reported as carrying injuries as the 5-4 Seahawks prepare to face the Raiders on Sunday. The article also references the winless Los Angeles Chargers, saying they "were supposed to be built for January football" and adding that "the Super Bowl champions missing out on a wildcard would represent a greater disaster."
Preseason predictions mentioned in the piece had the Denver Broncos as the author’s pick for the Super Bowl and the Chicago Bears missing the playoffs, yet both teams are now described as looking "locked in for January football." The Bears’ defence is said to have risen from one of the NFL’s worst units to a top-10 unit, the team added Jeffery Simmons in a trade and the write-up suggests his arrival "could propel the Bears to win it all." The article records Caleb Williams throwing four interceptions against the Buccaneers on Sunday but adds that he "didn’t crumble in the face of adversity" and that Chicago held on to beat the Bucs.
Seattle’s next game is noted as a Sunday trip to face the Raiders, and Buffalo’s standing at the midpoint is reiterated with the Bills topping the AFC at 7-1, positioning the named performers and teams as central figures in the league’s midseason narrative.