Xavien Howard Getting only 3 DPOY Votes is an Abomination

The NFL awards and Hall of Fame selections were handed out last night and let just say nothing went the Miami Dolphin’s way. The Dolphins put up a 0-3 count in winning any hardware or jackets last night.

Zach Thomas didn’t get into the hall of fame. I didn’t think he would get in even though we know he deserves to be in and that he has superior stats compared to another LB who is in who takes douchiness to another level and who also is a former bald person. As a bald man let me just say it’s never a good idea to put butt-hair on your head under any circumstances.

Here’s my obligatory Zach Thomas vs Brian Urlacher stat comparison photo that I’m required to share with you.

Stone Cold Brian Flores didn’t win Coach of the Year and again, I’m not surprised. I am a bit surprised he only got 6 votes.

I don’t hate that Kevin Stefanski won. He did a very good job in his first year, led his team to the playoffs, won a playoff game and hung with The Kansas City Chiefs especially when Dolphin’s legend, Chad Henne, was in. My thing with the award is that my criteria for winning coach of the year is who did the best with the least? Brian Flores led a team that won five games last year, had rookies all over the place, toggled between two quarterbacks, and won 10 games. Nobody had Miami winning anywhere near that many games. What did Stefanski have to overcome? Too much talent?

With those two items, I wasn’t surprised how they turned out. I’m also not shocked that Xavien Howard didn’t win Defensive Player of the Year. My issue is that he only got three votes. In my best Harry Doyle voice; “That’s all he got, three God damn votes?”

Here’s a live look at what I did exactly upon hearing this news.

This Vinny Mac clip is symbolic because I am upset about how Howard got treated but I also know how useless it is to freak out like I am doing because the Chairman tears both his quads. Not saying I am going to tear both my quads because that would require a level of movement that I haven’t portrayed in months, but if it meant having Howard win the DPOY consider me down for getting pushed around in a wheelchair.

As I said, I can live with Xavien Howard not winning the DPOY award but only getting three voted is ridiculous. Howard finished with 10 INTs which is the first time anyone had double-digit INTs since 2007. To compare, last year’s DPOY Stephon Gilmore had six INTs. Here’s a guy named Josh who did solid work comparing Howard and Gilmore.

We all understand that Aaron Donald is a beast who takes no less than 35 guys to block him which gets made apparent by flash photography on Twitter. Donald will probably go down as a top 5 defensive player of all time and has a chance to challenge for the number one slot when he’s done. I really do believe this.

That doesn’t remove the fact that he has worse stats than TJ Watt, which he did. And again, everyone just says that Donald is double-teamed all the time. We get it. We really do. My point is that Howard can only really make his mark when a quarterback throws in his direction as opposed to Donald and Watt who can theoretically get to the quarterback every time they drop back. Meaning, there are fewer opportunities for Howard to gather stats than pass rushers. Let's not kid ourselves, this is what this is: sacks vs INTs.

I feel like whenever you hear any analyst talk bout keys the game they always say takeaways. Well, Howard created 10 of them. That’s a big deal. But, and this is something we know too well as being Dolphin’s fans, Howard plays for the Miami Dolphins and that means that getting overlooked is part of the territory. I understand it because these awards go to guys who are actually playing for something where Miami players, like Howard and even Zach Thomas, aren’t usually playing for anything. It’s human nature to value guys who are in bigger games.

But we should be able to be smarter than that type of thinking and be able to understand it should be about strictly who played the best. We should be able to block out how the player’s team is doing. Easier said than done I suppose but not something that is anywhere near impossible.

Howard and the Dolphins getting lit up against the Bills in week 17 in a game they needed to win to get into the playoffs doesn’t help his cause to win. But that being a reason to only get him three votes is stupid. What about the other 15 games? Only that one matters? Great.

I’m fine with Donald winning the award because the guy performed all year and is a force that needs to be addressed by every team that plays him. My point is that Howard is a player that teams gameplan for as well and getting only three votes is downright disrespectful for a guy that caught 10 passes that weren’t designed to go to him. That should be awarded more acknowledgment. That shouldn't be hard to do.

By the Way- It’s Super Bowl Sunday and here are my picks. I’m taking the Chiefs and laying the three points.

The props that I like are the over in Pat Mahomes passing yards, the under in total punts (6.5) over in Gronk yards (29.5), over in Travis Kelce yards (97.5), and the opening kickoff to result in a touch back.

Enjoy the game, be responsible, and know that after tonight, everyone is 0-0.

Follow me @2ndSatSports