Mid-Season Team MVP Awards – AFC East

New York Jets – Muhammad Wilkerson

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – OCTOBER 13: Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson #96 of the New York Jets sacks quarterback Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth quarter during a game at MetLife Stadium on October 13, 2013 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Steelers defeated the Jets 19-6. (Photo by Rich Schultz /Getty Images)

No, Geno Smith is not this team’s MVP at the halfway mark. While the rookie quarterback caught everyone’s eye with his winning performance against the Atlanta Falcons (16 of 20 for 199 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions for a 147.7 quarterback rating), Smith also has three games in which his quarterback ratings were 51.9, 48.8 and 27.6. He’s showing flashes, but it would be wrong to say that he’s playing well at this point.

While my MVP is actually defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson, a case could easily be made for fellow defensive lineman Damon “Big Snacks” Harrison. Both have been far too much for offensive lines to handle this season, and the two together are the main reason why New York currently has the NFL’s leading rush defence.

However, while Harrison is playing like a mammoth on the defensive line, absorbing blocks and stuffing running lanes, Wilkerson has taken his play to another level entirely.

The third year man out of Temple has 7 sacks, 30 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 1 interception in his first 8 games of 2013. Those numbers would be incredibly impressive for a linebacker. Wilkerson is not a linebacker, he’s a 315lb defensive tackle. For him, those numbers are absurd.

As a dominant player in every phase of his game at the moment, Wilkerson is shaping up to have the kind of season Cincinnati defensive tackle Geno Atkins put on display for us all last season; and that got him an All-Pro selection. If Wilkerson carries on as he is, he’ll be heading the same way.