Patriots Defense Got the Super Bowl Victory, but not the Super Bowl MVP

In one of the most dominating defensive performances in Super Bowl history, did a wide receiver really deserve MVP?

Moments after the league announced Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman as MVP of Super Bowl LIII, Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell took to Twitter with his outrage. “The offense only scores 13 points and they give MVP to Edelman but the D only gave up 3 points and Gilmore had forced a fumble, a int, 3 PBUs and 5 Tackles!?! Smh no respect for the masterpiece on Defense!”

Campbell is not wrong about a lack of credit for the Patriots' defensive performance. According to the NFL, not a single MVP vote was cast for a defensive player. Edelman was not the unanimous winner, but received the overwhelming amount of votes from the panel of 16, made up of members of the Pro Football Writers Association of America, selected members of the electronic broadcast media and by fans interactively through NFL.com.

And Campbell is certainly not alone in his opinion that Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore was robbed. Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara also tweeted his support for Gilmore’s MVP candidacy. I polled a handful of NFL evaluators and all were shocked to find out that a defensive player didn’t receive a single vote. “Popularity contest,” said one scout. “Tom Brady had no touchdown passes, and Edelman also didn’t score.”

“No one on offense deserved recognition,” said another scout.

A case could also be made for linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who was dominant as a run defender and in pressuring Rams quarterback Jared Goff for the entire game. Hightower had two tackles, two sacks, a pass breakup and three QB hits. “Hightower would have my vote as a co-MVP with Gilmore,” said one scout. “He was a beast!”

Edelman certainly was the most impressive offensive player in the game. He caught 10 passes for 141 yards, eight of those 10 catches went for first downs, and he consistently won matchups against the Rams secondary. But the Patriots defense allowed only three points to one of the league’s highest-scoring offenses. It doesn’t seem right that the MVP of a game defined by defense was an offensive player.

Not getting this newsletter in your inbox yet?Sign up for The MMQB’s Morning Huddle.

HOT READS

NOW ON THE MMQB: Greg Bishop and Ben Baskin’s cover story on the Patriots, the origin stories of football’s marquee dynasty… Jenny Vrentas with a detailed look at how New England won the game and the season that got them to the Super Bowl.... Albert Breer’s post-Super Bowl LIII MMQB… and more.

WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED: Yours truly on the origins of a football. We tracked a cow from the pasture to the NFL practice field… Jacob Feldman grades CBS’s Super Bowl broadcast… Andy Benoit breaks down Bill Belichick’s plan against the Rams… Robert Klemko on the play that got away from the Rams… and more.

PRESS COVERAGE

1. CBS’s Tracy Wolfson was the real MVP, outlasting a chaotic postgame mob to secure her interview with Tom Brady.

2. The McCourty twinswon’t attend a White House visit, but are mum on retirement.

3. How the Patriots adapt better than any team in football.

4. Our pal Peter King with a great note on how that incredible NFL Super Bowl commercial came together in just a few weeks.

5.Zac Taylor and Brian Flores were officially hired in Cincinnati and Miami, respectively.

THE KICKER

Check out Patrick Mahomes on the court.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let the team know at talkback@themmqb.com