Results from our Detroit Lions midseason MVP awards surveys

The results from our latest SB Nation Reacts Survey are in and Lions fans have chosen Detroit’s mid-season offensive and defensive MVPs.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Detroit Lions fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

In this week’s SB Nation Reacts surveys, we asked Lions fans three questions:

1. Are you confident the Lions are headed in the right direction? (weekly poll)
2. After 8 games, who is the Lions offensive MVP?
3. Who is the Lions defensive MVP?

Fans confidence in the Lions (7-1) organization continues to reign amongst the highest in the NFL. The Lions have earned a confidence score between 96 and 99% for the last seven weeks. After beating the Seahawks in Week 4, 99% of fans were confident in the direction of the team. After Dallas, confidence was at 98%, the Vikings and Titans games earned 96%, but after walking into Lambeau Field in Week 9 and handling the Packers, confidence is back to its peak, landing at 99%!

Nothing like beating the Packers on their home turf to energize a fan base:

The other two survey questions focused on midseason MVP awards, and while David Montgomery had a chance to repeat his quarterly award, there was going to be a new winner for the defense, with Aidan Hutchinson no longer an option.

The results are in, and they played out as expected:

Goff takes home the midseason offensive MVP award in a route, as his historic run has drawn the attention of the entire league. Last week, fresh off NFC Offensive Player of the Month honors, “Mr. Perfect” was tabbed by NFL fans as the league’s midseason MVP front-runner, so it’s not at all surprising to see him win the same award for the Lions.

What may surprise fans is that the NFL Season Awards odds presented by FanDuel Sportsbook, have actually seen Goff’s odds of winning the MVP award decline from +600 to +800 over the last week.

On defense, Branch comfortably takes home the midseason defensive MVP award, which was also expected after Lions fans identified him as the most important post-Hutchinson defender in a previous Reacts survey.

Branch has certainly earned that claim of being the Lions’ best defender, as he has been a terror for opposing offenses. It’s also worth taking note that Kerby Joseph—the other half of the Lions’ safety tandem—came in second, with the pair garnering 90% of the vote between them. Joseph is tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with six, the pair grade out as PFF’s top two safeties in the entire league—Joseph 90.7 and Branch 90.0 overall grade—and they aren’t even peaking yet, according to Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

“Those two guys are doing a hell of a job for us, and the thing is, they’re not even close to where they’re going to be,” Glenn said earlier this week. And if that’s true, then buckle up Lions fans, we’re in for a lot more fun.

To get a closer look into the minds of Lions fans, here are a few of the explanations from the comment section of the original article, lightly edited for length and clarity:

• Hobbs: “As important and great as Goff has been…Penei has been taking on rushers, 2 at a time 5 feet apart in some circumstances. Co-MVPs.”
• Mic2000: “Monty is the main dude, his power running establishes dominance and is vital to ending games. His only problem is Gibbs is a great weapon in his own right.”
• KCPhoenix_11: “Branch gets my vote as 1a but Kerby is my 1b. I can’t deny Branch’s ability, impact, and overall consistency. That said Kerby is a dawg, just love the range and the ballhawk he is.”
• elgarraz: “The only one I thought might be controversial was picking Jack Campbell as defensive MVP. He’s been so clutch.”
• MichiganMountainLion: “Brian Branch is the sexy pick or Kerby because picks are sexy. But I voted McNeill because DL affects every play so much. We need Alim right now.”
• critical perspective: “This team is absolutely stacked”