Chapter 734 The Mountain Beyond the Mountain
The debut is the peak.
In his rookie season, Levi set a peak that was unprecedented and probably unprecedented; strictly speaking, not only as a rookie, but even among the best performances in the history of all running backs, Levi was able to break into the top ten ranks. Leave a mark of your own in a legend.
For anyone, this is a peak, an insurmountable peak. After such a rookie season, it seems difficult to compare regardless of subsequent performance.
However, Levi did it, matching his rookie season with incredible performance, and reinterpreting another meaning of "debut is the peak" with his strength.
So, what does this mean?
Maybe Burns is right. The answer seems complicated but is actually simple. It couldn't be simpler.
In the professional arena, people have seen countless geniuses. The most indispensable thing in the NFL is genius; but only the genius among geniuses can create such brilliance in just three years.
In addition, just like last season, Levi not only performed strongly, but was also stable and efficient, possessing all the qualities needed by a top player.
The number of goals conceded in the season, 1, is second only to Barkley who did not concede any goals throughout the season.
The average number of yards per possession is 5.6. This is the second consecutive season in which he has exceeded the average of 5 yards. He is also the only player in the league with an average of more than 5.5 yards.
There is strength, stability and efficiency.
What else can you ask for?
Therefore, it is not surprising that Levi has become the new benchmark in the league. The praise and admiration from Peterson is just the tip of the iceberg.
McCaffrey, who was drafted in the same year as Levi and is known as the iron triangle of running backs, finally figured out his form and found his position this season. He made no secret of his respect for Levi.
"He's my target."
"Honestly, he's the kind of player that every coach dreams of, whether you're a running back or a quarterback or another position on the field, he's at the top level both physically and mentally, and at any time, he does what he does. Ready to step up and lead the team to fight to the end.”
"He's the guy that everybody in this league needs to be on top of, no doubt about it."
"I know we are both players in the 17th class, and people often compare us, but right now, Levi is on another level. I don't think I can be compared, and I don't think others can. We still need to do our best. effort."
Fournette: Arrow to the knee.
But what if – just a hypothetical – a little more is asked for?
After all, in terms of pure statistics, Levi's sophomore season statistics are all slightly inferior to his rookie season, almost the same, but there is a slight decline.
Professionals will analyze this from the data level. That is because the Kansas Chiefs have increased the proportion of passing offense this season. Behind Mahomes' 5,000-yard season, we can see Reid's tactical adjustments. Correspondingly, the ground The offensive tactics are slightly weakened, which is an inevitable result.
Everything is relative.
But what if it was harsher? On the basis of legend and genius, but also more strict, more picky, and more crazy?
Levi, still has the answer, catch the ball.
Although the Kansas Chiefs have improved the proportion of passing offense, Levi can still become the unwavering leader of the team's offensive team because Levi can also join the passing offense and show his progress with rapid changes.
Of course, running backs are not wide receivers, so they cannot be compared with wide receivers. There are so many wide receivers and tight ends in the league this season that they have received 1,000 yards, a total of 21. It is difficult for running backs to be ranked.
Among them, including the two seats of the Kansas Chiefs, Hill and Kelsey, they are undoubtedly the core weapons of Mahomes's 5,000-yard passing season. In addition, we need to add the third position, a receiving point close to a thousand yards:
Levi.
This season, Levi has 907 receiving yards, ranking 23rd among all receivers in the league; but ranks first among running backs.
In this list, Levi is closely followed by familiar names. McCaffrey and Barkley, a sophomore and a rookie, join forces with Levi to fully demonstrate the correct cultivation of the new generation of running backs. .
Among them, Barkley, the second overall pick in this year's draft, successfully withstood the pressure and performed brilliantly. All aspects were compared in front of Levi. Although Barkley could not replicate Levi's toughness in his rookie season, he still proved himself from another level, especially catching the ball. The performance over 700 yards is astonishing——
The future life is to be feared.
However, there are mountains beyond the mountains. Who would have thought that Levi's performance this season would be even better, successfully eclipsing Barkley's brilliance.
In addition, it is a pity that McCaffrey's Carolina Panthers and Barkley's New York Giants have poor overall records, and both missed the playoffs. Standing in front of Levi, they lack even more confidence.
There is no doubt that Barkley performed well, but in the face of Levi's epic rookie season, Barkley seems not worthy of so much discussion.
As McCaffrey said, Levi is now the goal that all players in the league need to surpass——
At least, that's true for the running backs.
Bustling and bustling.
The discussion surrounding Levi has been fully laid out. The young rookie was actually able to build on his rookie season and stand out from this year's running back explosion, once again defending his dominance.
Isn't this kind of Levi worthy of the regular season MVP?
Or to put it another way, shouldn’t Levi and Aaron Donald, who delivered a dominant performance for the second consecutive season, get their names corrected?
If Mahomes deserves praise, are Levi and Donald even more so?
If we are really ready to crown a new king, are there any more suitable choices besides Mahomes?
If you leave Mahomes aside for the moment, who is more worthy of the regular season MVP title, Levi or Donald? Or, who deserves extra attention, the running backs or the defense, proving that they are an integral part of football?
There was a lot of discussion.
Everyone has their own opinion, everyone has their own point of view, bustling all-out blowout, the regular season has just come to an end, the MVP discussion has been fully detonated, even better than last season, the league's competitive landscape is unprecedented. open status.
Troubled times, undoubtedly troubled times.
Compared with last season, it is slightly different, but has the same purpose——
The leaders still performed well, but their dominance slowly declined, and loopholes and gaps appeared one after another; the competitors performed equally well, and after sensing the opportunity, they raised their head in an all-round way. Not only their paper strength, but their confidence and state also declined. Improve to add more variables to the game.
In the League of Nations, chaos remains the same; in the American League, there is no leader and a hundred schools of thought contend.
The gap between teams is only a few millimeters, and on-the-spot performance may play an increasingly important role. Luck is also playing an increasing role in the head-on collision of strengths.
It is precisely because of this that everyone has a chance and everyone has a possibility. So, who can firmly grasp the opportunity and stand out?
The answer will be revealed soon.
(End of chapter)