Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is basically unstoppable. And for much of Sunday’s 31-27 Dolphins victory, it didn’t seem as though the Detroit Lions were particularly interested in trying.
Hill filleted the Lions’ secondary for 188 yards on 12 catches — the last two of which went for first downs on the Dolphins’ clock-draining final drive to secure the victory.
Hill in his first half-season with Miami doesn’t just look like the best trade acquisition in franchise history. He deserves to be in the conversation for NFL MVP.
Could Tyreek Hill Win NFL MVP?
Hill’s impact on the Dolphins’ offense in general, and Tua Tagovailoa in particular, is impossible to overstate.
Hill, running the routes Mike McDaniel draws up and catching the passes that Tagovailoa throws, has had a transformative impact on a franchise held back by its offense for far too long.
The Dolphins, through the games in the 1 p.m. window, ranked sixth in yards per play (6.1) and fourth in yards per pass (7.7). And more importantly, they’re 5-3 for the second time in three years and better than even money to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
And none of that would be possible without Hill, who, in eight games, has caught 69 passes for 961 yards.
Both figures lead the NFL.
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The Dolphins on Sunday rallied from double digits down to win for the second time on the road this year.
“I expect that from myself every time,” Hill said, who added that he’s “not surprised at all” by his productivity.
Hill has a real chance to break the NFL record in both receptions (149, Michael Thomas) and receiving yards (1,964, Calvin Johnson).
He’s on pace for 147 and 2,042 — and has posted these insane stats despite Tagovailoa missing nearly three full games due to a series of injuries.
Hill recently joked that he could put up numbers catching passes from a member of the media, but there’s truth in all humor. He went 12 for 177 against the Vikings in Week 6 — catching passes from Skylar Thompson and Teddy Bridgewater.
Hill Would Need To Make History To Win MVP
This is the part of the column where we inform you just how unlikely it would be for Hill to actually win MVP. Offensive Player of the Year? Sure, that’s a realistic goal.
But since the Associated Press started handing out MVP awards in 1957, not a single wide receiver has ever taken home the hardware. And the last non-quarterback to win MVP was Adrian Peterson in 2012.
And that probably won’t change in 2022. The three best teams in the NFL are the Bills, Eagles, and Chiefs. All three have worthy MVP candidates under center in Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Patrick Mahomes. The smart money is one of those three will ultimately win it.
But the rules do allow wide receivers to win it, and if Hill continues to dominate — and the Dolphins can win enough games — he should at least get consideration.
Beyond the video game numbers he’s putting up, Hill has without question made his teammates better. Tagovailoa (112.7 passer rating, 12 touchdowns, three interceptions) is by far playing the best football of his year. Jaylen Waddle is averaging 17.3 yards per catch — nearly doubling up his average as a rookie.
But when the game is on the line, Hill gets the ball. And he delivers.
“He’s a baller,” Waddle said of Hill Sunday. “Nothing new. We’ve seen that all season.”