2017 season review: Who was the Jaguars MVP last year?

The Jacksonville Jaguars offense was productive at times, but the defense largely carried this team to within a game of the Super Bowl. Yes, Blake Bortles absolutely balled in the AFC Divisional matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s probably what earned him a bridge deal a couple of weeks ago. And yes, the team had the most productive run game in the league during the regular season. But during pivotal moments and fourth quarter drives, it was largely the offense that was coming up empty with the defense keeping them in games.

That’s why it’s no surprise that every vote for MVP this year was for a player on the defensive side of the ball.

Who was the most valuable player for the Jaguars last year? The Big Cat Country team made their decisions below:

@AlfieBCC: Jalen Ramsey

@ryaneatscake: Calais Campbell

@zach_goodall: Calais Campbell

@marhsim: Jalen Ramsey

@ryanobleness: Calais Campbell

@J_Siettmann: Calais Campbell

It’s hard to argue that the new franchise sack leader was the best player on the team last year. Campbell finished with 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and a touchdown. Yannick Ngakoue was the only other player on the defensive line who made a case for himself, earning 13.0 sacks, seven forced fumbles (including one in the AFC Divisional Round that led to a pivotal Telvin Smith touchdown), and displaying an all-around dominance all season long.

Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye make up the best cornerback duo in the NFL right now. Both were named as All-Pros, both played in the Pro Bowl, and both shut down opposing wide receivers all season long, allowing just a couple of touchdowns through the air total from all of 2017. The two votes for Ramsey aren’t unwarranted, and Ramsey is an incredibly valuable player in the league and on this team. But was he more valuable than Campbell? Two of us think so and four of us don’t.

What do you think? Who was the MVP this past season?