Craig: And the NFL awards go to ...

Taking a look at one man's NFL award winners and front-runners heading into the final week of the regular season …

Winner: Matt Prater, Lions kicker.

For years, the Lions had a kicker and no team. Through four games this year, they had a team and no kicker. Heading into their Week 5 game against the Vikings, the Lions had two kickers make a high-schoolish four of 12 field goal attempts and blow the Buffalo game. Both were jettisoned in favor of Matt Prater, who has made 21 of 26 attempts for a team that wouldn't be atop its division without him.

Winner: Jay Cutler, Bears quarterback.

We'd list the reasons, but there are 126 million of them.

Winner: Cowboys.

Some of you (OK, me) should be ashamed that you picked the Cowboys to finish 3-13 and last in the NFC East. The Cowboys had meltdown written all over them. Or so we thought.

This was a tight race. The Bears were a popular pick not to stink so bad that everyone will be getting fired. The Eagles were highly thought of before turning the ball over 35 times. The Buccaneers won free agency. Hooray! But we'll hand the trophy to the team that's expected to compound a disappointing season by parting ways with its best head coach since Bill Walsh.

Front-runner: Odell Beckham Jr., Giants receiver.

He's got the catches (79), the yards (1,120), the touchdowns (11) and the signature play (Google it) to win the award despite missing the first four games with an injury.

Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater deserves consideration. He's played well enough for Vikings fans to no longer care that Cleveland traded ahead of the Vikings to select Johnny Manziel.

Projected winner: Jim Caldwell, Lions.

Bruce Arians, Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll are among the other legitimate candidates. Especially Arians, whose Cardinals lost their top two quarterbacks, top running back and numerous defensive players to injuries, yet still have 11 wins.

But if Caldwell can sweep the Packers on Sunday and take a losing Lions team to 12 victories and a division title ahead of a healthy Aaron Rodgers, well, that will be tough to vote against.

Projected winner: Aaron Rodgers, Packers QB.

If Rodgers, the Packers and the Lions follow the anticipated script on Sunday, Rodgers should win his second MVP award with relatively little fight, although Tony Romo has been gaining a lot of momentum. If Rodgers plays like he did against the Bills, and the Lions win the NFC North in Green Bay, this could open things up and create the closest vote since four players finished within 13 votes of the top when Shaun Alexander won it in 2005.

Rodgers has the better overall numbers, but Romo also has 11 wins while leading the league in passer rating (114.4), completion percentage (70.3) and yards per attempt (8.49).