Oakland Raiders: 2017 regular season team awards

CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 31: Marshawn Lynch No. 24 of the Oakland Raiders breaks the tackle during the third quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 31: Marshawn Lynch No. 24 of the Oakland Raiders breaks the tackle during the third quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 06: Rodney Hudson No. 61 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates after a touchdown against the Denver Broncos at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 6, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 06: Rodney Hudson No. 61 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates after a touchdown against the Denver Broncos at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 6, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

2017 Oakland Raiders MVP: Rodney Hudson

We have to give the 2017 Oakland Raiders MVP to the iron man of the bunch. No, it was not a good year for the Raiders offense, but it did send three offensive lineman to the Pro Bowl. While Kelechi Osemele will start at left guard and Donald Penn was great at left tackle before he got hurt, center Rodney Hudson was one tough dude in 2017 for the Silver and Black.

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Hudson didn’t allow pressure or hurries on frustrated quarterback Derek Carr all season. He was key in Marshawn Lynch’s ability to run the ball effectively down the stretch.

Hudson wasn’t bad in Todd Downing’s zone blocking scheme, but really took to for once that changed and the front-five could start mauling guys again with power concepts.

Keep in mind that Hudson played through Week 15’s home loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football with kidney stones

. It was a gotta-have-it game for both teams and the Raiders came out on the losing end of that ball game. Even with the team eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16, Hudson still played through obvious pain against the Philadelphia Eagles in the cold on Monday Night Football on Christmas night.

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Along with Khalil Mack on the defensive side of the ball, there was never any doubt that Hudson wouldn’t make it to the Pro Bowl for the Raiders in 2017. Without question he is a top-five center in football, arguably the best the AFC has to offer. The Raiders are lucky to have him and he just played the best season of his career coming out of Florida State.