#5 Marcus Mariota
While Marcus Mariota might have to wait until 2021 to get back on the field, he proved his worth in week 16 against the Los Angeles Chargers. That’s evident when you look at how he moved the ball down the field.
Unfortunately for Mariota, who notched two touchdowns that night, the Los Angeles Chargers mounted a surprise comeback that left the game out of reach. Mariota even went for it on fourth down at the goal line, but it wasn t meant to be.
He showed a real MVP attitude during that game and deserves some recognition.
#4 The entire Las Vegas Aces roster
The problem with singling out any one player on the Aces for this list is that it was truly a team effort to make it to the playoffs this year. Between Kelsey Plum and Liz Cambage both being ruled out on the preseason and the team losing their opening game, it was no secret that this team had quite the hill to climb.
Fortunately for the Aces, they would then go on an 8-2 run that had jaws just dropping on the floor. Keep in mind that this was a team that was never supposed to make it to a winning record. A team that was doomed without their starters. Instead, however, A Ja Wilson, Kayla McBride, and the entire team stepped up to bring the team to the finals.
The Seattle Storm eventually swept the Aces in the finals, but it was a fun season to watch.
#4 Max Pacioretty
The Las Vegas Golden Knights made the playoffs in 2020, and a lot of that had to do with the 32 goals and 34 assists put up by Max Pacioretty. Of course, Patches was only able to notch five goals and three assists in the playoffs, but the man was still a big reason behind their postseason run. His performance wasn t enough to take the Golden Knights back to the finals, however.
There are myriad reasons why the Golden Knights didn t make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, and Pacioretty was one of them. Still, Pacioretty was a true leader on the ice and rallied his team to many victories. It may not have gotten them where they ultimately wanted to go, but he did get them as close as he could.
#2 Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch might have had an up and down year in 2020, but he did manage to make the playoffs on points and win a race at Las Vegas. Furthermore, he made it to the third round of the playoffs before finally being eliminated at Martinsville.
Kurt Busch is a 42-year-old man proving he can still hang with the best of them. He also finished higher than his former Cup Series champion brother, Kyle Busch, who was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. Hopefully, Busch can knock out a few more wins before calling it a career, but it has been one hell of a ride for the Las Vegas native.
#1 Derek Carr
Derek Carr has accomplished a lot this season, and one would think that Las Vegas fans would like him a little bit more considering the groundwork laid in the first season. Unfortunately for Carr, however, they still can’t stand him. He’s the subject of countless internet discussions about benching. Things only grew worse after Marcus Mariota had to fill in for an injured Carr one night.
In the end, Derek Carr finishes the year with 3732 yards, 25 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a completion rating of 67.6. This proves just how good Carr is and how much he can do for the team if he continues to be the starter.
Like it or not, Carr is the future of this team, and this season proves it!
