So, easy enough question, who gets your vote for NFL MVP? The two front runners seem to be Michael Vick and Tom Brady, although I have heard other names mentioned such as Matt Ryan. My thought is I think it is Tom Brady. He has his team playing at a high level and he is palying at an extremely high level himself. I think sometimes folks just think that the Patriots are just being the Patriots or it is a system or something, but Brady runs it with such efficiency and make no mistake the guy can make the throws, read the defenses, etc.
Vick is making a good case, he is certainky proving himself to be the most exciting player in the game and the Eagles will likely win the NFC East and Maybe even get a bye in the playoffs. The biggest knock I have against him is the fact he missed several games. When it is close in all other ways like I think Brady and Vick are, I think you have to go with the guyy who ahs been there for his team all season.
I think Brady by a healthy margin, especially when you look at what he’s been able to do with the team he has this year. Two rookie TEs, losing Randy Moss, a young and inexperienced defense; yet he’s having one of the best years of his career and on track for #1 seed in the conference.
I can’t imagine any scenario when I would vote for Michael Vick. I still think he should be stripped naked, rolled in hamburger meat, and fed to pit bulls. I will probably always think that.
Yeah, but it’s not Rivers’ fault that the Chargers special teams were historically bad. He’s having an insane year that’s flying under the radar a little bit. Not only does he have the highest Y/A this season (by a mile), he’s got the highest Y/A since Manning’s '04 (which was itself the highest since your Otto Grahams and Sid Luckmans were playing, AFAIK). And, until just recently, he was doing it with a so-so running game and a group of receivers that consisted of Antonio Gates and a big grab-bag full of suck.
Carrying his team more than any other player. Take away Brady, Rivers, or Vick, and their teams are still good enough to make (or contend for) the playoffs. Without Manning, the Colts aren’t even decent.
My opinion depends upon what definition of Most Valuable Player you use. Integral to both is the fact that the player has to be outstanding and typically has to be a member of a winning team, but after that they diverge.
The first definition is the MVP is the best player on the best team. This ignores the fact that football is a team game (it is an individual award, after all), but it also ignores the effect the team has on the player. Since Matt Cassell stepped in to replace Brady when he was hurt I have been of the opinion that the Patriots can win with any quarterback, it’s as much the system as the player. Still, under this first definition, it’s Tom Brady this year. I have never found this argument terribly persuasive, but it’s the usual basis for the MVP/Heisman Trophy/most other individual award voting.
The second definition is the MVP is a player that is indispensable to his own team, without which they suffer and lose games they might otherwise win. It’s hard to measure that, I grant you, but under that definition the MVP is undoubtedly Troy Polamalu. Over the last two seasons (this year and last) the Steelers are 14-4 with Polamalu and 5-7 without him (Cite). That indicates his immense value to the team, and since the team is competitive with him and not so much without him, he ought to be the Most Valuable Player. It’ll never happen, but I find that argument persuasive and I always have.
I suppose a third definition would be a player that puts in an unexpected outstanding performance that directly enhances his team’s ability to win, which would be Michael Vick this year. But I’m still not sold on Vick.
That woudl be fine if Manning and the Colts were doing especially well, but they aren’t. They are 8-6 and could possibly miss the playoffs, he is 11th in QB rating, he has more interceptions than Jay Cutler and Sam Bradford. he is doing well with what he has, true, but it is not an MVP season, I just don’t buy it. I’d take David Garrard before Manning.
Brady’s going to win. But the more I think about it, the more I could vote for Rivers, Vick, and Manning ahead of him. I’d like to rank Manning higher, but Brady’s team has been much better and I think he also has to get credit for dealing with turnover in his receiver corps.
I wonder if that has anything to do with the injuries to Clark, Collie, Gonzalez, and the total lack of a running game. I think they a receiver’s uniform on a tackling dummy at one point.
Of course, but he is hardly the only quarterback dealing with injuries, what about Aaron Rodgers, for example. I just don’t see how he can be third on anybody’s list.
It’s fine to think Manning isn’t any kind of MVP candidate this year, but David Garrard? Based on what? His passer rating is 1.1 points higher, but he’s thrown 280 fewer passes.* Gross value added counts for something.
–> See also: interceptions. Yes, Manning has thrown more interceptions than all but 6 QBs, but he has a better interception rate than all but 11 passers (not great, but still).
Speaking of interceptions, the fact that Brady hasn’t thrown one in 9 (10?) games and is close to breaking the NFL record for attempts without an interception is another factor weighing heavily in his favor.