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So Mike Florio on PFT added Charles Woodson to his MVP watch for the year. I think he's definitely leading the talk for DPOY, but for the MVP I just wasn't educated enough to say. So I went and looked at some MVP data since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
From the various organizations (Associated Press, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Maxwell Club of Philadelphia, etc) that conferred MVPs over this time period (1970-2008), there have been 65 MVPs. The Associated Press, the unofficial official designators of the MVP, have given out 40 MVPs. Of those 40, 25 have been QBs, 12 have been RBs, 1 was a kicker (Mark Moseley in 1982), and 2 were primarily defensive players: DT Alan Page in 1971 and LB Lawrence Taylor in 1986.
So before we begin the discussion, the MVP is heavily slanted towards the offensive side (37 out of 40 = 92.5%) so the odds are steep to begin with.
First, we can't really compare the stats of the previous defensive MVP winners because Page played before they tracked tackles and Woodson plays in the modern era which has rules designed to get the offenses to score points (no contact with WR after 5 yards, automatic penalties for touching the QBs, etc). Not only that, but MVPs aren't all about stats and some of their most important efforts are demeaned by a statistic. For example, Woodson's tackle for loss on 1st and goal from the 1 last night before the interception only shows up as a tackle for loss and not the key play it really was.
Second, it's been 23 years since a player other than a RB or QB won the MVP (LT in 1986).
Third, Woodson's stats this year are close to phenomenal. He ranks in the Top 10 for CBs in the following categories: all of them (combined tackles, solo tackles, sacks, passes defended, interceptions, INT TDs, INT yards, forced fumbles, fumbles recovered). He regularly shuts down the opposing teams best player and is all over the freakin' field.
Fourth, when Rod woodson won the DPOY award in 1993, his year end defensive stats were better than Charles Woodson's 3/4 year stats in three places (no stats available for passes defended): tackles by about 30, one more interception, and 13 more INT yards. They were even on sacks, INT TDs, and fumble recoveries. Charles Woodson on 3/4 year was leading in forced fumbles.
Fifth, projecting purely his stats to include 4 more games (a wasted gesture, but fun nonetheless), he would have 77 tackles, 3 sacks, 24 passes defended, 9 INTs, 3 INT TDs, and 5 forced fumbles to go along with his 1 fumble recovered and 167 INT yardage. But again, his stat line ignores how well he shuts down receivers time and again (if anyone has this data, please included it).
Sixth, I'm assuming Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Brett Favre are in the MVP discussion. I'm hoping they steal votes from each other (especially Manning and Brees since Favre had a Favre-esque game on Sunday) and make it easier for someone other than a QB or RB to actually get in the conversation.
Seventh: discuss. What do you think?
From the various organizations (Associated Press, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Maxwell Club of Philadelphia, etc) that conferred MVPs over this time period (1970-2008), there have been 65 MVPs. The Associated Press, the unofficial official designators of the MVP, have given out 40 MVPs. Of those 40, 25 have been QBs, 12 have been RBs, 1 was a kicker (Mark Moseley in 1982), and 2 were primarily defensive players: DT Alan Page in 1971 and LB Lawrence Taylor in 1986.
So before we begin the discussion, the MVP is heavily slanted towards the offensive side (37 out of 40 = 92.5%) so the odds are steep to begin with.
First, we can't really compare the stats of the previous defensive MVP winners because Page played before they tracked tackles and Woodson plays in the modern era which has rules designed to get the offenses to score points (no contact with WR after 5 yards, automatic penalties for touching the QBs, etc). Not only that, but MVPs aren't all about stats and some of their most important efforts are demeaned by a statistic. For example, Woodson's tackle for loss on 1st and goal from the 1 last night before the interception only shows up as a tackle for loss and not the key play it really was.
Second, it's been 23 years since a player other than a RB or QB won the MVP (LT in 1986).
Third, Woodson's stats this year are close to phenomenal. He ranks in the Top 10 for CBs in the following categories: all of them (combined tackles, solo tackles, sacks, passes defended, interceptions, INT TDs, INT yards, forced fumbles, fumbles recovered). He regularly shuts down the opposing teams best player and is all over the freakin' field.
Fourth, when Rod woodson won the DPOY award in 1993, his year end defensive stats were better than Charles Woodson's 3/4 year stats in three places (no stats available for passes defended): tackles by about 30, one more interception, and 13 more INT yards. They were even on sacks, INT TDs, and fumble recoveries. Charles Woodson on 3/4 year was leading in forced fumbles.
Fifth, projecting purely his stats to include 4 more games (a wasted gesture, but fun nonetheless), he would have 77 tackles, 3 sacks, 24 passes defended, 9 INTs, 3 INT TDs, and 5 forced fumbles to go along with his 1 fumble recovered and 167 INT yardage. But again, his stat line ignores how well he shuts down receivers time and again (if anyone has this data, please included it).
Sixth, I'm assuming Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Brett Favre are in the MVP discussion. I'm hoping they steal votes from each other (especially Manning and Brees since Favre had a Favre-esque game on Sunday) and make it easier for someone other than a QB or RB to actually get in the conversation.
Seventh: discuss. What do you think?
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