MVP debate: Who's most deserving? A.Rodgers - JJ Watt - T.Brady - P.Manning - D.Murray?

[woodbuck27]

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/12/30/nfl-awards-mvp-rookie-coach/

Tue Dec. 30, 2014

The 2014 MMQB Awards

The regular season is over, but the NFL makes fans wait another month before revealing its annual award winners. Why prolong it? We polled 26 smart NFL observers and are ready to unveil our MVP, top rookies, best coach and more

By: Peter King

[Harlan Huckleby]

Romo doesn't belong in an honest discussion for the MVP.

Keepin the Mexican down.

[woodbuck27]

It's more about Romo. It took some time for people to trust that Romo was playing at such a high level. He finished with a higher QBR than Rodgers, which is amazing.

" I don't doubt Tony."

[Pugger]

Folks keep mixing up most valuable player with best player. Had JJ is the MVP his team would be in the playoffs. He didn't lead the league in sacks, tackles or INTs. However he scored a couple TDs playing TE. His defense wasn't even in the top half of the league. The main reason IMO why he isn't the MVP is simple: If you could chose either player to play for your team who do you choose? I'd bet most GMs would take Rodgers. This is a QB driven league today. If you don't have a good/great QB you don't win. Period.

[red]

Folks keep mixing up most valuable player with best player. Had JJ is the MVP his team would be in the playoffs. He didn't lead the league in sacks, tackles or INTs. However he scored a couple TDs playing TE. His defense wasn't even in the top half of the league. The main reason IMO why he isn't the MVP is simple: If you could chose either player to play for your team who do you choose? I'd bet most GMs would take Rodgers. This is a QB driven league today. If you don't have a good/great QB you don't win. Period.

You nailed it pugs, spot on

[Harlan Huckleby]

Folks keep mixing up most valuable player with best player. Had JJ is the MVP his team would be in the playoffs.

Now that 2nd statement isn't true. There are 35 meaningful players on a team. Even if JJ is the best defensive player in history, he can't guarantee a playoff spot. Many hall-of-fame players have spent time on bad teams, including QBs.

[mraynrand]

" I don't doubt Tony."

*Si*

[mraynrand]

Romo doesn't belong in an honest discussion

We only engage in dishonest discussion here at Packerrats

[pbmax]

We only engage in dishonest discussion here at Packerrats

Romo is juicing. Heard it from a guy who knows someone who went to a bar in Burlington.

[mraynrand]

Romo is juicing. Heard it from a guy who knows someone who went to a bar in Burlington.

And it makes a swell Christmas gift!

[Patler]

My vote has to go to Watt... It's either Watt or Rodgers, but what Watt has done this year is otherworldly.

Joel Corry at the National Football Post ranked the top 5 candidates, and came up with Watt as the most deserving, while acknowledging that he will not win it. He put some statistics together on Watt's season:

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/...MVP-award.html

Watt had one of the most dominant seasons ever for a defensive player. His historic performance was better than his 2012 season when he was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Watt became the first player in NFL history to have multiple 20 sack seasons by tying his career high with 20.5 sacks. He had a league leading five fumble recoveries, tied for second with four forced fumbles and was second in sacks. Advanced metrics better capture Watt’s dominance. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Watt had a career-best 119 quarterback pressures (combined sacks, hurries and hits) to top has previous high of 85 in 2013. NFL sacks leader Justin Houston was second this year to Watt with 85 pressures.

Watt was an occasional two-way player as a red-zone threat on offense. He also became the first player in NFL history with an interception return for a touchdown, a fumble recovery touchdown and three touchdown receptions during a season. Although the Texans narrowly missed the playoffs with nine victories, Watt led the team to the NFL’s biggest win improvement in 2014. The seven-game turnaround from a league-worst two wins in 2013 occurred without a legitimate starting quarterback or another elite defensive player to turn the opposition's attention away from Watt. It will be a surprise if Watt wins the MVP because of the advantage quarterbacks have by impacting the game on practically every offensive play. A quarterback has been named MVP in 37 of the 57 years of the award. Watt should get more than four votes, which would be the most for a defensive player during the 21st century.

119 pressures? With the next best in the league at 85? That's insane.
He doesn't even mention that Watt also deflected 10 passes.

[Patler]

I expect that Rodgers will win the award, but the more I think about it, I'm not sure why it is such a forgone conclusion, especially compared to other QBs (since it almost is a QB award).
- Sure, GB has little chance without him, but does that distinguish him from Brady, Luck, Brees, P. Manning, Roethlisberger or any top QB?
- Does it really even distinguish him from Demarco Murray? Where would Dallas be without him this year?
- Statistically, AR has not really separated himself from the top QBs this year.
- AR's claim to fame is the totality of his performance, as indicated by QB rating. Even in that this year, he did not separate himself from other QBs, and didn't even finish #!.
- AR didn't have a lights-out season. He was underwhelming at Seattle, at Detroit, at New Orleans, and was awful at Buffalo.

If Rodgers switched places with any other top QB this year, Brady, Brees, Manning, Roethlisberger, Luck, Smith, etc, (even Romo) would the Packers have been appreciably worse, or the other team appreciably better? Why does Rodgers seem to be the run-away winner over the other top QBs?

[woodbuck27]

Ohh Dear Patler! Reading your posts #131 and #132 immediately above this post.

I see a convincing argument for supporting JJ Watt as this seasons MVP.

Then .... I think of this:

I know people love drama.

What we witnessed last week in Lambeau Field is about as high a drama as one might expect post anything drama and Brett Favre. How many of us Green Bay Packer fans got a tad antsy when Aaron Rodgers was carted off the field? How did Y'all feel when you saw his return? Did you R - E - L - A - X when you observed that Aaron Rodgers confident stride along the sidelines and realized that he would return to action?

The way he did return and with that strength of passing fully evident. Didn't you feel that Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers would prevail on the day? The capper when he somehow got his body and the ball over the goal line for six! Didn't you shout MVP!?

I think back to Aaron Rodgers triumphant return last season to lead the Packers again and lead the team to a third straight NFCN Championship.

Adding it up and again this season ... his body of work. Aaron Rodgers certainly does deserve his second NFL MVP Award.

Will he get it? I believe so but it will be closer and closer as the media builds the drama. More and more the NFL is becoming about drama. Which drama is most powerful? Which brew will the eligible voters swallow?

It seems now that it's Packer Nation Vs the rest of the NFL World. This member of Packer Nation shouts 'Aaron Rodgers'.

GO PACKER NATION !

[Patler]

Woodbuck;

I didn't mean to imply that AR doesn't deserve it, I'm just fascinated that by about a month ago, it seemed his to lose. As of then, maybe even as of now, why is he anymore the clear cut front runner than Tom Brady or several others?

AR is what he is and has been for a number of years already. Why has the hype for MVP been all about him this year, but in 2012 not so much? 2011 was easy to understand. His performance that year was a notch above all other QBs. Has he been that much better this year than he was in 2012?

Personally, I didn't feel any drama on Sunday. AR went out with an injury that looked serious, but turned out to be not as bad as feared. I was very glad to see him back, but just didn't sense any real drama about it.

[woodbuck27]

Woodbuck;

I didn't mean to imply that AR doesn't deserve it, I'm just fascinated that by about a month ago, it seemed his to lose. As of then, maybe even as of now, why is he anymore the clear cut front runner than Tom Brady or several others?

AR is what he is and has been for a number of years already. Why has the hype for MVP been all about him this year, but in 2012 not so much? 2011 was easy to understand. His performance that year was a notch above all other QBs. Has he been that much better this year than he was in 2012?

Personally, I didn't feel any drama on Sunday. AR went out with an injury that looked serious, but turned out to be not as bad as feared. I was very glad to see him back, but just didn't sense any real drama about it.

Not only does Aaron Rodgers deserve the MVP. He'll win it ! The mold of tradition is hard to break.

If one plotted a curve of Aaron Rodgers and his QBR this season and building towards the big match up in Lambeau Field with the New England Patriots. You might see a clear argument for Aaron Rodgers clearing himself from any other candidate for the MVP.

Then suddenly it seemed to me; the complexion on the matter of who deserves the MVP suddenly changed focus >>> J.J. Watt became much more prominent as the deserving MVP.

Finally we're learning about the legitimate eligibility of Tony Romo.

DRAMA.