Co-Mvp Like 2003

[chad72]

I think the MVP should be shared between Brees and Rodgers, just like in 2003 between Steve McNair and Peyton Manning.

Thoughts???

[CR91]

not a bad thought, but with the media and the nfl talking non-stop about the packers and rodgers and the saints kinda flying under the radar, it will most likely go to rodgers

[FireJimCaldwell]

I still think it's a joke that the 2003 award was shared. Almost as bad as Vick getting a vote in 2004. If you are going to share it, you might as well split it and add Brady into the equation, so just give it to Rodgers and leave it at that.

[Andy]

Brees is the OPOY, but not the MVP. Rodgers is the MVP.

[Blackhawk4]

I don't know about that one. You take away brees from the saints they're arguably worse on offense than the packers are without Rodgers. What Brees means to that team is bigger than what Rodgers means to his in my opinion. Rodgers season might be really good (Still not as good as 04 Manning or 07 Brady IMO), but Brees season is greater in my opinion.

[Andy]

I don't know about that one. You take away brees from the saints they're arguably worse on offense than the packers are without Rodgers. What Brees means to that team is bigger than what Rodgers means to his in my opinion. Rodgers season might be really good (Still not as good as 04 Manning or 07 Brady IMO), but Brees season is greater in my opinion.

Take in consideration that Rodgers has a better passer rating, a worse O-line, a worse running game, and Brees has a better defense this season. THe Packers may make turnovers, but they give up a lot of points and yards on defense.

[Blackhawk4]

Take in consideration that Rodgers has a better passer rating, a worse O-line, a worse running game, and Brees has a better defense this season. THe Packers may make turnovers, but they give up a lot of points and yards on defense.

The Packers O-line is arguably as good as the Saints O-line, but because of injuries at the moment it's worse. The saints are 26th in defense so to call them better doesn't really mean much when the only teams between those two statistically in defense are the giants, raiders, bucs and colts.

[Andy]

The Packers O-line is arguably as good as the Saints O-line, but because of injuries at the moment it's worse. The saints are 26th in defense so to call them better doesn't really mean much when the only teams between those two statistically in defense are the giants, raiders, bucs and colts.

The Saints have arguably the best O-line in the league. The Packers with a healthy Chad Clifton and Bryan Bulaga, are barely in the top 10. Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks > Clifton and Bulaga. Both defenses are near the bottom, but which one is more crafty and has more veterans. The Saints. The Saints have a better overall team than the Packers.

[ViriLudant]

Brady carries the Patriots as much as Rodgers carries the Packers. Brees has the benefit of a solid defense and a phenomenal offense. Brady has one good WR and two great TEs, with an average (at best) running game. Rodgers has perhaps the best WR corp in the NFL, with the Saint's WR corp being a close 2nd.

Rodgers will get it easily, though. A great statistical season.

[chad72]

Brady has one good WR and two great TEs, with an average (at best) running game.

Brady has one great WR and one great TE. Yes, Wes Welker is great, IMO, based on his consistency and the fact that you have to game plan for him. Same with Gronkowski. Aaron Hernandez is nowhere close to the "great" designation, IMO.

The true "great" term for the Pats is their QB and O-line coach all these years, and the performance of the QB and O-line year in and year out.

Right now, Brady and Manning still stand apart with their consistency but based on Brees' and Rodgers' pace, it is fair to expect those two to catch up to Brady and Manning eventually in this pass happy league.

[WSO]

I feel with the way the league is right now, getting to 40 TDs or 5k yards doesn't seem special anymore. We have two 40 TD+ Qbs with even Stafford closing in on that mark.

Think of Marino in perspective, Marino threw for 48 TDs and 5k yards in his 2nd season in the NFL. This was 1984. That seems impressive to me. With the records going to be shattered from here on, it just doesn't seem as impressive. Even if Manning broke the passing or TD record next year which I'm not saying he will but 'IF', it would be nice but nothing over the top special because of how the league is now.

[cokomenow]

Brady has one great WR and one great TE. Yes, Wes Welker is great, IMO, based on his consistency and the fact that you have to game plan for him. Same with Gronkowski. Aaron Hernandez is nowhere close to the "great" designation, IMO.

The true "great" term for the Pats is their QB and O-line coach all these years, and the performance of the QB and O-line year in and year out.

Right now, Brady and Manning still stand apart with their consistency but based on Brees' and Rodgers' pace, it is fair to expect those two to catch up to Brady and Manning eventually in this pass happy league.

IMO, having a great O-line exponentially trumps having a great WR corps. I think it's more impressive to see Rodgers doing what he does with such limited time (similar to Manning of last year), than it is to see Brady make short-intermediate throws with 3+ seconds in the pocket

[-JJ-]

Brady has one great WR and one great TE. Yes, Wes Welker is great, IMO, based on his consistency and the fact that you have to game plan for him. Same with Gronkowski. Aaron Hernandez is nowhere close to the "great" designation, IMO.

The true "great" term for the Pats is their QB and O-line coach all these years, and the performance of the QB and O-line year in and year out.

Right now, Brady and Manning still stand apart with their consistency but based on Brees' and Rodgers' pace, it is fair to expect those two to catch up to Brady and Manning eventually in this pass happy league.

they aren't great as in veterans...but they're playing great and therefore might be.

But yes, NE's oline coach is the key. And this season's oline is on their 3rd center and other linemen in like a revolving door due to injuries. That is what a good oline coach can do.

[GoPats]

The Boston Globe had a story about the Brady-Brees-Rodgers comparisons last weekend. Interesting read.

"Battle of the Best" - 2011 Edition

They are the preeminent passers in the game today.

Each has a Super Bowl ring, and each has led his team to a stellar season heading into the playoffs.

And each of the three is closing in on Dan Marino’s season record of 5,084 passing yards set in 1984 - before it became illegal to tackle a quarterback too hard or play pass defense.

Drew Brees. Tom Brady. Aaron Rodgers.

You could hardly go wrong picking any of them for Most Valuable Player.

We think Rodgers should win the award based on his team’s record and the fact that he put up the best numbers during the part of the season before playoff berths were clinched.

But for entertainment purposes, we thought it would be fun to look at the quarterbacks and their value a different way. Basically, who is doing more with less?

Three personnel evaluators - two general managers and one director of pro personnel - who have no connection to Brees, Brady, or Rodgers were asked to evaluate the three teams’ personnel in 10 categories that factor into pass production, from the best split end (or “X receiver’’) to the defense getting the quarterback the ball back to the play-caller on the team.

Each first-place vote was worth 3 points, with 2 for second and 1 for third. One of the evaluators abstained from commenting on pass blocking and play-calling because he didn’t have enough information.

In the end, Brees had the best overall talent around him. The Saints finished with 62 points and 11 first-place votes. New Orleans also led with 12 second-place votes. The Saints swept in three categories: third-down back, running game, and defense. New Orleans had just one category, “Z receiver,’’ post three third-place votes.

Rodgers and the Packers were a close second, with 58 points and 10 first-place votes. Green Bay swept two categories (X and fourth receiver). The Packers didn’t fail to register a second-place vote in any category.

Brady and the Patriots finished third with 48 points, including seven first-place votes. Six came from the unanimous selections of Wes Welker as top slot receiver and Rob Gronkowski as top tight end. The Patriots’ 15 third-place votes were more than the Saints and Packers combined (13). New England got all third-place votes in three categories: X receiver, fourth receiver, and play-calling.

Does that make Brady the MVP? Possibly. But that’s for others to decide.

Here’s a look at how the voting went at each position, followed by selected quotes from the personnel evaluators...

Full story here:

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2011/12/25/in_a_battle_of_best_tom_brady_may_get_the_nod/

It's a long article (5 pages), but to hit on some key areas/rankings:

"X" Receiver

1. Packers (Jennings)

2. Saints (Colston)

3. Patriots (Branch)

Slot Receiver

1. Patriots (Welker)

2. Saints (Lance Moore)

3. Packers (Donald Driver)

"Z" Receiver

1. Packers (Jordy Nelson)

2. Patriots (Aaron Hernandez)

3. Saints (Devery Henderson)

4th WR

1. Packers (James Jones)

2. Saints (Robert Meacham)

3. Patriots (Chad Ochocinco)

TE

1. Patriots (Rob Gronkowski)

2. Saints (Jimmy Graham)

3. Packers (Jermichael Finley)

3rd Down RB

1. Saints (Darren Sproles)

2. Packers (James Starks)

3. Patriots (Danny Woodhead)

Complimentary Running Game

1. Saints

2. Packers

3. Patriots

Pass Protection

1. Saints

2. Patriots/Packers (tie)

Defensive Stops

1. Saints

2. Packers

3. Patriots

[-JJ-]

Well I don't even care when Brady gets an MVP so........I guess I don't care;)

[GoColts8818]

Brady carries the Patriots as much as Rodgers carries the Packers. Brees has the benefit of a solid defense and a phenomenal offense. Brady has one good WR and two great TEs, with an average (at best) running game. Rodgers has perhaps the best WR corp in the NFL, with the Saint's WR corp being a close 2nd.

Rodgers will get it easily, though. A great statistical season.

Funny I didn't hear Pats fans disagreeing with Brady as the MVP when he won the MVP with a stacked team in 2007 because he broke the single season TD record. Brees and Rodgers are breaking NFL records one of them is going to win the MVP award, if it's a guy carrying a team Peyton should have won the MVP every year since Edge got hurt. It doesn't work that way, if it did Eli Manning should be in the running for it, that team isn't good at defense and can't run the ball at all, all they have is Eli Manning's arm.

[Demon]

Pass Protection

1. Saints

2. Patriots/Packers (tie)

Huh? Brady has way better protection that Rodgers.

Also, I didn't know James Jones was suddenly better than Chad and Meacham.