NFL MVP

His list is based on the assumption Denver would be a good team without Manning. I'd say that's an assumption not based on the evidence presented to date. Also, I love putting Rodgers on the list. He's getting credit for the games he's missing with an injury, as they prove the Packers aren't much good without him. By that reasoning, Manning's most valuable season was 2011, when he didn't play and the Colts were the worst team in the league.

 

The reasoning is garbage, put Manning on any of those teams and do any of them suffer?
Matt Stafford's more valuable than Manning? I don't know why people feel he need to complicate these things.

 

Matthew Stafford has done a lot more to lose games for Detroit than he has to win them.

If the Lions had traded for Alex Smith last year, they'd be better. He'd chuck up high to Megatron 10 times a game, check down to Bush and never throw it to the other team.

 

this I beyond ridiculous -- all votes not for peyton are either driven by an anti-manning sentiment or a desire by folks to over-analyze and find a reason to vote elsewhere.

I cannot emphasize enough that it is going to be peyton and IT WILL NOT BE CLOSE to be anything except perhaps unanimous. if it's not unanimous it will only be due to one or a couple of voters straining to distance themselves from a cliché of a choice.

per usual there are several other candidates having mvp-calibre seasons -- charles, Wilson and newton among them -- but peyton fills every criteria most emphatically in terms of definition of 'mvp' and statistical dominance. and what will further sway any voters who need to be further swayed is peyton both overcoming his career-threatening neck injury and the fact that this is most likely his last chance to have another mvp-calibre season. he can't defy the calendar forever.

 

The idea that those all-Pro "weapons" Denver has would still be all-Pro "weapons" without PFM is pretty funny. The reason they're constantly open is because No.18 is an obsessive lunatic who won't let them leave drills until they prove they can run routes at 7.35 yards with the proper number of steps. Julius Thomas' and Eric Decker's grandkids should offer to do free yard work for Manning's twins for the next 50 years.

 

You're lost. You want the marijuana thread.

 

It will be Peyton Manning, as others have said, but I really believe Tom Brady deserves great consideration.

His team is 10-4 and will win another division. No Gronk for the majority of the season, no Hernandez for the entire season and Welker traded away. He doesn't have a world-beating running game, and his starting left and right tackles are out.

On defense, Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo and Tommy Kelly are gone for the season, and the team's top defensive back, a shut-down corner, Aqib Talib, has been spotty on the field and off.

Still, Brady ranks fourth in yards, tied for ninth in TDs and has a rating that ranks near Cam Newton. The Patriots have beaten Denver and New Orleans and nearly had the Panthers on the road (if not for a horrible defensive series).

Not saying he wins, but a strong case could be made.

 

Brady's been great since about Columbus Day weekend. but he got off to a slow start and the defense won most of New England's early victories until their injuries started to pile up. Not coincidentally, that's also about when Gronkowski came back.

 

To add to what's been said, the only other Bronco players I'd call elite for sure are Demaryius Thomas, Von Miller (who hasn't been that consistent this year) and Ryan Clady (who is on IR). If you add Wes Welker and Champ Bailey (and there are arguments that Welker isn't really elite, and that Bailey, who has been injured, is no longer elite), that's just five.

Denver has some good players who do well in their roles but they aren't what I would call top talent. And some of those players are injured, so the Broncos are having to dip into their depth.

 

I was going to start a thread on this, but got too busy with holiday stuff.

I know Manning is hardly an original choice, but it would be hard to go against him if he breaks the TD pass record. Even if he doesn't break it, he's my pick. Honorable mentions to Drew Brees and Tom Brady.

We are, of course, really talking Most Outstanding Player. Not most VALUABLE player. If you want to argue value to his team, I'd make a case for Aaron Rodgers. Look at how Green Bay has played with him vs. how they have played without him. He brings a lot of value to that team.