Is Aaron Rodgers Still an MVP Candidate?

The 2013 NFL season was statistically a lost season for Aaron Rodgers, playing in only nine games after missing seven games due to a broken collarbone. In 2014, Rodgers has returned to not only putting up mind-boggling numbers, but to consideration for the league's Most Valuable Player award. His touchdown to interception ratio of 35-3 entering Week 15 had many experts pegging him as the front-runner for the award. What followed were two fairly mediocre games by Rodgers' lofty standards.

First in Week 15 against Buffalo, Rodgers turned in the lowest completion percentage of his career, was picked off twice and fumbled the ball away for a safety on Green Bay's final comeback attempt down 19-13. What the stats didn't show was that Jordy Nelson was wide open for a sure-touchdown on Rodgers' first pick, a read he would normally see a mile away. Rodgers was also nearly picked a third time when a quick screen to Nelson was thrown too far downfield and the corner nearly jumped the route for a pick-six. Nelson also dropped another potential score on a perfectly placed ball dropped right into his breadbasket by Rodgers. Overall the passing unit just looked out of sync against a stifling Bills defense that had also held Peyton Manning to 173 yards and two picks the week before.

The offense figured to get back on track against Tampa Bay last week and did, but without a banner day from a gimpy Rodgers. The load was carried by a "very blind" Eddie Lacy instead of Rodgers, who drew up a bit lame after a couple early hits in the first quarter. The injury was later diagnosed as a calf strain, which has him listed as "probable" for Week 17. Desite also battling the flu, Rodgers still completed 31 of 40 passes for 318 yards, but only threw one touchdown late in a game dominated by Green Bay's defense and running attack, 20-3.

So as we head into the final week of the 2014 regular season, is Aaron Rodgers still an MVP candidate? Voting takes place before the playoffs start, so this will be Rodgers' final chance to make his case in a game that the Packers would very much like to have. A win against the Detroit Lions gives the Packers not only the division title for the fourth straight year, but vaults them to the second seed in the playoffs and a first round bye. A loss would drop Green Bay to the 6th seed and send them on the road to either Carolina or Atlanta for the Wild Card.

As it stands for Rodgers, here is how he ranks in the league for passing statistics:

Aaron Rodgers 2014 NFL Passing Rankings in the NFL through 16 Weeks

Passing Yards: Rodgers 6th (4,155)               1st Drew Brees (4,671)

Passing Touchdowns: Rodgers 3rd (36)       1st Peyton Manning (39)

Interceptions: Rodgers 1st (5)

Quarterback Rating: Rodgers 2nd (111.0)              1st Tony Romo (114.4)*

*Through 14 games

Here is how Rodgers ranked in these categories at the conclusion of the 2011 NFL season, in which he won MVP.

Aaron Rodgers 2011 NFL Regular Season Passing Rankings (15 games)

Passing Yards: Rodgers 5th (4643)                  1st Drew Brees (5476)

Passing Touchdowns: Rodgers 2nd (45)         1st Drew Brees (46)

Interceptions: Rodgers 2nd (6)                         1st Alex Smith (5)

Quarterback Rating: Rodgers 1st (122.5)        2nd Drew Brees (110.6)

If there is anything that can be taken from Rodgers' 2011 campaign, it was that he set himself apart by taking care of the football. His eight fewer interceptions than Drew Brees with a quarterback rating nearly 12 points higher lead the Packers to a 14-1 record and proved him to be most valuable.

In 2014, Rodgers' Packers are 11-4, and still at risk to fall to the sixth seed in the NFC. With Marshawn Lynch, Romo, Manning, J.J. Watt and others' cases becoming louder, the clock is ticking on Rodgers to state his. A strong performance in such a critical game would get him right back in the conversation for the league's Most Valuable Player award for 2014.

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