The NFL season has just four games left. We're through three quarters of the season and the MVP picture is taking shape. We've narrowed down the candidate list to the top five players, although someone not on this list could make a late run. It's not just stats and wins that determine the MVP, although those are incredibly important. It's also how much a player means to their team and how drastic the drop-off would be if the player in question were to miss time. With that in mind, here the NFL MVP Power Rankings After 13 Weeks:
5. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
Rodgers is without several offensive weapons and is still producing a great season. He's completing 61 percent of his passes, with 26 TDs, 5 INTs and 2,957 yards. He's even added 287 yards and a TD on the ground. Rodgers has been as sharp as he has in recent seasons, but he's still be a great QB.
4. Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals
/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47461060/usa-today-8869835.0.jpg)
Dalton has had issues in the past and I understand that some won't trust him until he proves himself in the playoffs, but Dalton deserves this ranking. He's in the midst of his best season, completing 66 percent of his passes for 3,191 yards, 25 TDs and 6 INTs. Sure, his supporting cast is among the best in the NFL, but Dalton has played great this season. If the Bengals continue to win, and Dalton avoids the disastrous games that have plagued him in the past, he'll be a serious MVP contender. There's a real argument that Dalton should be No. 2.
3. Carson Palmer, QB, Cardinals
We saw what happened last season to the Cardinals without Palmer. He's the most important part of the team, and they'd be in serious trouble without him. This season, Palmer is completing 63.9 percent of his passes for 3,693 yards, 29 TDs and 9 INTs. If Palmer continues to play well, and the Cardinals continue to win, he'll be in position to take a top 3 spot in the MVP race.
2. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
Brady has proved "Deflategate" should have been a non-issue and that he is an MVP candidate. He's completing 63.7 percent of his passes for 3,912 yards, 31 TDs and 6 INTs. He's torched nearly every defense he's faced and it doesn't look like he'll slow down this season. Brady has battled through injuries to his supporting cast and he has a case for being ranked higher.
1. Cam Newton, QB, Panthers
There is not a QB in the NFL who has done so much with so little this year. Newton completing 58.4 percent of his passes for 2,797 yards, 25 TDs and 10 INTs isn't that impressive. Adding 476 yards and 7 scores on the ground helps, but it's not the biggest reason Newton is the MVP front-runner. Newton has almost nothing around him and still has the Panthers undefeated. TE Greg Olsen is a weapon, but that's the only true threat Newton has. The rest of his WRs are castoffs and his Newton's offensive line is just awful. Newton's stellar play with little support is why he deserves the MVP.
Back to the NFL Newsfeed