Going into the playoffs, there were five consensus candidates for the NFL Most Valuable Player award. All five were still playing last Sunday and three of them were doing so on the same field.
The two hopefuls for the Dallas Cowboys, both rookies, had fine games: Ezekiel Elliott ran for 125 yards and Dak Prescott passed for over 300 yards and three TDs. But two MVP prospects were not enough to overcome the Green Bay Packers and their own candidate, Aaron Rodgers – himself a two-time MVP recipient.
Who are the remaining two candidates? On Sunday, the Packers run smack-dab into Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who is highly likely to walk off with the award this year.
If Green Bay prevails, they will most likely be rewarded by getting to face the fifth MVP candidate, New England’s Tom Brady, in the Super Bowl. How’s that for a murderer’s row of opponents?
That announcement, by the way, will be made the day before the Super Bowl – though the voting was done immediately after the regular season ended. Fifty selected sportswriters make up the panel of voters.
I’m still trying to get a handle on how last Sunday the Packers faced two MVP candidates, both of whom had fine performances, were unable to prevent another superstar, receiver Dez Bryant, from having a splendid game, were without their own superstar receiver, Jordy Nelson, whose pass defenders played like the 31st ranked NFL unit that they were during the regular season, and who were playing in AT&T Stadium, where the Cowboys went 7-1 on the season – and still won.
Maybe, just maybe, it’s DESTINY!
Does anyone have another answer, other than: Aaron Charles Rodgers? Green Bay fans are watching a player who – though already a legend – keeps adding to that acclaim with every game. Packers fans have been blessed this year.
Going into the playoff game against the Giants, I anticipated the matchup as being “football at its best.” Not quite, the Dallas game was an even better battle of bodies and wills. And who’s to say the Falcons game won’t be as good or better still?
This won’t be easy for the Packers’ defense but take a closer look at the Falcons’ defense…
Their best CB (Trufant) is out…Claiborne, their big DL is out & therefore a big void to fill & the NFL’s leading sacker, Vic Beasley is banged-up too…
This looks to be another high octane shoot out. Our key will be hitting Ryan. Time for Matthews to finally show up
Good read Rob.
Doesn’t always take stats to write interesting articles, very well done.
I’ll disagree only once, more on a personal note than entire fan base. As a Packer fan i don’t feel blessed. I will feel blessed if we get to, and win, the final game.
I feel blessed that we have Aaron Rodgers leading this team, not just in his play, but in his words of leadership.
Just to keep it 100. It wasn’t Murphy, Thompson, or McCarthy speaking up about running the table.
I couldn’t be more proud of Rodgers this season. His talent is undeniable, even if he throws an interception, or an errant pass. He’s not God on the football field, but he sure is close enough to it for me.
As everyone knows, i’ve been a diehard staunch supporter of Rodgers since he took over. His own poor play, a porous 0 line, or receiving problems were never going to change that. Nor will a loss on Sunday.
The only thing stronger than my support for Rodgers, has been my belief in him. That is unchallengeable, and undeniable.
With that…..for everyone who said Rodgers was finished, that he was done, that they should trade him, that they should start Hundley, etc….I say this to you…I see you have all re-opened the door, hopped back on the Rodgers bandwagon. So grab a seat, get comfortable, enjoy the brilliance of Rodgers and how he can carry a coach and team.
I also say this, just in case Rodger doesn’t do it for you again, where his passer rating maybe drops below 100, don’t forget where the bandwagon door is, as i have no doubt, you’ll want to get back off again.
Kudos Rob, well-written, good points made..
On the subject of MVP : Enjoyed reading this piece on how The Real MVP slammed that fucktard Skippy Brainless….
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.www.complex.com/sports/2017/01/aaron-rodgers-trolls-skip-bayless-espn-interview
enjoy…
Bwahahahahaha you guys wish you had the success of the Pats and Brady. Fruits.
It was a sparse year indeed for MVP candidates for Aaron Rodgers to be the 5th best one. Ridiculous. MVPs are consistently excellent all year long. Rodgers had half a dozen very poor games and a few more average in nature.
He faced the easiest schedule in the NFL. No other QB had an easier schedule than him. Not one. None.
Besides that huge advantage he also operated behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL as per pass pro. Much better than the Patriots or the Saints or the Falcons lines. (Prescott did have a better offensive line.)
Rodgers did not lead in any passing category other than TDs. Not yards (he was 4th). Not yards per pass (he was 14th — hint, BEHIND Matt Barkley AND Jay Cutler of the Bears). Not completion percent (10th — hint, BEHIND Brian Hoyer of the Bears AND Cody Kessler of the Browns). As per his 7 interceptions — very good buuuuut he had a great o-line and was throwing lots of short throws. Even so at least 3 QBs who started all 16 games like Rodgers had fewer interceptions (Tyrod Taylor, Dak Prescott, and Derek Carr). Another, Sam Bradford, had one fewer start, a new offense, and arguably the worst o-line in football with even less of a run game support and STILL threw 2 fewer interceptions than Rodgers! Brady, granted, only played 12 games but he only threw 2 interceptions. So he started 3/4th as many games as Rodgers but threw more than 2/3rds fewer interceptions. And in overall passer rating he was 4th! That is very good and he should be proud but that is not MVP material (“Hey guys, this QB was 4th in QB rating… about 13 points behind the #1 guy so, ah, quite the gulf there… so, ah, this here #4 guy ought to be MVP, right? Am I right? AMIRITE!?!”)
I am always incredulous when announcers say things like that Rodgers is the most accurate QB in the league or of all time. If he was, uh, I don’t know, wouldn’t he lead the league in completion percentage or fewest interceptions ooooooor both every year ooooooor at least ONE year? ESPECIALLY when he throws so many very short passes?
Rodgers does not lead in a single legitimate meaningful passing category. Not one. Yes, go ahead, quickly say, “But, but, BUT! He had the most TDs!” That is not a meaningful statistic. A QB should be judged by overall offensive TDs if points are included at all. The system is made so that a QB who leads his offense on a 99 yard drive capped by a 1 yard TD plunge is ranked BEHIND a QB who gets the ball on the opponent’s 7 yard line and throws one pass for a TD. That is messed up.
Rodgers benefits from a pass first attack that pads his numbers which gets even more pass first near the end zone. There is no danger of a RB vulturing TDs. The proof is in Rodgers leading the league so many years in TDs or nearly so. Yet, the offense does not lead the league in points and does not match its productivity with Rodgers productivity of TD throws. Rodgers was #1 in TD passes but the Packer offense was 4th in points. There is your proof right there. In fact, the Falcons scored nearly 7 more points per game. If you even split that extra halfway between passing and running TDs and cut down the added TDs from 16 to, say, 10 in order to account for FGs then Ryan would have beaten Rodgers by 5 passing TDs if passing TDs were an actual reflection of QB leadership and success and overall offensive success.
Passing TDs should not even be included in QB ratings. Only interception rate, completion percentage, and yards per attempt.
Other QBs led their offenses to more points, more yards per game, and their teams to more victories. A few did all three (Ryan, Brady when pro-rated) and several others did 2 of the 3.
Even with Rodgers reputation inflated from other years and fawning media I don’t think there is any way he gets the MVP nomination. If he does it is certainly not deserved.
This is a test of your football savvy and objectivity. If you agree with me on this you are savvy and objective. If not, you are a typical Packer fan. A hypocrite. You know darn well if Rodgers was #1 in QB rating and had better yards per pass, completion percentage, more wins, many more yards per game, many more points per game and all under much more adverse circumstances than the “#4 guy” but the #4 guy was given the MVP over Rodgers you would be outraged and would whine about it for years (a high pitched whine).
So, do you pass or fail this test of hypocrisy?
Ok bro. Lol
Hey Killer, i thought we’d seen the last of you when your Queens shat the bed in the playoff run….
Dude, get a life, write your friggin War & Peace length diatribes on a site where someone cares about reading such absolure trash….
You related to Skippy Brainless ?
Killer wasn’t around for awhile. So, i’m assuming that in jail, the inmates don’t have internet privileges. I guess he got out but he has to stay 1,000 feet away from any schools, and court records show he can’t have any contact with young boys under 16.
I was only not “around” for 7 or 8 days when the web site would not let me post anything. I thought it was a Monty (PF4L/Mordecai) conspiracy to shut me out but the gurus don’t think it was. Just a site malfunction.
Speaking of gurus and not being around I have good news. I thought with my change in status in the outside world I would have to forgo the pleasure of correcting the assorted illogics and hypocrisies on this site. Right now my posts are sourced through and appear as coming from NY with random time assignations. I obviously could not afford a change to that due to possible media attention that could undermine my more worthwhile goals. But, good news! Even with the change in administration I am assured my postings can continue as “KILLER” from NY. What Donald does not know will not hurt him.
So you won’t get all lonesome for me Monty! I certainly enjoy our debates though I wish you could win even once in a blue moon just to make it more interesting.