The NFL's 2014 MVP race is wide open heading into Week 17, and with many playoff chases already settled, not much is likely to change. In that case, before playoff matchup analysis takes precedence, now is the right time to figure out who the candidates are for this season's prize and predict who will win it.
Aaron Rodgers, QB Green Bay Packers
Rodgers has been lights out. The numbers alone scream MVP. He's tossed 36 touchdowns against just five interceptions, racked up 4,155 yards through the air, and completed 65 percent of his pass attempts. He is also a threat on the ground. Nobody is confusing him for Russell Wilson, but Rodgers has chewed up 255 yards on 41 rushes and scored a TD on the ground.
Holes in the resume? The gaudy totals are a little misleading. Rodgers hasn't been the same guy on the road, and against elite defenses has struggled. Seattle held him to less than 200 yards in the opener, Detroit made him look regular, and he failed to tear up the Saints in a big loss.
Andrew Luck, QB Indianapolis Colts
This year the Colts have handed over full control of the offense to Luck, and they've been rewarded. Luck's thrown 600 passes this season and completed 61.7 percent of them for 4,601 yards, 38 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Rodgers' efficiency may come off as more impressive, having done his damage with fewer throws, but Luck doesn't have a Top 5 rusher in Eddie Lacy at his disposal, nor does he have Rodgers' weaponry at wide receiver.
Holes in the resume? The interceptions are a bit high for an MVP candidate, and the Colts' team success compared to the teams of other candidates may bury him.
Tom Brady, QB New England Patriots
Early in the season there were rumblings of Brady's demise. There were even crazy whispers of the impending Jimmy Garoppolo era coming soon. That talk has vanished. At 37 years old Brady has topped 4,000 yards, thrown 33 touchdowns, and limited his picks to just nine. He doesn't have the rushing ability of the two guys above him, nor the raw touchdown totals to stand out, but his team is 12-4 and could have home field advantage through the AFC playoffs.
Holes in the resume? Brady is exceptionally reliant on the presence of tight end Rob Gronkowski. Without him, the Pats offense is not nearly as scary-that limits Brady's candidacy.
DeMarco Murray, RB Dallas Cowboys
While the NFL might be a quarterback's league these days, there's always room for a running back piling up 116 yards a week. Murray has been the workhorse of an 11-4 Cowboys team that has already won the NFC East. He's scored 12 touchdowns, amassed 1,745 yards on the ground, and topped 100 yards in 11 of Dallas' games.
Holes in the resume? Dallas' O-Line gets a ton of credit for Murray's output, and his last two games took some heat off his candidacy. It's been a fine season for Murray, but for MVP buzz RBs need to approach or surpass the 2,000-yard mark these days.
J.J. Watt, DE Houston Texans
In a year when no quarterback stands head and shoulders above his peers, why not hand it to the most dominant defensive player possibly of this generation? In 15 games Watt has recorded 17.5 sacks despite constant double and triple-teaming, run an interception 80 yards for a touchdown, forced three fumbles, recover five fumbles (one for a touchdown), and made 72 tackles.
On offense, he's become an actual red zone target and scored three receiving touchdowns. So to recap, he's wrecked offense in every way possible, and scored five touchdowns. As a defensive end.
Holes in the resume? He's not a quarterback.
SWN Pick for MVP: J.J. Watt
SWN Prediction for MVP: Aaron Rodgers
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