In a year where there has been a great deal of parity amongst players in the National Football League, it will be quite a task for voters to select the league’s Most Valuable Player. There have been plenty of players putting up some strong numbers this season, but no one has really been able to dominate the league the way Carolina’s Cam Newton did a year ago.
The great debate about who’s deserving of the award always includes whether or not players from losing teams should be in the mix.
It’s a personal decision for the voters, but one would have to assume that unless an individual’s numbers are off the charts, the focus truly belongs on the players who helped their respective teams into the playoffs.
Heading into week 15, that very debate will leave voters to consider what to do about Drew Brees.
His numbers are solid (4,170 yards passing, 34 TDs, 14 interceptions), but his team will miss the playoffs with a record of 5-8.
Without Brees in the discussion, the talk shifts to three players, whose teams will most likely all be in the postseason.
Ezekiel Elliott – Running Back, Dallas Cowboys – The leading candidate for the MVP award is the same player who’s a mortal lock for Rookie of the Year honors.
In a season when the Dallas Cowboys lost starting QB Tony Romo early on, many had concerns about how the team would do without him, considering how poorly they played last year under the same circumstances.
While rookie QB Dak Prescott has done an amazing job, stealing the starting QB position and helping the team top the standings at 11-2, it’s hard to imagine where the team would be without Elliott. On the season, he has rushed for a league leading 1,392 yards adding 322 yards receiving and a total of 13 TDs.
Since his debut game with 51 yards rushing, he has been a rock, gaining at least 83 yards every game since.
Matt Ryan – Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan is in the midst of the best year of his career.
After a disappointing season n 2015, Ryan has managed to get his team on course for a playoff spot. This year, he’s passed for 4,050 yards and 30 touchdowns while taking much better care of the ball, giving up only 9 turnovers.
With his stellar QB rating of 113.2, he is now the pilot for the best scoring offense in the league at 32.9 PPG.
Kirk Cousins – Quarterback, Washington Redskins – The surprise entrant on this 3-man list is 5th year QB Kirk Cousins. With a record of 7-5-1, the Redskins are very much in the hunt for a wild card spot. They don’t have a lot of flashy players or a strong running game, but they have this young man, who has been putting up consistently strong numbers all season.
His 4,045 yards passing ranks him 3rd . With 23 TDs against only 9 interceptions, he has shown why many gambling websites such as https://www.bettingoffers.org/ post point spreads that show great respect for this Redskins team.
There they are, the three leading contenders for MVP honors. Which one would be your pick?