MVP Race: Week 8

| 2011/11/02

When you ask us who had the best on field performances, we can normally give you a list of names pretty quickly. When you ask us a more subjective question pertaining to who the most valuable player in the league is? Well you get plenty of discussion, debate and some flared tempers.

The only way for this to be settled was for Neil, Ben, Sam and myself to go away, sit on our own, and jot down our top ten most valuable players. From there, it was all about adding up the votes and producing this article.

It’s as simple as that really, and the results shouldn’t be all that surprising to anyone who has been paying attention to what has been going on in the NFL.

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

A unanimous selection with Rodgers playing the kind of flawless football that sets him apart from the rest. Just look at his PFF Accuracy percentage where we look at his completion percentage excluding drops, throwaways and spikes. His 81.3% leads the entire league.

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2. Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets

His performances this year have been nothing short of breathtaking, with quarterbacks now having a 2.9 quarterback rating when they throw in his direction.

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3. Fred Jackson, HB, Buffalo Bills

An third place finish for Jackson, who has done more for the Bills than anyone could have imagined. Jackson is the most elusive back in the league having already forced 32 missed tackles and picking up 3.8 yards after contact.

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4. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

It took him awhile to find his rhythm against Pittsburgh, but how much of that was due to a defensive scheme that ensured the Patriots wouldn’t get on the field? Brady is third in our PFF quarterback rating.

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5. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions

The truth is that Matthew Stafford has been a bit of a letdown this year. This would be more obvious if his massive “get out of jail free card” saved his blushes on more than one occasion. The Lions without Johnson are not a 5-2 team, that much is for sure.

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6. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans

When Brees isn’t at the top of his game, the Saints simply don’t have the scheme or players stepping up to make do. Brees has carried this team for a long time now, with his talent making life a lot easier for those around him.

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7. Justin Smith, DE, San Francisco 49ers

It’s tough to give this award to one of 49ers defender because there are a number of them playing lights out. But it’s Smith, with the havoc he wreaks up front, that sets the tone. He’s been good for so long it’s taken for granted.

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8. Matt Forte, HB, Chicago Bears

Number two in our elusive rating and number one in running back breakaway percentage. Forte is the Bears offense, and it’s amazing they haven’t done more to lock him down yet.

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9. Ray Lewis, MLB, Baltimore Ravens

This isn’t just some lifetime achievement award; this is because Lewis is playing like the best middle linebacker in the league right now.

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10. Jared Allen, DE, Minnesota Vikings

So the Vikings aren’t winning that much. Allen is playing lights out football and doing an exceptionally good job of consistently getting to the quarterback.

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Follow Khaled on Twitter: @PFF_Khaled … and be sure to follow our main Twitter feed: @ProFootbalFocus

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  • harryddunn

    It’s hard for me to consider Stafford a letdown, when he has the 4th best PFF QB rating and his #2 target is a TE with the worst hands at his position. Calvin indubitably makes his life easier, but it never gets mentioned how much having stellar receiving options like Graham, Sproles, Colston, Moore to throw to helps Brees.

    I just have a little puzzlement about that.

    • maeby

      No kidding, I know the PFF folks seem to pride themselves on their contrarianism (especially with the Lions hype, see Suh last year), but this is a bit ridiculous. Unless they had a higher opinion (pro-bowl caliber after 13 NFL starts coming into year) on Stafford than even the folks in Detroit, I don’t see how this makes sense.

      He’s fifth in the NFL in passer rating. He is 16th for the season in ESPN’s new QBR system, and that’s probably more accurate than his normal rating, but 16th is about the definition average. For Matthew Stafford, who had only thirteen starts in the league coming into the year, to be, at worst, an average NFL quarterback through his first eight starts this year is just fine with me. The flaws that’s he’s shown are correctable, and I can see improvement already. He’s 23 years old.

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