Now that there are ten games in the NFL record books for this season, the MVP race is heating up. There will be quite a shuffle in the rankings, as some candidates did more to help their respective teams than others. The New England Patriots knocked off the Indianapolis Colts, so there will be a new leader. The Atlanta Falcons doubled up the St. Louis Rams as Matt Ryan turned in a good performance. The Philadelphia Eagles topped the New York Giants in a very meaningful game. The Oakland Raiders were blown out by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Darren McFadden provided little help. The San Diego Chargers annihilated the Denver Broncos, and Philip Rivers enters the MVP race as his team has reached the .500 mark.
The Rankings
1. Tom Brady: 8-2 record, 2,362 yards passing, 65.4%, 19 TD, 4 INT, 14 sacks, 1 fumble lost, 100.6 rating. Tom Brady had a near-flawless game in a win over the Colts.
2. Matt Ryan: 8-2 record, 2,518 yards passing, 63.1%, 18 TD, 5 INT, 15 sacks, 3 fumbles lost, 92.9 rating. Matt Ryan enjoyed a lot of success against a good Rams defense as the Falcons remain in the top spot in the NFC.
3. Michael Vick: 5-2 record, 1,608 yards passing, 62.8%, 11 TD, 0 INT, 18 sacks, 1 fumble lost, 108.7 rating. I am sure many of you are disappointed he’s not #1 on my list, but he hasn’t played enough games.
4. Peyton Manning: 6-4 record, 3,059 yards passing, 65.3%, 20 TD, 7 INT, 12 sacks, 1 fumble lost, 94.2 rating. Three of his seven interceptions came in the loss to the Patriots on Sunday. He was the reason they were in the game, but also the reason they lost.
5. Philip Rivers: 5-5 record, 3,177 yards passing, 65.2%, 23 TD, 9 INT, 23 sacks, 3 fumbles lost, 105.0 rating. He would be much higher if the Chargers’ record were a couple of games better.
On the bubble: Roddy White, Drew Brees, Ahmad Bradshaw, Darren McFadden, Josh Freeman
