With two weeks remaining in the 2016 NFL regular season, here’s how we view the MVP race…
1. Matt Ryan, Falcons: I’m not going to lie, I’m having trouble making up my mind. I thought Ryan was out of this race a few weeks ago, but he’s been absolutely dominant without his top receiver of late. The NFL’s highest-rated passer also leads the league by a huge margin with a 9.3 yards-per-attempt average.
Highest yards-per-attempt averages this century:
1. Matt Ryan, 2016 (9.3)
2. Aaron Rodgers, 2011 (9.2)
3. Peyton Manning, 2004 (9.2)— Brad Gagnon (@Brad_Gagnon) December 21, 2016
2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: The rate-based numbers aren’t quite there, but Rodgers has done so much with so little support, and he’s dealing with several injuries to boot. That bomb to Jordy Nelson moved him just ahead of…
3. Tom Brady, Patriots: Pretty mediocre day against the Broncos, but another win for a quarterback who is 9-1 as a starter this season. Brady has the league’s second highest passer rating and a 22-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
4. Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys: The rookie leads the league in rushing by a 327-yard margin and continues to be the key to success for first-place Dallas. Problem is quarterback Dak Prescott and the offensive line have been so good that Elliott might not be viewed as the most valuable player in the NFL, even if he’s the best.
5. Derek Carr, Raiders: He gets credit for another fourth-quarter comeback in Week 15 over the Chargers, and he’s been pretty good with that finger injury. Still, his production has dropped off this month. I don’t think a guy can win this award with a sub-100 passer rating.
