NFL MVP Runner Up
 

Since we know the MVP is Manning's to loose, who is going to be the runner up for the award?

My vote goes to McNabb. If this was any other year, he would be a lock. However, since Manning is having an amazing year, McNabb will be playing the role of the bride's maid.

Re: NFL MVP Runner Up
 

I don't know. McNabb is rolling big time. His Stats are far better this year since He joined the Eagles. No Disrepect to Peyton but I feel this is Donovan McNabb's time.

Two big reasons his numbers are up are Terrell Owens and Brian Westbrook. They're both having excellent seasons, and I think some could argue that Owens has had the biggest impact on Philly.

I think McNabb would be a solid choice, but so would Terrell.

spot-on, says the eagles fan

No question Terrell and Westbrook are having great seasons. But somewhere down the line, T.O. is still due for a BIG smackdown because He's the biggest loose cannon in the NFL.

I don't know, I gotta throw Drew Brees into the discussion - yes, he's not with a team that's always on the national radar (c'mon, 4-12 last season?), but without his leadership and presence on the football field this season, I don't think the Chargers would be sitting in first place in the AFC West and be 2 games ahead of the Broncos.

And that's MY personal .02 :D

Unless they run the table out, he'll get only half-hearted recognition . . . the Chargers are having a great year, but they were always better than 4-12, and they were expected to be near the top of a weak division. McNabb's numbers are startlingly similar to Manning's (except for raw TD passes), up to and including ratio . . . Brees has a lot of passes to a tight end, and a tier-1 running back (arguably the best in football).

It's an interesting comparison, but things like "leadership" don't come into play for Brees against a guy who was, for years, the only real offensive weapon on his team, the unquestioned captain year-in and year-out, and who has kept TO happy and the rest of the team involved. The 'contract year' questions will also be there . . . why has he put it together now? Dollar signs? It's not really fair, but it carries some weight (ask Adrian Beltre's agent..).

However, the Chargers (right or wrong) are somewhat dogged by a weak schedule - a loss to the Falcons, who probably wouldn't even make the playoffs in the AFC, in one of their few chances to really beat a solid opponent looks bad. In fact, they haven't really beaten anybody yet, except a weirdly mediocre Broncos team - the Jets took them down early, and I don't consider the Panthers good at all.

Unless they beat Indy in a couple weeks, I don't think Brees deserves serious consideration. Last-place schedules exist for a reason, parity be damned.

There's also the thought that Antonio Gates and L. Tomlinson could be just as important to the Chargers, if not more so.

When you look at Philly last season and Philly this season, there's one big different - T.O. (a healthy Westbrook adds to this, but T.O. is the biggest factor, in my honest opinion).

As far as character issues - yeah, they're there for Terrell, but didn't Ray Lewis win the year after he was tried for murder? I'm not sure it counts so much in the NFL.

Donovan is a hell of a player, but I don't think this is the year for runner-up.

My picks for mvp runner up...


T.O. or Ben Roeth

McNabb or Owens would probably get my vote for runner up. Roethlisberger is having a great rookie year, but he also has badass recievers like Burress and Ward. He has plenty of time left also..he is going to have an amazing career.

And as far as Ray Lewis...he was given a fair trial and aquitted of the murder charge. So I don't think that should be an issue.

So was OJ.




Anyway - anyone catch TO's quote in the USAToday?

"Thank God for Donovan McNabb. I don't know where I'd be without him."


So I'll go McNabb, only b/c TO told me to.

I never said he was guilty. All I was trying to say is that character isn't taken into account with the NFL MVP, and that if Ray could get support after his legal battles, then TO will as well.

Agreed.