The case for Wilson as MVP

[c_hawkbob]

I know it won't happen, but it sure is good to see he's in the conversation!

MVP Watch

Sixteen weeks down, one to go, and the MVP of this league is up for grabs—and I could see any one of four or five men winning it. My top five with a week to go:

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay. Rodgers beat a very bad Tampa team Sunday and hasn’t done anything in the last two weeks to lengthen his lead ...

2. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas. He’s come from off the charts with three straight command performances ...

3. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston. Another sack in Houston’s upset of Baltimore on Sunday, giving Watt 17 for the season ...

4. Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle. Another quarterback making his debut in my top five. He ran and passed the Seahawks over Arizona on Sunday night in his usual Cool Hand Luke way. Now Seattle and New England are neck and neck for the best team in football. Wilson is the biggest reason for the Seahawks’ recent rise.

5. Tom Brady, QB, New England. The latest win at the Meadowlands wasn’t pretty, but Brady has the Patriots 12-3 ...

More from MMQB:

By almost any measure the team that won the Super Bowl by 35 points last season is better this year. There’s almost a bitterness if the defense gives up a play of any yardage. The secondary is a bunch of attack dogs. On offense, Marshawn Lynch runs like he’s trying to hurt somebody on every play. He runs with violent intent. Russell Wilson knows when to take chances, when to live to fight another play. On Sunday night he knew when to throw for 80, when to run for 55. Here’s the thing about Wilson: He’s never going to be a numbers player—or so the impression goes. Well, that depends on the numbers you’re talking about.

Is Tom Brady a numbers player? Peyton Manning? Let’s look at a couple of things.

---------------------------------------------------------- Russell Wilson ---------Tom Brady ----------- Peyton Manning
W-L since Wilson entered NFL --------------------------- 39-13 ------------------ 38-13 -------------------- 39-11
2014 yards (passing+rushing) ---------------------------- 4,078 ------------------ 4,077 -------------------- 4,124

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/12/22/a-repeat-possibility/

[mykc14]

Thats really good stuff. Wouldn't it be amazing if the voters recognized his greatness? What about another bad game for Rodgers, a bad game for Romo, and another good game for RW? Does that put him in serioius MVP consideration?

[savvyman]

Wilson has my vote.

[Zorn76]

He's just a winner, that's what matters most.
If we were a pass happy offense, his odds would be much better.
He could routinely put up 250-300 ypg if he was asked to do so, along with 30 TD's per season.

[jshawaii22]

I don't know about MVP, it's pretty rigged toward the Big 3, but if Peter King says he's in the running, who am I to complain. All those stats and broken records will sure all come into play in about 20 years in Canton.. .along with the multiple rings he'll have.

js

[Hawktawk]

I am continually amazed by the inability of pundits and fans to recognize Wilson routinely puts up 250 +yards. He just puts up 100 of it with his feet lots of the time. The 250-350 yds of RW is far more devastating than the comparative yardage produced by the typical drop back QB. RW breaks down defenses, destroys them.He and Lynch demoralize defenses much as the LOB demoralize offenses.

Looking around the league lets see how the flyboys did in week 16. Rodgers not so much. Had a Hass sighting in Indy, so much for the messiah Luck. Brady scuffled. Manning? Wow that's last years MVP and that situation is getting ugly.

Who is better right now? Why not Russ?

[RiverDog]

There's been talk of Tony Romo as being an MVP candidate. Russell has done a heck of a lot more with what he has to work with, in particular, his OL and receiving corps, than Romo has available in his arsenal.

I would have to think about it for awhile. Just off hand, I can't think of a player with better qualifications. The MVP should come from at least a playoff team if not a team that has earned a first round bye, which would leave out guys like JJ Watt.

[c_hawkbob]

Personally I think JJ Watt is a no brainer, but I'm happy as hell to see Russ in the discussion (he was in the discussion this morning on NFL AM and in the SC highlights as well).

[Long Time Fan]

Here in Houston, Watt is as glorified as RW is in Seattle, both with good reason.

Watt is the most disruptive force in the NFL; what he does while being consistently double and triple teamed is remarkable. He does move along the line with freedom to line up over wherever the perceived weakness exists. But the Texans hang onto playoff hopes by a thread and in my mind, a non playoff team has no league MVP. However if there is to be a defensive player to be MVP, it would be Watt. Guy plays defense like no other.

Romo for MVP campaign is a Jerry Jones production. Fringe of deserving. Truth is Murray and the emphasis on the run game along with that Oline are the real reasons behind the Cowboyz ascent.

[kalibane]

I don't see how you can possibly make the case for Romo. Murray has to be the MVP of the Cowboys this year. He has more touches than Romo has passing attempts and will likely have over 400 carries for the season (which is just insane). To put that in perspective, Lynch has never had more touches than Wilson has had pass attempts. And Lynch's biggest workload for one season will be around 85-100 fewer carries.

I'm sure a certain someone will come in and say that's the same argument he was making about Wilson, but again he will be incorrect. The point isn't he can't be MVP because it's a running offense now. The point is how can someone be the MVP when team success was directly related to the offensive focus moving away from you and the person it moved to is having one of the all time great years which has unquestionably lead to far greater team success.

Wilson is truly special but my vote goes to Watt. That dude is just a one man wrecking crew. The last three seasons are the best stretch I've ever seen, including Lawrence Taylor. If Tez can win DPOY on a 2 win team (and deservedly so) Watt can be MVP in my book.

[RiverDog]

I don't see how you can possibly make the case for Romo. Murray has to be the MVP of the Cowboys this year. He has more touches than Romo has passing attempts and will likely have over 400 carries for the season (which is just insane). To put that in perspective, Lynch has never had more touches than Wilson has had pass attempts. And Lynch's biggest workload for one season will be around 85-100 fewer carries.

I'm sure a certain someone will come in and say that's the same argument he was making about Wilson, but again he will be incorrect. The point isn't he can't be MVP because it's a running offense now. The point is how can someone be the MVP when team success was directly related to the offensive focus moving away from you and the person it moved to is having one of the all time great years which has unquestionably lead to far greater team success.

Wilson is truly special but my vote goes to Watt. That dude is just a one man wrecking crew. The last three seasons are the best stretch I've ever seen, including Lawrence Taylor.

The only reason that Watt would not get my vote would be his team not having a very good season. IMO the definition of MVP is a player that is critical to winning football games, and the Texans aren't even going to make the playoffs.

[kalibane]

The only reason that Watt would not get my vote would be his team not having a very good season. IMO the definition of MVP is a player that is critical to winning football games, and the Texans aren't even going to make the playoffs.

Yeah a lot of people have that take. Not me, not for football, or baseball. The MVP is the best player in the league and people have parsed the award to leave out people they want to leave out. In Basketball where one person can legitimately elevate a team into the playoffs and has just as much potential for impact on defense. I get the argument that the best player should be able to get their team to the Playoffs. With 22 moving parts plus special teams it's impossible. Same with baseball. It's pretty ridiculous for instance that Juan Gonzalez won MVP in 1996 over Ken Griffey Jr. just because the Mariners missed the playoffs.

The Texans are just outside of the playoffs, much like the Mariners were in 96, while playing Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallet, Tom Savage and Case Keenum at QB. Watt can't control who's taking snaps, all he can do is what he has done, by at times nearly single handedly keeping the Texans in games, even contributing a tad on offense.

[BelizeHawk]

There is no way that a non-QB can be the most valuable player. The position is simply too important. That is why there should be separate awards.
Taking the award at its most literal, it's a 3 way race: Rodgers, Brady, and Manning, and I'd give it to Brady.
The Pack, Pats, and Broncos, are all 5-6 win teams at best without those guys.
Without RW the Hawks could still win 8-9 games with Lynch, and that D.
Without Romo the Cowboys are still a 7-8 win team with Murray.
Without Roethlisberger the Steelers are still 7-8 wins with Bell.
Without Watt the Texans lose 2 maybe 3 more games.

RW has been amazing this year and his stats definitely measure up against the big three and it is evident that he is a top 5 player in the game, but he is not the most valuable.

[monkey]

The graph that Peter King put in his story (which I tried to post here early this morning, but I couldn't figure out how to make it look right) is something that virtually EVERYONE overlooks, because they only include passing yards when talking about QB's.
Why? Because they fail to see that total yards, regardless of how the QB got them, is a far better measuring stick, because regardless of how the QB got those yards, they are still yards the QB got for his team...they ALL COUNT!

That graph is something every sports fan who wants to try to claim that Andrew Luck is so much better than Wilson needs to see.

Also they should see this.
https://vine.co/v/OXH7zittIzz

[monkey]

There is no way that a non-QB can be the most valuable player. The position is simply too important.

I disagree, but I do agree there ought to be separate awards.
I also think they ought to better define what they mean by MVP, is it truly "most valuable" or is best player? Half the voters vote one way, the other half the other.
It's silliness that can all be cleared up with a simple definition.

[c_hawkbob]

The graph that Peter King put in his story (which I tried to post here early this morning, but I couldn't figure out how to make it look right) is something that virtually EVERYONE overlooks, because they only include passing yards when talking about QB's.
Why? Because they fail to see that total yards, regardless of how the QB got them, is a far better measuring stick, because regardless of how the QB got those yards, they are still yards the QB got for his team...they ALL COUNT!

That graph is something every sports fan who wants to try to claim that Andrew Luck is so much better than Wilson needs to see.

Also they should see this.
https://vine.co/v/OXH7zittIzz

That graph is already in my initial post, and yes it took a lot of tinkering to get it to look right.

[kalibane]

And that's why it's stupid to look at the award that way IMO. It's really just become a glorified best QB award. And it penalizes people like Wilson who play on well balanced teams. IMO what it should be is an award for the player who furthest exceeds the expectations for their position. And that's Watt by far. He's so far ahead of the next best defensive lineman, especially 3-4 ends it makes your head spin. Is there any meaningful difference between Rodgers, Brady, Manning, Luck, Wilson?

Watt's season has been something truly special in this game and it deserves to be recognized as such, especially in a season where no one else is doing anything at their position as exceptionally, whether compared to their positional peers or positional history.

[kalibane]

.
Why? Because they fail to see that total yards, regardless of how the QB got them, is a far better measuring stick, because regardless of how the QB got those yards, they are still yards the QB got for his team...they ALL COUNT!

Not only that but the rushing yards count for more points in fantasy.

[BelizeHawk]

All I know is Arians will probably be COY...
Rodgers will probably be MVP...
Watt will get DPOY...
but the name engraved on that Lombardi will be Seahawks.

[RiverDog]

To be honest, the MVP doesn't mean squat to me. They could give it to Johnny Manziel and I could care less. The only award I care about is that one that's named after that guy that used to say something like the winning isn't the most important thing, it's the only thing, or something like that.

Who was that guy?

[Hawktawk]

RW didn't even make the pro bowl so i guess we can forget MVP eh? Good grief....Oh well he wont be available to play anyway.

[mykc14]

RW didn't even make the pro bowl so i guess we can forget MVP eh? Good grief....Oh well he wont be available to play anyway.

Yeah sometimes the pro bowl vote doesn't make much sense, it is just a popularity contest often. Remember a few years ago when Sherman didn't make the pro bowl but he was all-pro? At the same time all the qbs picked have played well this year, also he still has a chance to get picked, although hopefully he will be busy getting ready for the sb.

[Anthony]

RW didn't even make the pro bowl so i guess we can forget MVP eh? Good grief....Oh well he wont be available to play anyway.

Agreed on SB not sure him not being picked in pro bowl means he cannot be MVP. That voting was done before the MVP talk and fans are involved and do not have access to all the data the voters for MVP will have. That said he will not win MVP but being mentioned is a good thing.