Photo Credit: Golden Gate Sports One of the most debated topics in sports, particularly football, baseball, and basketball, each season is what should define the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the MLB, the NBA, or the NFL. People have different interpretations of what the MVP award means and who it should go to based on that judgment. This article is meant to provide readers with what is the … Continue reading What Should Define an MVP?
Photo Credit: The Cheat Sheet (featured image), ESPN (team logos) All eight of SportsPress’s current writers came together to vote for their top 5 NFL MVP award candidates. 1st place votes count as 5 points, 2nd place votes count as 4 points, 3rd place votes count as 3 points, 4th place votes count as 2 points, and 5th place votes count as 1 points. Those Who … Continue reading SportsPress NFL MVP Award Voting
Photo Credit: Cheesehead TV (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 10. Vic Beasley Jr., Linebacker, Atlanta Falcons Team Record: 11-5 Statistics: 39 tackles, 15.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 passes defensed, 2 stuffs 9. Khalil Mack, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders Team Record: 12-4 Statistics: 73 tackles, 11 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 1 touchdown, 3 passes defensed, 4 stuffs 8. Derek Carr, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders Team Record: 12-4 Statistics: 356/559 (63.7% completion percentage), 3,933 passing … Continue reading Top 20 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 17 (#10 through #1)
Photo Credit: Heavy (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 20. Kirk Cousins, Quarterback, Washington Redskins Team Record: 8-7-1 Statistics: 406/606 (67.0% completion percentage), 4,917 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 34 rush attempts, 96 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns 19. Tyreek Hill, Wide Receiver, Kansas City Chiefs Team Record: 12-4 Statistics: 61 receptions, 593 receiving yards, 6 receiving touchdowns, 24 rush attempts, 267 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 14 kickoff returns, 384 kickoff return yards, … Continue reading Top 20 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 17 (#20 through #11)
Photo Credit: Pro Football Talk – NBC Sports (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 10. Vic Beasley Jr., Linebacker, Atlanta Falcons Team Record: 10-5 Statistics: 37 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 passes defensed, 2 stuffs 9. Khalil Mack, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders Team Record: 12-3 Statistics: 68 tackles, 11 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 1 touchdown, 3 passes defensed, 4 stuffs 8. Derek Carr, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders Team Record: 12-3 Statistics: 356/559 (63.7% … Continue reading Top 20 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 16 (#10 through #1)
Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 20. LeSean McCoy, Running Back, Buffalo Bills Team Record: 7-8 Statistics: 229 rush attempts, 1,257 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 49 receptions, 350 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown 19. Justin Tucker, Kicker, Baltimore Ravens Team Record: 8-7 Statistics: 26/26 (100% extra point conversion rate), 37/38; 1 blocked field goal (97.4% field goal conversion rate), 4/4 (100% 20-29-yard field goal conversion rate), 9/10; 1 … Continue reading Top 20 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 16 (#20 through #11)
Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 10. David Johnson, Running Back, Arizona Cardinals Team Record: 5-8-1 Statistics: 260 rush attempts, 1,138 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 73 receptions, 800 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, 4 tackles 9. Khalil Mack, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders Team Record: 11-3 Statistics: 65 tackles, 11 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 1 touchdown, 3 passes defensed, 4 stuffs 8. Le’Veon Bell, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers Team … Continue reading Top 20 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 15 (#10 through #1)
Photo Credit: The Football Insider (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 20. Odell Beckham Jr., Wide Receiver, New York Giants Team Record: 10-4 Statistics: 85 receptions, 1,173 receiving yards, 10 receiving touchdowns, 1 rush attempt, 9 rushing yards, 10 punt returns, 66 punt return yards, 1 tackle 19. Kirk Cousins, Quarterback, Washington Redskins Team Record: 7-6-1 Statistics: 366/542 (67.5% completion percentage), 4,360 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 29 rush attempts, 66 rushing yards, 2 … Continue reading Top 20 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 15 (#20 through #11)
Photo Credit: Heavy (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 10. David Johnson, Running Back, Arizona Cardinals Team Record: 5-7-1 Statistics: 248 rush attempts, 1,085 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 69 receptions, 745 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, 3 tackles 9. Le’Veon Bell, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers Team Record: 8-5 Statistics: 218 rush attempts, 1,053 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 67 receptions, 563 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown 8. Khalil Mack, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders Team Record: 10-3 Statistics: 61 tackles, 11 sacks, … Continue reading Top 20 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 14 (#10 through #1)
Photo Credit: FOX Sports (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 20. Justin Tucker, Kicker, Baltimore Ravens Team Record: 7-6 Statistics: 22/22 (100% extra point conversion rate), 31/32; 1 blocked field goal (96.9% field goal conversion rate), 3/3 (100% 20-29-yard field goal conversion rate), 8/9; 1 blocked field goal (88.9% 30-39-yard field goal conversion rate), 11/11 (100% 40-49-yard field goal conversion rate), 9/9 (100% 50+-yard field goal conversion rate), 0/1 (0% completion … Continue reading Top 20 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 14 (#20 through #11)
Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 5. Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons (7-5) Statistics: 284/414 (68.6% completion percentage), 3,813 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 30 rush attempts, 107 rushing yards Analysis: Matt Ryan is playing some of the best football of his life right now. He is on pace to become just the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for 4,500 or more yards in five … Continue reading Top 5 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 13
Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun It goes without saying that an NFL kicker has never won the league’s MVP award. A kicker has never been deserving of holding the title of the league’s Most Valuable Player, and that makes sense seeing as how kickers are hardly ever on the field and really only have one or two jobs when they are. However, this year things could be … Continue reading Should Justin Tucker Be in the NFL MVP Award Discussion?
Photo Credit: CSNNE (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 5. Derek Carr, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders (9-2) Statistics: 281/423 (66.4% completion percentage), 3,115 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 28 rush attempts, 49 rushing yards Analysis: In just his three NFL seasons, Derek Carr has taken this Oakland Raiders team from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. His quarterbacking over the first three seasons of his young career has made this Raiders … Continue reading Top 5 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 12
Photo Credit: Boston Herald (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 5. Derek Carr, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders (8-2) Statistics: 255/385 (66.2% completion percentage), 2,800 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 24 rush attempts, 62 rushing yards Analysis: In just his three NFL seasons, Derek Carr has taken this Oakland Raiders team from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. His quarterbacking over the first three seasons of his young career has made … Continue reading Top 5 NFL MVP Candidates through Week 11
Photo Credit: Cowboys Wire – USA Today (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 5. Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons (6-4) Statistics: 236/346 (69.6% completion percentage), 3,247 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 23 rush attempts, 69 rushing yards Analysis: Matt Ryan is playing some of the best football of his life right now. He is on pace to become just the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for … Continue reading Top 5 NFL MVP Award Candidates through Week 10
Photo Credit: USA Today (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 5. Drew Brees, Quarterback, New Orleans Saints (4-4) Statistics: 242/347 (69.7% completion percentage), 2,689 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 11 rush attempts, 9 rushing yards Analysis: Brees would be a lot higher on this list, possibly even #1, if his value to his team actually helped them win more games, which they have actually been doing as of late, … Continue reading Top 5 NFL MVP Award Candidates through Week 9
Photo Credit: theScore (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 5. Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys (6-1) Statistics: 159 rush attempts, 799 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns, 15 receptions, 150 receiving yards Analysis: As a 21-year-old rookie, Ezekiel Elliott is the best running back in the NFL already. Not only that, but the Cowboys are actually winning games without their usual starting quarterback Tony Romo, and quarterback Dak Prescott has not … Continue reading Top 5 NFL MVP Award Candidates through Week 8
Photo Credit: Heavy (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 5. Matthew Stafford, Quarterback, Detroit Lions (4-3) Statistics: 164/241 (68.1% completion percentage), 1,914 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 21 rush attempts, 126 rushing yards Analysis: Matthew Stafford has emerged as one of the top quarterbacks through the first seven weeks of this season. He is making accurate throws and has not been turning the ball over nearly as much as … Continue reading Top 5 NFL MVP Award Candidates through Week 7
Photo Credit: wtop.com (featured image), ESPN (team logos) 5. Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys (4-1) Statistics: 109 rush attempts, 546 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns, 9 receptions, 81 receiving yards Analysis: This would have seemed crazy a month ago. Now, it doesn’t. Ezekiel Elliott is the best running back in the NFL already. Not only that, but the Cowboys are actually winning games without their usual starting … Continue reading Top 5 NFL MVP Award Candidates through Week 5
