Rodgers still put up MVP numbers - and no one seems to notice

For Weeks now we’ve been hearing about two MVP candidates in the NFL; Adrian Peterson, and Peyton Manning. Let me first start off by saying that Adrian Peterson is my MVP. He single handedly carried the Vikings into the playoffs with a season that most won’t forget anytime soon—finishing only 9 yards short of the single season rushing record. Now that I’ve got that off my chest, let’s talk about Aaron Rodgers.

Peyton Manning had a great year. There’s no question about it, but the fact that Rodgers isn’t even being mentioned when the “Who should be the MVP” talks come up in the sports world is mind-boggling. It’s even evident in the All-Pro voting which was released earlier this morning. Manning received 43 votes while Rodgers received only 4. It’s a shame no one is taking notice of Rodgers MVP caliber numbers.

Looking at the stats suggest these are two pretty even quarterbacks. Manning has thrown for 37 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 4,659 yards—in 583 attempts, and a 68.6% completion percentage. On the other hand, Rodgers has thrown for 39 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 4,295 yards—in 552 attempts, and a 67.2% completion percentage. Rodgers also had a passer rating (108.0 to 105.8). Not to mention Rodgers’ mobility both inside and outside the pocket.

I’d like to see what Manning would be able to do in Rodgers’ shoes. Manning has the luxury of playing behind one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, only being sacked 21 times this years as opposed to Rodgers’ 51. Now, some of those Rodgers sacks are his own fault as he has a tendency to hang on to the ball too long at times, but the Packers O-line has been abysmal all year. I can almost guarantee Manning does not put up the same numbers if he had the Packers’ O-line protecting him, as Peyton doesn’t have the ability to escape the pocket when things collapse as well as Rodgers can.

If you gave Aaron Rodgers the time in the pocket that Manning receives, this wouldn’t even be an argument. You would think that the reigning NFL MVP would be getting a little more love from the hype machine known as ESPN, but it appears as if they’re putting all their eggs in Peyton’s basket. It’s almost as if he being penalized because his numbers are down from perhaps the greatest season by a quarterback ever last year. But make no mistake, Aaron Rodgers still put up MVP caliber numbers this year.