KC Chiefs: Top five MVP candidates heading into week 11
By Gage Stagner
MVP CANDIDATES
Number Four – Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
A familiar face on a familiar list.
Rodgers, 35 years-old, is not slowing down. He’s fifth in the NFL in passing yards, top-10 in touchdowns, and has just two interceptions. He’s still a magician with the ball and one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Rodgers has already beaten the Vikings, Cowboys, Raiders, Chiefs, and Panthers this year, all winning teams. He may not have too many more years with a chance like the one he has and Rodgers knows it.
The Case For:
The Packers could be headed to the Super Bowl. They are that good and well-balanced this year.
If Green Bay finishes as the one-seed heading into the playoffs, Rodgers is the main reason why. He has a very good running back, but this is a quarterback league and this is a quarterback trophy, putting him ahead of Aaron Jones.
He has also done all this with Davante Adams sidelined for four of the ten games this year, throwing to guys like Allen Lazard and the ghost of Jimmy Graham. He’s also in the first year of a new system and deserves an enormous amount of credit for making it work with LaFleur.
The Case Against:
Rodgers is just 15th in completion percentage this year, behind guys like Joe Flacco. Completion percentage isn’t everything but what’s more telling is he is 10th in the league in average yards per pass attempt. He’s been very conservative and that is the reason for just two interceptions so far.
Rodgers is also 15th in the league in quarterback rating, another worrisome stat. He had a crazy game against a terrible Raiders secondary in week 7, but he’s only thrown for more than 300 yards three times this season, leaning heavily on the LaFleur running game.
There could be a little 2018 Tom Brady to his game during the regular season this year, waiting to turn it on in December. This is a regular season award though, and that could hurt him.
MVP Moment:
Week 7 vs. the Raiders – 25/31, 429 yards, 5 touchdowns, win.
“Did he just do that?” Play:
Week 8 touchdown throw to Jamaal Williams in the back of the endzone.