Peterson: MVP?

[dead_poet]

Show me an argument for Peyton Manning and I'll show you an equal or stronger argument for AD.

[S197]

Found a nice article on the Colts, Redskins, and Vikings and how they went from worst to being respectible. In the middle of the article, the author goes to show how amazing Peterson's season is compared to Manning's.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/879 ... ek-17-news

Great article, thanks for posting.

[AllDayBaby]

Long time lurker here. Truly, my lurking has known no bounds. Yesterday's performance by #28 awoke me from my long slumber and prompted me to register. I come for one reason: To spreadeth the wisdom that has been handed to me by Purple Jesus upon the mountain. Lend me thine ears (I'll give them back, I promise).

AD must win both MVP and comeback player of the year. No splits, no co-awards, no bull***, just outright universal recognition of one of the most mindblowing individual seasons in NFL history. If Peyton Manning's unremarkable quest to Bronco elimination in round 1 of the Playoffs soils either of these awards, I will be revoking my NFL fandom and returning to the ashes from whence I came.

AD just averaged 6 yards a carry for an entire season against 9 man boxes, nearly breaking Eric Dickerson's record in the process. This is in the conversation for best season by a running back, ever. Peyton Manning wasn't even the best quarterback in the AFC this year.

1 Year ago yesterday, AD was being carted off the field with an injury that should have ended his career. Fast forward one year and he is dragging Packer defenders around the field en route to a 199 yard performance. #28 did not just bear the weight of BJ Raji as he cruised to football greatness, he bore the weight of the entire Vikings organization. The fate of the head coach, QB and others arguably rested upon his shoulders this year. With AD, the Vikings bring a mediocre team to the playoffs. Without him, people lose their jobs.

Try to tell me that he WAS NOT the most valuable player. SKOL Vikes. SKOL Adrian Peterson, a football species of an older era and 2012's MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. Vikings fans: Grab your torches, grab your pitchforks. The pretty boys of the NFL will not take this one from us.

[CbusVikesFan]

But if you look at Peyton's stats and compare them to Brady, Rodgers, or Brees Manning wasn't even the best QB. Yes he did outstanding coming off of his injury, but I don't see anyway that he is MVP. If anyone besides Peterson gets MVP the award will be a complete joke in my opinion.

Yes! This is exactly my sentiment. Compare the numbers against their peers at that position for the year. Peterson went above and beyond his peers. Almost above all peers. It should be his hands down.

[Viva la Vikings]

I think the whole aspect of "CO" in any award givin' is a bit ridiculous. It cant be Oh we cant decide so why dont we make them both winners. Give the award to the best suited player and move on. No more co-awards.

[HornedMessiah]

AD just averaged 6 yards a carry for an entire season against 9 man boxes, nearly breaking Eric Dickerson's record in the process. This is in the conversation for best season by a running back, ever.

First off, welcome to the board. Great post. This definitely puts AD in the conversation for best season ever by a RB. Sure, Dickerson has 9 more yards than Peterson but when you look at everything that was stacked against AD, what he's done is incredible and will never be duplicated.

Take a look at these stat lines:

21 102 4.9 18 0 W
27 171 6.3 61 1 W
18 108 6.0 23 0 L
21 210 10 82 1 L
31 154 5.0 51 2 W
34 199 5.9 28 1 W
________________________
152 944 6.2 82 5


Those are his numbers in the divisional games this season. That's averaging a bit over 157 yards per game, and makes up 45% of his total rushing yardage for the year. Ridiculous. So against the teams that absolutely know what to expect when facing us, they still can't handle him. He feasts on the defenders and defensive coaches who know him best. Maybe it's that familiarity that terrifies our divisional opponents. They know he's a monster, whereas other teams who might face us only once every few seasons may benefit from some ignorance. They know he's a good player, but they just haven't reached the level of hopelessness and terror that multiple poundings gives you.

At this point I'd be shocked if he doesn't get the MVP. The media buzz swirling today seems to indicate that things may be leaning his way, but Peyton Manning is gonna make things tough.

[Laserman]

I hope AD gets it, he surely deserves it but the Press is in love with Peyton Manning. I don't see what is so great about him, he only won one superbowl and he is well into his 30s. Manning is nowhere near accomplished as Steve Young or Troy Aikman, especially Joe Montana. talk to me about Manning when he gets his 3rd Ring. No way Manning is the greatest ever. I wouldn't rate him in the top 10 QBs to play in the NFL. Give it to AD

[FailedtoOpen]

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Martin (1400 total) ranks No. 2 in the league in yards after contact with 614. Peterson (2100), who is being talked about as a Most Valuable Player candidate, leads the league with 932 yards after contact.

Washington’s Alfred Morris (1600) is third with 576 yards, Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch (1600) is fourth with 525 yards, and St. Louis’ Steven Jackson (100) is fifth with 476 yards.

[glg]

I think the whole aspect of "CO" in any award givin' is a bit ridiculous. It cant be Oh we cant decide so why dont we make them both winners. Give the award to the best suited player and move on. No more co-awards.

It's a voted award. co means there was a tie in the voting, not that a decision couldn't be made.

[hibbingviking]

9 yards away from breaking eric dickersons record is amazing the more i think about it especially in todays pass happy league. doubt if will ever be broken. we see qbs before playing at a pro bowl level like manning. some say mannings neck is even stronger now. lots of mental and physical rehab coming back from an acl. APMVP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Raptorman]

One thing I wanted to point out in Peterson's year at the rushing record. He fell 9 yards short in 348 carries. Dickerson set the record with 379 carries. Had Peterson had that many carries during the year he would have ended up, assuming his 6 yard per carry continued, with 2,274 yards. Don't think anyone voting for MVP will do the math on it.

[Orion]

One thing I wanted to point out in Peterson's year at the rushing record. He fell 9 yards short in 348 carries. Dickerson set the record with 379 carries. Had Peterson had that many carries during the year he would have ended up, assuming his 6 yard per carry continued, with 2,274 yards. Don't think anyone voting for MVP will do the math on it.

I noted that too and how AP had a slow, probably conservative start to the year. IMO he could have shattered the record and truly make it almost unbreakable.

[VikeMike]

AD had 1,000 yards rushing after first contact. That's 300 more than the back in second place, Doug Martin. I think going into the last week, most voters would have given it -- mistakenly -- to Manning. But, with 199 in a game his team has to win, literally carrying his team to the winning score in the last two minutes, and playing on a nationally televised game (not to mention running against every defense that is focusing on him to stop every week), the majority of votes will slide to Peterson. If they don't, then these guys don't know football.

[Just Me]

AD had 1,000 yards rushing after first contact. That's 300 more than the back in second place, Doug Martin. I think going into the last week, most voters would have given it -- mistakenly -- to Manning. But, with 199 in a game his team has to win, literally carrying his team to the winning score in the last two minutes, and playing on a nationally televised game (not to mention running against every defense that is focusing on him to stop every week), the majority of votes will slide to Peterson. If they don't, then these guys don't know football.

I think that the majority of the stipulations voiced for Peterson to get the MVP award was that the Vikings had to make the playoffs for him (Peterson) to be considered. I'd even seen justifications for Peterson breaking the Dickerson record but the Vikings NOT making the playoffs as a reason to deny him.

I'm cynical, but I believe that is because when these "conditions" were being voiced the Vikings needed to go 4-0 at the end of the season against some very tough competition. I believe Manning was the heir apparent and the voters wanted to be able to justify not giving it to the best running back in football. At the time, it seemed more likely that Peterson would break Dickerson's record, than it was the Vikings would actually play in the post-season. Now they have a conundrum to deal with. I think they still would favor giving the MV(QB)P award to Manning, but Peterson has made that difficult with the Vikings now in the post-season.

Forgive me, I'm jaded. The ballots have to be returned on January 3rd, but I don't think many expected to have to seriously consider Peterson. Now they do.

Peterson will get no love from Denver as evidenced in this Denver Post Article:

"We knew it was a matter of when Adrian Peterson was going to come back. It was a matter of if and how well Peyton Manning was going to come back," said one voter. "More, he's returned from a career-threatening injury to play at a transformative level. Adrian is playing better than ever and has the Vikings in the playoff mix. He returned sooner and better, but in the same system.

"Peyton changed the Broncos' culture, raising the level of an entire franchise to a real-deal Super Bowl contender more than a year removed from what some assumed was his last snap. The reason behind the NFL's hottest team is a four-time MVP playing like a five-timer."

Seriously? Peterson was a "shoe-in" to return? The guy who said that is an idiot IMHO. I would have characterized the injuries as the polar opposite of the article. Manning is a little "long in the tooth" but there was very little doubt he could return from his medical issues. A running back who actually puts a significant level of stress on his knees and doesn't have the advantage of drawing a personal foul flag everytime a defensive player so little as breathes on him, has a little more uncertain chance of returning from a knee injury than Manning had from returning from his surgery.

The fact that someone with that thought process actually gets to vote on this gives me concern this will be fair, at the end of the day.

[JellyBean2144]

Without a doubt. Peterson should get the MVP. If I had a vote in anything, I would give AP the Comeback Player of the Year award and the MVP. But it is going to be close.