NFL MVP Watch: Can Michael Vick Steal It Away from Tom Brady?
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has single-handedly changed the NFL landscape.
He just led the Eagles to the NFC East title with a 10-4 record and he has made the Eagles a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
At times he has seemed unstoppable this year and he's led the Eagles to wins over the Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants (twice) and a then-surging Dallas Cowboys team.
But has he done enough to top the always-impressive Tom Brady of the New England Patriots?
5. Yes: He Has Made the Eagles Instant Super Bowl Contenders
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The Philadelphia Eagles could be the best team in the NFC.
The team wouldn't be if it wasn't for Michael Vick.
He's thrown 20 touchdowns to five interceptions in 11 games, and run for 613 yards and eight TDs.
He also seems to always find a way to win, evidenced by his numerous comebacks, including rallying his team back from a 31-10 fourth quarter deficit to beat the New York Giants and capture the NFC East in Week 15, 38-31.
5. No: Brady's Been Doing It All Year
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In 15 games, Tom Brady's thrown 34 touchdowns to four interceptions.
And he's getting better as the year wears on.
Vick has been dominant this year, but he also has thrown all five of his picks this year in his last four games.
Brady hasn't slowed down a bit.
4. Yes: There's No Game Plan for Him
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Play Vick to pass, and he happily burns you with his legs.
Shadow him, and he happily throws a bomb down the field for a touchdown.
Vick has all the skills needed in the pocket, and if things break down, he breaks down defenses with his legs.
You can have the perfect defensive scheme in any given play, and Vick can still burn you.
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4. No: He Has a Worse INT to TD Ratio Than Brady
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With 20 touchdowns to just five picks you would think Vick would have the top touchdown to interception ratio.
But even if you throw in his eight rushing touchdowns, he still hasn't been better than Brady in that department.
Brady has 34 touchdowns to four interceptions in 476 pass attempts.
3. Yes: He's the Definition of a Dual-Threat
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There have been a lot of "dual-threat" quarterbacks that have not exactly been a threat.
JaMarcus Russell, Troy Smith, Vince Young, etc.
But Michael Vick is what a dual-threat quarterback should be, a legitimate threat in both phases, running and passing.
A lot of dual-threat quarterbacks lack the precision passing that Vick has, and nobody runs the way he does.
He's the model of what a dual-threat quarterback should be, and it has helped the Eagles rack up wins.
3. No: Brady's Having a Historic Year
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Tom Brady has set another NFL record. Again.
This week against the Buffalo Bills he surpassed Bernie Kosar's previous record of 309 consecutive pass attempts without an interception.
Not only that, he hasn't thrown an interception in nine straight games as the regular season comes to a close.
It makes you wonder if he ever will again. It's safe to say the Patriots generally win the turnover battle.
2. Yes: He Comes Up Big In the Biggest Games
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A quarterback is generally judged the most in his biggest games.
He beat the New York Giants twice this season to capture the NFC East, culminating when he stuck the nail in the coffin in Week 15 in a fourth quarter comeback from a 31-10 deficit in New York.
That big enough for you?
Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said Vick had his vote for MVP after Week 15. That was after he trash-talked and said he was going to knock Vick out of the game during the week.
That's Tuck getting dragged along by Vick.
2. No: Brady's Had a Tougher Schedule
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Sure, Vick's been electric this season, but the two biggest teams he faced (the Colts and the Giants) are teams some would say are having a down year.
Brady, on the other hand, has beaten the Ravens, Chargers, Steelers, Colts, Jets, Bears and Packers.
After that list, there aren't many elite teams left for him to beat.
He has undoubtedly had the tougher schedule this season.
1. Yes: He Could Be the Only Man Who Can Stop the Patriots
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The Patriots have won their last seven games against some of the best teams in the league.
After a while you start to wonder if anyone can beat them at this point of the season.
But Vick could be that guy, and thus, the No. 1 MVP candidate.
As previously stated, it's hard to game plan for him, and his comeback performances (or comeback performance if you're talking about his return to football) make him an ideal candidate to win on a last-second drive against the Patriots.
To have a chance at the Patriots, I think you have to have the offense to beat them in a shootout, and Vick and Eagles have such an offense.
1. No: Brady Has Led the Patriots To a Better Record
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Tom Brady has led the Patriots to a 13-2 record, better than the Eagles record of 10-4.
The Patriots have the best record in the NFL, are the only team so far to clinch home-field advantage, and have won seven straight games.
Looking at the complete 2010 season, Brady has led the Patriots to a better record than Vick.
Conclusion
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I've been saying all year that Michael Vick deserves the MVP.
But I have since retracted my statement.
Tom Brady deserves the MVP over Vick.
As much a game-changer as Vick has been, he's "faltered" in his last four games, to a degree of course.
He's thrown all five of his interceptions in the last four games, and Brady hasn't thrown one in over 309 pass attempts.
Brady has also had a much tougher schedule (beating nearly every top team), and he still has a 13-2 record to show for it.
It doesn't matter who Brady gets as his receivers every year. He always seems to make it work.
With 34 touchdowns to four interceptions this season, I feel he's made it work more than Vick has with the Eagles.
As much as I love Michael Vick as a player, I'd have to give it to Brady.
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