NFL MVP Predictions 2012: Breaking Down the Chances of Each MVP Candidate

After Aaron Rodgers dominated the MVP talk for most of the season, the field got a little more crowded near the season's end. The award is still going to go to a quarterback in all likelihood, but Rodgers is no longer a guaranteed winner.

The NFL will hold its first marquee awards ceremony on NBC this Saturday night. Below are the chances each superstar QB has of taking home the most prestigious individual honor.

Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers was simply on another planet in terms of efficiency for most of the regular season. He completed 68 percent of his passes for over 4,600 yards while compiling a 122.5 quarterback rating. The Packers gunslinger had 39 more touchdowns than interceptions.

Despite a late charge from the other two guys on this list, Rodgers is still the favorite. He was the most important player on the league's best offense and rarely had an off game. It's tough to comprehend the zone he was in since we've rarely seen such dominance in the past.

It will be interesting to see if the voters might lean elsewhere because he sat out the season's final game while other candidates were still putting up big numbers. That said, it would be a surprise if he didn't take home at least a share of the award.

Drew Brees

In just about any other season, Brees would have run away with the MVP, but that's not the case. He broke the record for most passing yards in a single season with nearly 5,500 and posted a career-high touchdown total with 46.

What makes Brees' dominance so astonishing is that he doesn't fit the prototypical QB mold. At just 6'0'', he has to find unique ways to make plays, and he almost always gets the job done for the Saints. It's a testament to his nearly unmatched work ethic.

All told, Brees made up a lot of ground over the final few weeks as he was breaking records. I would say he has a pretty good chance of at least splitting the award. At the very least, the vote will be closer than most anticipated a month or two ago.

Tom Brady

Brady hasn't been an underdog much since leaving Michigan and becoming a star in the NFL, but he plays that role in this race. The Patriots' lead dog posted his usual eye-popping numbers with 42 touchdowns in defense of his MVP award from last season.

An underrated aspect of Brady's season was his team's terrible defense. Since the Patriots couldn't stop anybody, he was forced to outscore the opponent every single week and managed to get the job done 13 times. That's pretty remarkable.

He's still a long shot to be sure, but don't completely count him out. He was vital to the Patriots' success and that's the entire point of the award.