NFL MVP: Why Tom Brady Has Tremendous Case for MVP, but Probably Won't Win

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees are the front runners for this year's NFL MVP. 

Hello? 

What about Tom Brady?

I'll admit, I was mystified during the regular season by all the passing yards, broken records and touchdowns from Brees and Rodgers during a slew of prime-time victories.

Their aerial assaults had me thinking the ideal scenario would be a split MVP award for these two brightly shining stars. 

Then, with both Brees and Rodgers bounced from the postseason and Brady in the Super Bowl, I started to look over their seasons. 

I know the award doesn't take the playoffs into consideration, but comparing the illustrious years of the three signal-callers, I realized Brady may actually have the best case of them all.

For you stat lovers, don't forget that Brady, like Brees, surpassed Dan Marino's 5,084 single-season passing yard total with an astounding 5,235 yards in 2011. 

He added 39 passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. 

OK, Brees had more yards, more seven more passing touchdowns, only two more interceptions, a higher completion percentage and a higher QB rating. 

Rodgers had more six more touchdowns, six fewer interceptions and a considerably higher QB rating. 

Great. 

However, look at what all three guys had to work with on their respective teams. 

The Saints are absolutely loaded on offense. Marques Colston is a top-10 wide receiver. Robert Meachem is one of the most underrated burners in the NFL. Lance Moore is a capable slot guy. The running back committee in New Orleans ranked sixth in the league this year. Oh yea, there's that Jimmy Graham fellow, too. 

Their defense wasn't fantastic, but certainly wasn't horrible, either. 

Rodgers has one of the most threatening group vertical weapons in the NFL. Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, the reliable Donald Driver, Jermichael Finley, James Jones, Randall Cobb...it never ends. 

This is not to build up the Packers' and Saints' targets to ultimately bash the guys Brady throws to, but seriously, the units aren't really comparable. 

Brady has an outstanding tight end tandem of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Wes Welker led the league in receptions and is the best underneath wideout in the league.

Then what? Deion Branch? Should I even count Chad Ochocinco and his 15 grabs?

Remember, the Pats won their last eight games in the regular season, ended the year 13-3 and were the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.

After comparing statistics and rosters, it's easy to see that Brady, at the very least, is equal to Brees and Rogers in terms of MVP worthiness.

All three guys had their down performances, too. 

Brady's came in a four-interception disaster in a loss to the Buffalo Bills. Brees uncharacteristically threw two picks in a stunning defeat to the lowly St. Louis Rams. Rodgers buckled under the pressure of an undefeated season in Kansas City, completing only 48.6 percent of his passes in a crushing loss to the Chiefs. 

It happens to the best of them. 

In the end, the season-long hype and continual success from Rodgers and his nearly perfect Packers and Brees' attack on the record books will ultimately lead to one of these two, if not both, winning the MVP.

And you know what? That's OK. Brees and Rodgers had epic, MVP-type 2011 campaigns. 

But to me, it's clear.

Brady certainly did more with less in 2011 and was truly the league's most valuable player. 

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