NFL MVP: Picking the MVP for All 16 AFC Teams from the 2011-2012 Season

The NFL's MVP will be awarded at the league's first awards show on the eve of Super Bowl XLVI tomorrow. 

That distinction will likely go to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers or New Orleans Saints gun-slinger and record-breaker Drew Brees. 

What about the AFC? 

Who was your favorite team's MVP in 2011?

Buffalo Bills: Fred Jackson

Jackson suffered a season-ending leg injury in the Bills' Week 11 loss to the Miami Dolphins, but before that, he was arguably the best running back in football. 

He entered that game leading the league in rushing and had hauled in 34 passes for 392. 

Jackson finished the 2011 season with 934 rushing yards and six touchdowns. 

One of the lone bright spots on a Bills team that started the year 5-2, but ended 6-10. 

Miami Dolphins: Brandon Marshall

This could have easily gone to Reggie Bush, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career, but Marshall was the most steady and productive player on a somewhat disappointing Dolphins team in 2011. 

He remains one of the toughest matchups in the NFL. 

The former Denver Broncos wideout hauled in 81 passes for 1,214 yards with six touchdowns. 

New England Patriots: Tom Brady

Come on, Brady's been the MVP of the Patriots for about 10 years now, and actually, I made his case for league MVP earlier this week. 

He probably won't win, but he is just as deserving as Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees in my estimation. 

The guy threw for a ridiculous 5,235 yards with 39 touchdowns in 2011. Yeah, he eclipsed Dan Marino's single-season passing yard record, too. He just happened to do it the same year Brees went bonkers on every defense in the league. 

New York Jets: David Harris

It's hard picking out a true MVP for a team that underperformed like the Jets, but Harris was the most steady player on New York's defense in 2011. 

He tallied 86 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions manning the middle linebacker position. 

Sorry, I just couldn't give the MVP to anyone on that offense. 

Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice

While the Ravens defense remained one of the most dominating and intimidating units in the NFL, there's no questioning Ray Rice as the team's MVP. 

He led the NFL 2,068 yards from scrimmage and caught 76 passes from Joe Flacco. 

In the Ravens four regular-season losses, Rice received a total of 36 carries. 

That proves how vital he was to Baltimore's success this season. 

Cincinnati Bengals: Andy Dalton

The Bengals were an extremely balanced club in 2011, and certainly exceeded many preseason expectations. 

A lot of guys are worthy of this award, like defensive lineman Geno Atkins who recorded 7.5 sacks and wideout A.J. Green who went over 1,000 yards receiving. 

In the end, rookie signal-caller Andy Dalton put on quite the poised and steady performance throughout the season and gets the distinction as team MVP. 

Cleveland Browns: Peyton Hillis. Kidding. D'Qwell Jackson

The Browns weren't very good in 2011, but Jackson's 158 total tackles stand out. 

Tackles can be an overrated stat, but Jackson was easily the most solid and consistent player on the team this season. 

Joe Haden was another guy that deserves some Cleveland Browns' MVP consideration, too. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Wallace

I bet if you look back on lists like this over the years, most of the time their MVP was either a defensive player or Ben Roethlisberger. 

How about a fresh face. 

Speedster wideout Mike Wallace is unquestionably worthy. 

He morphed from solely being a deep threat into a well-rounded receiver. With the majority of the secondary attention focused his way, Antonio Brown emerged as a viable No. 2 option. 

Wallace finished the year 72 receptions, 1,193 yards, and eight touchdown grabs. 

Denver Broncos: Tim Tebow...Willis McGahee/Von Miller

My apologies to all Tebow fans out there, but McGahee and Miller slightly beat out the league's most undeserving rock star by a hair. 

Yes, Tebow did have some magical inspirational powers on the team when he took over after a 1-4 start, but McGahee was the driving force behind their run at the AFC West title. 

McGahee averaged 4.8 yards per carry and ran for 1,999 yards when not much was expected of him. 

Miller had a tremendous rookie campaign, totaling 11.5 sacks, 6.5 of which came during the team's "epic" five-game winning streak

San Diego Chargers: Philip Rivers

Yes, Rivers went through an extremely tough stretch that ultimately doomed the Chargers' 2011 playoff hopes, but he did throw for 4,624 yards with 27 touchdowns. 

He couldn't recreate the December magic of years past, but at least he made it interesting, right? 

Honorable mention to Antwan Barnes, who quietly had 11.0 sacks. 

Not bad. 

Kansas City Chiefs: Tamba Hali

Dwayne Bowe performed admirably in 2011 especially with the horrid quarterback situation in Kansas City. 

The wideout caught 81 passes for 1,159 yards with five touchdowns. 

However, the Chiefs defense kept them in many games during the year, and Tamba Hali was at the center of it all. 

Despite receiving extra attention after his 14.5-sack breakout in 2010, the Penn State product finished the year with 12 more quarterback takedowns. 

A total beast on the edge. 

Oakland Raiders: Ummmm....Darrius Heyward-Bey?

The Raiders weren't great on offense and certainly had their issues, especially at the end of the season, on defense, too. 

McFadden would have easily wrapped up this award had he stayed healthy. 

Fans in Oakland have been eagerly awaiting for Darrius Heyward-Bey to emerge and he did this year.

Kind of. 

He had 64 catches for 975 yards and four touchdowns. 

If this is wrong, Raiders fans, let me know...who was your team's MVP in 2011?

Indianapolis Colts: Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis

A running joke across the NFL landscape this season was that Peyton Manning proved to be the league's MVP, after witnessing the atrocity that was the Indianapolis Colts this season without him. 

While he may have really proved his worth this season by sitting on the sidelines, he definitely wasn't the Colts MVP on the field. 

This isn't easy, but I'll give it to Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. 

They bookend defensive linemen worked tirelessly on every play despite being on the worst team in the league.

Mathis and Freeney combined for 18 sacks this season. 

Good for them. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Maurice Jones-Drew

What's not to like about Maurice Jones-Drew. He's a human bowling ball that runs as hard as anyone despite listed at 5'7''. He pass protects, he catches balls out of the backfield. 

Jones led the NFL in rushing with 1,606 yards in 2011. 

Tennessee Titans: Chris John..Nate Washington

Matt Hasselbeck looked to be a lock for this award for most of the season, but he ended poorly and the Titans missed out on the playoffs. 

Nate Washington stepped up after monstrous wideout Kenny Britt was lost for the year and pieced together the most statistically productive season of his career. 

He only went over the 100-yard mark in two games, but he the most reliable pass-catcher for Tennessee all season. 

Houston Texans: Arian Foster

The Texans defense was one of the most formidable units in the league this year, but it was mainly a group effort.

Yes, J.J. Watt, Brooks Reed, Connor Barwin and Antonio Smith were great, but their collective dominance led to Houston's ascension up nearly all the defensive ranks.

Arian Foster was the team's life force on offense.

He had 1,224 yards, 12 total touchdowns and caught 53 passes from three different quarterbacks.

Don't forget his 153-yard, two-TD effort in the Texans' playoff win against the Bengals.