Every NFL Team's Most Valuable Player Through 3 Weeks

There have been some tremendous performances through the first three weeks of the 2012 NFL season. Which of them were enough to put your favorite team over the top and into the win column?

Which of those performances have been staples of your team’s success, or lack thereof, after three weeks of NFL football?

In the following slides, I’ll break down the most valuable player for each of the 32 NFL teams and provide a little insight as to the team’s situation and why that player stands out.

You’ve heard it time and time again over the last few seasons that the NFL is now a passing league. Take a look and see for yourself. Are most of the teams’ best performers involved in the passing or pass-prevention part of the game?

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals' Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Daryl Washington, LB

The Arizona Cardinals have shocked the NFL by riding the talents of their defense and a surprising performance from Kevin Kolb to a 3-0 record. While the offense has been a pleasant surprise, it's been Daryl Washington and the defense that have made the biggest impact. Who better for an MVP than the guy heading up that unit?

Washington has set the tone for a defense that is stifling opponents’ offenses, specifically in the passing game. His ability to play both the run and pass has helped him accumulate 29 total tackles, 26 of them solo—three sacks, one pass deflection and one tackle for a loss.

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Matt Ryan, QB

The Atlanta Falcons have ridden the hot hand of the NFL’s most efficient passer, Matt Ryan (114.0 QB rating), to an exciting 3-0 start to the 2012 NFL season. The fifth-year passer is playing his best football for the Falcons, completing 72 percent of his passes through the first three weeks.

With the team’s inability to run the ball becoming more and more apparent, Ryan has taken matters into his own hands by being as close to perfect as he can be. He’s averaging 255 yards per game and has thrown eight touchdowns to one lone interception.

Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Ray Rice, RB

Despite the team’s more pass-oriented offense this year, Ray Rice has still stood out as the Baltimore Ravens’ premier option on offense. His ability to create plays by finding creases in the defense has allowed him to rack up 395 all-purpose yards through the first three weeks of the 2012 NFL season.

Rice is being heavily relied on to carry the load himself as the Ravens’ featured running back this season. He’s scored three touchdowns on the ground while compiling 268 yards—averaging 5.8 yards per carry.

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: C.J. Spiller, RB

Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller has only played one full football game in 2012. That hasn’t stopped him from coming in third in total rushing yards. After his first two appearances, Spiller became the first running back since Jim Brown to average more than 10 yards per carry through the first two games of the season.

Spiller, filling in for Fred Jackson, who was injured in Week 1, could have even more gigantic numbers had he not gotten injured during the first quarter of the Bills’ Week 3 beating of the Cleveland Browns. He’s amassed 308 yards with 9.3 yards per carry and three touchdowns on the ground. In the passing game, he’s taken in seven passes for 114 yards and scored one touchdown.

That’s 422 all-purpose yards for those of you counting at home.

Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Steve Smith, WR

Like with any struggling team, it’s hard to find a most valuable player when there aren’t very many positives on the field on Sundays. However, one guy stands out for the Carolina Panthers despite the overall struggles of his team.

Twelfth-year wide receiver Steve Smith has showed up and played excellently in each of the Panthers’ first three games. The veteran has been the most consistent bright spot on a team that could easily be 0-3. Through three weeks, he’s averaging 21.1 yards per catch and has accumulated 296 yards through the air.

Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Tim Jennings, CB

The Chicago Bears retooled their offense during the offseason and were hoping to have an explosion led by the reunion of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall. That hasn’t exactly happened as planned. Luckily, they have one of the best all-around defenses in the NFL and have ridden that to an early 2-1 record.

Tim Jennings has emerged as one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL to this point. He’s intercepted an NFL-high four passes and deflected another nine that have come his way. At what point do you stop throwing at the cornerstone of the league’s No. 7 pass defense?

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Andy Dalton, QB

Cincinnati Bengals’ second-year quarterback Andy Dalton has sparked the Bengals offense to back-to-back 30-plus-point offensive performances. While the team’s defense may leave little to be desired, giving up 44, 27 and 31 points, the offense looks to be back on track after scoring only 13 points in the team’s opening-week loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Dalton hasn’t done it alone, though. Of his 867 yards passing, 289 of them have come from receivers gaining yards after the catch. Dalton has thrown six touchdowns to three interceptions and has a quarterback rating of 105 through three weeks.

Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Trent Richardson, RB

It might be debatable that the Cleveland Browns currently have any players deserving notoriety for their performances over the past three weeks. However, for the sake of argument, I’m going to go with rookie running back Trent Richardson.

Despite struggles during his first start against the Philadelphia Eagles as well as in Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills, Richardson has rushed for 175 yards and two touchdowns to go with 65 yards and another score in the passing game. He earned every one of those yards and touchdowns, as the Browns’ offensive line has been unable to move anyone so far in 2012.

Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: DeMarcus Ware, OLB

Through three weeks, the Dallas Cowboys have shut down opposing passing attacks. They’re currently ranked No. 2 in the NFL, allowing only 137 passing yards per game. A large part of that is the team’s revamp of its secondary.

Another huge part of that is the continued excellence of DeMarcus Ware on the edges. Ware is currently tied for No. 3 in the NFL in sacks with four. The threat he brings creates so many mismatches for his teammates. With the added competency in the secondary, quarterbacks have had fewer open receivers and more chances for Ware to get after them.

Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Tracy Porter, CB

Peyton Manning has not exactly returned to the all-pro level at which he was playing before missing the 2011 season following neck surgery. He is playing well, but he hasn’t been consistent enough yet to give the Denver Broncos a fighting chance at winning consistently.

On the defensive side of the ball, Tracy Porter has. During the team’s Week 1 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Porter had five pass deflections—one that prevented a Ben Roethlisberger touchdown to Heath Miller—eight solo tackles and an emphatic game-sealing 43-yard interception touchdown return off of Roethlisberger. 

Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Calvin Johnson, WR

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin “Megatron” Johnson has been an uncoverable entity around the league throughout his six-year NFL career. Without Johnson, it’s a certainty that the Lions would be winless in 2012.

He’s averaging over 100 yards per game and has compiled an NFL-best 369 receiving yards through the first three weeks of action. He only has one touchdown, but it was a big one that sent the Lions into overtime against the Tennessee Titans.

Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Clay Matthews, OLB

Clay Matthews did not record a sack in his team’s surprise and controversial Monday Night Football loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. However, his six sacks during the first two weeks kept him in the lead throughout the NFL through the first three weeks of the season.

The Green Bay Packers have a ton of talent, but none of it has played up to its potential to this point. That’s with the exception of Matthews. In addition to his six sacks, Matthews has also recorded 13 tackles, created vast amounts of pressure and batted down a pass.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers may be the leader of this team, but it’s Matthews’ unstoppable ability to blow up an offensive line that has created matchup nightmares for opposing offenses so far in 2012. It’s safe to say Matthews is “back” after only recording six sacks in all of 2011.

Houston Texans

Houston Texans’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: J.J. Watt, DE

In addition to the offensive success of Matt Schaub, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson, the Houston Texans’ defense has been a huge factor in the team’s 3-0 start. That defense is top five in the league in yardage allowed—188 yards per game through the air and 67.7 yards per game on the ground.

At the forefront of the much-improved Texans defense is second-year defensive end J.J. Watt. Watt is leading the team with 15 tackles, is No. 2 in the NFL with 5.5 sacks and has a league-high seven tackles for loss through the first three weeks of the 2012 NFL season. He’s also batted down five passes and recovered a fumble.

Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Andrew Luck, QB

Andrew Luck hasn’t been perfect, but he’s been good enough overall during the Indianapolis Colts’ first three games. After he struggled mightily during his rookie debut against a tough Chicago Bears defense, Luck rebounded with four touchdowns and one interception over the next two games.

The Colts may be 1-2, and Luck could have played better, but there really hasn’t been anyone else that stands out on the Colts roster at this time. If not for an 80-yard touchdown in the closing moments of the Colts' Week 3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Luck would be enjoying a 2-1 start and the praises of the Colts' faithful.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Maurice Jones-Drew, RB

Without Maurice Jones-Drew, would the Jacksonville Jaguars have a win in 2012? If you answered “no,” then there’s no reason for me to go on any further. He’s the life force that’s keeping the Jaguars ticking.

MJD’s 177-yard performance in Week 3, including a 59-yard touchdown run through the heart of the Colts defense, helped give his team their first win in 2012. The rest of the Blaine Gabbert-led offense was bleak at best.

Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Jamaal Charles, RB

Kansas City looked like it was going to be clobbered for a third straight week, as it trailed New Orleans 24-6 in the third quarter. That’s when Jamaal Charles turned on the jets and took a handoff 91 yards for the longest running play in Chiefs history. He also scored the only Chiefs touchdown of the game on that play.

While Charles struggled and injured his knee in a Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills, he more than made up for it with a 233-yard outburst against the Saints in Week 3. That brought his season total to 323, which is currently the best in the NFL through three weeks.

Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Reggie Bush, RB

The Miami Dolphins drafted Ryan Tannehill in the top 10 of the 2012 NFL draft in hopes that he could lead their team and be their quarterback of the future. All rookie quarterbacks need a reliable running back, though, and Miami has not had one of those for a long, long time.

That’s where Reggie Bush came in, until his Week 3 injury, at least.

Bush has helped an ailing Dolphins’ passing game by providing a spark on the ground. He’s averaging 6.0 yards per carry and has over 300 yards rushing through the first three games of the season. To put this in perspective: Bush had only 335 yards through the first seven games last season, and the Dolphins began 0-7.

The oft-injured Dolphins running back has started where he left off towards the end of last season. He recorded four consecutive 100-yard performances in which he totaled 519 on the ground. The Dolphins have been competitive, and it’s mostly been because of Bush’s excellent play.

Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Christian Ponder, QB

Christian Ponder hasn’t lit the world on fire in his sophomore season, but he has improved his game from a season ago and played within the confines of his offensive system. It’s working, too. He completed 60 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and just under 200 yards in the team’s Week 3 win over the heavily favored San Francisco 49ers.

Overall, the Vikings’ quarterback has yet to throw an interception, something that plagued him as a rookie, and his play has helped the Vikings become one of the biggest surprises in the NFL thus far in the season. Ponder is on pace to throw for over 3,500 yards and 21 touchdowns. That will be more than enough, as the team can heavily utilize Adrian Peterson and find solace in knowing it has a competent quarterback calling the signals and directing the offense.

New England Patriots

New England Patriots’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Tom Brady, QB

You can’t say the words "New England Patriots" without immediately having glimpses of Tom Brady dissecting a team’s secondary. He’s been the focal point of the Patriots, and the game of American football, for the past decade. 2012 has been no different to this point for the Pats.

While the Patriots may have fallen to a surprising 1-2 record over the first three weeks of the season, Brady has battled and kept his team in the mix in each game. He’s completed 66.9 percent of his passes and is averaging 281.3 yards per game through the air. A 4-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio doesn’t hurt his excellent start, either.

New York Giants

New York Giants’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Eli Manning, QB

After dropping a close battle with divisional rival Dallas, the New York Giants rebounded with an offensive explosion in Week 2. That explosion was orchestrated by one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL today—Eli Manning.

Manning still doesn’t have the recognition as one of the game's best at his position, despite winning two Super Bowls and continuing to get better each year he’s played in the league. He’s No. 2 in the NFL in passing with 1,011 yards and has thrown five touchdowns. He's also thrown three interceptions—all coming in the first half of Week 2 before going on an absolute tear in a second-half comeback.

New York Jets

New York Jets’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: LaRon Landry, S

It’s hard to define to whom the New York Jets most owe their 2-1 2012 start. Sure, Mark Sanchez has surprised to an extent by not completely falling apart amidst heavy concerns about his ability to quarterback a football team. The added pressure and increased media hype from the addition of Tim Tebow has exacerbated things. However, despite a completion percentage barely above 50 percent, Sanchez and the Jets have come away with two victories.

Let’s credit that more to the defense than to the somewhat surprising and adequate play of the offense. Several players stick out, but it was LaRon Landry who intercepted Ryan Tannehill on the second play of the second half, down 10-3, that changed the landscape of that game and shifted momentum to the Jets. Without that play, the Jets could very well be 1-2 and on the verge of implosion under the bright lights of the New York and national media.

New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Drew Brees, QB

The New Orleans Saints are in unfamiliar territory. They’ve started 0-3 after only losing three games a season ago. Is it a result of the coaching-staff suspensions to the bounty scandal, or is there a deeper factor plaguing the Saints? Whatever the case may be, Drew Brees and the offense are still moving the chains and putting up points.

That’s why it’s nearly impossible to talk about the MVP of a Saints team without looking to Brees. While he is struggling some, he’s currently No. 5 in the NFL in passing with 904 yards and has seven touchdown passes. The bad news is that he’s only completing 54.7 percent of his throws and has also thrown five interceptions. He did throw 14 interceptions last season, so this is nothing new.

Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Carson Palmer, QB

Darren McFadden has struggled to get going during the opening weeks of the 2012 NFL season. That’s resulted in hefty offensive struggles for the Oakland Raiders. However, there has been one pleasant surprise despite all of those struggles, and it fully came to light during the team’s Week 3 upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Carson Palmer is having an excellent year after an up-and-down beginning to his Raiders career, which he began after he was traded to the team well into the 2011 season. As of Week 3, Palmer is keeping pace with some of the biggest names in the NFL at the quarterback position.  He’s thrown five touchdowns to two interceptions and compiled 879 yards on 80-of-128 passing for a 62.5 percent completion rate.

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Brent Celek, TE

Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Michael Vick has put on a Jekyll-and-Hyde performance through three weeks of the 2012 NFL season. He’s driven his team down to score a one-point victory as time ran out in the fourth quarter for two consecutive games, giving the Eagles a 2-0 start that otherwise shouldn’t have been possible.

Does that make up for the eight turnovers he’s surrendered while only throwing for three touchdowns? His 55.2 percent completion rate and 66.3 passer rating tell the true tale of his success this season, despite those late-game heroics.

That’s where tight end Brent Celek comes in. Celek has provided Vick with his most sure target on the roster. He’s recorded a team-high 14 receptions and team-high 258 yards receiving through three games. Nine of those receptions were for first downs and seven of them were for 20 yards or more.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Ben Roethlisberger, QB

Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 1-2 start, the team’s passing game has never looked better. Running the ball has posed a problem, as Rashard Mendenhall has been out and the team’s line has struggled in getting a push upfront.

Ben Roethlisberger is thriving, regardless of the issues around him.

Thus far, Big Ben has thrown for over 900 yards, completing 68.3 percent of his passes for eight touchdowns and only one lone interception. That interception, though, was a costly one, as it was returned for a touchdown by Denver Broncos cornerback Tracy Porter. The score sealed the game for the Broncos and sent the Steelers packing.

St. Louis Rams

St. Louis Rams’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Cortland Finnegan, CB

To say that the St. Louis Rams had a problem in their secondary in 2011 would be putting it mildly. The team went out and picked up Cortland Finnegan through free agency in order to address those concerns. They’ve gotten quick returns on their investment, as Finnegan has proven to be one of the best corners in the league after three weeks.

Not only is he active in the tackling game, he’s also defensed six passes, intercepted three of them and returned one of those for a 32-yard touchdown. Nothing says thank you for the big new contract more than putting your teammates on your shoulders, buckling up your chin strap and proving your worth on Sundays.

Finnegan’s contributions have gotten his team to the middle of the road in pass defense. The Rams currently rank No. 16 in the NFL with 238 yards per game surrendered through the air.

San Diego Chargers

San Diego Chargers’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Atari Bigby, S

It may have been ugly to this point, but the San Diego Chargers have a winning record (2-1) after the first three weeks of the 2012 NFL season. They haven’t done it with any type of consistent offense, either. Philip Rivers has been serviceable and the running game has been hit-or-miss, with Jackie Battle, Curtis Brinkley, Ryan Mathews and Ronnie Brown all getting a chance.

But it’s been the team’s rush defense that has helped keep it in games to this point. San Diego’s run defense is improved for many reasons, and one of them is certainly the addition of safety Atari Bigby to the mix.

A season ago, then playing for the Seattle Seahawks, Bigby recorded just 18 tackles and had one sack. A change of scenery in San Diego has boosted the seven-year veteran defensive back. He’s already stepped up and recorded 27 tackles, defensed a pass and nearly intercepted another. Add in two tackles behind the line of scrimmage, and it’s safe to say he has been a huge part of the defensive success for the Chargers to this point.

San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Frank Gore, RB

Jim Harbaugh’s pro-style offense is predicated on the San Francisco 49ers' ability to pound the football between the tackles. Sure, NaVorro Bowman is leading the league in tackles, Alex Smith is managing the offense to near-perfection and making plays and Vernon Davis is having a remarkable year with four touchdowns already.

None of that, though, would be possible without the effort and performance by eight-year veteran running back Frank Gore.

Gore brings a strong work ethic, low center of gravity and relentless drive to every play, and it’s paying off behind the imposing offensive line of the 49ers. Injuries have hampered him in the past, and they've tempered expectations for him to an extent, but he looks to be 100 percent to this point in this season (he played in all 16 games last year).

Alex Smith has been the biggest benefactor of his 5.9 yards-per-carry average, because he’s been able to take pressure off himself and execute play action because of that effectiveness. Gore’s also scored two touchdowns on the ground and amassed 292 total yards. 

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Chris Clemons, DE

The replacement referees handed the Seattle Seahawks a huge Week 3 Monday Night Football win over the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, they do not qualify.

One game does not make an MVP, but there is an exception to every rule. Chris Clemons exploded onto the national spotlight with a four-sack performance against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line. Prior to the game, the Seahawks had just two sacks. They finished with 10 for the season once the final whistle blew.

Clemons has helped the team post one of the league’s best defenses and is currently ranked No. 3 with five total sacks on the year after his Monday night performance. Without that performance, Rodgers and the Pack might have had the game out of reach before the replacement refs could interject.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Gerald McCoy, DT

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been a tough team to gauge through the first three weeks of the 2012 NFL season. Offensive improvement was an unspoken certainty, it seemed, after adding veteran wide receiver Vincent Jackson through free agency and drafting running back Doug Martin at the end of the first round of the draft. But the team has a first-year head coach in Greg Schiano, a No. 30-ranked passing game and a propensity to run the football even if it’s not working.

The team’s defense has been even harder to gauge because of the disparity between its rush and pass defenses. Because of their success in stopping the run, the Bucs’ secondary has been exploited at times—especially by Eli Manning in a Week 2 second-half offensive clinic.

Gerald McCoy is the core of that defense, who has stifled opponent’s running games and has recorded three sacks up the middle while causing mayhem at the point of attack for opposing offenses. The defensive tackle has also stuffed opposing rushers behind the line of scrimmage twice and has batted down a pass.

Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Jake Locker, QB

Chris Johnson has failed to do much of anything for the Tennessee Titans, and he’s refused to take any of the blame for his struggles. How bad has he been to this point? He’s only run for 45 yards on 33 carries.

Jake Locker, the teams’ sophomore quarterback, has scrambled eight times and picked up 67 yards rushing in the process. He leads the team in that category.

He’s also doing a good job throwing the football this year despite some early-season struggles. With 781 yards through the air, the former Washington Huskies quarterback has recorded a 91.9 passer rating by completing 64.4 percent of his passes and throwing four touchdowns to his two interceptions.

The Titans quarterback may not be lighting the world on fire, but he’s doing enough to keep his team competitive despite struggles across the board. A huge 378-yard, two-touchdown performance helped give his team an overtime win over the visiting Detroit Lions in Week 2.

Washington Redskins

Washington Redskins’ Most Valuable Player through Week 3: Robert Griffin III, QB

The Washington Redskins have started two rookies at key offensive positions, and it has somewhat panned out early for the team from the nation’s capital. Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris have combined for a total of 469 yards rushing through three games—No. 2 in the NFL.

RGIII has, effectively, lived up to the hype surrounding his No. 2 overall selection and the story behind the Redskins trading up to get the rights to drafting him. He’s played conservatively and within the confines of the quick-release offensive system employed by Kyle Shanahan, but he’s also made some plays with his arm and legs.

With a 67.4 completion percentage, the rookie has thrown four touchdown passes with only one interception and amassed 747 total yards through the air in his first three starts. That’s good enough for a 103.5 passer rating. So much for rookie quarterbacks needing time to adjust at the professional level.

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Mike Hoag is a Breaking News Team writer with Bleacher Report and also covers the Cleveland Browns and the NFL for the site.