NFL Power Rankings: MVP Watch for League's Top Teams

The Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots and Detroit Lions occupy three of the top five spots in the Week 9 power rankings, and each team has a leading MVP contender. Here's a breakdown of each team's candidate and where they stand right now.

Aaron Rodgers

The Green Bay Packers quarterback is far and away the NFL's leading MVP candidate right now. There can't be any argument that Rodgers has been absolutely fantastic through the first seven games of this season. The Cal product has led his Packers team to the league's only undefeated record and has been nearly perfect himself.

So far this season, Rodgers has completed 171-of-239 passes for 2,372 yards, with 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Rodgers' quarterback rating of 125.7 is by far the NFL's best, a whopping 21.3 points higher than second place (Tom Brady at 104.4). Rodgers is also leading the league in completion percentage (71.5) and his NFL-best yards-per-attempt average of 9.93 is 1.10 yards better than second place (Eli Manning 8.83). Oh, and his 20 touchdowns are also tops in the league. 

Those numbers on their own are spectacular, but when you factor in his team's undefeated record it makes the MVP "race" more of a victory lap for Rodgers. The 27-year-old has basically lapped the field and he may be so far ahead that he can't be caught over the second half of the season. 

Rodgers would have to suffer an absolute collapse to not win the award.

Calvin Johnson

Anyone who has watched any of the 2011 NFL season knows that Calvin Johnson has been phenomenal this year. If not for Rodgers, Johnson would clearly be the league's most valuable player. 

Through the first eight games, the fifth-year wideout has 47 catches for 804 yards and an astonishing 11 touchdowns. Johnson is averaging 100.5 yards per game and 17.1 yards per catch. Of his 47 catches, a remarkable 40 have resulted in first downs. And all of that has come while facing near-constant double-teams. 

Johnson has been flat-out ridiculous this season and, again, if not for Rodgers he would be dominating the MVP conversation.

Tom Brady

Brady's New England Patriots are third on my power rankings list, and Brady is clearly in the MVP conversation, though he trails Rodgers and Johnson by a significant margin. 

Through seven games this weekend, Brady has completed 184-of-272 passes (67.6 percent) for 2,361 yards, with 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions. As mentioned above, Brady's quarterback rating of 104.4 is second in the NFL. 

As long as the Patriots keep winning, Brady will be a big part of the reason. And at times, New England has solely pulled out wins because of Brady's outstanding leadership. If Johnson and Rodgers fall off, the reigning MVP might have an outside shot.

NFL Power Rankings, Week 9

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
3. San Francisco 49ers (6-1)
4. New England Patriots (5-2)
5. Detroit Lions (6-2)
6. Buffalo Bills (5-2)
7. New Orleans Saints (5-3)
8. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
9. Houston Texans (5-3)
10. New York Giants (5-2)
11. New York Jets (4-3)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
13. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)
14. Oakland Raiders (4-3)
15. San Diego Chargers (4-3)
16. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)
18. Chicago Bears (4-3)
19. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4)
20. Tennessee Titans (4-3)
21. Dallas Cowboys (3-4)
22. Cleveland Browns (3-4)
23. Washington Redskins (3-4)
24. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)
25. Minnesota Vikings (2-6)
26. Carolina Panthers (2-6)
27. Denver Broncos (2-5)
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)
29. Arizona Cardinals (1-6)
30. St. Louis Rams (1-6)
31. Indianapolis Colts (0-8)
32. Miami Dolphins (0-7)