NFL MVP Award 2011: Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and the Top 5 Candidates

At this point in the 2011 NFL season, it's safe to say that Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady are 1A and 1B as it pertains to the MVP race.

Rodgers is on pace to have one of the best years we have ever seen from the quarterback position, and his Green Bay Packers team has an 11-0 record to show for it.

Brady has the New England Patriots on top of the AFC East and is putting up phenomenal numbers, despite having the backing of the league's worst pass defense and an average rushing attack.

These two aren't the only players worthy of the MVP discussion though, as there are a number of stars who have put their respective teams on their backs on the road to a hopeful playoff spot.

Rodgers is the obvious choice right now, so let's start with the most obvious to the least, as we break down the top-five NFL MVP candidates.

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

Right now there is nobody better than Rodgers, and that is indisputable.

The Packers are undefeated at 11-0 and he's been the biggest part of that streak.

The Super Bowl MVP has completed an exceptional 260-of-362 for 3,475 yards, 33 touchdowns and only four interceptions, which translates to a 71.8 completion percentage and 127.7 quarterback rating.

He's also been a threat on the ground, with 175 yards and two touchdowns on 49 attempts.

The stats are impressive, but so is the way that he gets them. He throws one of the sharpest balls in the NFL, and puts it on the money almost every time. His accuracy is unmatched.

He's been unstoppable for almost a year now, and the scary thing is I don't see anything that can slow him down.

2. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

If it weren't for Rodgers, Tom Brady would be the toast of the NFL.

He's always been great and he will go down as one of the best ever, and 2011 has reiterated his strengths as a quarterback and leader.

Brady has done more with less than anybody else in the league, accumulating 3,627 yards and 28 touchdowns on 277-of-421 passing for a completion percentage of 65.8 and quarterback rating of 105.1.

He does have 10 interceptions on his resume, but they are all but nullified when realizing the weaknesses of the 8-3 team he is surrounded by.

The Patriots have the league's worst passing defense and it could be argued that Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski are as good as they are because of Brady.

Simply put, this team doesn't win five games, let alone the division, without Brady.

3. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints

In my opinion, Brees and Brady could be interchangeable on this list, but for the sake of rankings I think Brees has a better offense around him.

There is absolutely no doubting that the Saints offense doesn't work without Brees, though, and this team would be nothing without him.

He's 323-of-460 for 3,689 yards, 27 touchdowns and a 103.6 quarterback rating. While he does have 11 interceptions, he has an incredible completion percentage of 70.2.

Brees has the Saints at 8-3 and atop the NFC South, and many people feel they would have the best chance at beating the Packers.

That couldn't be said if Brees wasn't playing the way he is.

4. Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans

Without starting quarterback Matt Schaub and now backup quarterback Matt Leinart, Foster is going to have to be the catalyst that holds the Texans together and propels them to the playoffs.

He's going to have to play like a sure-bet MVP candidate, which means all he needs to do is replicate his performance since recovering from a hamstring injury earlier this season.

The Texans are on a five-game winning streak, and much of that can be attributed to Foster.

He has six rushing touchdowns, two receiving touchdowns and a grand total of 757 all-purpose yards in those five games.

In total he's rushed for 805 yards and seven touchdowns on the season, with 469 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

Right now, Arian Foster is the Houston Texans, and he's going to have to be MVP-like if they want to survive this massive bite from the injury bug.

5. Tony Romo, QB Dallas Cowboys

It's hard to argue with the results that Tony Romo has put up in the win column, especially after the abysmal start that the Dallas Cowboys had to their season.

Romo has the Cowboys on top of the NFC East with a 7-4 record, and the Giants are in the midst of yet another second-half implosion.

Despite the nine interceptions, he's 245-of-380 for 3,026 yards and 21 touchdowns for a quarterback rating of 97.5 and completion percentage of 64.5.

Say what you will about his inconsistencies, but Romo is leading the charge on a four-game win streak and has the numbers to back this MVP talk up.