QB's For MVP

The 2008-2009 NFL season has been an interesting one with many players stepping up for their respected clubs. Going through all the great stories and games of this years season, three quarterbacks stick out more than the rest.

The QB's are Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Matt Ryan. With great years from all three of these guys, it's hard to choose just one. So what makes these men so special?

Drew Brees - Quarterback (New Orleans Saints)

How can you deny Drew Brees of being in the MVP race with his stats. With 4,683 passing yards, Brees is less than 200 yards away from second on the single season passing yard list, but will need 401 yards to beat Dan Marino's all time record.

Not only does Brees lead the NFL in passing yards, but also completions, attempts, attempts per game, yards per game, and is second behind Philip Rivers in touchdown. Not to mention Brees has only been sacked 11 times this season.

With such good stats, it's hard to believe the Saints will not be in the playoffs this year. Can a non-playoff contender still win the MVP?

Peyton Manning - Quarterback (Indianapolis Colts)

There really isn't much to argue about when Peyton Manning is brought into the MVP race. Manning came into the season with a knee in bad shape, but still led the Colts to the playoffs.

He missed all five of the teams pre-season games due to surgery on his knee, yet Peyton Manning is looking better than ever. The offensive and defensive struggles of the Colts showed at the beginning of the season as the Colts started out 3-4 through the first 7 games.

From then on, Manning took control of the Colts inconsistent offense and won eight straight games beating tough opponents like New England, Pittsburgh, and San Diego. In these 8 games, Manning was nearly perfect against Jacksonville and New England. Also, Manning combined for 16 touchdowns, three interceptions, and four sacks in these last eight games.

Compared to the first seven games where Manning threw 10 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and was sacked 9 times, Manning showed he was MVP status. It was very likely the Colts were out of the playoffs after week seven, but Peyton Manning once again showed he was a genuine quarterback and led the Colts back to the playoffs. 

Matt Ryan - Quarterback (Atlanta Falcons)

Of course when it comes to good stories of the year, Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons top the list. When Michael Vick got arrested for dog fighting, it remained a mystery for a long time who would take over the role as quarterback of the Falcons.

I'll tell you now, the Falcons couldn't have done better than bringing in rookie, Matt Ryan. Going from the $100 million, MVP and all-star caliber Michael Vick to Matt Ryan might not have seemed like a bright idea, but it sure has been as the young quarterback has led Atlanta to the playoffs with a current record of 10-5.

Ryan doesn't quite have MVP stats with 3,280 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, but the fact that a rookie quarterback in Atlanta can go into the locker room, get the respect from his team mates, and lead them to the playoffs is impressive enough.

Others possible MVP candidates: Philip Rivers, Adrian Peterson, DeAngelo Williams, Clinton Portis, and Roddy White.