Mid-Season NFL MVP Goes to…

Peyton Manning! Sure, you can make a good case for Aaron Rodgers with 20 TDs and only 3 interceptions. He’s coming off of a Super Bowl victory and has his team in position to win the NFC North at 6-0 this year. You might even throw Tom Brady into the mix. He’s already accumulated nearly 2,200 yards and has 16 TDs of his own. And at 5-1, the Patriots are looking pretty strong, too.

But let’s take a look at Peyton Manning and the woeful Colts. Indianapolis was able to amass some of the best regular season records of the last 5 years – 10 wins, 14 wins, 12 wins, 13 wins, and 12 wins with a Super Bowl victory to boot. He’s been the face of the franchise and a coach on the field. Of course this year, as we all know, he’s out. And the Colts have ZERO wins. They’ve struggled to get first downs let alone W’s.

The Colts roster looks very similar to its past contending rosters yet they are failing beyond imagination. The only difference is that #18 is on the sidelines. This season has proven how valuable one player can be to a franchise.

Other teams have been able to manage without their signal caller under center. Last year, the Steelers held up nicely while Big Ben sat out due to suspension. But the Colts have done nothing of the sort.

So who’s to say you have to be playing to be the most valuable player to your team and to the league. By not playing, Manning’s shown that he is virtually irreplaceable. The Colts are losing and almost unwatchable, which hurts their fanbase and the NFL's bottom line. And that’s why he’s my 2011/12 NFL MVP.