Showcase Showdown

In this section we will take a controversial topic and argue both sides against one another.

2012 NFL MVP: Adrian Peterson or Peyton Manning
By Ryan Frisco and Caleb Musselman

Photo Cred www.elitedaily.com

Caleb - I side with AP
Ryan - I’m taking Peyton

Ryan - Peyton Manning is the obvious choice for MVP this season.  He took a Denver Broncos team that barely made .500 last season in the weakest Division in football to an NFL best 13-3 record and the top seed in the AFC.  All this after four neck fusion surgeries.  How can you argue against that?

Caleb - Easy. You said it yourself. Peyton plays in the weakest division in football. Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders. Those last 3 teams could make their own Comedy Club. Peyton came to an already established team that went 9-7 with Tim Tebow at the helm. Yes, Tim Tebow. Adrian Peterson (AP) is on another level. After tearing his ACL and MCL last December, many questioned if he’d ever be the same. Well, all he did was set his own personal record for yards in a season and came up just 9 yards short of breaking the All-time record. On top of that, Peterson plays in arguably the best division in the NFL right now. Have you changed your mind yet?

Ryan - No, not yet.  Yes, I’ll admit, All Day had an amazing year.  But let’s rewind back to, say, Week 6?  Do we remember who one of the top candidates in the MVP running was at that point?  Percy Harvin.  The Vikings, in one of the NFL’s greatest divisions, was sitting on top with a 5-1 record.  And, before he got hurt, it was all thanks to Percy Harvin, not Adrian Peterson.  So, Percy takes credit for the first half, Peterson for the second.  If a good second half counts so much, let’s put Kaep and RGIII in the running. Not to mention they lost their first playoff game with Christian Ponder unable to play, which means it wasn’t ALL Peterson carrying them to victory.  Peyton Manning won the last 11 games of the year.  Story over.

Caleb - If AP didn’t play this year, there is no doubt in my mind that Peyton would deserve the MVP. Peyton’s 11 game win streak to finish the season was pretty stellar. However, if you take a look at their opponents over that span, it starts to make more sense: KC x2, SD x2, OAK, CAR, CLE, TB, NO, CIN, BAL. Only the last three there had any realistic chance of competing with this team. That’s a very soft schedule to end the year, and a few weak teams to pump up Peyton’s season stats before he bit the bullet in the playoffs. Here are a list of the defenses that AP sliced through during the final 8 weeks of the regular season: SEA, DET, CHI, GB, CHI, STL, HOU, GB. Not such an easy schedule. Did I mention in only one of those starts did he average less than 5 YPC? To come off an injury and challenge a seemingly untouchable rushing record in a passing generation is hall-of-fame worthy. Peyton and Adrian will see each other in the Hall, but this MVP goes to AP.

Ryan - Caleb, this is my last stab at it.  You make great points and valid points.  Yes, Peterson did play an overall tougher line of defense down the stretch.  Yes, he did shred them to pieces.  What AP did this year is beyond remarkable and I agree with that 100%.  You said it for me though, this is a passing generation.  We’re talking about an MVP award here; Most Valuable Player to his team.  What Adrian did is spectacular, but it is an individual feat.  The team fed him the ball as much as possible those last few games in big part so he could break that record.  He came close, but so have others in this newfound passing generation.  See CJ2K and Jamal Lewis.  Individual feats are great.  Team feats are better.  In this era, the Quarterback is the most valuable player on the field.  If they don’t get the job done, the team almost always won’t.  The team couldn’t lean on AP in the playoffs without Ponder.  Manning did his job; Rahim Morris blew a Super Bowl chance for him.  Bring on MVPx5.  Caleb, you may have the last word.  I expect you will give in and applaud me.

Caleb - The Vikings were 3-13 in 2011. The Broncos were 9-7 in 2011. Enough said......but I’ll say more. Without Peyton, the Broncos were good enough to beat the Steelers in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Without a healthy AP, the Vikings muddled through a tragic season. In 2012, Peyton took an already playoff ready team to the #1 seed in the AFC and a Divisional Round exit. In the same calendar year, AP came back from an often career ending injury and placed the Vikings in the mix for the NFC North, and eventually a Wild Card spot that they had no business occupying. From 3-13 to 10-6. And this question is still being asked? Who is more valuable to their team? Some people in Denver are asking for Tebow back after Peyton’s lackluster performance against Baltimore. This time I’m serious, enough said.

Well that’s that.  What do you think?  Does Manning deserve a 5th? AP his first?  Or maybe someone else?  Vote in the poll on the right side of this blog!