FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-91            12/21/01

 

MVP RACE AS SUSPENSEFUL AS PLAYOFF RACES

 

The voting for this year’s NFL MVP should be as close as the league’s tight playoff races.  Many players on many teams on both sides of the ball can claim that they deserve to be named the 2001 NFL Most Valuable Player.

Following is an alphabetical look at some of the candidates for 2001 NFL MVP (or offensive/defensive players of the year):

  • RB Shaun Alexander, Seattle (7-6): Leads NFL with 12 rushing TDs and ranks fifth in AFC with 1,036 rushing yards. Had NFL season-high 266 rushing yards vs. Oakland on November 11.
  • RB Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh (11-2): Ranks third in AFC with 1,072 rushing yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry (225 attempts). Steelers are 5-0 when Bettis rushes for at least 100 yards.
  • WR David Boston, Arizona (5-8): Leads NFL with 1,387 receiving yards and is on pace for 1,707. Ranks second in NFC with 86 catches. Has league-high eight 100-yard receiving games.
  • QB Tom Brady, New England (9-5): Ranks second in AFC with 64.7 completion percentage and third in conference with 88.1 passer rating. Has 9-3 record as starter.
  • RB Stephen Davis, Washington (6-7): Leads NFC in rushing with 1,116 yards.
  • RB Marshall Faulk, St. Louis (11-2): Leads NFL with 14 touchdowns, ranks third in NFC in scrimmage yards with 1,504, is fifth in conference with 894 rushing yards, and leads all NFC running backs with 68 catches and 610 receiving yards. Leads NFC with 75 total first downs.
  • QB Brett Favre, Green Bay (9-4): Ranks second in NFL with 27 touchdown passes, second in NFC with 92.9 passer rating, and third in conference with 3,300 passing yards. Packers are 3-0 when he passes for at least 300 yards.
  • LB LONDON FLETCHER, St. Louis (11-2): Has totaled 156 tackles, six passes defensed, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
  • QB Rich Gannon, Oakland (10-3): Leads NFL with 100.8 passer rating, ties for AFC lead with 23 touchdown passes, and ranks third in conference with 3,042 passing yards. Leads AFC with 66.5 completion percentage. Has three 300-yard games. Leads AFC with 106.0 fourth-quarter passer rating.
  • QB Jeff Garcia, San Francisco (10-3): Ranks third in NFL with 25 touchdown passes and third in NFC with 91.2 passer rating. San Francisco is 3-0 when he passes for at least 300 yards.
  • RB Ahman Green, Green Bay (9-4): Leads NFC with 1,645 scrimmage yards, ranks third in conference with 1,103 rushing yards, and third among NFC running backs with 55 catches. Has 542 receiving yards. Packers are 5-0 when he rushes for at least 100 yards.
  • WR Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis (5-8): Leads AFC with 12 receiving touchdowns, ranks second in conference with 1,173 receiving yards, and fourth in AFC with 83 catches.
  • RB Priest Holmes, Kansas City (4-9): Leads NFL in both rushing (1,267) and scrimmage yards (1,764). Ranks second among all AFC running backs with 497 receiving yards. Has rushed for league-high six 100-yard games and Chiefs are 4-2 in those contests. Leads NFL with 79 total first downs. Had NFL season-high 277 scrimmage yards vs. Oakland on December 9.
  • WR Keyshawn Johnson, Tampa Bay (7-6): Leads NFL with 100 receptions and is on pace to tie Herman

 

Moore’s NFL record of 123. Ranks second in NFL with 1,196 receiving yards. Leads NFC with 64 receiving first downs.

  • LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore (8-5): Leads team with 161 tackles, and has nine passes defensed, 3.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
  • QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis (5-8): Leads AFC with 3,517 passing yards and ties for AFC lead with 23 touchdown passes. Has five 300-yard games. Had AFC season-high 421 passing yards vs. Buffalo on September 23.
  • RB Curtis Martin, N.Y. Jets (8-5): Ranks second in NFL with 1,218 rushing yards, second in AFC with 1,436 scrimmage yards, and ties for second in league with 10 rushing touchdowns. Jets are 5-0 when Martin rushes for at least 100 yards. Ranks second in AFC with 71 total first downs.
  • QB DONOVAN MC NABB, Philadelphia (9-4): Is responsible for 73.2 percent of Eagles offense with 2,731 passing yards and 403 rushing yards. His 22-10 TD-to-INT ratio is the second-best in the league. Also has two rushing TDs.
  • LB JAMIR MILLER, Cleveland (6-7): Leads AFC with 13.0 sacks and has team-high 103 tackles.
  • WR Terrell Owens, San Francisco (10-3): Leads NFL with 13 receiving touchdowns, ranks third in NFC with 82 catches and fifth in conference with 1,139 receiving yards. San Francisco is 5-0 when he has at least 100 receiving yards.
  • WR Rod Smith, Denver (7-7): Leads AFC in both receptions (98) and receiving yards (1,195), and ranks second in conference with 10 receiving touchdowns. Broncos are 4-1 when he has at least 100 receiving yards. Leads NFL with 66 receiving first downs. Had NFL season-high 14 receptions vs. Arizona on September 23.
  • QB KORDELL STEWART, Pittsburgh (11-2): Has fewest interceptions (5) of any starting quarterback in NFL and leads AFC with 98.1 third-down passer rating. Has also rushed for 477 yards and four touchdowns.
  • DE Michael Strahan, N.Y. Giants (6-7): Leads NFL with 17.0 sacks and is on pace for 21.0, which would tie for second all-time with Reggie White (1987) and Chris Doleman (1989). Tied for NFL season-high with 4.0 sacks vs. St. Louis on October 14. Also has 58 tackles, six forced fumbles and two passes defensed.
  • LB ZACH THOMAS, Miami (9-4): Has totaled 143 tackles, five passes defensed, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks, and one touchdown.
  • RB La Dainian Tomlinson, San Diego (5-9): The rookie ranks third in AFC with 1,341 scrimmage yards, and fourth in conference with 1,053 rushing yards. His 10 rushing touchdowns tie for second in NFL.
  • LB Brian Urlacher, Chicago (10-3): Has totaled 121 tackles, 5.0 sacks, four passes defensed, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and one touchdown.
  • QB Kurt Warner, St. Louis (11-2): Leads NFL with 28 touchdown passes and 3,974 passing yards. On pace for 34 TDs and 4,891 yards, which would rank second all-time in a season to DAN MARINO (5,084).  Leads NFC with 99.2 passer rating. Leads NFL with 66.7 completion percentage. Has league-high eight 300-yard games and Rams are 7-1 in those contests. Leads NFL with 107.1 third-down passer rating.
  • RB Ricky Williams, New Orleans (7-6): Ranks second in NFC in both rushing yards (1,112) and scrimmage yards (1,609). Saints are 4-1 when he rushes for at least 100 yards.