MVP Rankings: Tom Brady stays at No. 1 despite Patriots' loss
This week's rankings are the first to omit last year's MVP, Aaron Rodgers, but a fourth loss in the month of November has all but sunk his chances at defending his crown. This is also the first set of rankings to feature only one undefeated quarterback, and the influence that perfect record has on these rankings remains the single most intriguing storyline.
Here's a look at the top five MVP candidates - ranked in order - through 12 weeks.
1. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
Pass yards: 3,600 | Comp.%: 65.2 | TD-INT: 28-4
Think Brady should move down a spot following the Patriots' first loss of the season? He went up against the league's top pass defense and threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover.
He's rolling along despite a lengthy list of injured pass-catchers that includes Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Dion Lewis, and now Rob Gronkowski. With the season he's having, it'll take a couple more losses to knock Brady off his perch.
2. Cam Newton, QB, Panthers
Pass yards: 2,466 | Comp.%: 57.2 | TD-INT: 20-9
Stats just aren't Cam's game. He was in control of a Thanksgiving Day win over the Dallas Cowboys in which the Panthers dominated time of possession, but came away without a passing touchdown (though he did find the end zone once on the ground).
Newton is a transcendent talent, but his spot on this list is very reliant on the Panthers' ability to keep winning football games.
3. Carson Palmer, QB, Cardinals
Pass yards: 3,337 | Comp.%: 63.8 | TD-INT: 27-9
Properly spiking a football may be beyond the 35-year-old, but he runs Bruce Arians' pass-heavy offense like a man many years his junior.
Palmer maintained his resolve and stayed aggressive on a day in which the San Francisco 49ers brought their A-game, tossing a 34-yard dart to set up his game-deciding, seven-yard touchdown run - his first rushing touchdown since he was a member of the Oakland Raiders.
4. J.J. Watt, DE, Texans
Tackles: 55 | Sacks: 13.5 | Passes defended: 5
What started out as an ordinary statistical season for the defending Defensive Player of the Year has turned extraordinary very quickly.
After accumulating four sacks in his first six games, Watt has 9.5 sacks over his last five games. His 13.5 sacks lead the league by a comfortable margin, and his ability to get into the backfield and create chaos has been a major part of the Texans' recent turnaround.
5. Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals
Pass yards: 2,971 | Comp.%: 65.7 | TD-INT: 23-6
As expected, the return to 1 p.m. ET did Dalton good. The Bengals flexed their muscles and reminded the football world how dominant they can be after two bad losses in prime time.
Dalton threw for three touchdowns against a St. Louis Rams defense that ranks among the better units in the league. When the Bengal offense is firing on all cylinders, few units can keep up.