The Campaign for Chris Johnson 2009 NFL MVP
by Jimmy on Dec 3, 2009 11:00 AM CST
in Tennessee Titans Commentary
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PrintWe here at MCM are always up for a campaign for a good cause. Two days ago August told you about the traveshamockery that is Cedric Benson leading the AFC in running back Pro Bowl voting. Yesterday Chris Johnson told Paul Kuharsky that he is ready to launch an MVP campaign, so I figured I would take some time to help him with his campaign.
Let's start off by talking about some of the individual impressive numbers that CJ has put up this season. Hal mentioned earlier this week that Johnson has three touchdown runs of 85+ yards this season. No other running back has ever done that IN A CAREER. CJ also has a chance to become one of only 5 players in the history of the NFL to rush for 1,500 yards in his team's first 12 games if he rushes for 104 Sunday against the Colts.
Then there is how he compares to the other running backs in the NFL, and his numbers are far and away better than any of them. Johnson currently leads the league in rushing by 276 yards over Steven Jackson (1,396-1,120). That is a HUGE number at this point in the season. That number is even more impressive when you take into consideration that he has 21 less carries than Jackson.
Adrian Peterson, who many foolishly regard as the best back in the league, has 312 less yards on 13 more carries. Peterson also lost more fumbles against Detroit in week ten, 2, than CJ has lost all season (1). On the year Peterson has put the ball on the ground six times losing five of them, and Jackson has lost each of his two fumbles. It is pretty easy to see that CJ is the best running back in the league this season, and in all honesty, it isn't even close.
The three quarterbacks that are tossed around as MVP candidates this season are Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Brett Favre, but when you look at their numbers their isn't one guy that distinguishes himself from the pack. Take a look:
I guess the best case here can be made for Brees because he leads in touchdowns and yards per attempt, but he trails Manning by almost 300 yards. Manning does lead in yards, but he also leads in attempts and interceptions.
I also don't want to hear the argument that the Titans record isn't good enough for CJ to win the MVP. He didn't give up 100 billion points in the first six weeks of this season, and he should not be penalized for that. The MVP is the player that has the most valuable individual season. After looking at these numbers, the only conclusion you can draw is the CJ should be the MVP of the league.
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That is very impressive
3 interceptions for Favre is low for a game. It shows him and his receivers are all on the same page.
Agreed.
.I mean, by those numbers, I think Favre has the best case of the QBs because he’s got comparable statistics without costing his team with turnovers. To me, he’s got the most impressive performance of a QB, easily. And I HATE Favre.
DannoE
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
CJ is by far the best back in the league
and should be in the talk about all the awards. If the Titans beat Indy and then CJ has a big day against the Rams I think he will jump to the top of the discussions for those awards.
Great write up Jimmy!
There is WAY too much focus on Offensive players in general...
and QBs in particular when it comes to the MVP voting.
Still, I think CJ is the man this year and he should at least be a serious contender for the award.
Look,
I’m all for great players being recognized for their skill. What Chris Johnson has done this season and probably will continue to do is nothing short of incredible. However, Chris Johnson is not the leagues Most Valuable Player. How can one individual whose team started 0-6 and has a mountain of a hill to climb to make the playoffs be the leagues Most Valuable Player.
The League’s Most Valuable Player in my opinion is not one who throws up the most gaudy stats, but one who without his efforts his team or the league wouldn’t be better than what it was without him.
Chris Johnson is without a doubt a talented and amazing force in the NFL, but he is on a 5-6 team. Would we be having the same discussion if the Titans were 0-11? Absolutely not.
If Peyton Manning threw 40 TD and 10 interceptions and the Colts were 5-6, would anyone consider him to be the leagues Most Valuable Player? If they did they would be homerish and stupid!
The reason why Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Brett Farve are the top three candidates for the award are because they are playing at unmatched levels and their level of play has not only elevated their teams to dominant records, but also they are the faces of their respective franchises. I think the Titans would still be a 10-6 team with or without Johnson. However, without Brees, Manning, and Farve their teams would not be playoff contenders.
Chris Johnson without a doubt the Offensive Player of the Year, but he is not the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.
I disagree about one thing.
The Titans would not be a 10-6 team without Johnson. He has won games for us with his feet (coupled with his hands). I would go as far as saying without Johnson, this team could easily be 1-10 right now
by Great Paperclip on Dec 3, 2009 12:15 PM CST up reply actions
Well...
… that is certainly the logic that kept Brees from being MVP last year and kept Phillip Rivers out of the Pro Bowl. I personally don’t think it’s right, but that’s the logic that folks use.
Question: Where would Tennessee be WITHOUT Chris Johnson?
Now, how does that compare to where Indy would be without Manning, NO without Brees, and Minnesota without Favre? And in that case, I think the only comparable player is Manning because without him, the Colts would be terrible. But NO was DECENT before they got Brees, and Minnesota was a playoff team last year without Favre.
Does Tennessee go 13-3 last year without CJ? Could they have won more than 1 game without him so far?
DannoE
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
Well...
…with Drew undefeated and lighting it up, Brett Favre still giving all of the announcers man-crush erections, and Peyton Manning – the NFL’s money face – having a solid year………I think CJ’s going to have to break Dickerson’s record to get the MVP over the three of these guys. The NFL would give anything to have Favre win it or market Manning in yet another way, and Breese may have a 16-0 argument should those guys fail to get the nod.
Chris is going to have to break the rushing record, methinks, to get the MVP.
"Bite my shiny metal ass!" -- Bender Bending Rodriguez
"Life is just one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead."
by The Jade Scorpion on Dec 3, 2009 12:45 PM CST reply actions
PLUS
We have to make the playoffs.
I think even breaking Dickerson’s record isn’t enough, if we don’t make the postseason.
Go 10-6 and make a Wild Card slot, though…
If he breaks that record
he should get it without question, or they better make it an explicit requirement moving forward that the MVP’s team has to make the playoffs to be considered.
I mean say we fall one game short of the wildcard spot, which the Colts had last year when Manning got the MVP. Is that one win seriously so big that it would cost CJ the MVP? I know lots of voters would say yes, but I think they’d be wrong.
Music City Miracles blogger and official Jon Bovi tour manager.
I think they'd be wrong, too.
But while not required, I don’t think the MVP will go to a player on a non-playoff team. The reasoning being that he’s just not valuable enough if he can’t elevate his teammates to the postseason.
I agree they think that way
but it’s absurd, IMO.
Music City Miracles blogger and official Jon Bovi tour manager.
If Favre keeps on playing the way he's playing
He’ll get it.
Otherwise it’ll be one of the three quarterbacks. Just because they aren’t distinguishing themselves from each other, it doesn’t mean none of them will be winners, its just a testament to how well they are playing.
Johnson will probably finish fourth in the voting, although OPOY should not be out of reach.
I don't know how you cannot give him the award
If he, in fact, does have the best season a running back has ever had.
That don’t be making no sense.
It's called Marketing, and Jade Scorpion already explained it correctly.
Brees, Manning, and Favre are all worth much more to the League as MVPs than is CJ.
DannoE
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
Excellent.
When do they put out the Eric Berry Award?
DannoE
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
CJ is having an incredible year.
The problem is that these quarterbacks is are playing out of their minds.
The single season records for passing yardage and rushing yardage are in danger, which is remarkable.
If he breaks a single season record, theres no way he shouldn't get MVP
He is more valuable to the Titans than any of those QBs to their respective teams. Even Manning.
Ain't no time for hesitatin'
All you got to do is groove
by BonzosMontreaux on Dec 3, 2009 2:48 PM CST up reply actions
No they're not.
Can you really differentiate between them? No. Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, and Aaron Rodgers are putting up similar numbers. That’s 6-7 QB’s right now playing on the same level. No clear leader.
CJ already separated himself from the pack 4 weeks ago. He’s setting new records left & right, and breaking old once. CJ is the MVP. We shouldn’t even discuss this.
They playing at about the same level the best QBs in the league always play at
Nobody does what CJ is doing…
Music City Miracles blogger and official Jon Bovi tour manager.
...
You know, I just got through going through the exercise of proving you wrong…that these quarterbacks were having historic years, but you’re right. There is a larger volume of quarterbacks having a fantastic year this season, but no one is setting the world on fire like CJ is. I knew that CJ was having a year like no one ever had seen. I just thought that these quarterbacks were setting records themselves. As it turns out, they aren’t. Hopefully, the voters will go through the same exercise of looking at historic YPA, TD%, INT%.
i think ppl's man crush......
……on brett favre mixed in with possibly him receiving the award so high up in age is making all the analysts/voters mouth water. but the truth is, i dont think he would be having the season he is w/o adrian peterson to hand the ball off to. i can see peyton and drew in the mix b/c theyre doing more with less than past years, but still, the receivers they have are not the typical backups they know what theyre doing. and they both have theyre go to guys in wayne and colston.
this whole not being eligible for the MVP because we have a losing record and most likely to miss the playoffs is ridiculous. its MVP not MVT, and if i had to pick a guy that was most valuable in my opinion to starting a new franchise, CJ would be at the top of the list. thinking like this has denied KB53 multiple trips to the pro bowl, that he very much deserved, and it makes me sick. yes they are two different awards, but its the concept of how players are evaluated that pisses me off.
"Waiting for the return of the Mac"
"Let VY loose, give him the chance to play his heart out. for himself, for the titans...and for mcnair"
"Titans & Texans fan, dont bug me w/your petty b.s., life's confusing enough."
No, I would give Brett Favre an MVP if he'd go the hell away.
Music City Miracles blogger and official Jon Bovi tour manager.
i can see where your coming from......
that could be one thing, hopefully, as saying his name backwards did not work.
"Waiting for the return of the Mac"
"Let VY loose, give him the chance to play his heart out. for himself, for the titans...and for mcnair"
"Titans & Texans fan, dont bug me w/your petty b.s., life's confusing enough."
"Despite Epic QB Play, Chris Johnson is MVP Frontrunner"
From jabosports.com:
“He runs over guys. He runs through guys. He out runs guys. Only Adrian Peterson can challenge him as a more dangerous running back. His numbers are completely off-the-chain: 1,396 rushing years (2,031 projected), 9 TDs thus far, a 6.4 yards per carry average. He does more damage, with fewer tries. With no receivers to speak of, Johnson’s been getting it done for the Titans. Vince can’t win without 28 in the back field. He’s as important to his team than any of the other MVP candidates mentioned (Manning, Favre, Brees).”
NFL MVP is as bad as the heisman
It’s not about who has the best season, it’s about who is the best QB on the top 4 teams
the real question is...
I you were CJ…would you hold out for a new contract this offseason. I would. I think bud will give him an extension next year . If you are the best back in football, you should be paid like it…
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