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NFL MVP Watch: Antonio Brown enters suddenly wide-open race
Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

NFL MVP Watch: Antonio Brown enters suddenly wide-open race

Sadly, the NFL MVP race has been sent into disarray with just three weeks remaining.

It was thrown in upheaval when second-year star Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz suffered a torn ACL, an injury that will cause him to miss the rest of what was shaping up to be magical season in Philadelphia. Wentz was a favorite and likely would be the front-runner after he helped the Eagles with a big road game over the Los Angeles Rams while his chief competition, Tom Brady, had a bad night in a bad New England defeat at Miami on Monday night.

Our other leader, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, suffered a tough loss in Jacksonville.

These developments have opened the door for a rare legitimate receiver threat for the hardware: Mr. Antonio Brown.

It’s safe to say we have some movement on our board

The favorites


Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Brady: He was our favorite after last week, and he’s still a strong candidate — very strong — even after the Patriots’ 27-20 loss at Miami. Let’s face it: The Patriots didn’t show up Monday night. They were awful, and Brady was a big reason why. He threw two of his six interceptions this season in the game and never looked right. What do we make of it? Nothing. Stinkers happen. He’s Tom Brady. He’ll be back.

Carson Wentz: Wentz is still a candidate to win the award. He led the Eagles to an 11-2 record and has them in great position moving forward. Of course, the Eagles’ chances of having postseason success without Wentz have dipped, but he put this team in position to win. He could still get MVP support even though he will miss the final three games of the season.

Who joined the leaderboard?


Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Antonio Brown: He is now officially an MVP top candidate, and frankly, I may be a week late. After everything that happened last week, Brown firmly belongs. While others dipped in this race, the Steelers' top wideout is soaring. He is always ridiculous, but Brown’s production level has been insane the past four weeks. He had 11 catches for 213 yards in the Steelers’ wild, 39-38 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. In the past four games, Brown has 39 catches for 637 yards and six touchdowns. He has 99 catches for 1,509 yards and nine touchdowns on the season and has a chance to lead the NFL all three categories. A receiver has never won this award before. It may be time.

Keep an eye on


Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Russell Wilson: Wilson wasn’t great against the stifling Jacksonville defense, and the Seahawks are no sure thing to make the playoffs. His candidacy may be teetering, but he's had a great year.

Drew Brees: Brees’s New Orleans Saints also lost in Week 14 and are tied with Carolina for first place in the rugged NFC South at 9-4. Brees can get in this race with a hot finish to the regular season.

Philip Rivers: It’s time Rivers gets some recognition. The Chargers are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, winning seven of their last nine games after starting 0-4. Rivers has thrown 23 touchdowns and been intercepted just seven times. This is a borderline Hall of Fame player who has been underrated much of his career. Rivers, who turned 36 last week, is still playing great.

Key development to watch in Week 15 

There is no bigger games this week than New England at Pittsburgh. The AFC home-field advantage hangs in the balance, and so could the MVP race. Brady and Brown both need to step up big in this crucial game; the player who makes a bigger impact could end up winning the MVP.

Current pick


Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The race is definitely tightening, but Brady is still the pick. One game is not going to change that. However, stay tuned.

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